Totnes (UK Parliament constituency)

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Totnes
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Totnes in Devon.
Outline map
Location of Devon within England.
County Devon
Electorate 67,562 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlements Totnes, Dartmouth, Kingsbridge, Salcombe and Brixham
Current constituency
Created 1997
Member of parliament Sarah Wollaston (Conservative)
Number of members One
Created from South Hams constituency
18851983
Number of members One
Type of constituency County constituency
Replaced by South Hams constituency
1295–1868
Number of members Two
Type of constituency Borough constituency
Replaced by Devon Southern
Overlaps
European Parliament constituency South West England

Totnes is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Sarah Wollaston, a Conservative.[n 2]

History

The current constituency was formed for the 1997 general election, from parts of the former South Hams constituency. This had largely replaced the previous Totnes constituency, which had existed in a wide form since 1885, but in a much narrower form from the Model Parliament.

An original parliamentary borough of Totnes or Totness[2] had been created in 1295. It returned two MPs to the House of Commons of England until 1707, then to the House of Commons of Great Britain until 1800, and finally to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 until it was abolished under the Representation of the People Act 1867 with effect from the 1868 election.

Political history

The modern constituency has been served by two Conservatives since its 1997 recreation, which suggests a safe seat. However, during this period, while not marginal, the majority won has not been absolute and the next largest party has consistently been the Liberal Democrats.

Boundaries

The Totnes constituency covers the eastern part of the South Hams district of Devon, including the towns of Totnes, Dartmouth, Kingsbridge and Salcombe, as well as parts of the unitary authority of Torbay, including the town of Brixham.

Following a review of parliamentary representation in Devon by the Boundary Commission for England, there were minor alterations to the boundaries of this constituency taking effect at the 2010 general election. The constituency has electoral wards:[3]

Constituency profile

The seat covering the undulating Totnes area in south Devon. Workless claimants, registered jobseekers, were in November 2012 significantly lower than the national average of 3.8%, at 2.4% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian.[4]

Members of Parliament

MPs 1295–1660

Constituency created 1295

Parliament First member Second member
1362 Richard Whitelegh[5]
1366 John Prescott[6]
1372 John Prescott[6]
1373 John Prescott[6]
1377 (Jan) William Burlestone
1377 (Oct) William Burlestone
1380 (Jan) William Burlestone
1381 William Burlestone
1383 (Feb) William Burlestone[7]
1386 Robert French John Pasford[8]
1388 (Feb) John Row Walter Browning[8]
1388 (Sep) John Statham Walter Browning[8]
1390 (Jan) John Poltimore Walter Hotot[8]
1390 (Nov)
1391 John Grey Thomas Norris[8]
1393 John Suell Robert Barneburgh[8]
1394 Richard Whitelegh John Pasford[8]
1395 Ellis Beare John Marshall[8]
1397 (Jan) John Gunne Ellis Beare[8]
1397 (Sep)
1399 Simon Marsh John Rose[8]
1401
1402 Henry Spencer John Hulle[8]
1404 (Jan)
1404 (Oct)
1406 Robert Wastell John Warwick[8]
1407 Alfred Wonston Sir John Pomeroy[8]
1410 Henry Austin Robert Wastell[8]
1411 John Bosom Henry Bremeler[8]
1413 (Feb)
1413 (May) John Sebright Henry Austin[8]
1414 (Apr)
1414 (Nov) William Ryder Henry Berkeley[8]
1415
1416 (Mar)
1416 (Oct)
1417
1419
1420 John Ash Walter Serle[8]
1421 (May) Henry Berkeley Thomas Kirkby[8]
1421 (Dec) Henry Chesewell William Cosyn[8]
1491 Lewis Pollard[9]
1510-1523 No names known[10]
1529 John Giles Adam Ralegh[10]
1536  ?
1539  ?
1542  ?
1545 Roger Prideaux John Gale[10]
1547 Roger Prideaux Edmund Sture[10]
1553 (Mar) John Wotton Christopher Savery[10]
1553 (Oct) John Wotton Christopher Savery[10]
1554 (Apr) John Eveleigh Henry Gildon[10]
1554 (Nov) Richard Savery Christopher Savery[10]
1555 Peter Edgecombe Leonard Yeo[10]
1558 Bernard Smith Leonard Yeo[10]
1558/9 Leonard Yeo Sir Nicholas Poyntz[11]
1562/3 Sir Arthur Champernowne Richard Edgecombe I[11]
1571 Richard Hurleston John Stanhope[11]
1572 Robert Monson, made judge
and repl. 1576 by
Robert Beale
Edward Buggin[11]
1584 Christopher Savery Nicholas Ball[11]
1586 John Giles Nicholas Hayman[11]
1588 Richard Edgecombe Simon Kelway[11]
1593 Richard Sparry Christopher Savery[11]
1597 Edward Giles Christopher Buggin[11]
1601 Leonard Darr Philip Holditch[11]
1604 Christopher Brocking Walter Dollings
1614 Nathaniel Rich Lawrence Adams
1621–1622 Sir Edward Giles Richard Rodd
1624 Arthur Champernoun Sir Edward Giles
1625 Sir Edward Seymour, 2nd Baronet Sir Edward Giles
1626 Arthur Champernoun Philip Holditch
1628-1629 Sir Edward Giles Thomas Prestwood
1629–1640 No Parliaments summoned
Apr 1640 Oliver St John John Maynard
Nov 1640 Oliver St John John Maynard
1645 Oliver St John John Maynard
1648 Oliver St John John Maynard
1553 Totnes not represented in Barebone's Parliament
1654 Major-General Desborough (one seat only)
1656 Christopher Maynard (one seat only)
1659 Capt. John Pleydell Gilbert Evelyn

