Hitchin (UK Parliament constituency)

Hitchin
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
1885–1983
Number of members one
Replaced by North Hertfordshire, Stevenage[1]
Created from Hertfordshire

Hitchin was a parliamentary constituency in Hertfordshire which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until it was abolished for the 1983 general election.

Boundaries

1885-1918: The Sessional Divisions of Aldbury (except the parishes of Great Hadham and Little Hadham), Buntingford, Hitchin, Odsey, Stevenage, and Welwyn, and the parish of Braughing.

1918-1950: The Urban Districts of Baldock, Hitchin, Royston, and Stevenage, the Rural Districts of Ashwell, Buntingford, Hitchin, and Welwyn, and in the Rural District of Hertford the parishes of Aston, Bennington, Datchworth, Sacombe, Walkern, and Watton-at-Stone.

1950-1955: The Urban Districts of Baldock, Hitchin, Letchworth, Royston, and Stevenage, the Rural District of Hitchin, in the Rural District of Braughing the parishes of Anstey, Ardeley, Aspenden, Broadfield, Buckland, Buntingford, Cottered, Hormead, Meesden, Throcking, Westmilll, and Wyddiall, and in the Rural District of Hertford the parishes of Aston, Bennington, Datchworth, Sacombe, Walkern, and Watton-at-Stone.

1955-1974: The Urban Districts of Baldock, Hitchin, Letchworth, Royston, and Stevenage, and the Rural District of Hitchin.

1974-1983: The Urban Districts of Baldock, Hitchin, Letchworth, and Royston, and the Rural District of Hitchin.

Members of Parliament

ElectionMemberParty
1885Baron Robert Dimsdale aConservative
1892George Bickersteth HudsonConservative
1906Julius BertramLiberal
Jan 1910Alfred Peter HillierConservative
1911 by-electionLord Robert Cecil bConservative
1918Coalition Conservative
1922Conservative
1923Guy Molesworth KindersleyConservative
1931Viscount KnebworthConservative
1933 by-electionSir Arnold WilsonConservative
1941 by-electionSeymour BerryConservative
1945Philip Asterley JonesLabour
1950Nigel FisherConservative
1955Martin MaddanConservative
1964Shirley WilliamsLabour
Feb 1974Ian StewartConservative
1983 constituency abolished

Notes:-

  • a Dimsdale was a Baron of the Russian Empire.
  • b Cecil associated himself with the non-coalition wing of the Conservative Party, at some point in the 1918-1922 Parliament.

Elections

Elections in the 1880s

General Election 1885: Hitchin [2][3][4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Robert Dimsdale 4,419 60.6 N/A
Liberal Henry George Fordham 2,869 39.4 N/A
Majority 1,550 21.2 N/A
Turnout 7,288 81.0 N/A
Registered electors 8,996
Conservative win (new seat)
General Election 1886: Hitchin [2][3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Robert Dimsdale Unopposed
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1890s

General Election 1892: Hitchin [2][3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative George Bickersteth Hudson 4,187 60.5 N/A
Liberal John Wattridge 2,728 39.5 N/A
Majority 1,459 21.0 N/A
Turnout 6,915 77.0 N/A
Registered electors 8,982
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General Election 1895: Hitchin [2][3][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative George Bickersteth Hudson Unopposed
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1900s

General Election 1900: Hitchin [2][3][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative George Bickersteth Hudson Unopposed
Conservative hold
General Election 1906: Hitchin [2][3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Julius Bertram 4,157 50.5 N/A
Conservative J J W Miller 4,081 49.5 N/A
Majority 76 1.0 N/A
Turnout 8,238 83.9 N/A
Registered electors 9,820
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing N/A

Elections in the 1910s

General Election January 1910: Hitchin [2][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Alfred Peter Hillier 5,761 59.8 +10.3
Liberal St. George Lane Fox-Pitt 3,877 40.2 -10.3
Majority 1,884 19.6 +20.6
Turnout 88.5 +4.6
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +10.3
General Election December 1910: Hitchin [2][8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Alfred Peter Hillier 5,233 57.0 -2.8
Liberal Thomas Tylston Greg 3,942 43.0 +2.8
Majority 1,291 14.0 -5.6
Turnout 84.3 -4.2
Conservative hold Swing -2.8
Hitchin by-election, 1911[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Robert Cecil 5,542 58.6 +1.6
Liberal Thomas Tylston Greg 3,909 41.4 -1.6
Majority 1,633 17.2 +3.2
Turnout 84.8 +0.5
Conservative hold Swing +1.6

General Election 1914/15:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

Robert Cecil
General Election 14 December 1918: Hitchin [10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
C Unionist Robert Cecil 9,828 60.6 +3.6
Labour Robert Green 5,661 34.9 N/A
NFDDSS George Humm 722 4.5 N/A
Majority 4,167 25.7 +11.7
Turnout 16,211 54.4 −29.9
Registered electors 29,820
Unionist hold Swing N/A
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Elections in the 1920s

