Parliamentary representation from Cambridgeshire

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The historic county of Cambridgeshire, located in the twenty-first century region of East of England, was represented in Parliament from the 13th century. This article provides a list of constituencies comprising the Parliamentary representation from Cambridgeshire.

In 1889 the historic county was divided between the administrative counties of Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely. Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely, as well as Huntingdon and Peterborough (Huntingdonshire was a historic and administrative county, whereas the Soke of Peterborough had been an administrative county which was part of the historic county of Northamptonshire) were combined into two administrative counties in 1965. In 1974 Huntingdon and Peterborough was merged with Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely, to form a new expanded non-metropolitan county of Cambridgeshire.

The first part of this article covers the constituencies wholly or predominantly within the area of the historic county of Cambridgeshire, both before and after the administrative changes of 1889, 1965 and 1974. The second part refers to constituencies mostly in another historic county, which included some territory from the historic county of Cambridgeshire (if any). The summaries section only refers to the constituencies included in the first section of the constituency list.

Note: Dates of representation prior to 1654 are provisional.

Contents

[edit] List of constituencies

Article names are followed by (UK Parliament constituency). The constituencies which existed in 1707 were those previously represented in the Parliament of England.

Key to abbrieviations:-

  • (Type) BC Borough constituency, CC County constituency, UC University constituency.
  • (County in Notes) C1 historic county of Cambridgeshire (until 1889), C2 administrative county of Cambridgeshire (1889-1974), C3 non-metropolitan/ceremonial county of Cambridgeshire (from 1974), IE administrative county of the Isle of Ely (1889-1974).

[edit] Constituencies wholly or predominantly in the historic county

Constituency Type From To MPs Notes
Cambridge BC 1295 * 2 (1554-1654) C1, C2, C3
1 (1654-1659)
2 (1659-1885)
1 (1885-*)
Cambridgeshire CC 1290 1885 2 (1290-1654) C1, C2, C3
4 (1654-1659)
2 (1659-1832)
3 (1832-1885)
1918 1983 1
North East Cambridgeshire CC 1983 * 1 C3: Includes a part of historic Northamptonshire until next election.
South Cambridgeshire CC 1997 * 1 C3
South East Cambridgeshire CC 1983 * 1 C3
South West Cambridgeshire CC 1983 1997 1 C3: Includes a part of historic Huntingdonshire
Cambridge University UC 1603 1950 2 (1603-1654) C1, C2
1 (1654-1659)
2 (1659-1950)
Chesterton CC 1885 1918 1 C2
Ely BC 1295 1296 2 C1
Isle of Ely CC 1654 1659 2 C1, IE, C3
1918 1983 1
Newmarket CC 1885 1918 1 C2
Wisbech CC 1885 1918 1 C2

Note:

  • North West Cambridgeshire does not include any part of the historic county of Cambridgeshire. It combines parts of the historic counties of Huntingdonshire and Northamptonshire.

[edit] Constituencies mostly in another historic county

Constituency Type From To MPs Notes

[edit] Periods constituencies represented

  1290–1295 1295–1296 1296–1603 1603–1654 1654–1659 1659–1885 1885–1918 1918–1950 1950–1983
Cambridge   1295–*
Cambridgeshire 1290–1885   1918–1983
Cambridge University   1603–1950  
Chesterton   1885–1918  
Ely   1295–1296  
Isle of Ely   1654–1659   1918–1983
Newmarket   1885–1918  
Wisbech   1885–1918  
  1983–1997 1997–next next–*
Cambridge 1295–*
North East Cambridgeshire 1983–*
South Cambridgeshire   1997–*
South East Cambridgeshire 1983–*
South West Cambridgeshire 1983–1997  

[edit] Summaries

[edit] Summary of Constituencies by Type and Period

Type 1290 1295 1296 1603 1654 1659 1832 1885 1918 1950 1983 1997 next
Borough - 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
County 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 3 2 2 3 3 3
University - - - 1 1 1 1 1 1 - - - -
Total 1 3 2 3 4 3 3 5 4 3 4 4 4

[edit] Summary of Members of Parliament by Type and Period

Type 1290 1295 1296 1603 1654 1659 1832 1885 1918 1950 1983 1997 next
Borough - 4 2 2 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1
County 2 2 2 2 6 2 3 3 2 2 3 3 3
University - - - 2 1 2 2 2 2 - - - -
Total 2 6 4 6 8 6 7 6 5 3 4 4 4

[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 Constituencies: A Statistical Compendium, by Ivor Crewe and Anthony Fox (Faber and Faber 1984)
  • British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (The Macmillan Press 1977)
  • The House of Commons 1509-1558, by S.T. Bindoff (Secker & Warburg 1982)
  • The House of Commons 1558-1603, by P.W. Hasler (HMSO 1981)
  • The House of Commons 1660-1690, by Basil Duke Henning (Secker & Warburg 1983)
  • The House of Commons 1715-1754, by Romney Sedgwick (HMSO 1970)
  • The House of Commons 1754-1790, by Sir Lewis Namier and John Brooke (HMSO 1964)
  • The House of Commons 1790-1820, by R.G. Thorne (Secker & Warburg 1986)
  • 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