Bedford (UK Parliament constituency)








































































Bedford

County constituency
for the House of Commons

Outline map
Boundary of Bedford in Bedfordshire.


Outline map
Location of Bedfordshire within England.

County Bedfordshire
Population 101,066 (2011 census)[1]
Electorate 69,019 (December 2010)[2]
Major settlements
Bedford, Kempston
Current constituency
Created 1997
Member of parliament
Mohammad Yasin (Labour)
Number of members One
Created from
North Bedfordshire and Mid Bedfordshire[3]

1918–1983
Number of members One
Type of constituency County constituency
Replaced by North Bedfordshire
1295–1918
Number of members 1295–1885: Two
1885–1918: One
Type of constituency Borough constituency
Overlaps
European Parliament constituency East of England

Bedford /ˈbɛdfərd/ is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since the 2017 general election by Mohammad Yasin of the Labour Party. The seat dates to the earliest century of regular parliaments, in 1295; its double representation was halved in 1885, then being altered by the later-termed Third Reform Act in 1918.[n 2]


Save for two elections in 1974 and one in 1964 when the seat leant to the right bucking the national result, the affiliation of the winning candidate was that of the winning party nationally for the years 1951–2017 – a bellwether. Bedford is one of three seats won (held or gained) by a Labour candidate in 2017 from a total of six covering its county. Yasin's 2017 win was one of 30 net gains of the Labour Party. The seat has become ultra-marginal; a falling majority has characterised the last six consecutive elections.


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Contents






  • 1 Constituency profile and boundaries summary


  • 2 History


  • 3 Members of Parliament


    • 3.1 MPs 1295–1660


      • 3.1.1 Parliaments of King Edward I


      • 3.1.2 Parliaments of King Edward II


      • 3.1.3 Parliaments of King Edward III


      • 3.1.4 Parliaments of King Richard II


      • 3.1.5 Parliaments of King Henry IV


      • 3.1.6 Parliaments of King Henry V


      • 3.1.7 Parliaments of King Henry VI


      • 3.1.8 1377–1427


      • 3.1.9 Parliaments of King Edward IV


      • 3.1.10 Parliaments of King Richard III


      • 3.1.11 Parliaments of King Henry VII


      • 3.1.12 Parliaments of King Henry VIII


      • 3.1.13 Parliaments of King Edward VI


      • 3.1.14 Parliaments of Queen Mary I


      • 3.1.15 Parliaments of Queen Elizabeth I


      • 3.1.16 Parliaments of King James I


      • 3.1.17 Parliaments of King Charles I


      • 3.1.18 Parliaments of the Protectorate




    • 3.2 MPs 1660–1885


    • 3.3 MPs 1885–1983


    • 3.4 MPs 1997–2017


    • 3.5 Notes




  • 4 Elections


    • 4.1 Elections in the 2010s


    • 4.2 Elections in the 2000s


    • 4.3 Elections in the 1990s


    • 4.4 Elections in the 1970s


    • 4.5 Elections in the 1960s


    • 4.6 Elections in the 1950s


    • 4.7 Elections in the 1940s


    • 4.8 Elections in the 1930s


    • 4.9 Elections in the 1920s


    • 4.10 Elections in the 1910s


    • 4.11 Elections in the 1900s


    • 4.12 Elections in the 1890s


    • 4.13 Elections in the 1880s


    • 4.14 Elections in the 1870s


    • 4.15 Elections in the 1860s


    • 4.16 Elections in the 1850s


    • 4.17 Elections in the 1840s




  • 5 See also


  • 6 Notes


  • 7 References


  • 8 Sources





Constituency profile and boundaries summary


1918–1950: The Municipal Borough of Bedford, the Urban District of Kempston, and the Rural Districts of Bedford and Eaton Socon.


1950–1983: The Municipal Borough of Bedford, the Urban District of Kempston, and part of the Rural District of Bedford.


1997–2010: The Borough of Bedford wards of Brickhill, Castle, Cauldwell, De Parys, Goldington, Harpur, Kempston East, Kempston West, Kingsbrook, Newnham, Putnoe, and Queen's Park.


2010–present: The Borough of Bedford wards of Brickhill, Castle, Cauldwell, De Parys, Goldington, Harpur, Kempston Central and East, Kempston North, Kempston South, Kingsbrook, Newnham, Putnoe, Queens Park.


Geographical and economic profile

Bedford is a marginal seat between the Labour Party and the Conservatives. The main settlement is Bedford, a well-developed town centre with a considerable amount of social housing relative to Bedfordshire and higher poverty index but on a fast railway link to London and other destinations, the town is at the north end of the Thameslink service to Brighton and is not far from Milton Keynes which has a larger economy. The smaller and contiguous town of Kempston is also in the constituency.



History


Bedford was first represented in the Model Parliament of 1295. The constituency was originally a parliamentary borough electing two Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons, and consisted of the five parishes making up the town of Bedford.


Before the Reform Act of 1832, the right to vote was exercised by all freemen and burgesses of the town (whether or not they lived within the borough boundaries) and by all householders who were not receiving alms. This was a fairly wide franchise for the period, but potentially subject to abuse since the Corporation of the borough had unlimited power to create freemen. The Corporation was usually under the influence of the Dukes of Bedford, but their influence usually fell well short of making Bedford a pocket borough.


In 1768, a majority of the corporation apparently fell out with the Duke at the time, and decided to free the borough from his influence. They elected a Huntingdonshire squire,[n 3]Sir Robert Bernard, as Recorder of the borough, and made 500 new freemen, mostly Bernard's Huntingdonshire neighbours or tenants. As there were only 540 householders, this gave him the effective power to choose Bedford's MPs; at the next election the defeated candidates petitioned against the result, attempting to establish that so many non-residents should not be allowed to vote, but the Commons dismissed the petition and confirmed the right of all the freemen, however created, to vote.


Bernard cemented his control with the creation of hundreds of further freemen in the next few years; at around the same period he lent the Corporation £950, and it is not unreasonable to assume this was payment for services rendered. However, in 1789, the young Duke of Bedford managed to regain the Corporation's loyalty, and had 350 of his own retainers made freemen.


Even at other periods, the influence of the Dukes seems sometimes to have been more nominal than real. In the 1750s and 1760s, before Bernard's intervention, a frequent compromise was that the Duke nominated one MP and the Corporation (representing the interests of the town) the other; but it seems that on occasion the Duke had to be flexible to retain the semblance of local deference towards him, and that his "nominee" had in reality been imposed upon him. Nor was the outcome invariably successfully predetermined: at the 1830 election the result swung on one individual's vote – the defeated candidate being Lord John Russell, who was not only one of the Whig leaders but The Duke of Bedford's son.


In 1831, the population of the borough was 6,959, and contained 1,491 houses. This was sufficient for Bedford to retain both its MPs under the Great Reform Act, with its boundaries unaltered. The reformed franchise introduced in 1832 gave the borough 1,572 inhabitants qualified to vote. The town was growing, and Bedford retained its borough status until the 1918 general election, although under the Redistribution of Seats Act, 1885, its representation was reduced to a single MP. On the eve of the First World War, its population was just under 40,000, of whom 6,500 people were eligible to vote.