General Election 1922: Hitchin[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Unionist Robert Cecil 13,124 62.0 +1.4
Labour Benjamin Skene Mackay 8,049 38.0 +3.1
Majority 5,075 24.0 −1.7
Turnout 21,173 66.2 +7.8
Registered electors 32,005
Unionist hold Swing −0.9
General Election 1923: Hitchin [12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Unionist Guy Kindersley 11,157 49.7 −12.3
Labour Benjamin Skene Mackay 5,913 26.3 −11.7
Liberal Dugald Macfadyen 5,390 24.0 N/A
Majority 5,244 23.4 −0.6
Turnout 22,460 67.7 +1.5
Registered electors 33,197
Unionist hold Swing −0.3
General Election 1924: Hitchin[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Unionist Guy Kindersley 14,019 59.2 +9.5
Labour Julian Athelstan Tayler 5,773 24.4 −1.9
Liberal Dugald Macfadyen 3,881 16.4 −7.6
Majority 8,246 34.8 +11.4
Turnout 23,673 69.5 +1.8
Registered electors 34,060
Unionist hold Swing +5.7
General Election 1929: Hitchin[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Unionist Guy Kindersley 14,786 44.8 −14.4
Liberal Enid Lapthorn 9,325 28.3 +3.9
Labour Richard W Gifford 8,880 26.9 +10.5
Majority 5,461 16.5 −18.3
Turnout 32,991 73.4 +3.9
Registered electors 44,967
Unionist hold Swing −9.2

Elections in the 1930s

General Election 1931: Hitchin [15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Antony Bulwer-Lytton 25,841 75.7
Labour Dermot Johnston Freyer 8,312 24.3
Majority 17,529 51.4
Turnout 71.1 -2.3
Conservative hold Swing
Arnold Wilson
Hitchin by-election, 1933
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Arnold Wilson 14,569 58.4
Labour William Bennett 10,362 41.6
Majority 4,207 16.8
Turnout 51.3
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1935: Hitchin [16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Arnold Wilson 21,452 63.34
Labour George Lindgren 12,417 36.66
Majority 9,035 26.68
Turnout 66.44
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1940s

General Election 1939/40: Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;

Hitchin by-election, 1941[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Seymour Berry unopposed n/a n/a
Conservative hold Swing n/a
General Election 1945: Hitchin [18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Philip Jones 20,779 42.64
Conservative Seymour Berry 20,433 41.93
Liberal Thomas Darling 7,515 15.42
Majority 346 0.71
Turnout 72.44
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General Election 1950: Hitchin
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Nigel Fisher 23,580 45.11
Labour Philip Jones 21,829 41.76
Liberal FS Haig 6,863 13.13
Majority 1,751 3.35
Turnout 85.78
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
General Election 1951: Hitchin
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Nigel Fisher 27,719 52.64
Labour Peter Benenson 24,941 47.36
Majority 2,778 5.28
Turnout 84.98
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1955: Hitchin
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Martin Maddan 26,371 50.93
Labour Peter Benenson 25,406 49.07
Majority 965 1.86
Turnout 83.17
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1959: Hitchin
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Martin Maddan 30,193 46.82
Labour Peter Benenson 25,818 40.03
Liberal Robert Glenton 8,481 13.15
Majority 4,375 6.78
Turnout 85.43
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General Election 1964: Hitchin
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Shirley Williams 34,034 45.84
Conservative Martin Maddan 30,649 41.28
Liberal Elma Dangerfield 9,564 12.88
Majority 3,385 4.56
Turnout 84.54
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
General Election 1966: Hitchin
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Shirley Williams 42,233 56.52
Conservative John Stokes 32,483 43.48
Majority 9,750 13.05
Turnout 65.54
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General Election 1970: Hitchin
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Shirley Williams 40,932 48.53
Conservative Richard Luce 37,258 44.18
Liberal Thomas Willis 6,148 7.29
Majority 3,674 4.36
Turnout 84,338 76.88
Labour hold Swing
General Election February 1974: Hitchin
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Ian Stewart 27,222 44.11
Labour Ann Mallalieu 23,204 37.60
Liberal D Beavan 10,824 17.54
Independent P Bianchi 467 0.76
Majority 4,018 6.51
Turnout 61,717 85.57
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
General Election October 1974: Hitchin
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Ian Stewart 25,842 44.59
Labour Ann Mallalieu 22,656 39.09
Liberal Eric Dix 9,454 16.31
Majority 3,186 5.50
Turnout 57,952 79.59
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1979: Hitchin
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Ian Stewart 33,169 52.54
Labour Denis O'Flynn 19,940 31.59
Liberal Eric Dix 8,224 13.03
Ecology Brian Goodale 911 1.44
National Front Victor Logan 881 1.40
Majority 13,229 20.96
Turnout 63,125 82.19
Conservative hold Swing

References

  1. ↑ "Hitchin', Feb 1974 - May 1983". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, FWS Craig
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 The Liberal Year Book, 1907
  4. ↑ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886
  5. ↑ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
  6. ↑ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
  7. ↑ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
  8. ↑ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
  9. ↑ British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
  10. ↑ British parliamentary election results, 1918-1949 (Craig)
  11. ↑ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  12. ↑ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  13. ↑ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  14. ↑ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, F W S Craig
  15. ↑ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, F W S Craig
  16. ↑ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, F W S Craig
  17. ↑ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, F W S Craig
  18. ↑ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, F W S Craig
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