- Combined English Universities (UK Parliament constituency)
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Combined English Universities Former University constituency for the House of Commons 1918–1950 Number of members Two Combined English Universities was a university constituency represented in the United Kingdom Parliament (from 1918 until 1950). It was formed by enfranchising and combining all the English Universities, except for Cambridge, Oxford and London, which were already separately represented.
Contents
Boundaries
This University constituency was created by the Representation of the People Act 1918 and abolished in 1950 by the Representation of the People Act 1948.
The original proposal of the Speaker's Conference, which considered electoral reform before the 1918 legislation was prepared, was to combine all the English and Welsh universities except for Oxford and Cambridge into a three member constituency. However during consideration of the legislation it was agreed that London University alone should continue to return one member. The University of Wales was also given its own seat. The other universities, which were still to be combined, had their proposed representation reduced to two members. (Source: Pugh).
Combined English Universities was not a physical area. Its electorate consisted of the graduates of the Universities included in the seat.
The Universities represented by this constituency were Birmingham, Bristol, Durham, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Reading (from August 1928) and Sheffield.
The constituency returned two Members of Parliament, elected at general elections by the Single Transferable Vote method of Proportional Representation. However, the first past the post system was used in by-elections.
Members of Parliament
This is a list of people who were elected to represent these English Universities in the Parliament of the United Kingdom between 1918 and 1950. The elections were not held on the polling dates for general elections in the territorial constituencies. The University constituency elections were held over five days, not on the ordinary polling date, so that plural voting graduates could vote in their place of residence and then visit their University to participate in its election.
- Constituency created (1918)
Election First member First party Second member Second party 1918 Herbert Albert Laurens Fisher Coalition Liberal Sir William Martin Conway Coalition Conservative 1922 National Liberal Conservative 1923 Liberal 1926 by-election Sir Alfred Hopkinson Conservative 1929 Eleanor Florence Rathbone Independent 1931 Sir Reginald Henry Craddock Conservative 1937 by-election Thomas Edmund Harvey Independent Progressive 1945 Kenneth Martin Lindsay Independent 1946 by-election Henry George Strauss Conservative 1950 University constituencies abolished Elections
There were six contested STV elections. The MPs in 1935 were returned unopposed. By-elections, to fill a single seat, used the first past the post or relative majority electoral system.
Elections in the 1910s
- General election of 1918
General Election 1918: Combined English Universities (2 seats) - 1st Count Party Candidate Votes % ±% Coalition Liberal Rt Hon. Herbert Albert Laurens Fisher 959 48.09 N/A Labour John Atkinson Hobson 366 18.36 N/A Conservative Herbert Geraint Williams 366 18.36 N/A Coalition Conservative Sir William Martin Conway 303 15.20 N/A Total Votes 1,994 Quota 665 Turnout 2,357 84.60 N/A General Election 1918: Combined English Universities (2 seats) - 2nd Count Party Candidate Votes % ±% Coalition Liberal Rt Hon. Herbert Albert Laurens Fisher 665 N/A -294 Coalition Conservative Sir William Martin Conway 465 N/A +162 Labour John Atkinson Hobson 454 N/A +88 Conservative Herbert Geraint Williams 410 N/A +44 Total Votes 1,994 Quota 665 General Election 1918: Combined English Universities (2 seats) - 3rd Count Party Candidate Votes % ±% Coalition Liberal Rt Hon. Herbert Albert Laurens Fisher 665 N/A ... Coalition Conservative Sir William Martin Conway 777 N/A +312 Labour John Atkinson Hobson 481 N/A +27 Conservative Herbert Geraint Williams ... N/A -410 non transferable N/A 71 N/A +71 Total Votes 1,994 Quota 665 Elections in the 1920s
