- Chelsea (UK Parliament constituency)
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Chelsea Former Borough constituency for the House of Commons 1868–1997 Number of members Two (1868–1885):
One (1885–1997)Replaced by Kensington and Chelsea Created from Middlesex Chelsea was a borough constituency, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
The constituency was created by the Reform Act 1867 for the 1868 general election, when it returned two Members of Parliament (MPs), elected by the bloc vote system of election.
Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, with effect from the 1885 general election, its representation was reduced to one MP, elected by the first past the post system.
Chelsea in the metropolitan area, 1868-1885.
Chelsea in the metropolitan area, 1885-1918. Note that in this period the constituency had two detached parts: one in what is currently known as Chelsea, and a separate part in Kensal Town.
Chelsea in the Parliamentary County of London, 1918-1950.
Chelsea in the Parliamentary County of London, 1950-1983.Contents
Boundaries and boundary changes
Chelsea (after the local government changes in 1965) is a district of Inner London, comprising for administrative purposes the southern part of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Its southern boundary is on the north bank of the River Thames. It adjoins Westminster to the east, Fulham to the west and Kensington to the north.
Before 1868 the area was represented in Parliament as part of the county constituency of Middlesex.
With the expansion westwards of the urban area around Westminster, the former village of Chelsea had by 1868 developed into a suburb large enough to be made a Parliamentary borough and given two seats in the House of Commons.
In 1885, the constituency became a single member seat. The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 defined the seat as comprising the parish of St Luke, Chelsea.
In 1889, the historic county of Middlesex was divided for administrative purposes. Chelsea became part of the administrative county of London.
In the 1918 redistribution of Parliamentary seats, the Metropolitan Borough of Chelsea (created as a local government unit in 1900) was represented by one MP.
In the redistribution which took effect in 1950, the then Brompton ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Kensington was added to the existing area of the constituency.
In 1965, the London County Council area was absorbed by the new Greater London Council. The constituency was included in a new London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, although the Parliamentary boundaries were not altered immediately.
In the redistribution that took effect in 1974, the Kensington and Chelsea, Chelsea constituency consisted of the then Brompton, Cheyne, Church, Earls Court, Hans Town, North Stanley, Redcliffe, Royal Hospital and South Stanley wards of Kensington and Chelsea.
From the 1983 redistribution, Chelsea consisted of Abingdon, Brompton, Cheyne, Church, Courtfield, Earls Court, Hans Town, North Stanley, Redcliffe, Royal Hospital and South Stanley wards of Kensington and Chelsea.
98.5% of the constituency had been in the pre-1983 Chelsea and 1.5% had been part of Kensington.
In the 1997 redistribution, Chelsea ceased to exist as a constituency. The area was included in the Kensington and Chelsea constituency, which covered the central and southern portions of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, including the centres of both Kensington and Chelsea.
Members of Parliament
MPs 1868-1885
Election 1st Member 1st Party 2nd Member 2nd Party 1868 Sir Charles Wentworth Dilke, Bt. Liberal Sir Henry Ainslie Hoare, Bt Liberal 1874 William Gordon Conservative 1880 Joseph Firth Bottomley Firth Liberal 1885 Redistribution of Seats Act: representation reduced to one member MPs 1885-1997
Election Member Party 1885 Sir Charles Wentworth Dilke, Bt. Liberal 1886 Charles Algernon Whitmore Conservative 1906 Emslie John Horniman Liberal Jan 1910 Samuel Hoare Conservative 1918 Coalition Conservative 1922 Conservative 1944 by-election William Sidney Conservative 1945 Allan Noble Conservative 1959 John Litchfield Conservative 1966 Sir Marcus Worsley Conservative Oct 1974 Sir Nicholas Scott Conservative 1997 constituency abolished: see Kensington & Chelsea Elections
General Election 9 April 1992: Chelsea Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Nicholas Paul Scott 17,471 65.12 +0.56 Labour Ms R.E. Horton 4,692 17.45 +2.02 Liberal Democrat Ms S.N. Broidy 4,101 15.29 +15.29 Green Miss E. Kortvelyessy 485 1.81 -0.25 Anti-Federal League D.G.F. Armstrong 88 0.33 +0.33 Majority 12,789 47.67 +1.03 Turnout 42,372 63.31 +5.65 Conservative hold Swing N/A - Constituency abolished 1997
