Carmarthenshire (UK Parliament constituency)

Carmarthenshire was a parliamentary constituency in Wales which returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until its representation was increased to two members for the 1832 general election.

Carmarthenshire
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
1542–1885
Seatsone until 1832, then two
Replaced byEast Carmarthenshire and West Carmarthenshire

At the 1885 general election, it was divided into two new single-member seats: Carmarthenshire East and Carmarthenshire West.

History

For most of its history, the Carmarthenshire constituency was dominated by a small number of powerful families. Chief among these were the Rice family of Dynevor, who could claim descent from the medieval Lord Rhys of Deheubarth. They drew upon traditional loyalty and the connotations linked to the Dynevor name to maintain their status as the leading political family of the county and leaders of the Red or Tory faction.[1]

In 1790 the influence of the Dynevor family was re-asserted when George Talbot Rice was elected unopposed. Four years later, he was elevated to the House of Lords and the family would not be in a position to represent the county again until 1820 when his yet unborn son would have came of age.[2]

A celebrated contest took place in 1802 between James Hamlyn Williams and William Paxton. The contest was said to have cost Paxton a total of £15,000. This included 11,070 breakfasts, 36,901 dinners, 25,275 gallons of ale, 11,068 bottles of spirits, 8,879 bottles of porter, 460 of sherry, 509 of cider and gallons of milk punch. The contest became known as ‘Lecsiwn Fawr’ (the Great Election). Paxton was defeated and spent two years settling his debts.[2]

In 1820, George Rice Trevor was elected MP for Carmarthenshire and held the seat until 1831, when he stood down over his opposition to reform.

Reformed elections

Following the Great Reform Act, the county was awarded a second seat. In 1832, Rice Trevor resumed his parliamentary career and served until 1852 when he was elevated to the House of Lords upon inheriting the title of Lord Dynevor. He was succeeded by David Jones of Pantglas, who served until 1868.

The second seat was held by supporters of the Whig party until John Jones of Ystrad unseated James Hamlyn-Williams in 1837. Jones was succeeded by another Tory, D.A. Saunders Davies who served until his death in 1857. At this point, however, the seat was occupied by David Pugh, who was regarded as a Liberal-Conservative, and who in later life migrated to the Liberal Party.

At the 1868 general election, following a lengthy and lively campaign characterized by accusations of coercion, Edward Sartoris captured a seat for the Liberals.[3] He was defeated in 1874 but in 1880 the Liberals again captured a seat. Following the Third Reform Act the constituency was divided into two single-member seats.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1542–1640
Parliamentmember
1542–1545Unknown (returns lost)[4]
1545Hon. Richard Devereux. Died on day of re-election in October 1547[4]
1548Sir John Perrott[4]
1553Henry Jones[4]
1555Richard Jones[4]
1558Sir Thomas Jones (of Haroldston)[4]
1559Richard Jones[4]
1563Sir Henry Jones[4]
1572John Vaughan
died and replaced 1576 by Walter Vaughan[4]
1584Walter Rice[4]
1586Sir Thomas Jones[4]
1588Herbert Croft[4]
1593Walter Vaughan[4]
1597Sir Thomas Jones[4]
1601John Vaughan[4]
1604Sir Robert Mansell[4]|- [5]
1620Sir John Vaughan[4]
1624Richard Vaughan[4]
1629–1640No Parliament summoned