- General election of 1922
General Election 1922: Combined English Universities (2 seats) - 1st Count Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Sir William Martin Conway 968 32.8 +17.6 National Liberal Rt Hon. Herbert Albert Laurens Fisher 819 27.7 -20.4 Independent Prof. J. Strong 571 19.4 N/A Labour Leonard Sidney Woolf 361 12.2 -6.2 Independent Conservative W. B. Faraday 141 4.8 N/A Independent Conservative Sidney C. Lawrence 90 3.1 N/A Total Votes 2,946 Quota 983 Turnout 3,967 74.3 -10.3 General Election 1922: Combined English Universities (2 seats) - 2nd Count Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Sir William Martin Conway 982 N/A +14 National Liberal Rt Hon. Herbert Albert Laurens Fisher 821 N/A +6 Independent Prof. J. Strong 575 N/A +4 Labour Leonard Sidney Woolf 361 N/A ... Independent Conservative W. B. Faraday 206 N/A +65 Independent Conservative Sidney C. Lawrence ... N/A -90 non transferable N/A 1 N/A +1 Total Votes 2,946 Quota 983 General Election 1922: Combined English Universities (2 seats) - 3rd Count Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Sir William Martin Conway 1,093 N/A +111 National Liberal Rt Hon. Herbert Albert Laurens Fisher 849 N/A +28 Independent Prof. J. Strong 595 N/A +20 Labour Leonard Sidney Woolf 365 N/A +4 Independent Conservative W.B. Faraday ... N/A -206 non transferable N/A 44 N/A +43 Total Votes 2,946 Quota 983 General Election 1922: Combined English Universities (2 seats) - 4th Count Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Sir William Martin Conway 983 N/A -110 National Liberal Rt Hon. Herbert Albert Laurens Fisher 883 N/A +34 Independent Prof. J. Strong 611 N/A +16 Labour Leonard Sidney Woolf 366 N/A +1 non transferable N/A 103 N/A +59 Total Votes 2,946 Quota 983 General Election 1922: Combined English Universities (2 seats) - 5th Count Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Sir William Martin Conway 983 N/A ... National Liberal Rt Hon. Herbert Albert Laurens Fisher 1,009 N/A +126 Independent Prof. J. Strong 813 N/A +202 Labour Leonard Sidney Woolf ... N/A -366 non transferable N/A 141 N/A +38 Total Votes 2,946 Quota 983 - General election of 1923
General Election 1923: Combined English Universities (2 seats) - Only Count Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Sir William Martin Conway 1,711 44.1 +11.3 Liberal Rt Hon. Herbert Albert Laurens Fisher 1,316 34.0 +5.3 Labour Prof. J.J. Findlay 850 21.9 +9.7 Total Votes 3,877 Quota 1,293 Turnout 5,008 77.4 +3.1 - General election of 1924
General Election 1924: Combined English Universities (2 seats) - 1st Count Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Sir William Martin Conway 2,231 50.4 +6.3 Liberal Rt Hon. Herbert Albert Laurens Fisher 1,333 30.1 -3.9 Labour Prof. J. J. Findlay 861 19.5 -2.4 Total Votes 4,425 Quota 1,476 Turnout 5,655 78.2 +0.8 General Election 1924: Combined English Universities (2 seats) - 2nd Count Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Sir William Martin Conway 1,476 N/A -755 Liberal Rt Hon. Herbert Albert Laurens Fisher 2,064 N/A +731 Labour Prof. J. J. Findlay 885 N/A +24 Total Votes 4,425 Quota 1,476 - Resignation of Fisher
- By-election of 1926
