Ramsey (UK Parliament constituency)

Ramsey was a parliamentary constituency in Huntingdonshire, which elected one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was also known as North Huntingdonshire.[1]

Ramsey
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
1885–1918
Seatsone
Created fromHuntingdonshire
Replaced byHuntingdonshire

History

The constituency was created as the Northern or Ramsey Division upon the abolition of the two member Huntingdonshire constituency under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885. It was one of two county divisions of Huntingdonshire (the other being the Southern or Huntingdon Division). It was abolished under the Representation of the People Act 1918 when it was re-combined with Huntingdon and Huntingdonshire was re-established as a single member constituency.

The division was a predominantly rural area. In addition it included some suburbs of Peterborough and the small towns of Ramsey and St. Ives, as well as part of the Fens.

The Liberal strength in the constituency came from the freeholders of Peterborough (who could vote in Ramsey), the working class Peterborough suburban vote and the smallholders of the Fens. However the area was mostly Conservative, with the rural population under the influence of the largest local landowner Lord de Ramsey. Except for the 1906 general election the Conservative Party won every election in the constituency.

In the 1885 general election one of the former Conservative MPs for the undivided county of Huntingdonshire, William Fellowes was elected the first member from the division. In July 1887 his father, Edward Fellowes, was created the 1st Lord de Ramsey - shortly before his death on 9 August 1887. William Fellowes was thereby elevated to the peerage and vacated his seat in the House of Commons.

The Fellowes family continued to dominate the representation of the division. A younger son of the 1st Baron, the Honourable Ailwyn Fellowes was elected to replace his brother. Fellowes retained the seat until he was defeated in the Liberal landslide in the 1906 general election.

The Liberal MP elected in 1906, Alexander Boulton, was a Canadian lawyer (who later in his career helped found the English-Speaking Union). He was not able to secure re-election in either of the 1910 elections. He was defeated by the fourth and last MP for the constituency, the Conservative Oliver Locker-Lampson.

During the First World War Locker-Lampson served with the R.N.A.S. Armoured Car Unit and also represented the Ministry of Information in various countries. He was involved in France, Belgium, Russia, Romania, Turkey and Persia between 1914 and 1919. He received the Orders of Leopold of Belgium and St Vladimir of Russia amongst other decorations.

Boundaries

The Sessional Divisions of Hurstingstone, Norman Cross, and Ramsey.[2]

Members of Parliament
ElectionMember [3] Party
Huntingdonshire prior to 1885
1885 Hon. William FellowesConservative
1887 by-election Rt Hon. Ailwyn FellowesConservative
1906 Alexander BoultonLiberal
1910 (January) Oliver Locker-LampsonConservative
1918 constituency abolished, Huntingdonshire from 1918

Election results

Elections in the 1880s
General election 1885: Ramsey[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Fellowes 2,775 53.5
Liberal Esme Gordon 2,410 46.5
Majority 365 7.0
Turnout 5,185 86.6
Registered electors 5,989
Conservative win (new seat)
General election 1886: Ramsey[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Fellowes Unopposed
Conservative hold

Fellowes was elevated to the peerage, becoming Lord De Ramsey, causing a by-election.

By-election, 30 Aug 1887: Ramsey[4][5][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ailwyn Fellowes 2,700 52.8 N/A
Liberal James Harris Sanders 2,414 47.2 New
Majority 286 5.6 N/A
Turnout 5,114 84.4 N/A
Registered electors 6,057
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1890s
General election 1892: Ramsey[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ailwyn Fellowes 2,842 53.8 N/A
Liberal John Prince Sheldon 2,445 46.2 N/A
Majority 397 7.6 N/A
Turnout 5,287 80.8 N/A
Registered electors 6,545
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 1895: Ramsey[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ailwyn Fellowes 3,012 59.3 +5.5
Liberal Harry Heldmann 2,063 40.7 −5.5
Majority 949 18.6 +11.0
Turnout 5,075 76.5 −4.3
Registered electors 6,630
Conservative hold Swing +5.5

Elections in the 1900s
General election 1900: Ramsey[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ailwyn Fellowes 2,893 62.4 +3.1
Liberal G J Phillips 1,742 37.6 −3.1
Majority 1,151 24.8 +6.2
Turnout 4,635 69.4 −7.1
Registered electors 6,683
Conservative hold Swing +3.1
General election 1906: Ramsey[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alexander Boulton 3,184 53.2 +15.6
Conservative Ailwyn Fellowes 2,803 46.8 −15.6
Majority 381 6.4 N/A
Turnout 5,987 88.7 +19.3
Registered electors 6,751
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +15.6

Elections in the 1910s
General election January 1910: Ramsey[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Oliver Locker-Lampson 3,350 53.5 +6.7
Liberal Alexander Boulton 2,915 46.5 −6.7
Majority 435 7.0 N/A
Turnout 6,265 89.1 +0.4
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +6.7
General election December 1910: Ramsey[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Oliver Locker-Lampson 3,072 51.0 −2.5
Liberal Alexander Boulton 2,954 49.0 +2.5
Majority 118 2.0 −5.0
Turnout 6,026 85.7 −3.4
Conservative hold Swing −3.5

See also

References
  1. "Dissolution of Parliament: Issue of Writs and Nominations". Bedfordshire Times and Independent. 13 July 1895.
  2. Great Britain, Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England and Wales. The public general acts. unknown library. Proprietors of the Law Journal Reports, 1884.
  3. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "R" (part 1)
  4. F. W. S. Craig (1989), British Parliamentary Election Results, 1885-1918. Aldershot: Parliamentary Research Services.
  5. By-election triggered upon succession of William Fellowes to the peerage as Baron de Ramsey.
  6. The Constitutional Year Book, 1904, published by Conservative Central Office, page 145 (169 in web page), Huntingdonshire

Sources
  • Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885-1972, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Parliamentary Reference Publications 1972)
  • Social Geography of British Elections 1885-1910. by Henry Pelling (Macmillan 1967)
  • Who's Who of British Members of Parliament: Volume I 1832-1885, edited by M. Stenton (The Harvester Press 1976)
  • Who's Who of British Members of Parliament, Volume II 1886-1918, edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (Harvester Press 1978)
  • Who's Who of British Members of Parliament, Volume III 1919-1945, edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (Harvester Press 1979)
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