MPs 1660–1868

Two members

Year First member[12] First party Second member[12] Second party
1660 Thomas Chafe Thomas Clifford
1661 Sir Edward Seymour, 3rd Baronet Tory
1673 Sir Thomas Berry
Feb 1679 John Kelland
Aug 1679 Edward Seymour (later 4th Baronet) Tory
1681 Charles Kelland John Kelland
1685 Sir Edward Seymour, 3rd Baronet Tory
1689 Rawlin Mallock Sir John Fowell, Bt
1690 Henry Seymour Portman
1692 Thomas Coulson
1695 Sir Edward Seymour, 4th Baronet Tory Edward Yarde
1698 Thomas Coulson
1699 Francis Gwyn
1701 Sir Christopher Musgrave, Bt
1702 William Seymour Tory
1705 Sir Humphrey Mackworth Tory
1708 Sir Edward Seymour, 5th Baronet Tory George Courtenay
1710 Thomas Coulson Francis Gwyn
1713 Stephen Northleigh
1715 Arthur Champernowne
1717 Sir John Germain, Bt
1718 Sir Charles Wills
1722 Joseph Banks
1727 Exton Sayer
1732 Sir Henry Gough, Bt
1734 Sir Joseph Danvers, Bt
1742 John Strange Whig
1747 Charles Taylor
Apr 1754 Browse Trist
Dec 1754 Sir Richard Lloyd
1759 Richard Savage Lloyd
1763 Henry Seymour
1768 Sir Philip Jennings-Clerke, Bt Peter Burrell
1774 James Amyatt
1780 Launcelot Brown
1784 The Hon. Henry Phipps Tory
1788 Viscount Barnard Whig
1790 William Powlett Powlett Sir Francis Buller Yarde, Bt
1796 The Lord Arden Lord George Seymour
1801 William Adams
1802 John Berkeley Burland
1804 Vicary Gibbs
1806 Benjamin Hall
1811 Thomas Courtenay
1812 Ayshford Wise
1818 William Holmes Tory
1820 John Bent
1826 The Earl of Darlington
1830 Charles Barry Baldwin
1832 Jasper Parrott James Cornish
1835 Lord Seymour Whig
1839 Charles Barry Baldwin
1852 Thomas Mills
1855 The Earl of Gifford
1862 John Pender Liberal
1863 Alfred Seymour
1866 John Pender declared not duly
elected and seat left vacant
1868 Constituency disenfranchised by the Reform Act 1867

MPs 1885–1983

One member

Election Member[12] Party
1885 Francis Bingham Mildmay Liberal
1886 Liberal Unionist
1912 Conservative
1922 Samuel Emile Harvey Conservative
1923 Henry Harvey Vivian Liberal
1924 Samuel Emile Harvey Conservative
1935 Ralph Herbert Rayner Conservative
1955 Raymond Llewellyn Mawby Conservative

MPs since 1997

Between 1983 and 1997 the constituency was replaced by the South Hams constituency. Anthony Steen was returned at every election.