In 1918, the borough was abolished; but the town's name was applied to the county constituency into which it was placed. The new constituency (strictly speaking The Bedford division of Bedfordshire) covered the northern end of the county and included Kempston and Eaton Socon together with the surrounding rural area. A boundary change which came into effect at the 1950 election reduced its size somewhat, part of the Bedford Rural District including Eaton Socon being transferred to the Mid Bedfordshire constituency.


In 1983, further boundary changes took Kempston out of the constituency, and its name was changed to North Bedfordshire, although it was recognisably still the same constituency and Bedford itself was still much its largest component. The following boundary review, effective from the 1997 general election, restored the Bedford name.


In the latest boundary changes, the constituency lost all the rural settlements and villages to the Mid Bedfordshire and North East Bedfordshire constituencies. This means that the Bedford Constituency is now solely formed from the towns of Bedford and Kempston.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedford_(UK_Parliament_constituency)#MPs_1660%E2%80%931885



Members of Parliament



MPs 1295–1660



  • Constituency created (1295)


Edward I –
Edward II –
Edward IV –
Richard III –
Henry VII –
Henry VIII –
Edward VI –
Mary I –
Elizabeth I –
James I –
Charles I –
Protectorate –
1377-1427 –
1660-1885 –
1885-1983 –
1885-1983 –
1997-2017 –
Elections







Parliaments of King Edward I













































































































No. Summoned Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member 2nd member
29th 30 September 1295+ 1295 27 November 1295 4 December 1295 John Cullebere
Simon de Holand
30th 26 August 1296 1296 3 November 1296 29 November 1296 unknown
unknown
33rd 6 October 1297 1297 15 September 1297 14 October 1297 unknown
unknown
34th 15 March 1298 March 1298 30 March 1298 ... unknown
unknown
35th 10 April 1298 1298 25 May 1298 ... Thomas Halyday
Robert de Sywell
39th 29 December 1299 1299/00 6 March 1300 20 March 1300 John Wymond
William Benne
40th 26 September 1300 1300/01 20 January 1301 30 January 1301
42nd 14 July 1302 1302 14 October 1302 21 October 1302 Simon le Tanner
Robert de Sywell
43rd 12 November 1304 1304/05 28 February 1305 20 March 1305 John Halyday
William Costyn
45th 5 April 1306 1306 30 May 1306 30 May 1306 Simon de Wilshamstead
Geoffrey le Blund
46th 3 November 1306 1306/07 20 January 1307 19 March 1307 William Costyn
John le Marescal


Parliaments of King Edward II







































































































































































































No. Summoned Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member 2nd member
1st 26 August 1307 1307 13 October 1307 16 October 1307 William Bonum
John atte Wal
2nd 19 January 1308 1308 3 March 1308 ... unknown
unknown
5th 4 March 1309 1309 27 April 1309 13 May 1309 Gilbert de Holm
John le Marescal
8th 16 June 1311 1311 8 August 1311 ... John Halyday
Geoffrey Clogon (Glogon)
... 1311 12 November 1311 18 December 1311
William Costyn (Costantyn)
9th 3 June 1312 1312 20 August 1312 16 December 1312
Roger Cullebere
10th 8 January 1313 1313 18 March 1313 9 May 1313 Thomas de Norfolk John atte Wal
11th 23 May 1313 1313 8 July 1313 27 July 1313
12th 26 July 1313 1313 23 September 1313 15 November 1313
13th 29 July 1314 1314 9 September 1314 27/28 September 1314
William Costantyn
14th 24 October 1314 1314/15 20 January 1315 9 March 1315
Geoffrey Glogon
15th 16 October 1315 1315/16 27 January 1316 20 February 1316
no return
16th 24–25 August 1318 1318 20 October 1318 9 December 1318 Henry Oliver
Geoffrey de Blunham
17th 20 March 1319 1319 6 May 1319 25 May 1319 Simon de Bydenham
Ralph le Collere
19th 5 August 1320 1320 6 October 1320 25/26 October 1320 Richard de Cave
Thomas Halyday
20th 15 May 1321 1321 15 July 1321 22 August 1321 John de Soham
Richard le Ussher
21st 14 March 1322 1322 2 May 1322 19 May 1322 Simon de Knightwyk
William Costantyn
22nd 18 September 1322 1322 14 November 1322 29 November 1322
Richard de Cave
23rd 20 November 1323 1323/24 23 February 1324 18 March 1324 Thomas Halyday
Roger atte Wal
24th 6 May 1325 1325 25 June 1325 ... unknown
unknown
25th 10 October 1325 1325 18 November 1325 5 December 1325 unknown
unknown
26th 28 October 1326 1326/27 7 January 1327 20 January 1327 Hugh Balle
Hugh Cok

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Parliaments of King Edward III
















































































































































































































































































































































































































































No. Summoned Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member 2nd member
1st ... ... ... 9 March 1327 unknown
unknown
2nd 7 August 1327 1327 15 September 1327 23 September 1327 Roger atte Wal
Simon Cullebere
3rd 10 December 1327 1327/28 7 February 1328 5 March 1328 Hugh Cok William de Hoghton
4th 5 March 1328 1328 24 April 1328 14 May 1328 John de Lund, jnr. Geoffrey le Neveu
5th 28 August 1328 1328 16 October 1328 22 February 1329 William Flour John Scot
6th 25 January 1330 1330 11 March 1330 21 March 1330 Richard de Cave Simon de Stevynton
7th 23 October 1330 1330 26 November 1330 9 December 1330 Robert Crowe John Elcock
8th 16 July 1331 1331 30 September 1331 9 October 1331 William Costantyn
unknown
9th 27 January 1332 1332 16 March 1332 21 March 1332 John de Soham, jnr. Geoffrey Walcock
10th 20 July 1332 1332 9 September 1332 12 September 1332 Hugh Balle John Scot
11th 20 October 1332 1332 4 December 1332 27 January 1333 John de Soham John de Codenho (Boddenho?)
12th 2 January 1334 1334 21 February 1334 2 March 1334 Richard de Cave William le Clerk
13th 24 July 1334 1334 19 September 1334 23 September 1334
14th 1 April 1335 1335 26 May 1335 3 June 1335 William de Holewelle
15th 22 January 1336 1336 11 March 1336 20 March 1336 John atte Lound Henry Arnold
16th 29 November 1336 1336/37 3 March 1337 c.16 March 1337 unknown
unknown
17th 20 December 1337 1337/38 3 February 1338 14 February 1338 John de Styvecle William de Holewell
18th 15 November 1338 1338/39 3 February 1339 17 February 1339 Robert Carbonel William de Holewell
19th 25 August 1339 1339 13 October 1339 c.3 November 1339 unknown
unknown
20th 16 November 1339 1339/40 20 January 1340 19 February 1340 unknown
unknown
21st 21 February 1340 1340 29 March 1340 10 May 1340 unknown
unknown
22nd 30 May 1340 1340 12 July 1340 26 July 1340 unknown
unknown
23rd 3 March 1341 1341 23 April 1341 27–28 May 1341 unknown
unknown
24th 24 February 1343 1343 28 April 1343 20 May 1343 unknown
unknown
25th 20 April 1344 1344 7 June 1344 28 June 1344 unknown
unknown
26th 30 July 1346 1346 11 September 1346 20 September 1346 unknown
unknown
27th 13 November 1347 1348/48 14 January 1348 12 February 1348 unknown
unknown
28th 14 February 1348 1348 31 March 1348 13 April 1348 unknown
unknown
29th 25 November 1350 1350/51 9 February 1351 1 March 1351 unknown
unknown
30th 15 November 1351 1351/52 13 January 1352 11 February 1352 unknown
unknown
31st 15 March 1354 1354 28 April 1354 20 May 1354 unknown
unknown
32nd 20 September 1355 1355 23 November 1355 30 November 1355 unknown
unknown
33rd 15 February 1357 1357 17 April 1357 8–16 May 1357 unknown
unknown
34th 15 December 1357 1357/58 5 February 1358 27 February 1358 unknown
unknown
35th 3 April 1360 1360 15 May 1360 ... unknown
unknown
36th 20 November 1360 1360/61 24 January 1361 18 February 1361 unknown
unknown
37th 14 August 1362 1362 13 October 1362 17 November 1362 unknown
unknown
38th 1 June 1363 1363 6 October 1363 30 October 1363 unknown
unknown
39th 4 December 1364 1364/65 20 January 1365 17 February 1365 unknown
unknown
40th 20 January 1366 1366 4 May 1366 11 May 1366 unknown
unknown
41st 24 February 1368 1368 1 May 1368 21 May 1368 unknown
unknown
42nd 6 April 1369 1369 3 June 1369 11 June 1369 unknown
unknown
43rd 8 January 1371 1371 24 February 1371 29 March 1371 unknown
unknown
44th 1 September 1372 1372 3 November 1372 24 November 1372 unknown
unknown
45th 4 October 1373 1373 21 November 1373 10 December 1373 unknown
unknown
46th 28 December 1375 1375/76 28 April 1376 10 July 1376 unknown
unknown
47th 1 December 1376 1376/77 27 January 1377 2 March 1377 unknown
unknown

