Richmond (Surrey) (UK Parliament constituency)

Richmond (1918–1983) was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Richmond. The seat mirrored for its first 47 years a small northern projection of Surrey (between Middlesex and the County of London). For the final 18 years its area, in local government, fell into the new county of Greater London.

Richmond
Richmond (Surrey)
Richmond-upon-Thames, Richmond
Former Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
County
Major settlements
1918–1983
SeatsOne
Created fromKingston
Replaced byRichmond and Barnes

Each winning candidate was a Unionist or from the allied Conservative Party.

Formally and informally on a local basis Richmond constituency; national publications usually added a reference to Surrey to distinguish Richmond (Yorks) (UK Parliament constituency) (1585–present).

History

The constituency was created by the Representation of the People Act 1918 for the 1918 general election. The area had been roughly the northern part of Kingston (also in Surrey).

From April 1965 the constituency formed part of Greater London. It was the eastern half of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. The Second Periodical Review of the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England in 1969 formally made "a slight modification in the names to conform with our policy of using the London borough name as a prefix", so that the constituency was formally known as 'Richmond upon Thames, Richmond'. Due to its prolix this was never used in the popular press. No boundary changes were made.[1]

The seat was abolished for the 1983 general election; replaced by Richmond and Barnes which took in a small part of former Middlesex, the local government electoral ward of East Twickenham.

Single-member seat

Not based on an ancient borough or key town, it reflected the schema of the third Great Reform three decades before its creation, continued by the Fourth Reform Act, Lloyd George's Representation of the People Act 1918 by returning one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the UK Parliament, elected by first past the post.

Boundaries

In 1918 the seat was created as a borough constituency of Surrey. It was in the north-west corner of the much-reduced county (in the 1880s) and adjoined the south bank of the River Thames. It comprised the Municipal Borough of Richmond which included Kew and Petersham, as well as the Urban Districts of Barnes and Ham.

In 1932 the Barnes Urban District was upgraded to a municipal borough. In the following year most of Ham was incorporated in the Municipal Borough of Richmond. These were local government reconfigurations.

In the redistribution of parliamentary seats which took effect in 1950, this seat was little changed. It was defined in the Representation of the People Act 1948 as comprising the Municipal Boroughs of Barnes and Richmond. There were some minor boundary changes to the two Municipal Boroughs, which affected the parliamentary seat from 1964 (per S.I. 1960–465).

Incorporated in Greater London from 1965, the redistribution of parliamentary seats which took effect in 1974 did not change the constituency boundaries. It did however recast the definition of the boundaries, which set the constituency as comprising the following wards of the London Borough: Barnes, East Sheen, Ham, Petersham, Kew, Mortlake, Palewell, Richmond Hill and Richmond Town. The constituency shared boundaries with the Richmond electoral division for election of councillors to the Greater London Council at elections in 1973, 1977 and 1981.

Members of Parliament
EventMember[2]Party
1918 Clifford Blackburn Edgar Unionist
1922 Harry Becker Independent Unionist
1923 Unionist
1924 Sir Newton Moore Unionist
1932 by-election Sir William Ray Conservative
1937 by-election George Harvie-Watt Conservative
1959 Anthony Royle Conservative
1983 constituency abolished: see Richmond & Barnes

Elections

Elections in the 1910s
General election 1918: Richmond, Surrey[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Unionist Clifford Blackburn Edgar 8,364 47.4
Independent Norah Dacre Fox 3,615 20.4
Liberal R. James Morrison 3,491 19.7
Independent W. Walter Crotch [4] 2,220 12.5
Majority 4,749 27.0
Turnout 17,690 53.8
Unionist win (new seat)
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Elections in the 1920s
Corbett Ashby
General election 1922: Richmond (Surrey)[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ind. Unionist Harry Becker* 12,075 50.6 New
Unionist Clifford Blackburn Edgar 6,032 25.3 -22.1
Liberal Margery Corbett Ashby 5,765 24.1 +4.4
Majority 6,043 25.3 N/A
Turnout 23,872 68.8 +15.0
Ind. Unionist gain from Unionist Swing N/A
  • supported by Anti-Waste League
General election 1923: Richmond (Surrey)[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Harry Becker 13,112 63.0 +12.4
Liberal Margery Corbett Ashby 7,702 37.0 +12.9
Majority 5,410 26.0 N/A
Turnout 20,814 59.4 -9.4
Unionist gain from Ind. Unionist Swing N/A
Moore
General election 1924: Richmond, Surrey[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Newton Moore 19,948 76.8 +13.8
Labour Herbert Parker 6,034 23.2 New
Majority 13,914 53.6 +27.6
Turnout 25,982 72.8 +13.4
Unionist hold Swing N/A
General election 1929: Richmond, Surrey[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Newton Moore 23,148 58.7 -18.1
Labour Philip Butler 9,520 24.1 +0.9
Liberal William Henry Williamson 6,802 17.2 New
Majority 13,628 34.6 -19.0
Turnout 39,470 70.6 -2.2
Unionist hold Swing -9.5

