Nottinghamshire (UK Parliament constituency)

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Nottinghamshire County constituency
Created:	1290
Abolished:	1832
Type:	House of Commons
Members:	two

Nottinghamshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832. It was represented by two Members of Parliament.

The constituency was split into two two-member divisions, for Parliamentary purposes, by the Reform Act 1832. The county was then represented by the North Nottinghamshire and South Nottinghamshire constituencies.

Contents 1 Boundaries 2 Members of Parliament 3 Election Notes 4 Election results 1715-1832 4.1 Elections in the 1710s 4.2 Elections in the 1720s 4.3 Elections in the 1730s 4.4 Elections in the 1740s 4.5 Elections in the 1750s 4.6 Elections in the 1760s 4.7 Elections in the 1770s 4.8 Elections in the 1780s 4.9 Elections in the 1790s 4.10 Elections in the 1800s 4.11 Elections in the 1810s 4.12 Elections in the 1820s 4.13 Elections in the 1830s 5 See also 6 Sources 7 References

[edit] Boundaries

The county of Nottinghamshire is located in the East Midlands of England. The county is known to have been represented in Parliament from 1290, although it probably sent knights of the shire to earlier meetings.

From 1295 the county and the town of Nottingham each returned two members to parliament. In 1572 East Retford was represented by two members, and in 1672 Newark-upon-Trent also. Under the Reform Act of 1832 the county returned four members in two divisions. By the act of 1885 it returned four members in four divisions; Newark and East Retford were disfranchised, and Nottingham returned three members in three divisions.

[edit] Members of Parliament

This is a list of people who were elected to represent the county in the House of Commons between 1688-1715 and 1715-1832. The use of the term 'Non Partisan' in the list does not necessarily mean that the MP was not associated with a particular party or faction in Parliament. Stooks Smith only gives Nottinghamshire candidates party labels for the contested 1722 election and not again until well into the nineteenth century.

This list differs to some extent from that compiled by Leigh Rayment on the external site linked to below.

Year			First member	First party	Second member	Second party
		1698	Thomas Willoughby		Gervase Eyre
		1701			Sir Francis Molyneux
		1702	Gervase Eyre
		1704	John Thornhagh
		1705			Thomas Willoughby
		1710	Scrope Howe		William Levinz	Tory
		1713	Francis Willoughby	Tory
		1722	Sir Robert Sutton	Whig	The Viscount Howe	Whig
		1732	William Levinz	Tory	Thomas Bennet	Non Partisan
		1734	William Levinz (junior)	Non Partisan
		1739			John Mordaunt	Non Partisan
		1747	Lord Robert Sutton (Lord Robert Manners-Sutton)	Non Partisan	John Thornhagh (John Hewett)	Non Partisan
		1762	Thomas Willoughby	Non Partisan
		1774			Earl of Lincoln	Non Partisan
		1775	Lord Charles Edward Bentinck	Non Partisan
		1778			Charles Medows (Charles Pierrepont)	Non Partisan
		1796			Evelyn, Lord Pierrepont	Non Partisan
		1801			Charles, Lord Pierrepont (Viscount Newark)	Non Partisan
		1802	Lord William Henry Cavendish Bentinck	Non Partisan
		1803	Anthony Hardolph Eyre	Non Partisan
		1812	Lord William Henry Cavendish Bentinck	Non Partisan
		1814	Frank Frank (Frank Sotheron)	Tory
		1816			Lord William Henry Cavendish Bentinck	Non Partisan
		1826			John Saville Lumley	Whig
		1831	John Evelyn Denison	Whig

• Constituency abolished (1832)

[edit] Election Notes

The county franchise, from 1430, was held by the adult male owners of freehold land valued at 40 shillings or more. Each elector had as many votes as there were seats to be filled. Votes had to be cast by a spoken declaration, in public, at the hustings, which took place in Nottingham. The expense and difficulty of voting at only one location in the county, together with the lack of a secret ballot contributed to the corruption and intimidation of electors, which was widespread in the unreformed British political system.

The expense, to candidates and their supporters, of contested elections encouraged the leading families of the county to agree on the candidates to be returned unopposed whenever possible. Contested county elections were therefore unusual. The Duke of Newcastle and the Duke of Portland, both Whigs, dominated the county until well into the 19th century, which was why there was no contest after 1722. The Newcastle seat was usually held by a Pierrepont.

The bloc vote electoral system was used in two seat elections and first past the post for single member by-elections. Each voter had up to as many votes as there were seats to be filled. Votes had to be cast by a spoken declaration, in public, at the hustings.

Note on percentage change calculations: Where there was only one candidate of a party in successive elections, for the same number of seats, change is calculated on the party percentage vote. Where there was more than one candidate, in one or both successive elections for the same number of seats, then change is calculated on the individual percentage vote.

Note on sources: The information for the election results given below is taken from Stooks Smith 1715-1754, Namier and Brooke 1754-1790 and Stooks Smith 1790-1832.

[edit] Election results 1715-1832

1710s – 1720s – 1730s – 1740s – 1750s – 1760s – 1770s – 1780s – 1790s – 1790s – 1800s – 1810s – 1820s – 1830s

[edit] Elections in the 1710s

General Election 1715: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Non Partisan	Francis Willoughby	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Non Partisan	William Levinz	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

[edit] Elections in the 1720s

General Election 1722: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Whig	Sir Robert Sutton	1,349	25.89	N/A
	Whig	The Viscount Howe	1,339	25.70	N/A
	Tory	William Levinz	1,265	24.28	N/A
	Tory	Hon. Francis Willoughby	1,257	24.13	N/A

• Howe was a Peer of Ireland

General Election 1727: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Non Partisan	Sir Robert Sutton	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Non Partisan	The Viscount Howe	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

[edit] Elections in the 1730s

• Seats vacated on Howe being appointed Governor of Barbados and Sutton being expelled from the House.