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Parliaments of King Richard II













































































































































































































































No. Summoned Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member 2nd member
1st 4 August 1377 1377 13 October 1377 5 December 1377 unknown
unknown
2nd 3 September 1378 1378 20 October 1378 16 November 1378 unknown
unknown
3rd 16 February 1379 1379 24 April 1379 27 May 1379 unknown
unknown
4th 20 October 1379 1379/80 16 January 1380 3 March 1380 unknown
unknown
5th 26 August 1380 1380 5 November 1380 6 December 1380 unknown
unknown
6th 16 July 1381 1381 3 November 1381 25 February 1382 unknown
unknown
7th 24 March 1382 1382 7 May 1382 22 May 1382 unknown
unknown
8th 9 August 1382 1382 6 October 1382 24 October 1382 unknown
unknown
9th 7 January 1383 1383 23 February 1383 10 March 1383 unknown
unknown
10th 20 August 1383 1383 26 October 1383 26 November 1383 unknown
unknown
11th 3 March 1384 1384 29 April 1384 27 May 1384 unknown
unknown
12th 28 September 1384 1384 12 November 1384 14 December 1384 unknown
unknown
13th 3 September 1385 1385 20 October 1385 6 December 1385 unknown
unknown
14th 8 August 1386 1386 1 October 1386 28 November 1386 unknown
unknown
15th 17 December 1387 1387/88 3 February 1388 4 June 1388 unknown
unknown
16th 28 July 1388 1388 9 September 1388 17 October 1388 unknown
unknown
17th 6 December 1389 1389/90 17 January 1390 2 March 1390 unknown
unknown
18th 12 September 1390 1390 12 November 1390 3 December 1390 unknown
unknown
19th 7 September 1391 1391 3 November 1391 2 December 1391 unknown
unknown
20th 23 November 1392 1392/93 20 January 1393 10 February 1393 unknown
unknown
21st 13 November 1393 1393/94 27 January 1394 6 March 1394 unknown
unknown
22nd 20 November 1394 1394/95 27 January 1395 15 February 1395 unknown
unknown
23rd 30 November 1396 1396/97 22 January 1397 12 February 1397 unknown
unknown
24th 18 July 1397 1397 17 September 1397 31 January 1398 unknown
unknown
25th 19 August 1399 1389 30 September 1399 30 September 1399 unknown
unknown

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Parliaments of King Henry IV






































































































No. Summoned Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member 2nd member
1st 30 September 1399 1399 6 October 1399 19 November 1399 unknown
unknown
2nd 9 September 1400 1400/01 20 January 1401 10 March 1401 unknown
unknown
3rd 19 June 1402 1402 30 September 1402 25 November 1402 unknown
unknown
4th 20 October 1403 1403/04 14 January 1404 20 March 1404 unknown
unknown
5th 25 August 1404 1404 6 October 1404 13 November 1404 unknown
unknown
6th 21 December 1405 1405/06 1 March 1406 22 December 1406 unknown
unknown
7th 26 August 1407 1407 20 October 1407 2 December 1407 unknown
unknown
8th 26 October 1409 1409/10 27 January 1410 9 May 1410 unknown
unknown
9th 21 September 1411 1411 3 November 1411 19 December 1411 unknown
unknown
10th 1 December 1412 1412/13 3 February 1413 20 March 1413 unknown
unknown

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Parliaments of King Henry V















































































































No. Summoned Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member 2nd member
1st 22 March 1413 1413 14 May 1413 9 June 1413 unknown
unknown
2nd 1 December 1413 1413/14 30 April 1414 29 May 1414 unknown
unknown
3rd 26 September 1414 1414 19 November 1414 ... unknown
unknown
4th 12 August 1415 1415 4 November 1415 12 November 1415 unknown
unknown
5th 21 January 1416 1416 16 March 1416 May 1416 unknown
unknown
6th 3 September 1416 1416 19 October 1416 18 November 1416 unknown
unknown
7th 5 October 1417 1417 16 November 1417 17 December 1417 unknown
unknown
8th 24 August 1419 1419 16 October 1419 13 November 1419 unknown
unknown
9th 21 October 1420 1420 2 December 1420 ... unknown
unknown
10th 26 February 1421 1421 2 May 1421 ... unknown
unknown
11th 20 October 1421 1421 1 December 1421 ...
Thomas Manningham[4]

unknown

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Parliaments of King Henry VI



























































































































































































