MPs 1640–1832
YearMemberParty
April 1640 Henry Vaughan Royalist
February 1644 Vaughan disabled from sitting – seat vacant
1646 John Lloyd
December 1648 Lloyd excluded in Pride's Purge – seat vacant
1653 Carmarthenshire was not represented in the Barebones Parliament
YearFirst MemberSecond Member
Representation increased to two members in First Protectorate Parliament
1654John ClaypoleRowland Dawkins
1656John Claypole,sat for Northants.
1656Robert Atkyns[6]
Representation reverted to one member from January 1659
YearMemberParty
January 1659 Thomas Hughes
May 1659 Carmarthenshire was not represented in the restored Rump
April 1660 John Lloyd
1661 Francis Vaughan (died 1668)
1668 Sir Henry Vaughan (died 1676)
1677 Altham Vaughan
1679 John Vaughan
1685 John Vaughan
1689 Sir Rice Rudd
1701 Griffith Rice Whig
1710 Sir Thomas Powell Tory
1715 Charles Powlett Whig
1717 Sir Thomas Stepney
1722 Edward Rice[7]
1724 Sir Nicholas Williams
1745 John Vaughan I
1754 George Rice
1779 John Vaughan II
1784 Sir William Mansel
1790 Hon. George Rice Tory
1793 Sir James Hamlyn
1802 James Hamlyn-Williams
1806 Sir William Paxton Whig[8]
1807 Lord Robert Seymour Tory[8]
1820 Hon. George Rice-Trevor Tory[8]
1831 Sir James Hamlyn-Williams Whig[8]
1832 Representation increased to two members by the Great Reform Act

MPs 1832–1885
ElectionFirst memberFirst PartySecond memberSecond Party
1832 Hon. George Rice-Trevor Conservative[8] Edward Hamlyn Adams Whig[8]
1835 Sir James Hamlyn-Williams Whig[8]
1837 John Jones of Ystrad Conservative[8]
1842 by-election David Arthur Saunders Davies Conservative[8]
1852 by-election David Jones Conservative
1857 by-election David Pugh Peelite[9][10]
1859 Liberal
1868 Edward John Sartoris Liberal John Jones Conservative
1874 Viscount Emlyn Conservative
1880 W. R. H. Powell Liberal
1885 Constituency abolished: see East Carmarthenshire, West Carmarthenshire

Election results

Elections in the 1830s
General election 1830: Carmarthenshire[8][11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Tory George Rice-Trevor Unopposed
Registered electors c. 3,000
Tory hold
General election 1831: Carmarthenshire[8][11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Sir James Hamlyn-Williams, 3rd Baronet Unopposed
Registered electors c. 3,000
Whig gain from Tory
General election 1832: Carmarthenshire[8][12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Tory George Rice-Trevor 1,853 37.1
Whig Edward Hamlyn Adams 1,638 32.8
Whig Sir James Hamlyn-Williams, 3rd Baronet 1,504 30.1
Turnout 3,502 90.1
Registered electors 3,887
Majority 215 4.3
Tory win (new seat)
Majority 134 2.7
Whig hold
General election 1835: Carmarthenshire[8][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Rice-Trevor 2,204 36.8 +18.3
Whig Sir James Hamlyn-Williams, 3rd Baronet 1,939 32.3 −30.6
Conservative John Jones 1,851 30.9 +12.4
Turnout 3,685 87.2 −2.9
Registered electors 4,227
Majority 265 4.5 +0.2
Conservative hold Swing +16.8
Majority 88 1.4 −1.3
Whig hold Swing −30.7
General election 1837: Carmarthenshire[8][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Rice-Trevor 2,486 37.0 +0.2
Conservative John Jones 2,173 32.3 +1.4
Whig Sir James Hamlyn-Williams, 3rd Baronet 2,068 30.7 −1.6
Majority 105 1.6 −2.9
Turnout 4,315 84.2 −3.0
Registered electors 5,125
Conservative hold Swing +0.5
Conservative gain from Whig Swing +1.1

Elections in the 1840s
General election 1841: Carmarthenshire[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Jones Unopposed
Conservative George Rice-Trevor Unopposed
Registered electors 5,614
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Jones' death caused a by-election.

By-election, 27 December 1842: Carmarthenshire[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Arthur Saunders Davies Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1847: Carmarthenshire[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Rice-Trevor Unopposed
Conservative David Arthur Saunders Davies Unopposed
Registered electors 5,261
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1850s

Rice-Trevor succeeded to the peerage, becoming 4th Baron Dynevor and causing a by-election.

By-election, 13 May 1852: Carmarthenshire[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Jones Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1852: Carmarthenshire[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Jones Unopposed
Conservative David Arthur Saunders Davies Unopposed
Registered electors 4,791
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
General election 1857: Carmarthenshire[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Jones Unopposed
Conservative David Arthur Saunders Davies Unopposed
Registered electors 4,272
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Davies' death caused a by-election.