Election Member[12] Party
1997 Anthony Steen Conservative
2010 Sarah Wollaston Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

General Election 2015: Totnes[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sarah Wollaston[14] 24,941 53.0 +7.1
UKIP Justin Haque[15] 6,656 14.1 +8.1
Labour Nicky Williams[16] 5,988 12.7 +5.3
Green Gill Coombs[17] 4,845 10.3 +7.8
Liberal Democrat Julian Brazil[18] 4,667 9.9 -25.7
Majority 18,385 38.8 +28.5
Turnout 47,097 68.6 -1.8
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 2010: Totnes[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sarah Wollaston 21,940 45.9 +3.0
Liberal Democrat Julian Brazil 17,013 35.6 −1.5
Labour Carole Whitty 3,538 7.4 −4.7
UKIP Jeffrey Beer 2,890 6.0 −1.5
Green Lydia Somerville 1,181 2.5 +2.5
BNP Mike Turner 624 1.3 +1.3
Independent Simon Drew[20] 390 0.8 +0.8
Independent Stephen Hopwood 267 0.6 +0.6
Majority 4,927 10.3 +4.5
Turnout 47,843 70.4 +0.7
Conservative hold Swing +2.3

Elections in the 2000s

General Election 2005: Totnes
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anthony Steen 21,112 41.7 -2.8
Liberal Democrat Mike Treleaven 19,165 37.9 +0.7
Labour Valerie Burns 6,185 12.2 0.0
UKIP Roger Knapman 3,914 7.7 +1.6
Independent Michael Thompson 199 0.4 +0.4
Majority 1,947 3.8
Turnout 50,575 67.7 -0.2
Conservative hold Swing -1.7
General Election 2001: Totnes
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anthony Steen 21,914 44.5 +8.0
Liberal Democrat Rachel Oliver 18,317 37.2 +2.3
Labour Thomas Wildy 6,005 12.2 -4.2
UKIP Craig Mackinlay 3,010 6.1 +4.3
Majority 3,597 7.3
Turnout 49,246 67.9 -7.9
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1997: Totnes
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anthony Steen 19,637 36.5
Liberal Democrat Rob Chave 18,760 34.9
Labour Victor Ellery 8,796 13.4
Referendum Pamela Cook 2,552 4.7
Independent Conservative Christopher Venmore 2,369 4.4
UKIP H.W. Thomas 999 1.9
Green Andy Pratt 548 1.0
Independent James Golding 108 0.2
Majority 877 1.6
Turnout 53,769 75.8
Conservative hold Swing -1.7

Elections in the 1970s

General Election 1979: Totnes
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Raymond Llewellyn Mawby 35,010 52.16
Liberal Anthony H. Rogers 24,445 36.42
Labour J. Duffin 7,668 11.42
Majority 10,565 15.74
Turnout 79.95
Conservative hold Swing
General Election October 1974: Totnes
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Raymond Llewellyn Mawby 27,987 45.18
Liberal Anthony H. Rogers 21,586 34.85
Labour S.M. Spence 12,366 19.96
Majority 6,401 10.33
Turnout 76.74
Conservative hold Swing
General Election February 1974: Totnes
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Raymond Llewellyn Mawby 30,565 46.93
Liberal Anthony H. Rogers 20,922 32.12
Labour Harold M. Luscombe 13,249 20.34
Independent J. Lewis 394 0.60
Majority 9,643 14.81
Turnout 81.29
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1970: Totnes
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Raymond Llewellyn Mawby 31,519 54.85
Labour Robert Blank 16,429 28.59
Liberal David Charles Penhaligon 9,515 16.56
Majority 15,090 26.26
Turnout 76.67
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General Election 1966: Totnes
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Raymond Llewellyn Mawby 25,623 47.81
Labour Barry Smethurst 16,900 31.54
Liberal Paul Archer Tyler 11,066 20.65
Majority 8,723 16.28
Turnout 79.43
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1964: Totnes
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Raymond Llewellyn Mawby 25,417 48.64
Labour Reginald C.J. Scott 14,542 27.83
Liberal Edward B. Taylor 12,297 23.53
Majority 10,875 20.81
Turnout 78.83
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General Election 1959: Totnes
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Raymond Llewellyn Mawby 26,925 53.04
Labour Terence J.B. Heelas 13,116 25.84
Liberal T. Cedric Jones 10,719 21.12
Majority 13,809 27.20
Turnout 80.48
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1955: Totnes
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Raymond Llewellyn Mawby 26,381 52.10
Labour Daniel J.P. Mann 14,787 29.20
Liberal Arthur Claude Shobbrook 9,471 18.70
Majority 11,594 22.90
Turnout 80.75
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1951: Totnes
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ralph Herbert Rayner 28,005 53.60
Labour Charles A. O'Donnell 16,409 31.40
Liberal Harold Ernest Desch 7,838 15.00
Majority 11,596 22.19
Turnout 82.85
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1950: Totnes
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ralph Herbert Rayner 26,104 49.01
Labour D. Widdicombe 15,767 29.60
Liberal Harold Ernest Desch 10,974 20.60
Communist E. Tapscott 423 0.79
Majority 10,337 19.41
Turnout 84.59
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1940s