No. Summoned Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member 2nd member
1st 29 September 1422 1422 9 November 1422 18 December 1422 unknown
unknown
2nd 1 September 1423 1423 20 October 1423 28 February 1424 unknown
unknown
3rd 24 February 1425 1425 30 April 1425 14 July 1425 unknown
unknown
4th 7 January 1426 1426 18 February 1426 1 June 1426 unknown
unknown
5th 15 July 1427 1427 13 October 1427 25 March 1428 unknown
unknown
6th 12 July 1429 1429 22 September 1429 23 February 1430 unknown
unknown
7th 27 November 1430 1430/31 12 January 1431 20 March 1431 unknown
unknown
8th 25 February 1432 1432 12 May 1432 17 July 1432 unknown
unknown
9th 24 May 1433 1433 8 July 1433 >c.18 December 1433 unknown
unknown
10th 5 July 1435 1435 10 October 1435 23 December 1435 unknown
unknown
11th 29 October 1436 1436/37 21 January 1437 27 March 1437 unknown
unknown
12th 26 September 1439 1439 12 November 1439 c.15–24 February 1440 unknown
unknown
13th 3 December 1441 1441/42 25 January 1442 27 March 1442 unknown
unknown
14th 13 January 1445 1445 25 February 1445 9 April 1445 unknown
unknown
15th 14 December 1446 1446/47 10 February 1447 3 March 1447 unknown
unknown
16th 2 January 1449 1449 12 February 1449 16 July 1449 unknown
unknown
17th 23 September 1449 1449 6 November 1449 c.5–8 June 1450 unknown
unknown
18th 5 September 1450 1450 6 November 1450 c.24–31 May 1451 unknown
unknown
19th 20 January 1453 1453 6 March 1453 c.16–21 April 1454 unknown
unknown
20th 26 May 1455 1455 9 July 1455 12 March 1456 unknown
unknown
21st 9 October 1459 1459 20 November 1459 20 December 1459 unknown
unknown
22nd 30 July 1460 1460 7 October 1460 c.4 March 1461 unknown
unknown
23rd 15 October 1470 1470 26 November 1470 c. 11 April 1471 unknown
unknown

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1377–1427






























































































































































Year First member Second member
1377 (Jan)
Thomas Jordan [5]

1380 (Jan)
Thomas Jordan [5]

1381
John Wright [6]
1382
Roger Kempston [7]

1384 (Apr)
William Clerevaux[8]

1385
William Clerevaux [8]

Thomas Frereman
1386 William Clerevaux
Thomas Bedford
1388 (Feb) William Clerevaux
Thomas Frereman
1388 (Sep) Roger Kempston
William Barber
1390 (Jan) William Clerevaux
Thomas Frereman
1390 (Nov)
1391 Henry West
John Wright
1393 Thomas Bedford
John Tyringham
1394 Thomas Bedford
William Cotterstock
1395 Thomas Bedford
William Cotterstock
1397 (Jan) Thomas Bedford
William Cotterstock
1397 (Sep) Thomas Jordan
William Brown
1399 Richard Bethewater
Ralph Pyrewelle
1401
1402 Thomas Bedford
Roger Tunstall
1404 (Jan)
1404 (Oct)
1406 John Grey
John Kent
1407
1410
1411
1413(Feb)
1413 (May) Thomas Bedford
William Cotterstock
1414 (Apr)
1414 (Nov) William Dowe
William Wallyngton
1415
1416 (Mar)
1416 (Oct)
1417 John Frepurs
Richard Marston
1419 John Lyt..
1420 Thomas Hunt
William Hunt
1421 (May) Thomas Ferrour
John Leighton
1421 (Dec) Thomas Bole
Thomas Kempston
1427
John Frepurs[9]


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Parliaments of King Edward IV
































































No. Summoned Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member 2nd member
1st 23 May 1461 1461 4 November 1461 6 May 1462 unknown
unknown
2nd 22 December 1462 1462/63 29 April 1463 28 March 1465 unknown
unknown
3rd 28 February 1467 1467 3 June 1467 7 June 1468 John Boston
William Colet, jnr.
4th 19 August 1472 1472 6 October 1472 14 March 1475
Thomas Adams
5th 20 November 1477 1477/78 16 January 1478 26 February 1478
William Colet
6th 15 November 1482 1482/83 20 January 1483 18 February 1483 unknown
unknown

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Parliaments of King Richard III





















No. Summoned Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member 2nd member
1st 9 December 1483 1483/84 23 January 1484 20 February 1484 unknown
unknown

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Parliaments of King Henry VII











































































No. Summoned Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member 2nd member
1st 15 September 1485 1485 7 November 1485 c. 4 March 1486 unknown
unknown
2nd ... 1487 9 November 1487 c. 18 December 1487 unknown
unknown
3rd ... ?1488/89 13 January 1489 27 February 1490 unknown
unknown
4th 12 August 1491 1491 17 October 1491 5 March 1492 unknown
unknown
5th 15 September 1495 1495 14 October 1495 21–22 December 1495 unknown
unknown
6th 20 November 1496 1496/97 16 January 1497 13 March 1497 unknown
unknown
7th ... ?1503/04 25 January 1504 c. 1 April 1504 unknown
unknown

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Parliaments of King Henry VIII





























































































No. Summoned Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member 2nd member
1st 17 October 1509 1509/10 21 January 1510 23 February 1510 unknown
unknown
2nd 28 November 1511 1511/12 4 February 1512 4 March 1514 unknown
unknown
3rd 23 November 1514 1514/15 5 February 1515 22 December 1515 unknown
unknown
4th ... 1523 15 April 1523 13 August 1523 unknown
unknown
5th 9 August 1529 1529 3 November 1529 14 April 1536 John Baker
William Bourne
6th 27 April 1536 1536 8 June 1536 18 July 1536 unknown
unknown
7th 1 March 1539 1539 28 April 1539 24 July 1540 William Johnson
unknown
8th 23 November 1541 1541/42 16 January 1542 28 March 1544 William Johnson
Michael Thrayle
9th 1 December 1544 1544/45 23 November 1545 31 January 1547 George Blagge
Henry Parker

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Parliaments of King Edward VI






























No. Summoned Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member 2nd member
1st 2 August 1547 1547 4 November 1547 15 April 1552
Gerard Harvey alias Smart

George Wright
2nd 5 January 1553 1553 1 March 1553 31 March 1553 Thomas Leigh
William Godolphin

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Parliaments of Queen Mary I























































No. Summoned Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member 2nd member
1st 14 August 1553 1553 5 October 1553 5 December 1553 Edmund Mordaunt
Thomas Leigh
2nd 17 February 1554 1554 2 April 1554 3 May 1554
3rd 3 October 1554 1554 12 November 1554 16 January 1555 William Hall
John Williams
4th 3 September 1555 1555 21 October 1555 9 December 1555 unknown
unknown
5th 6 December 1557 1557/58 20 January 1558 17 November 1558 George Gascoigne
Thomas Leigh

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Parliaments of Queen Elizabeth I



































































































No. Summoned Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member 2nd member
1st 5 December 1558 28 December 1558 23 January 1559 8 May 1559 Thomas Leigh
George Gascoigne
2nd 10 November 1562 1562/63 11 January 1563 2 January 1567 Oliver St John
John Burgoyne
3rd ... 1571 2 April 1571 29 May 1571 Henry Cheeke
Robert Hatley
4th 28 March 1572 1572 8 May 1572 19 April 1583 Henry Cheeke
Michael Hawtry
5th 12 October 1584 1584 23 November 1584 14 September 1585 John Puckering
Nicholas Potts
6th 15 September 1586 1586 15 October 1586 23 March 1587 William Boteler
Thomas Snagge jnr
7th 18 September 1588 1588/89 4 February 1589 29 March 1589 John Pigott
Thomas Snagge
8th 4 January 1593 1593 18 February 1593 10 April 1593
Humphrey Winch
9th 23 August 1597 1597 24 October 1597 9 February 1598
Oliver Luke
10th 11 September 1601 7 October 1601 27 October 1601 19 December 1601
Thomas Fanshawe

Back to Members of Parliament



Parliaments of King James I


















































No. Summoned Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member 2nd member
1st 31 January 1604 1604 19 March 1604 9 February 1611
Sir Humphrey Winch
(made a judge in Ireland 1606)