Elections in the 1930s
General election 1931: Richmond (Surrey)[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Newton Moore 35,333 84.5 +25.8
Labour John Lamb Thomson 6,460 15.5 -8.6
Majority 28,873 69.0 +34.4
Turnout 41,793 72.0 +1.4
Unionist hold Swing +17.2
1932 Richmond-upon-Thames by-election[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Ray Unopposed N/A N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 1935: Richmond (Surrey)[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Ray 30,433 73.5 -11.0
Labour Lewis Gassman 10,953 26.5 +11.0
Majority 19,480 47.0 -22.0
Turnout 41,386 69.8 -2.2
Conservative hold Swing N/A
1937 Richmond-upon-Thames by-election[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Harvie-Watt 20,546 72.7 -0.8
Labour George Rogers 7,709 27.3 +0.8
Majority 12,837 45.4 -1.6
Turnout 28,255 47.3 -22.5
Conservative hold Swing -0.8

Election in the 1940s
General election 1945: Richmond (Surrey)[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Harvie-Watt 24,085 52.8 -20.7
Labour David Stark Murray 15,760 34.5 +8.0
Liberal George Andrew Douglas Gordon 5,029 11.0 New
Common Wealth Douglas George Horace Frank 753 1.7 New
Majority 8,325 18.3 -28.7
Turnout 45,627 76.4 +6.6
Conservative hold Swing -14.3

Elections in the 1950s
General election 1950: Richmond (Surrey)[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Harvie-Watt 30,907 57.4 +4.6
Labour Karl Thorold Westwood 17,238 32.1 -2.4
Liberal David Ennals 5,634 10.5 -0.5
Majority 13,669 25.3 +7.0
Turnout 53,779 86.2 +9.8
Conservative hold Swing +3.5
General election 1951: Richmond (Surrey)[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Harvie-Watt 30,743 58.7 +1.3
Labour Freda White 16,707 31.9 -0.2
Liberal David Ennals 4,933 9.4 -1.1
Majority 14,036 26.8 +1.5
Turnout 52,383 82.8 -3.4
Conservative hold Swing +0.7
General election 1955: Richmond (Surrey)[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Harvie-Watt 27,628 58.1 -0.6
Labour John Stuart Barr 14,673 30.8 -1.1
Liberal Eva Mabel Haynes 5,266 11.1 +1.7
Majority 12,955 27.3 +0.5
Turnout 47,567 77.5 -5.3
Conservative hold Swing +0.2
General election 1959: Richmond (Surrey)[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anthony Royle 27,161 57.2 -0.9
Labour Charles H Archibald 12,975 27.3 -3.5
Liberal John Baker 7,359 15.5 +4.4
Majority 14,186 29.9 +2.6
Turnout 47,495 79.4 +1.9
Conservative hold Swing +1.3

Elections in the 1960s
General election 1964: Richmond (Surrey)[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anthony Royle 22,203 50.4 -6.8
Labour Alan Brownjohn 14,053 31.9 +4.6
Liberal John Baker 7,800 17.7 +2.2
Majority 8,150 18.5 -11.4
Turnout 44,055 76.5 -2.9
Conservative hold Swing -5.7
General election 1966: Richmond (Surrey)[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anthony Royle 21,831 49.5 -0.9
Labour David George Boulton 15,608 35.4 +3.5
Liberal Peter Miles Trelawney Sheldon-Williams 6,661 15.1 -2.6
Majority 6,223 14.1 -4.4
Turnout 44,100 79.4 +2.9
Conservative hold Swing -2.2

Elections in the 1970s
General election 1970: Richmond upon Thames, Richmond[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anthony Royle 20,979 51.3 +1.8
Labour Antony R. Palmer 12,981 31.7 -3.7
Liberal Stanley Rundle 6,934 17.0 +1.9
Majority 7,998 19.6 +5.5
Turnout 40,894 71.7 -7.7
Conservative hold Swing +2.7
General election February 1974: Richmond upon Thames, Richmond[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anthony Royle 19,534 44.3 -7.0
Liberal Stanley Rundle 15,707 35.6 +18.6
Labour Antony R. Palmer 8,322 18.8 -12.9
National Front Eric Ashley Russell 570 1.3 New
Majority 3,827 8.7 -10.9
Turnout 44,133 82.6 +10.9
Conservative hold Swing -12.8
General election October 1974: Richmond upon Thames, Richmond[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anthony Royle 17,450 43.2 -1.1
Liberal Alan John Watson 13,235 32.7 -2.9
Labour Bob Marshall-Andrews 8,714 21.6 +2.8
National Front Eric Ashley Russell 1,000 2.5 +1.2
Majority 4,215 10.5 +1.8
Turnout 40,399 75.1 -7.5
Conservative hold Swing +0.9
General election 1979: Richmond upon Thames, Richmond[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anthony Royle 19,294 46.7 +3.5
Liberal Alan John Watson 16,764 40.5 +7.8
Labour Julian Filochowski 4,692 11.3 -10.3
Independent Jonathan King 315 0.8 New
National Front Patricia Murphy 244 0.6 -1.9
Libertarian Party *David Dean Wedgwood 34 0.1 New
Majority 2,530 6.2 -4.3
Turnout 41,343 81.4 +6.3
Conservative hold Swing -2.0