By-Election 8–12 March 1926: Combined English Universities Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Sir Alfred Hopkinson 2,343 53.9 +3.5 Liberal John Ramsay Bryce Muir 2,000 46.1 +12.1 Majority 343 7.8 N/A Turnout 4,343 66.7 -11.5 Registered electors 6,513 Conservative gain from Liberal Swing N/A - General election of 1929
General Election 1929: Combined English Universities (2 seats) - 1st Count Party Candidate Votes % ±% Independent Eleanor Florence Rathbone 3,331 33.3 N/A Conservative Sir William Martin Conway 2,679 26.8 N/A Liberal Prof. R. S. Conway 2,231 22.3 -23.8 Conservative Sir Lewis Amherst Selby-Bigge, Bt 1,762 17.6 N/A Total Votes 10,003 Quota 3,335 Turnout 13,775 72.6 +5.9 General Election 1929: Combined English Universities (2 seats) - 2nd Count Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Sir William Martin Conway 4,321 N/A +1,642 Independent Eleanor Florence Rathbone 3,394 N/A +63 Liberal Prof. R.S. Conway 2,281 N/A +50 Conservative Sir Lewis Amherst Selby-Bigge, Bt ... N/A -1,762 non transferable N/A 7 N/A +7 Total Votes 10,003 Quota 3,335 Elections in the 1930s
- General election of 1931
General Election 1931: Combined English Universities (2 seats) - 1st Count Party Candidate Votes % ±% Independent Eleanor Florence Rathbone 5,096 37.2 +3.9 Conservative Sir Reginald Henry Craddock 3,633 26.5 N/A National Labour Rt Hon. Sir William Allen Jowitt 2,759 20.1 N/A Conservative Herbert Geraint Williams 1,748 12.8 N/A New Party Hon. Harold George Nicolson 461 3.4 N/A Total Votes 13,697 Quota 4,567 Turnout 19,109 71.7 -0.9 General Election 1931: Combined English Universities (2 seats) - 2nd Count Party Candidate Votes % ±% Independent Eleanor Florence Rathbone 4,567 N/A -529 Conservative Sir Reginald Henry Craddock 3,685 N/A +52 National Labour Rt Hon. Sir William Allen Jowitt 3,003 N/A +244 Conservative Herbert Geraint Williams 1,819 N/A +71 New Party Hon. Harold George Nicolson 623 N/A +162 Total Votes 13,697 Quota 4,567 General Election 1931: Combined English Universities (2 seats) - 3rd Count Party Candidate Votes % ±% Independent Eleanor Florence Rathbone 4,567 N/A ... Conservative Sir Reginald Henry Craddock 3,754 N/A +69 National Labour Rt Hon. Sir William Allen Jowitt 3,207 N/A +204 Conservative Herbert Geraint Williams 1,922 N/A +103 New Party Hon. Harold George Nicolson ... N/A -623 non transferable N/A 247 N/A +247 Total Votes 13,697 Quota 4,567 General Election 1931: Combined English Universities (2 seats) - 4th Count Party Candidate Votes % ±% Independent Eleanor Florence Rathbone 4,567 N/A ... Conservative Sir Reginald Henry Craddock 4,858 N/A +1,104 National Labour Rt Hon. Sir William Allen Jowitt 3,632 N/A +425 Conservative Herbert Geraint Williams ... N/A -1,922 non transferable N/A 640 N/A +393 Total Votes 13,697 Quota 4,567 - General election of 1935
General Election 1935: Combined English Universities (2 seats) Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Sir Reginald Henry Craddock Unopposed N/A N/A Independent Eleanor Florence Rathbone Unopposed N/A N/A - Death of Craddock
- By-election of 1937
By-Election 15–19 March 1937: Combined English Universities Party Candidate Votes % ±% Independent Progressive Thomas Edmund Harvey 6,596 47.4 N/A Conservative Rt Hon. Sir Francis Lindley 4,952 35.6 N/A Independent Henry Brackenbury 2,373 17.0 N/A Majority 1,644 11.8 N/A Turnout 13,921 48.3 N/A Registered electors 28,808 Independent Progressive gain from Conservative Swing N/A Elections in the 1940s
- General election of 1945