Thomas Hawes
1606
Sir Christopher Hatton
2nd ... ?1614 5 April 1614 7 June 1614 Alexander St John
John Leigh
3rd 13 November 1620 1620/21 16 January 1621 8 February 1622 Sir Alexander St John
Richard Taylor
4th 20 December 1623 1623/24 12 February 1624 27 March 1625

Back to Members of Parliament



Parliaments of King Charles I



















































No. Summoned Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member 2nd member
1st 2 April 1625 1625 17 May 1625 12 August 1625 Sir Alexander St John
Richard Taylor
2nd 20 December 1625 1626 6 February 1626 15 June 1626
Sir Beauchamp St John
3rd 31 January 1628 1628 17 March 1628 10 March 1629
4th 20 February 1640 1640 13 April 1640 5 May 1640
Sir Samuel Luke[10]
5th 24 September 1640 1640 3 November 1640 16 March 1660

Back to Members of Parliament



Parliaments of the Protectorate



































No. Elected Assembled Dissolved 1st member
1st July 1654 3 September 1654 22 January 1655
Bulstrode Whitelocke
4 November 1654
Henry Chester
2nd 1656 17 September 1656 4 February 1658
Thomas Margets
3rd 1659 27 January 1659 22 April 1659
Thomas Margets
Samuel Browne

Back to Members of Parliament



MPs 1660–1885





































































































































































































































































































































































Year First member[11]
First party Second member[11]
Second party


10 April 1660
Sir Samuel Luke
Humphrey Winch


25 March 1661
Richard Taylor

John Kelyng[mpnotes 1]


10 July 1663
Paulet St John

30 December 1667
Sir William Beecher


12 February 1679
Sir William Francklyn

18 August 1679

17 February 1681


6 March 1685
Sir Anthony Chester, 3rd Baronet
Tory

Thomas Christie[mpnotes 2]

Tory


9 January 1689
Thomas Hillersden
Whig

13 May 1690


5 May 1695
William Farrer
Whig

18 March 1698
William Spencer


20 July 1698
Sir Thomas Alston, 3rd Baronet


c. January 1701
Samuel Rolt
Tory


21 November 1701
William Farrer
Whig


17 July 1702
Edward Carteret
Whig


11 May 1705
William Farrer
Whig
Sir Philip Monoux, 3rd Baronet
Whig

15 December 1707
William Hillersden
Whig

5 May 1708

14 April 1710
John Cater
Whig

6 October 1710


27 August 1713
Samuel Rolt
Tory


28 January 1715
William Farrer
Whig
John Thurlow Brace
Whig
2 December 1715


21 March 1722
George Huxley

9 June 1725
John Thurlow Brace
Whig


15 August 1727
John Orlebar
Whig

16 April 1728

James Metcalfe[mpnotes 3]


30 January 1731
Sir Jeremy Vanacker Sambrooke, Bt
Tory


26 April 1734
Samuel Ongley
Tory

24 November 1740
Sir Boteler Chernock, 4th Baronet

5 May 1741


29 June 1747
Thomas Gore
John Offley


15 April 1754
Francis Herne
Robert Henley-Ongley


26 March 1761
Richard Vernon
Whig
24 April 1764


17 March 1768
Samuel Whitbread
Tory


18 October 1774
Sir William Wake, 8th Baronet
Tory[12]
Robert Sparrow
Tory[12]

23 March 1775

Samuel Whitbread[mpnotes 4]

Whig[12]

14 September 1780


5 April 1784
William MacDowall Colhoun
Tory[12]


28 June 1790
Samuel Whitbread
Whig[12]

27 May 1796


6 July 1802
William Lee-Antonie
Whig[12]

30 October 1806

11 May 1807


6 October 1812
Lord George Russell
Whig[12]

17 July 1815
Hon. William Waldegrave
Whig[12]


17 June 1818
William Henry Whitbread
Whig[12]

8 March 1820

9 June 1826


2 August 1830
Frederick Polhill
Tory[12]

29 April 1831

1832
Samuel Crawley
Whig[12][13][14]

1835
Frederick Polhill
Conservative[12]

1837

Henry Stuart [mpnotes 5]

Conservative[12]

1838
Samuel Crawley
Whig[12][13][14]

1841
Henry Stuart
Conservative[12]

1847
Sir Harry Verney, 2nd Baronet
Whig[15][12][16]

1852
Samuel Whitbread
Whig[17]

1854
William Stuart
Conservative

1857
Thomas Barnard
Whig


1859
William Stuart Conservative
Liberal

1868
James Howard
Liberal

1874
Frederick Polhill-Turner
Conservative

1880
Charles Magniac
Liberal


  • Reduced to one member (1885)

Back to Members of Parliament



MPs 1885–1983









































































Election Member[11]
Party


1885
Samuel Whitbread
Liberal


1895
Charles Pym
Conservative


1906
Percy Barlow
Liberal


1910 (Jan)
Walter Attenborough
Conservative


1910 (Dec)
Frederick Kellaway
Liberal


1922
Sir Richard Wells, 1st Baronet
Conservative


1945
Thomas Skeffington-Lodge
Labour


1950
Christopher Soames
Conservative


1966
Brian Parkyn
Labour


1970
Trevor Skeet
Conservative


1983

Constituency abolished: see North Bedfordshire

Back to Members of Parliament



MPs 1997–2017


























Election Member[11]
Party


1997
Patrick Hall
Labour


2010
Richard Fuller
Conservative


2017
Mohammad Yasin
Labour


Notes





  1. ^ A double return was made for Kelying and Sir Samuel Luke; Kelyng was allowed to sit


  2. ^ A double return was made for Christie and Sir William Francklyn in 1690; Christie was allowed to sit


  3. ^ Declared elected and Brace unseated on petition


  4. ^ Declared elected and Sparrow unseated on petition


  5. ^ At the election of 1837, Stuart was initially declared elected, but on petition his election was declared void and after scrutiny of the votes his opponent Crawley was declared elected instead



Back to Members of Parliament



Elections



2010s –
2000s –
1990s –
1970s –
1960s –
1950s –
1940s –
1930s –
1920s –
1910s –
1900s –
1890s –
1880s –
1870s –
1860s –
1850s –
1840s







Elections in the 2010s








































Next United Kingdom General Election: Bedford[18]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Conservative
Ryan Henson



Majority




Turnout




Registered electors



































































General Election 2017: Bedford[19]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Labour

Mohammad Yasin

22,712

46.8

+6.6


Conservative

Richard Fuller
21,923
45.2
+2.6


Liberal Democrat
Henry Vann
2,837
5.9
+1.6


Green
Lucy Bywater
1,008
2.1
-1.0
Majority
789
1.6

N/A

Turnout
48,480
67.5
+1.0


Labour gain from Conservative

Swing
+2.0

















































































General Election 2015: Bedford[20]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Conservative

Richard Fuller

19,625

42.6

+3.7


Labour

Patrick Hall
18,528
40.2
+4.3


UKIP
Charlie Smith
4,434
9.6
+7.1


Liberal Democrat
Mahmud Rogers
1,958
4.2
−15.6


Green
Ben Foley [21]
1,412
3.1
+2.2


Independent
Faruk Choudhury
129
0.3

N/A
Majority
1,097
2.4
−0.6

Turnout
46,086
66.5
+0.6


Conservative hold

Swing
-0.6


























































































General Election 2010: Bedford[22]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Conservative

