West Cornwall (UK Parliament constituency)

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West Cornwall
County constituency
Created: 1832
Abolished: 1885
Type: House of Commons
Members: two

West Cornwall is a former county constituency in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected two Members of Parliament (MPs) by the bloc vote system of election.

Contents

[edit] Boundaries

In 1832 the county of Cornwall, in south west England, was split for parliamentary purposes into two county divisions. These were the West division (with a place of election at Truro) and East Cornwall (where voting took place at Bodmin). Each division returned two members to Parliament.

The parliamentary boroughs included in the West division, between 1832-1885, (whose non-resident 40 shilling freeholders were eligible to vote in the county constituency) were Helston, Penryn and Falmouth, St Ives and Truro. (Source: Stooks Smith).

[edit] History

During the 53 year history of this division, there was never a contested election. Only once was a Conservative member returned, but he only represented the constituency for a few months before becoming the 2nd Earl of Falmouth.

In 1885 this division was abolished, when the East and West Cornwall county divisions were replaced by six new single-member county constituencies. These were Bodmin (the South-Eastern division), Camborne (North-Western division), Launceston (North-Eastern division), St Austell (Mid division), St Ives (the Western division) and Truro. In addition the last remaining Cornish borough constituency was Penryn and Falmouth.

[edit] Members of Parliament

  • Constituency created (1832)
Year First member First party Second member Second party
1832 Sir Charles Lemon, Bt Liberal Edward William Wynne Pendarves Liberal
1841 Lord Boscawen-Rose Conservative
1842 Sir Charles Lemon, Bt Liberal
1853 Michael Williams Liberal
1857 Richard Davey Liberal
1858 Sir John St. Aubyn, Bt Liberal
1868 Arthur Pendarves Vivian Liberal
  • Constituency abolished (1885)

[edit] Election results

[edit] See also

[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)
  • The Parliaments of England by Henry Stooks Smith (1st edition published in three volumes 1844-50), second edition edited (in one volume) by F.W.S. Craig (Political Reference Publications 1973)
  • 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)