By-Election May 1732: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Non Partisan	William Levinz	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Non Partisan	Thomas Bennet	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Non Partisan hold		Swing	N/A

General Election 1734: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Non Partisan	William Levinz (junior)	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Non Partisan	Thomas Bennet	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

• Death of Bennet

By-Election February 1739: Nottinghamshire
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Non Partisan	John Mordaunt	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Non Partisan hold		Swing	N/A

[edit] Elections in the 1740s

General Election 1741: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Non Partisan	William Levinz (junior)	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Non Partisan	John Mordaunt	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

General Election 1747: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Non Partisan	Lord Robert Sutton	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Non Partisan	John Thornhagh	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

• Sutton adopted the new surname of Manners-Sutton

[edit] Elections in the 1750s

General Election 1 May 1754: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Non Partisan	Lord Robert Manners-Sutton	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Non Partisan	John Thornhagh	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

• John Thornhagh adopted the new surname of Hewett

[edit] Elections in the 1760s

General Election 8 April 1761: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Non Partisan	Lord Robert Manners-Sutton	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Non Partisan	John Hewett	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

• Death of Manners-Sutton

By-Election 13 December 1762: Nottinghamshire
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Non Partisan	Thomas Willoughby	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Non Partisan hold		Swing	N/A

General Election 28 March 1768: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Non Partisan	Thomas Willoughby	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Non Partisan	John Hewett	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

[edit] Elections in the 1770s

General Election 19 October 1774: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Non Partisan	Earl of Lincoln	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Non Partisan	Thomas Willoughby	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

• Succession of Willoughby as the 4th Baron Middleton

By-Election 11 January 1775: Nottinghamshire
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Non Partisan	Lord Charles Edward Bentinck	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Non Partisan hold		Swing	N/A

• Death of Lincoln

By-Election 9 December 1778: Nottinghamshire
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Non Partisan	Charles Medows	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Non Partisan hold		Swing	N/A

[edit] Elections in the 1780s

General Election 13 September 1780: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Non Partisan	Lord Charles Edward Bentinck	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Non Partisan	Charles Medows	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

General Election 21 April 1784: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Non Partisan	Lord Charles Edward Bentinck	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Non Partisan	Charles Medows	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

• Charles Medows adopted the surname of Pierrepont in 1788

[edit] Elections in the 1790s

General Election 1790: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Non Partisan	Lord Charles Edward Bentinck	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Non Partisan	Charles Pierrepont	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

General Election 1796: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Non Partisan	Lord Charles Edward Bentinck	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Non Partisan	Evelyn, Lord Pierrepont	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

• Note (1796): Stooks Smith has Lord Charles Edward Bentinck returned at this election whereas Leigh Rayment gives Lord William Cavendish Bentinck

[edit] Elections in the 1800s

• Death of Pierrepont

By-Election November 1801: Nottinghamshire
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Non Partisan	Charles, Lord Pierrepont	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Non Partisan hold		Swing	N/A

General Election 1802: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Non Partisan	Lord William Henry Cavendish Bentinck	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Non Partisan	Charles, Lord Pierrepont	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

• Resignation of Bentinck

By-Election April 1803: Nottinghamshire
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Non Partisan	Anthony Hardolph Eyre	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Non Partisan hold		Swing	N/A

• Pierrepont became known by the courtesy title of Viscount Newark, when his father was advanced in the peerage by being created Earl Manvers in 1806.

General Election 1806: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Non Partisan	Viscount Newark	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Non Partisan	Anthony Hardolph Eyre	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

General Election 1807: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Non Partisan	Viscount Newark	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Non Partisan	Anthony Hardolph Eyre	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

[edit] Elections in the 1810s

General Election 1812: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Non Partisan	Viscount Newark	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Non Partisan	Lord William Henry Cavendish Bentinck	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

• Resignation of Bentinck

By-Election April 1814: Nottinghamshire
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	Frank Frank	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Tory gain from Non Partisan		Swing	N/A

• Succession of Newark as 2nd Earl Manvers

By-Election June 1816: Nottinghamshire
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Non Partisan	Lord William Henry Cavendish Bentinck	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Non Partisan hold		Swing	N/A

General Election 1818: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	Frank Frank	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Non Partisan	Lord William Henry Cavendish Bentinck	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

• Frank adopted the new surname of Sotheron

[edit] Elections in the 1820s

General Election 1818: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	Frank Sotheron	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Non Partisan	Lord William Henry Cavendish Bentinck	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

General Election 1826: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	Frank Sotheron	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Whig	John Saville Lumley	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

[edit] Elections in the 1830s

General Election 1830: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	Frank Sotheron	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Whig	John Saville Lumley	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

General Election 1831: Nottinghamshire (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Whig	John Saville Lumley	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Whig	John Evelyn Denison	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

• Constituency divided in (1832)

[edit] See also

• List of former United Kingdom Parliamentary constituencies
• Unreformed House of Commons

[edit] Sources

• Historical list of MPs

[edit] References

• British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press 1977)
• The House of Commons 1754-1790, by Sir Lewis Namier and John Brooke (HMSO 1964)
• 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)) out of copyright