Richard Fuller

17,546

38.9

+5.4


Labour

Patrick Hall
16,193
35.9
−5.7


Liberal Democrat
Henry Vann
8,957
19.9
−1.6


UKIP
Mark Adkin
1,136
2.5
+0.1


BNP
William Dewick
757
1.7

N/A


Green
Ben Foley
393
0.9

N/A


Independent
Samrat Deep Bhandari
120
0.3

N/A
Majority
1,353
3.0

N/A

Turnout
45.102
65.9
+3.8


Conservative gain from Labour

Swing
+5.5


Back to Elections



Elections in the 2000s









































































General Election 2005: Bedford[23]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Labour

Patrick Hall

17,557

41.7

−6.2


Conservative

Richard Fuller
14,174
33.7
+0.9


Liberal Democrat
Michael Headley
9,063
21.5
+5.7


UKIP
Peter Conquest
995
2.4
+1.3


Independent
John McCready
283
0.7

N/A
Majority
3,383
8.0
-7.1

Turnout
42,072
59.6
−0.3


Labour hold

Swing
−3.5









































































General Election 2001: Bedford[24]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Labour

Patrick Hall

19,454

47.9

−2.7


Conservative
Charlotte Attenborough
13,297
32.8
−0.9


Liberal Democrat
Michael Headley
6,425
15.8
+3.5


Independent
Richard Rawlins
973
2.4

N/A


UKIP
Jennifer Lo Bianco
430
1.1

N/A
Majority
6,157
15.1
-1.9

Turnout
40,579
59.9
−13.6


Labour hold

Swing
−0.9


Back to Elections



Elections in the 1990s






































































General Election 1997: Bedford[25]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Labour

Patrick Hall

24,774

50.6

N/A


Conservative

Bob Blackman
16,474
33.7

N/A


Liberal Democrat
Christopher Noyce
6,044
12.3

N/A


Referendum
Peter Conquest
1,503
3.1

N/A


Natural Law
Patricia Saunders
149
0.3

N/A
Majority
8,300
17.0

N/A

Turnout
48,944
73.5

N/A


Labour win (new seat)

Back to Elections



Elections in the 1970s

































































General Election 1979: Bedford[3]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Conservative

Trevor Skeet

31,140

51.21




Labour
NA Hyman
18,727
30.80



Liberal
B Gibbons
10,129
16.66



National Front
R Stearns
813
1.34

Majority
12,413
20.41


Turnout

78.65



Conservative hold

Swing


























































General Election October 1974: Bedford[3]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Conservative

Trevor Skeet

24,834

43.61




Labour

Brian Parkyn
20,746
36.43



Liberal
JC Griffiths
11,360
19.95

Majority
4,088
7.18


Turnout

76.80



Conservative hold

Swing


























































General Election February 1974: Bedford[3]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Conservative

Trevor Skeet

26,082

42.51




Labour

Gordon Colling
19,861
32.37



Liberal
JC Griffiths
15,405
25.11

Majority
6,221
10.14


Turnout

83.51



Conservative hold

Swing


























































General Election 1970: Bedford[3]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Conservative

Trevor Skeet

26,330

50.52




Labour

Brian Parkyn
21,051
40.39



Liberal
Arthur W Butcher
4,740
9.09

Majority
5,279
10.13


Turnout

77.31



Conservative gain from Labour

Swing



Back to Elections



Elections in the 1960s

























































General Election 1966: Bedford
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Labour

Brian Parkyn

22,257

45.22




Conservative

Christopher Soames
21,879
44.46



Liberal
John E Burrell
5,080
10.32

Majority
378
0.77


Turnout

81.55



Labour gain from Conservative

Swing


























































General Election 1964: Bedford
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Conservative

Christopher Soames

21,404

45.18




Labour

Brian Parkyn
18,256
38.54



Liberal
Walter Ernest Norton
7,712
16.28

Majority
3,148
6.65


Turnout

80.41



Conservative hold

Swing



Back to Elections



Elections in the 1950s

























































General Election 1959: Bedford
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Conservative

Christopher Soames

23,495

50.87




Labour

Maurice Foley
16,728
36.22



Liberal
Maurice L Rowlandson
5,966
12.92

Majority
6,767
14.65


Turnout

83.56



Conservative hold

Swing


















































General Election 1955: Bedford
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Conservative

Christopher Soames

24,733

55.55




Labour
Harold James Aldridge
19,792
44.45

Majority
4,941
11.10


Turnout

81.79



Conservative hold

Swing


























































General Election 1951: Bedford
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Conservative

Christopher Soames

23,278

49.43




Labour

Peter Parker
20,494
43.52



Liberal
Frederick Henry Philpott
3,323
7.06

Majority
2,784
5.91


Turnout

87.14



Conservative hold

Swing


































































General Election 1950: Bedford
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Conservative

Christopher Soames

21,942

47.66




Labour

Thomas Skeffington-Lodge
19,834
43.08



Liberal
Leonard John Humphrey
4,060
8.82



Communist
Betty Matthews[26]
207
0.45

Majority
2,108
4.58


Turnout

87.55



Conservative gain from Labour

Swing



Back to Elections



Elections in the 1940s

























































General Election 1945: Bedford
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Labour

Thomas Skeffington-Lodge

19,849

41.71




Conservative

Richard Wells
19,561
41.10



Liberal
Leonard John Humphrey
8,183
17.19

Majority
288
0.61


Turnout

73.10



Labour gain from Conservative

Swing



Back to Elections



Elections in the 1930s

















































General Election 1935: Bedford
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Conservative

Richard Wells

22,476

62.29




Labour
Norman Mickle
13,604
37.71

Majority
8,872
24.59


Turnout

73.39



Conservative hold

Swing


















































General Election 1931: Bedford
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Conservative

Richard Wells

25,030

72.17




Labour

Clare Annesley
9,654
27.83

Majority
15,376
44.33


Turnout

73.25



Conservative hold

Swing



Back to Elections



Elections in the 1920s

























































General Election 1929: Bedford
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Unionist

Richard Wells

16,724

46.0

-6.1


Liberal

Alfred Machin
10,520
28.9
-0.5


Labour
George Dixon
9,147
25.1
+6.6
Majority
6,204
17.1
-5.6

Turnout

79.1
-2.6


Unionist hold

Swing
-2.8

























































General Election 1924: Bedford
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Unionist

Richard Wells

15,000

52.1

+1.2


Liberal

Milner Gray
8,451
29.4
-19.7


Labour
George Dixon
5,330
18.5
n/a
Majority
6,549
22.7


Turnout

81.7



Unionist hold

Swing
+10.4

















































General Election 1923: Bedford
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Unionist

Richard Wells

12,906

50.9

+0.6


Liberal

Milner Gray
12,449
49.1
+41.3
Majority
457
1.8


Turnout

73.5



Unionist hold

Swing
-20.4




Lady Lawson

































































General Election 1922: Bedford
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Unionist