By-election, 12 June 1857: Carmarthenshire[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Peelite David Pugh Unopposed
Peelite gain from Conservative
General election 1859: Carmarthenshire[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Jones Unopposed
Liberal-Conservative David Pugh Unopposed
Registered electors 4,491
Conservative hold
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  1. ffd700" |
 Liberal-Conservative gain from Conservative

Elections in the 1860s
General election 1865: Carmarthenshire[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Jones Unopposed
Liberal-Conservative David Pugh Unopposed
Registered electors 4,833
Conservative hold
Liberal-Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 1868: Carmarthenshire[3][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Edward John Sartoris 3,280 31.6 N/A
Conservative John Jones 2,942 28.3 N/A
Conservative Henry Lavallin Puxley 2,828 27.2 N/A
Liberal-Conservative David Pugh 1,340 12.9 N/A
Turnout 6,165 (est) 76.8 (est) N/A
Registered electors 8,026
Majority 338 3.3 N/A
Liberal hold Swing N/A
Majority 1,602 15.4 N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1870s
General election 1874: Carmarthenshire[13][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Frederick Campbell 3,389 28.8 +1.6
Conservative John Jones 3,261 27.7 −0.6
Liberal W. R. H. Powell 2,799 23.8 +10.9
Liberal Edward John Sartoris 2,331 19.8 −11.8
Majority 462 3.9 −11.5
Turnout 5,890 (est) 72.2 (est) −4.6
Registered electors 8,161
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +6.7
Conservative hold Swing −5.8

Elections in the 1880s
General election 1880: Carmarthenshire (2 seats)[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal W. R. H. Powell 4,101 41.7 −1.9
Conservative Frederick Campbell 3,030 30.8 +2.0
Conservative John Jones 2,712 27.6 −0.1
Turnout 7,131 (est) 83.0 (est) +10.8
Registered electors 8,593
Majority 1,071 10.9 N/A
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing −1.5
Conservative hold Swing N/A

References
  1. Escott, Margaret. "George Rice Rice". The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1820-1832. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
  2. Thorne, R.G. "Carmarthenshire". The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1790-1820. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
  3. "Carmarthenshire Election". Welshman. 27 November 1868. p. 5. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
  4. Williams, William Retlaw (1895). The parliamentary history of the principality of Wales, from the earliest times to the present day, 1541–1895, comprising lists of the representatives, chronologically arranged under counties, with biographical and genealogical notices of the members, together with particulars of the various contested elections, double returns and petitions. Brecknock: Privately published. pp. 43–44.
  5. The Dictionary of National Biography records Mansell as MP for Carmarthen borough in the 1604 Parliament and for the county only in 1614, but Cobbett's Parliamentary History names Mansell as MP for the county in 1604 and Sir Walter Rice as the borough MP
  6. Claypole chose for Northampton
  7. On petition, Rice was declared not to have been duly elected and his opponent, Sir Nicholas Williams, was seated in his place
  8. Stooks Smith, Henry (1845). The Parliaments of England, from 1st George I., to the Present Time. Vol II: Oxfordshire to Wales Inclusive. London: Simpkin, Marshall, & Co. pp. 182–1832. Retrieved 6 May 2020 – via Google Books.
  9. "Newry Telegraph". 9 June 1857. p. 3. Retrieved 24 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. "Kerry Evening Post". 10 June 1857. p. 4. Retrieved 24 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. Escott, Margaret. "Carmarthenshire". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  12. Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. pp. 521–522. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
  13. "The Election (editorial)". Welshman. 13 February 1874.

Bibliography
  • Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 3)
  • Robert Beatson, A Chronological Register of Both Houses of Parliament (London: Longman, Hurst, Res & Orme, 1807)
  • D Brunton & D H Pennington, Members of the Long Parliament (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1954)
  • Cobbett's Parliamentary history of England, from the Norman Conquest in 1066 to the year 1803 (London: Thomas Hansard, 1808)
  • F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885 (2nd edition, Aldershot: Parliamentary Research Services, 1989)
  • Welsh Biography Online
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