See also

References
  1. "Boundary Commission for England", Second Periodical Report, Cmnd. 4084, p. 24.
  2. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "R" (part 1)
  3. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, ed. F. W. S. Craig, 3rd edition, Parliamentary Research Services, Chichester, 1983, p. 223; Debrett's House of Commons and Judicial Bench 1919, p/ .
  4. ‘CROTCH, William Walter’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2016; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014 ; online edn, April 2014 accessed 19 Sept 2017
  5. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, ed. F. W. S. Craig, 3rd edition, Parliamentary Research Services, Chichester, 1983, p. 223; Return of Election Expenses (HC 2 1924), p. 33.
  6. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, ed. F. W. S. Craig, 3rd edition, Parliamentary Research Services, Chichester, 1983, p. 223; Return of Election Expenses (HC 151 1924), p. 33.
  7. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, ed. F. W. S. Craig, 3rd edition, Parliamentary Research Services, Chichester, 1983, p. 223; Return of Election Expenses (HC 1 1926), p. 31.
  8. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, ed. F. W. S. Craig, 3rd edition, Parliamentary Research Services, Chichester, 1983, p. 223; Return of Election Expenses (HC 114 1929–30), p. 33.
  9. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, ed. F. W. S. Craig, 3rd edition, Parliamentary Research Services, Chichester, 1983, p. 223; Return of Election Expenses (HC 109 1931–32), p. 28.
  10. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, ed. F. W. S. Craig, 3rd edition, Parliamentary Research Services, Chichester, 1983, p. 223.
  11. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, ed. F. W. S. Craig, 3rd edition, Parliamentary Research Services, Chichester, 1983, p. 223; Return of Election Expenses (HC 150 1935–36), p. 29.
  12. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, ed. F. W. S. Craig, 3rd edition, Parliamentary Research Services, Chichester, 1983, p. 223.
  13. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, ed. F. W. S. Craig, 3rd edition, Parliamentary Research Services, Chichester, 1983, p. 223; Return of Election Expenses (HC 128 1945–46), p. 39.
  14. British Parliamentary Election Results 1950–1973, ed. F. W. S. Craig, 2nd edition, Parliamentary Research Services, Chichester, 1983, p. 249; Return of Election Expenses (HC 146 1950), p. 37.
  15. British Parliamentary Election Results 1950–1973, ed. F. W. S. Craig, 2nd edition, Parliamentary Research Services, Chichester, 1983, p. 249; Return of Election Expenses (HC 210 1951–52), p. 30.
  16. British Parliamentary Election Results 1950–1973, ed. F. W. S. Craig, 2nd edition, Parliamentary Research Services, Chichester, 1983, p. 249; Return of Election Expenses (HC 141 1955–56), p. 30.
  17. British Parliamentary Election Results 1950–1973, ed. F. W. S. Craig, 2nd edition, Parliamentary Research Services, Chichester, 1983, p. 249; Return of Election Expenses (HC 173 1959–60), p. 31.
  18. British Parliamentary Election Results 1950–1973, ed. F. W. S. Craig, 2nd edition, Parliamentary Research Services, Chichester, 1983, p. 249; Return of Election Expenses (HC 220 1964–65), p. 33.
  19. British Parliamentary Election Results 1950–1973, ed. F. W. S. Craig, 2nd edition, Parliamentary Research Services, Chichester, 1983, p. 249; Return of Election Expenses (HC 162 1966–67), p. 13.
  20. British Parliamentary Election Results 1950–1973, ed. F. W. S. Craig, 2nd edition, Parliamentary Research Services, Chichester, 1983, p. 249; Return of Election Expenses (HC 305 1970–71), p. 14.
  21. British Parliamentary Election Results 1974–1983, ed. F. W. S. Craig, Parliamentary Research Services, Chichester, 1984, p. 38; Return of Election Expenses (HC 69 1974–75), p. 16.
  22. British Parliamentary Election Results 1974–1983, ed. F. W. S. Craig, Parliamentary Research Services, Chichester, 1984, p. 38; Return of Election Expenses (HC 478 1974–75), p. 15.
  23. British Parliamentary Election Results 1974–1983, ed. F. W. S. Craig, Parliamentary Research Services, Chichester, 1984, p. 38; Return of Election Expenses (HC 374 1979–80), p. 19.

Sources
  • Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885–1972, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Parliamentary Reference Publications 1972)
  • British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (The Macmillan Press 1977)
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