General Election 11 June 1987: Chelsea Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Nicholas Paul Scott 18,443 64.58 +1.34 Liberal Mrs J.M. Ware 5,124 17.94 -5.54 Labour D.J. Ward 4,406 15.43 +2.61 Green Miss E. Kortvelyessy 587 2.06 +2.06 Majority 13,319 46.64 +6.89 Turnout 49,534 57.66 +1.52 Conservative hold Swing N/A General Election 9 June 1983: Chelsea Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Nicholas Paul Scott 19,122 63.24 -2.86 Liberal J.H. Fryer 7,101 23.48 +9.69 Labour N.D. Palmer 3,876 12.82 -5.67 Independent Miss A.C.M. Feilding 139 0.46 +0.31 Majority 12,021 39.75 -7.86 Turnout 53,864 56.14 -1.16 Conservative hold Swing N/A General Election 3 May 1979: Kensington and Chelsea, Chelsea Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Nicholas Paul Scott 21,782 66.10 +5.11 Labour R.M. Pandy 6,092 18.49 -1.68 Liberal P.G. Driver 4,544 13.79 -4.06 National Front A. Reeve 342 1.04 +1.04 Independent Mrs B. Fellowes 146 0.44 +0.44 Independent Miss A.M.C.M. Feilding 49 0.15 +0.15 Majority 15,690 47.61 +6.79 Turnout 57,515 57.30 +7.32 Conservative hold Swing +3.40 - Minor boundary change affecting less than 5% of electors
General Election 10 October 1974: Kensington and Chelsea, Chelsea Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Nicholas Paul Scott 19,674 60.99 +0.56 Labour G.A. Colerick 6,507 20.17 +2.45 Liberal N.L. Clarke 5,758 17.85 -2.91 Independent R.E. Byron 321 1.00 +1.00 Majority 13,167 40.82 +1.15 Turnout 64,548 49.98 -10.00 Conservative hold Swing N/A General Election 28 February 1974: Kensington and Chelsea, Chelsea Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Sir (William) Marcus John Worsley, Bt 23,320 60.43 -4.97 Liberal N.L. Clarke 8,012 20.76 +11.95 Labour Mrs S.K. Ward 6,839 17.72 -5.95 Independent Conservative A.J.E. Barclay 416 1.08 +1.08 Majority 15,308 39.67 -2.06 Turnout 64,338 59.98 +4.95 Conservative hold Swing N/A General Election 18 June 1970: Chelsea Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative (William) Marcus John Worsley 15,852 65.40 +5.55 Labour Dr R.J. Madeley 5,737 23.67 -4.44 Liberal A.H.S. Beavan 2,136 8.81 -3.22 Independent N.L. Luard 514 2.12 +2.12 Majority 10,115 41.73 +9.99 Turnout 44,038 55.04 -7.95 Conservative hold Swing +5.00 - Boundary change
General Election 31 March 1966: Chelsea Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative (William) Marcus John Worsley 16,337 59.85 -1.68 Labour R.N. Tyler 7,674 28.11 +2.96 Liberal P. Smith 3,285 12.03 -1.28 Majority 8,663 31.74 -4.64 Turnout 43,336 62.99 +0.24 Conservative hold Swing -2.32 General Election 15 October 1964: Chelsea Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative John Shirley Sandys Litchfield 16,802 61.53 -6.26 Labour J.M.Y. Dickens 6,868 25.15 +4.77 Liberal A.C.S. Thomas 3,635 13.31 +1.48 Majority 9,934 36.38 -11.03 Turnout 43,515 62.75 -3.00 Conservative hold Swing -5.52 General Election 8 October 1959: Chelsea Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative John Shirley Sandys Litchfield 20,985 67.79 -5.62 Labour L. Goldstone 6,308 20.38 -6.21 Liberal K.G. Wellings 3,662 11.83 +11.83 Majority 14,677 47.41 +0.58 Turnout 47,077 65.75 +0.22 Conservative hold Swing +5.92 General Election 26 May 1955: Chelsea Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Allan Herbert Percy Noble 23,598 73.41 +3.52 Labour S. Fordyce 8,546 26.59 -3.52 Majority 15,052 46.83 +7.05 Turnout 49,049 65.53 -4.11 Conservative hold Swing +3.52 General Election 25 October 1951: Chelsea Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Allan Herbert Percy Noble 25,034 69.89 +5.72 Labour F.L. Tonge 10,784 30.11 +2.80 Majority 14,250 39.78 +2.91 Turnout 51,433 69.64 -0.98 Conservative hold Swing +4.26 General Election 23 February 1950: Chelsea Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Allan Herbert Percy Noble 23,471 64.17 +0.45 Labour F.L. Tonge 9,987 27.31 -3.77 Liberal L.C. Robertson 3,116 8.52 +8.52 Majority 13,484 36.87 +4.23 Turnout 51,789 70.62 +7.82 Conservative hold Swing +2.11 General Election 5 July 1945: Chelsea Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Allan Herbert Percy Noble 12,043 63.72 -11.23 Labour Miss M.D. Shufeldt 5,874 31.08 +6.03 Common Wealth Dr Dorothy A. Sharpe 984 5.21 +5.21 Majority 6,169 32.64 -17.26 Turnout 30,095 62.80 +1.09 Conservative hold Swing -8.63 - Note 1 (1945): Changes and swing calculated from 1935 to 1945.