General Election 1945: Totnes
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ralph Herbert Rayner 24,638 51.04
Labour J.R. Warde 16,098 33.35
Liberal Thomas Henry Aggett 7,536 15.61
Majority 8,540 17.69
Turnout 74.57
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1930s

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 and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected;

General Election 1935: Totnes
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ralph Herbert Rayner 24,815 53.59
Liberal Ernest Ronald Haylor 17,639 38.10
Labour W.R. Henwood 3,848 8.31
Majority 7,176 15.50
Turnout 79.24
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1931: Totnes
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Samuel Emile Harvey 26,765 56.99
Liberal Ernest Ronald Haylor 20,203 43.01
Majority 6,562 13.97
Turnout 83.41
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1920s

General Election 1929: Totnes [22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Samuel Emile Harvey 21,673 47.8 -5.9
Liberal Philip Foale Rowsell 17,790 39.3 -0.9
Labour Kate Florence Spurrell 5,828 12.9 +6.8
Majority 3,883 8.5 -5.0
Turnout 83.1 -3.0
Unionist hold Swing -2.5
General Election 1924
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Samuel Emile Harvey 19,771 53.7
Liberal Henry Harvey Vivian 14,786 40.2
Labour Kate Florence Spurrell 2,240 6.1
Majority 4,985 13.5
Turnout 86.1
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing
General Election 6 December 1923: Totnes
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Henry Harvey Vivian 16,845 50.8
Unionist Samuel Emile Harvey 16,343 49.2
Majority 502 1.6
Turnout 80.7
Liberal gain from Unionist Swing
General Election 1922: Totnes
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Samuel Emile Harvey 16,532 52.4 -6.4
Liberal Thomas Henry Johnson Underdown 15,032 47.6 +6.4
Majority 4.8 -12.8
Turnout 78.1
Unionist hold Swing -6.4

Elections in the 1910s

General Election 1918: Totnes
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Francis Bingham Mildmay 14,680 58.8
Liberal John Arthur Robert Cairns 10,266 41.2
Majority 4,414 17.6
Turnout 63.9
Unionist hold Swing

See also

Notes and references

Notes
  1. A county 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.
References
  1. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. The London Gazette: no. 19016. p. 170. 25 January 1833. Retrieved 16 July 2010.
  3. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.[dead link]
  4. Unemployment claimants by constituency The Guardian
  5. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1386-1421/member/burlestone-%28borleston%29-william-1406
  8. 8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10 8.11 8.12 8.13 8.14 8.15 8.16 8.17 8.18 8.19 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. Baker, J.H., Biography of Sir Lewis Pollard, published in History of Parliament: House of Commons 1439-1509, eds. Wedgwood, J.C., & Holt A.D.
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 10.7 10.8 10.9 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "T" (part 2)[self-published source][better source needed]
  13. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14001001
  14. Dartmouth Chronicle
  15. Staff writer. "Parties line up candidates for general election battle." Totnes Times, 14 January 2015, p.7
  16. Staff writer. "Parties line up candidates for general election battle." Totnes Times, 14 January 2015, p.7
  17. Staff writer. "Parties line up candidates for general election battle." Totnes Times, 14 January 2015, p.7
  18. Totnes & Brixham Liberal Democrats
  19. BBC - Election 2010 - Totnes
  20. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. The Liberal Magazine, 1939
  22. British parliamentary election results 1918-1949, Craig, F.W.S.