Richard Wells

13,460

50.3

n/a


National Liberal

Frederick Kellaway
5,714
21.4
-38.3


Labour
Arthur Sells
5,477
20.5
-19.8


Liberal
Lady Lawson
2,075
7.8
n/a
Majority
7,746
28.9


Turnout
26,726
79.1



Unionist gain from National Liberal

Swing













































Bedford by-election, 1921
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±

C

Liberal

Frederick Kellaway

14,397

59.7

-13.0


Labour
Frederick Fox Riley
9,731
40.3
n/a
Majority
4,666
19.4



Liberal hold

Swing
n/a


C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Back to Elections



Elections in the 1910s




Kellaway


















































General Election 1918: Bedford
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±

C

Liberal

Frederick Kellaway

10,933

72.7

+22.5


Independent
Henry Burridge
4,096
27.3
n/a
Majority
6,837
45.4
+45.0

Turnout

45.2
-46.0


Liberal hold

Swing
n/a


C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

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;




  • Liberal: Frederick Kellaway


  • Unionist: Gerald de la Pryme Hargreaves


  • Labour: Frederick Fox Riley




Kellaway

















































General Election December 1910 Bedford[27]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Liberal

Frederick Kellaway

2,773

50.2

+1.7


Conservative

Walter Attenborough
2,754
49.8
-1.7
Majority
19
0.4
3.4

Turnout

91.2
-2.3


Liberal gain from Conservative

Swing
+1.7

















































General Election January 1910 Bedford[27]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Conservative

Walter Attenborough

2,919

51.5




Liberal

Percy Barlow
2,750
48.5

Majority
169
3.0


Turnout

93.5



Conservative gain from Liberal

Swing



Back to Elections



Elections in the 1900s




Barlow























































General Election 1906 Bedford[27]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Liberal

Percy Barlow

2,771

54.9

+8.3


Conservative

Charles Pym
2,278
45.1
−8.3
Majority
493
9.8

N/A

Turnout
5,049
91.2
+7.1

Registered electors
5,535




Liberal gain from Conservative

Swing
+8.3




Pym























































General Election 1900 Bedford[27]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Conservative

Charles Pym

2,115

53.4

+1.2


Liberal

Percy Barlow
1,848
46.6
−1.2
Majority
267
6.8
+2.4

Turnout
3,963
84.1
−6.5

Registered electors
4,711




Conservative hold

Swing
+1.2


Back to Elections



Elections in the 1890s























































General Election 1895: Bedford [27]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Conservative

Charles Pym

1,976

52.2

+3.8


Liberal

Samuel Whitbread
1,810
47.8
-3.8
Majority
166
4.4

N/A

Turnout
3,786
90.6
+1.0

Registered electors
4,179




Conservative gain from Liberal

Swing
+3.8























































General Election 1892: Bedford [27]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Liberal

Samuel Whitbread

1,850

51.6

+1.2


Conservative

Charles Pym
1,732
48.4
−1.2
Majority
118
3.2
+2.4

Turnout
3,582
89.6
+1.1

Registered electors
3,998




Liberal hold

Swing
+1.2


Back to Elections



Elections in the 1880s























































General Election 1886: Bedford [27]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Liberal

Samuel Whitbread

1,399

50.4

-4.9


Conservative
James Herman de Ricci
1,376
49.6
+4.9
Majority
23
0.8
-9.8

Turnout
2,775
88.5
-3.2

Registered electors
3,134




Liberal hold

Swing
-4.9























































General Election 1885: Bedford [27][28]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Liberal

Samuel Whitbread

1,588

55.3

−17.4


Conservative
James Herman de Ricci
1,286
44.7
+17.4
Majority
302
10.3
+3.0

Turnout
2,874
91.7
−2.6 (est)

Registered electors
3,134




Liberal hold

Swing
−17.4






































































General Election 1880: Bedford (2 seats) [29]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Liberal

Samuel Whitbread

1,470

38.1

+1.7


Liberal

Charles Magniac

1,333

34.6

+2.9


Conservative

Frederick Polhill-Turner
1,053
27.3
−4.6
Majority
280
7.3
+2.7

Turnout
2,455 (est)
94.3 (est)
−0.2

Registered electors
2,603




Liberal hold

Swing
+2.0



Liberal gain from Conservative

Swing
+2.6


Back to Elections



Elections in the 1870s












































































General Election 1874: Bedford (2 seats) [29]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Liberal

Samuel Whitbread

1,155

36.4

+3.8


Conservative

Frederick Polhill-Turner

1,010

31.9

−1.2


Liberal

Charles Magniac
1,006
31.7
−2.7

Turnout
2,091 (est)
94.5 (est)
+4.9

Registered electors
2,213


Majority
145
4.6
−7.8


Liberal hold

Swing
+2.2

Majority
4
0.1

N/A


Conservative gain from Liberal

Swing
+1.7


Back to Elections



Elections in the 1860s














































































General Election 1868: Bedford (2 seats) [29]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Liberal

James Howard

1,311

34.4

+9.7


Liberal

Samuel Whitbread

1,242

32.6

−9.1


Conservative

Frederick Polhill-Turner
769
20.2
+3.1


Conservative

Edward Loughlin O'Malley
491
12.9
−4.2
Majority
473
12.4
+5.4

Turnout
1,907 (est)
89.6 (est)
+5.0

Registered electors
2,127




Liberal hold

Swing
+7.0



Liberal gain from Conservative

Swing
−6.1












































































General Election 1865: Bedford (2 seats) [29]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Liberal

Samuel Whitbread

574

41.1

+15.2


Conservative

William Stuart

476

34.1

−15.8


Liberal

Montague Chambers
345
24.7
+0.4

Turnout
936 (est)
84.6 (est)
−10.2

Registered electors
1,106


Majority
98
7.0
+6.7


Liberal hold

Swing
+11.6

Majority
131
9.4
+8.1


Conservative hold

Swing
−11.6


Back to Elections



Elections in the 1850s























































By-election, 28 June 1859: Bedford[29]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Liberal

Samuel Whitbread

441

53.1

+2.9


Conservative

Frederick Polhill-Turner
389
46.9
−2.9
Majority
52
6.3
+6.0

Turnout
830
89.5
−5.3

Registered electors
927




Liberal hold

Swing
+2.9


  • Caused by Whitbread's appointment as a Civil Lord of the Admiralty.



















































































General Election 1859: Bedford (2 seats) [29]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Liberal

Samuel Whitbread

455

25.9

−5.5


Conservative

William Stuart

449

25.5

+12.4


Liberal

Thomas Barnard
427
24.3
−5.9


Conservative

Frederick Polhill-Turner
427
24.3
+11.2

Turnout
879 (est)
94.8 (est)
+12.9

Registered electors
927


Majority
6
0.3
−0.9


Liberal hold

Swing
−8.7

Majority
22
1.3

N/A


Conservative gain from Liberal

Swing
+9.1














































































General Election 1857: Bedford (2 seats) [29]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Whig

Samuel Whitbread

452

31.4

+13.3


Whig

Thomas Barnard

435

30.2

+12.1


Conservative

William Stuart
376
26.1
−16.8


Radical
Edward Tyrrell Smith[30]
176
12.2
−8.7
Majority
17
1.2
−14.0

Turnout
720 (est)
81.9 (est)
+15.7

Registered electors
879




Whig hold

Swing
+10.9



Whig gain from Conservative

Swing
+10.3


  • Smith was also supported by the Conservatives.[31]






















