- Note 2 (1945): Counting of votes took place on 26 July 1945
- Boundary change
- Creation of Hoare as 1st Viscount Templewood
By-Election 11 October 1944: Chelsea Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative William Philip Sidney Unopposed N/A N/A Conservative hold Swing N/A General Election 14 November 1935: Chelsea Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Rt Hon. Sir Samuel J.G. Hoare, Bt 18,992 74.95 -8.01 Labour G.S. Sandilands 6,348 25.05 +8.01 Majority 12,644 49.90 -16.03 Turnout 41,061 61.71 -3.52 Conservative hold Swing -8.01 General Election 27 October 1931: Chelsea Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Rt Hon. Sir Samuel J.G. Hoare, Bt 23,015 82.96 +24.51 Labour G.A. Foan 4,726 17.04 -8.05 Majority 18,289 65.93 +32.57 Turnout 42,531 65.23 +2.09 Conservative hold Swing +16.28 General Election 30 May 1929: Chelsea Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Rt Hon. Sir Samuel J.G. Hoare, Bt 15,480 58.45 -7.23 Labour Rev. A.G. Prichard 6,645 25.09 -0.92 Liberal Capt. Iolo Aneurin Williams 4,360 16.46 +9.06 Majority 8,835 33.36 -5.41 Turnout 41,945 63.14 -7.96 Conservative hold Swing -4.08 General Election 29 October 1924: Chelsea Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Rt Hon. Sir Samuel J.G. Hoare, Bt 13,816 65.68 +8.68 Labour Hon. Mrs Dora W. Russell 5,661 26.01 -1.49 Liberal Capt. Iolo Aneurin Williams 1,557 7.40 -8.11 Majority 8,155 38.77 +9.27 Turnout 29,582 71.10 +7.27 Conservative hold Swing +5.09 General Election 6 December 1923: Chelsea Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Rt Hon. Sir Samuel J.G. Hoare, Bt 10,461 57.00 -17.86 Labour Hon. Bertrand Arthur William Russell 5,047 27.50 +2.36 Liberal H.W. Preston 2,846 15.51 +15.51 Majority 5,414 29.50 -20.22 Turnout 28,755 63.83 +0.74 Conservative hold Swing -10.11 General Election 15 November 1922: Chelsea Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Rt Hon. Sir Samuel J.G. Hoare, Bt 13,437 74.86 -4.25 Labour Hon. Bertrand Arthur William Russell 4,513 25.14 +25.14 Majority 8,924 49.72 +8.49 Turnout 28,453 63.09 +16.45 Conservative hold Swing -14.70 General Election 14 December 1918: Chelsea Party Candidate Votes % ±% Coalition Conservative Sir Samuel John Gurney Hoare, Bt 9,159 79.11 +18.65 Independent Progressive Miss Emily F. Phipps 2,419 20.89 +20.89 Majority 6,740 58.21 +37.29 Turnout 24,822 46.64 -26.35 Coalition Conservative hold Swing N/A - Note (1918): Counting of votes took place on 28 December 1918
- Swing: For 1922-1992 the swing figure given is the Butler Swing, defined as the average of the Conservative % gain and Labour % loss between two elections, with the percentages being calculated on the basis of the total number of votes (including those cast for candidates other than Conservative or Labour). A positive figure is a swing to Conservative and a negative one to Labour. No swing figure is given for elections where Conservative and Labour were not first and second in both of the pair of elections.
