Tower Hamlets (UK Parliament constituency)

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Tower Hamlets
Borough constituency
Created: 1832
Abolished: 1885
Type: House of Commons
Members: two

Tower Hamlets was a two seat constituency in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom created under the Reform Act 1832 and divided under the Redistribution of Seats Act, 1885 into a number of single member divisions (see below for details).

The constituency consisted of a number of communities in the East End of London, between the City of London and the eastern border of the historic county of Middlesex.

Contents

[edit] Boundaries

The parliamentary borough of Tower Hamlets was established in 1832 and its area was the south-eastern part of the historic county of Middlesex. It was situated to the north of the River Thames with the City of London to the west and the West Ham area of Essex to the east. To the north of the constituency, were the Bethnal Green and Hackney areas.

In 1885 the parliamentary borough was split into divisions. These were Bow and Bromley, Limehouse, Mile End, Poplar, St George, Stepney and Whitechapel.

In 1889 the parliamentary borough, for administrative purposes, became part of the County of London. In 1900 the civil vestries and local boards, which had provided local administration in London, were dissolved. Tower Hamlets was divided between the Metropolitan Borough of Poplar (including the parishes of Bow, Bromley and Poplar) and the Metropolitan Borough of Stepney. The London Government Act 1899 incorporated various authorities in the Metropolitan Boroughs.

Borough

Area

Former Authority

Poplar The district of the Poplar Board of Works Poplar District Board of Works
Stepney The area consisting of the parishes of Mile End Old Town and St. George in the East and the districts of the Limehouse and Whitechapel Boards of Works, including the Tower of London and the liberties thereof Mile End Old Town Parish Vestry, St. George in the East Parish Vestry, Limehouse District Board of Works, Whitechapel District Board of Works, Tower of London (extra parochial place)

Since 1965 the area has been part of Greater London and a new London Borough of Tower Hamlets.

[edit] Members of Parliament

  • Constituency created (1832)
Year First member First party Second member Second party
1832 Stephen Lushington Liberal Sir William Clay, Bt Liberal
1841 Charles Richard Fox Liberal
1847 George Thompson Liberal
1852 Charles Salisbury Butler Liberal
1857 Rt Hon. Acton Smee Ayrton Liberal
1868 Joseph d'Aguilar Samuda Liberal
1874 Charles Thomson Ritchie Conservative
1880 James Bryce Liberal
  • Constituency abolished (1885)

[edit] Elections

Turnout, in multi-member elections, is estimated by dividing the number of votes by two. To the extent that electors did not use both their votes, the figure given will be an underestimate.

Change is calculated for individual candidates, when a party had more than one candidate in an election or the previous one. When a party had only one candidate in an election and the previous one change is calculated for the party vote.

  • Constituency abolished (1885)

[edit] References

  • Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885-1972, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Parliamentary Reference Publications 1972)
  • British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press 1977)
  • 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)