By-election, 6 December 1854: Bedford[29]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Conservative

William Stuart

422

56.0

+13.1


Radical

John Salusbury-Trelawny[32][33][34]
331
44.0
+23.1
Majority
91
12.1
+5.3

Turnout
753
82.5
+16.3

Registered electors
913




Conservative hold

Swing
−5.0


  • Caused by Stuart's death.











































































General Election 1852: Bedford (2 seats) [29]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Conservative

Henry Stuart

517

42.9

−21.6


Whig

Samuel Whitbread

435

36.1

+0.6


Radical

Thomas Chisholm Anstey[35][36]
252
20.9

N/A

Turnout
602 (est)
66.2 (est)
−14.4

Registered electors
910


Majority
82
6.8

N/A


Conservative hold

Swing
−11.0

Majority
183
15.2
+8.4


Whig hold

Swing
+5.6


Back to Elections



Elections in the 1840s






































































General Election 1847: Bedford (2 seats) [29]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Whig

Harry Verney

453

35.5

+3.1


Conservative

Henry Stuart

432

33.8

+0.5


Conservative

Frederick Polhill
392
30.7
−3.6
Majority
21
1.6

N/A

Turnout
865 (est)
80.6 (est)
−17.3

Registered electors
1,073




Whig gain from Conservative

Swing
+3.1



Conservative hold

Swing
−0.5






































































General Election 1841: Bedford (2 seats) [29][12]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±


Conservative

Frederick Polhill

433

34.3




Conservative

Henry Stuart

421

33.3




Whig

William Henry Whitbread
410
32.4

Majority
12
0.9


Turnout
809
97.9


Registered electors
1,073




Conservative hold

Swing




Conservative hold

Swing



Back to Elections



See also



  • List of Parliamentary constituencies in Bedfordshire

  • Opinion polling in United Kingdom constituencies, 2010–15



Notes





  1. ^ A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)


  2. ^ As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years. It formerly had two members as set out in the article


  3. ^ a 5th baronet, the lowest order of nobility




References





  1. ^ "Bedford: Usual Resident Population, 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 28 January 2015..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}


  2. ^ "Electorate Figures – Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Archived from the original on 6 November 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2011.


  3. ^ abcde "'Bedford', Feb 1974 – May 1983". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Archived from the original on 18 March 2016. Retrieved 15 March 2016.


  4. ^ "MANNINGHAM, Thomas (d.c.1455), of Ardsley and Wrenthorpe, Yorks. and Wrestlingworth, Beds". historyofparliamentonline.org.


  5. ^ ab "JORDAN, Thomas, of Bedford". historyofparliamentonline.org.


  6. ^ "WRIGHT, John, of Bedford". historyofparliamentonline.org.


  7. ^ "KEMPSTON, Roger, of Bedford". historyofparliamentonline.org.


  8. ^ ab "CLEREVAUX, William, of Bedford". historyofparliamentonline.org.


  9. ^ "FREPURS, John, of Bedford". historyofparliamentonline.org.


  10. ^ Double return for April 1640 -William Boteler taken off


  11. ^ abcd Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "B" (part 2)


  12. ^ abcdefghijklmnopq Stooks Smith, Henry. (1973) [1844–1850]. Craig, F. W. S., ed. The Parliaments of England (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. pp. 2–4, 20. ISBN 0-900178-13-2.


  13. ^ ab "Miscellaneous". Coventry Standard. 18 August 1837. pp. 1–2. Retrieved 26 October 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive. (Subscription required (help)).


  14. ^ ab "Huntingdon, Bedford & Peterborough Gazette". 8 July 1837. p. 8. Retrieved 26 October 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive. (Subscription required (help)).


  15. ^ Martin, Howard (1996). "Years of Whig Achievement and Conservative Renewal, 1833–41". Britain in the 19th Century. Cheltenham: Thomas Nelson and Sons. p. 117. ISBN 0174350627. Retrieved 8 April 2018 – via Google Books.


  16. ^ "Cambridge General Advertiser". 14 July 1847. p. 1. Retrieved 26 October 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive. (Subscription required (help)).


  17. ^ "The Midland Region". The Spectator. 20 March 1852. p. 9. Retrieved 8 April 2018.


  18. ^ "Stroud parliamentary constituency". BBC News.


  19. ^ "Election 2017: Ipswich". BBC News. 9 June 2017. Archived from the original on 14 June 2017. Retrieved 14 June 2017.


  20. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.


  21. ^ "Ben Foley to contest Bedford & Kempston Constituency for Greens". Bedfordshire News.


  22. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.


  23. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.


  24. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.


  25. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.


  26. ^ Benton, Sarah (6 June 2002). "Betty Matthews". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 17 April 2017. Retrieved 17 April 2017.


  27. ^ abcdefgh British parliamentary election results, 1885–1918 (Craig)


  28. ^ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886


  29. ^ abcdefghijk Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885 (e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.


  30. ^ "Bedford Election". Hertford Mercury and Reformer. 28 March 1857. p. 5. Retrieved 8 April 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive. (Subscription required (help)).


  31. ^ "Mr. E. T. Smith for Bedford". Cheltenham Chronicle. 31 March 1857. p. 3. Retrieved 8 April 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive. (Subscription required (help)).


  32. ^ Hoppen, K. Theodore (2016). Governing Hibernia: British Politicians and Ireland 1800–1921. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 133. ISBN 9780198207436. Retrieved 8 April 2018.


  33. ^ "Bedford Election". Worcester Journal. 9 December 1854. pp. 7–8. Retrieved 8 April 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive. (Subscription required (help)).


  34. ^ "Bedford Election". Leeds Intelligencer. 9 December 1854. p. 3. Retrieved 8 April 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive. (Subscription required (help)).


  35. ^ "The Elections". Aberdeen Press and Journal. 14 July 1852. p. 8. Retrieved 8 April 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive. (Subscription required (help)).


  36. ^ "Election Intelligence". Morning Chronicle. 8 July 1852. pp. 2–6. Retrieved 8 April 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive. (Subscription required (help)).




Sources




  • Beatson, Robert (1807). A chronological register of both houses of the British Parliament, Volume II.


  • F. W. S. Craig, "British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885" (2nd edition, Aldershot: Parliamentary Research Services, 1989)

  • F W S Craig, "British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949" (Glasgow: Political Reference Publications, 1969)


  • Lewis Namier, The Structure of Politics at the Accession of George III (2nd edition – London: St Martin's Press, 1961)


  • T. H. B. Oldfield, The Representative History of Great Britain and Ireland (London: Baldwin, Cradock & Joy, 1816)

  • J Holladay Philbin, Parliamentary Representation 1832 – England and Wales (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1965)

  • Edward Porritt and Annie G Porritt, The Unreformed House of Commons (Cambridge University Press, 1903)

  • Henry Stooks Smith, "The Parliaments of England from 1715 to 1847" (2nd edition, edited by FWS Craig – Chichester: Parliamentary Reference Publications, 1973)

  • Frederic A Youngs, jr, Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England, Vol I (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979)


  • The Constitutional Year Book for 1913 (London: National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations, 1913)









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