General Election December 1910: Chelsea Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Samuel John Gurney Hoare 4,968 60.46 +2.37 Liberal Hugh Edward Hoare 3,249 39.54 -2.37 Majority 1,719 20.92 +4.75 Turnout 11,257 72.99 -12.81 Conservative hold Swing +2.37 - Boundary change
General Election 10 January 1910: Chelsea Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Samuel John Gurney Hoare 5,610 58.09 +11.71 Liberal Emslie John Horniman 4,048 41.91 -11.71 Majority 1,562 16.17 N/A Turnout 11,257 85.80 +10.46 Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +11.71 General Election 16 January 1906: Chelsea Party Candidate Votes % ±% Liberal Emslie John Horniman 4,660 53.62 +12.00 Conservative Charles Algernon Whitmore 4,031 46.38 -12.00 Majority 629 7.24 N/A Turnout 11,536 75.34 +12.97 Liberal gain from Conservative Swing -12.00 General Election 1900: Chelsea Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Charles Algernon Whitmore 4,637 58.38 -2.14 Liberal J. Jeffery 3,306 41.62 +2.14 Majority 1,331 16.76 -4.27 Turnout 12,736 62.37 -5.71 Conservative hold Swing -2.14 General Election 1895: Chelsea Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Charles Algernon Whitmore 5,524 60.52 +7.52 Liberal O.H. Beatty 3,604 39.48 -7.52 Majority 1,920 21.03 +15.02 Turnout 13,408 68.08 -6.77 Conservative hold Swing +7.52 General Election 1892: Chelsea Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Charles Algernon Whitmore 4,993 53.00 +1.96 Liberal B.F.C. Costelloe 4,427 47.00 -1.98 Majority 566 6.01 +3.92 Turnout 12,585 74.85 -1.09 Conservative hold Swing +1.96 General Election 5 July 1886: Chelsea Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Charles Algernon Whitmore 4,304 51.04 +2.08 Liberal Rt Hon. Sir Charles Wentworth Dilke, Bt 4,128 48.96 -2.08 Majority 176 2.09 N/A Turnout 11,104 75.94 +0.23 Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +2.08 General Election 25 November 1885: Chelsea Party Candidate Votes % ±% Liberal Rt Hon. Sir Charles Wentworth Dilke, Bt 4,291 51.04 N/A Conservative Charles Algernon Whitmore 4,116 48.96 N/A Majority 175 2.08 N/A Turnout 11,104 75.71 N/A Liberal hold Swing N/A By-Election 11 January 1883: Chelsea Party Candidate Votes % ±% Liberal Rt Hon. Sir Charles Wentworth Dilke, Bt Unopposed N/A N/A Liberal hold Swing N/A - Constituency reduced to one seat.
- Swing: For 1885-1910 the swing figure given is the Butler Swing, defined as the average of the Conservative % gain and Liberal % loss between two elections, with the percentages being calculated on the basis of the total number of votes (including those cast for candidates other than Conservative or Liberal). A positive figure is a swing to Conservative and a negative one to Liberal.
General Election 12 February 1880: Chelsea (2 seats) Party Candidate Votes % ±% Liberal Sir Charles Wentworth Dilke, Bt 12,406 28.45 -2.85 Liberal Joseph Firth Bottomley Firth 12,046 27.62 +27.62 Conservative Lord Inverurie 9,666 22.17 +22.17 Conservative W.J. Browne 9,488 21.76 +21.76 Turnout 30,951 70.44 +21.51 - Appointment of Dilke as President of the Local Government Board
General Election 10 February 1874: Chelsea (2 seats) Party Candidate Votes % ±% Liberal Sir Charles Wentworth Dilke, Bt 7,217 31.30 -1.24 Conservative William Gordon 7,172 31.11 +31.11 Liberal Sir Henry Ainslie Hoare, Bt 6,701 29.06 -2.63 Liberal G.M. Keill 1,967 8.53 +8.53 Turnout 23,560 48.93 -16.16 General Election 17 November 1868: Chelsea (2 seats) Party Candidate Votes % ±% Liberal Charles Wentworth Dilke 7,374 32.54 N/A Liberal Sir Henry Ainslie Hoare, Bt 7,183 31.69 N/A Conservative W.H. Russell 4,177 18.43 N/A Conservative Charles James Freake 3,929 17.34 N/A Turnout 17,408 65.09 N/A See also
- List of Parliamentary constituencies in Greater London
- Duration of English, British and United Kingdom Parliaments from 1660
References
- Who's Who of British Members of Parliament: Volume I 1832-1885, edited by M. Stenton (The Harvester Press 1976)
- British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (The Macmillan Press 1977)
- British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (The Macmillan Press 1974)
- British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (The Macmillan Press 1977)
- British Parliamentary Election Results 1950-1973, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Parliamentary Research Services 1983)
- British Parliamentary Election Results 1974-1983, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Parliamentary Research Services 1984)
- Britain Votes 4: British Parliamentary Election Results 1983-1987, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Parliamentary Research Services 1988)
- Britain Votes 5: British Parliamentary Election Results 1988-1992, compiled and edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher (Parliamentary Research Services/Dartmouth Publishing 1993)
- Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885-1972, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Political Reference Publications 1972)
- British Parliamentary Constituencies: A Statistical Compendium, by Ivor Crewe and Anthony Fox (Faber and Faber 1984)
- Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 3)
Categories:- Politics of Kensington and Chelsea
- Parliamentary constituencies in London (historic)
- United Kingdom Parliamentary constituencies established in 1868
- United Kingdom Parliamentary constituencies disestablished in 1997
- Political history of Middlesex
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