General Election 1945: Combined English Universities (2 seats) - 1st Count Party Candidate Votes % ±% Independent Eleanor Florence Rathbone 11,176 53.3 N/A Independent Labour S. Wormald 3,212 15.3 N/A National Independent E.C. Arden 2,433 11.6 N/A Independent Kenneth Martin Lindsay 1,923 9.2 N/A Independent Prof. J.H. Richardson 1,124 5.3 N/A Independent A.R. Foxall 1,105 5.3 N/A Total Votes 20,973 Quota 6,992 Turnout 41,976 50.0 +1.7 General Election 1945: Combined English Universities (2 seats) - 2nd Count Party Candidate Votes % ±% Independent Eleanor Florence Rathbone 6,992 N/A -4,184 Independent Labour S. Wormald 3,973 N/A +761 Independent Kenneth Martin Lindsay 3,503 N/A +1,580 National Independent E.C. Arden 3,073 N/A +640 Independent Prof. J.H. Richardson 1,995 N/A +871 Independent A.R. Foxall 1,437 N/A +332 Total Votes 20,973 Quota 6,992 General Election 1945: Combined English Universities (2 seats) - 3rd Count Party Candidate Votes % ±% Independent Eleanor Florence Rathbone 6,992 N/A ... Independent Labour S. Wormald 4,081 N/A +108 Independent Kenneth Martin Lindsay 3,856 N/A +353 National Independent E.C. Arden 3,389 N/A +316 Independent Prof. J.H. Richardson 2,341 N/A +346 Independent A.R. Foxall ... N/A -1,437 non transferable N/A 314 N/A +314 Total Votes 20,973 Quota 6,992 General Election 1945: Combined English Universities (2 seats) - 4th Count Party Candidate Votes % ±% Independent Eleanor Florence Rathbone 6,992 N/A ... Independent Kenneth Martin Lindsay 4,528 N/A +672 Independent Labour S. Wormald 4,473 N/A +392 National Independent E.C. Arden 3,829 N/A +440 Independent Prof. J.H. Richardson ... N/A -2,341 non transferable N/A 1,151 N/A +837 Total Votes 20,973 Quota 6,992 General Election 1945: Combined English Universities (2 seats) - 5th Count Party Candidate Votes % ±% Independent Eleanor Florence Rathbone 6,992 N/A ... Independent Kenneth Martin Lindsay 5,826 N/A +1,298 Independent Labour S. Wormald 4,675 N/A +202 National Independent E.C. Arden ... N/A -3,829 non transferable N/A 3,480 N/A +2,329 Total Votes 20,973 Quota 6,992 - Death of Rathbone
- By-election of 1946
By-Election 13–18 March 1946: Combined English Universities Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Henry George Strauss 5,483 30.0 N/A Independent Mary Danvers Stocks 5,124 28.0 N/A Independent Sir Ernest Emil Darwin Simon 4,028 22.0 N/A Independent Labour S. Wormald 3,414 18.7 N/A British People's Party G.S. Oddie 239 1.3 N/A Majority 359 2.0 N/A Turnout 18,288 42.1 -7.9 Registered electors 43,438 Conservative gain from Independent Swing N/A - Constituency abolished (1950)
References
- 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 (Macmillan 1977)
- Electoral Reform in War and Peace 1906-18, by Martin Pugh (Routledge & Kegan Paul 1978)
- Who's Who of British Members of Parliament: Volume III 1919-1945, edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (The Harvester Pess 1979)
- Who's Who of British Members of Parliament, Volume IV 1945-1979, edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (Harvester Press 1981)
- Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 5)
University constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom Cambridge University (1603–1950) • Combined English Universities (1918–1950) • Combined Scottish Universities (1918–1950) • Edinburgh and St Andrews Universities (1918–1950) • Glasgow and Aberdeen Universities (1868–1918) • London University (1868–1950) • National University of Ireland (1918–1922) • Oxford University (1603–1950) • Queen's University of Belfast (1918–1950) • University of Dublin (1801–1922) • University of Wales (1918–1950)
Categories:- University constituencies in the United Kingdom
- Historic parliamentary constituencies in England
- United Kingdom Parliamentary constituencies established in 1918
- United Kingdom Parliamentary constituencies disestablished in 1950
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