Eye (UK Parliament constituency)

Eye was a parliamentary constituency, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, encompassing an area around the market town and civil parish of Eye, Suffolk.

Eye
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
CountySuffolk
Major settlementsEye, Saxmundham
1885–1983
SeatsOne
Replaced byCentral Suffolk and Suffolk Coastal[1]
1571–1885
SeatsTwo until 1832, then one until 1885
Type of constituencyBorough constituency

History

Eye was once the smallest borough in the country, its claim based on the 1205 Charter of King John. The Charter was renewed in 1408, then many more times by successive monarchs. However, in 1885, the Town Clerk of Hythe, 125 miles (201 km) south by land, proved that the original Charter belonged only to Hythe in Kent, the error having arisen from the similarity of their original Old English names, both building off a related root phrase (Hythe: landing place, Eye: land by water).[2] The error was confirmed by archivists in the 1950s, but borough status was not discontinued until 1974 after government reorganization when Eye became a parish but retained a Town Council, a Mayor and the insignia.

From 1571 to 1707, the Parliamentary Borough of Eye elected two Members of Parliament (MPs) by the bloc vote system of election to the House of Commons of England, then from 1707 to 1800 to the House of Commons of Great Britain, and from 1801 to 1832 to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. By the mid eighteenth century it tended to be seen a pocket borough of Earl Cornwallis who could nominate the two MPs.[3] The Reform Act 1832 reduced its representation to one MP, elected by the first past the post system. The parliamentary borough was abolished under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, and was reconstituted as one of five single-member county divisions of the Parliamentary County of Suffolk, becoming a county constituency from the 1950 general election.

This in turn was abolished for the 1983 general election when western areas, comprising the majority, became part of the new county constituency of Central Suffolk, with eastern areas forming part of the new county constituency of Suffolk Coastal.

The seat's main claim to fame was that it was the smallest town to have a parliamentary constituency named after it as the town of Eye had only approximately 1500 voters in 1981. It had been mostly a Liberal seat until 1951, after which it became a safe Conservative seat.

Boundaries and boundary changes

1885–1918
  • The Municipal Borough of Eye;
  • The Sessional Divisions of Framlingham, Hartismere, and Hoxne; and
  • Part of the Sessional Division of Blything.[4]

Formed from parts of the abolished Eastern and Western Divisions of Suffolk and incorporating the abolished Parliamentary Borough of Eye. Apart from Eye, the main town was Saxmundham.

1918–1950
  • The Municipal Borough of Eye;
  • The Urban Districts of Halesworth, Leiston-cum-Sizewell, Saxmundham, and Stowmarket;
  • The Rural Districts of East Stow, Hartismere, and Hoxne; and
  • Parts of the Rural Districts of Blything and Plomesgate.[5]

Gained southernmost part of the Lowestoft Division, including Halesworth, and a small area to the east of the abolished Stowmarket Division, including the town of Stowmarket itself.

1950–1983
  • The Municipal Boroughs of Aldeburgh and Eye;
  • The Urban Districts of Leiston-cum-Sizewell, Saxmundham, and Stowmarket;
  • The Rural Districts of Blyth, Gipping, and Hartismere: and
  • The Rural District of Deben parishes of Blaxhall, Boulge, Bredfield, Burgh, Campsey Ash, Charsfield, Chillesford, Clopton, Cretingham, Dallinghoo, Dallinghoo Wield, Debach, Eyke, Gedgrave, Grundisburgh, Hoo, Iken, Letheringham, Monewden, Orford, Otley, Pettistree, Rendlesham, Sudbourne, Swilland, Tunstall, Ufford, Wantisden, Wickham Market, and Witnesham.[6]

Extended southwards to gain Aldeburgh and mainly rural areas from the northern part of the abolished Woodbridge Division of East Suffolk.  Area previously transferred from Lowestoft (including Halesworth) now returned.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1571–1660
ParliamentFirst memberSecond member
1571Richard BedellCharles Cutler[7]
1572Charles CalthorpeCharles Cutler[7]
1584Bassingbourne GawdyGeorge Brooke[7]
1586Bartholemew KempThomas Bedingfield[7]
1588Edward GrimstonSir Edmund Bacon[7]
1593Edward Honnyng, eldest son of William HonnyngPhilip Gawdy[7]
1597Anthony GawdyEdward Honnyng, eldest son of William Honnyng[7]
1601Edward Honnyng, eldest son of William HonnyngAnthony Gawdy[7]
1604Edward Honnyng, eldest son of William HonnyngSir Henry Bockenham
1610Sir John Kay
1614Sir Robert DruryHuntingdon Colby
1621–1622Sir Roger NorthSir John Crompton
1624Sir Henry CroftsFrancis Finch
1625Francis FinchSir Roger North
1626Francis FinchSir Roger North
1628Francis FinchSir Roger North
1629–1640No Parliaments summoned
1640 (Apr)Sir Frederick CornwallisSir Roger North
1640 (Nov)Sir Frederick CornwallisSir Roger North
1645Morris BarrowSir Roger North
1648 ?
1653Eye not represented in Barebones Parliament
1654Eye not represented in 1st Protectorate Parliament
1655Eye not represented in 2nd Protectorate Parliament
1659Edward DendyJoseph Blisset

MPs 1660–1832
ElectionFirst member [8] First partySecond member [8] Second party
1660 Charles Cornwallis Court Party Sir George Reeve Court Party
1661 Charles Cornwallis, senior
1675 Sir Robert Reeve
1678 Sir Charles Gawdy Tory
1679 Charles Fox Tory George Walsh
1681 Sir Charles Gawdy Tory Sir Robert Reeve
1685 Sir John Rous Tory
1689 Thomas Knyvett Tory Henry Poley Tory
1690 Thomas Davenant
1695 Charles Cornwallis Whig
1697 Sir Joseph Jekyll Whig
1698 Hon. Spencer Compton Tory
1701 Whig
1710 Thomas Maynard Whig[9]
1713 Edward Hopkins Whig
1715 Thomas Smith Whig
March 1722 Hon. Spencer Compton Whig
November 1722 James Cornwallis Whig
1727 Stephen Cornwallis Whig John Cornwallis Whig
1743 Edward Cornwallis Whig
1747 Roger Townshend Whig
1748 Nicholas Hardinge
1749 Courthorpe Clayton
1758 Henry Townshend
1760 Viscount Brome Whig
March 1761 Henry Cornwallis
December 1761 Henry Townshend
1762 The Viscount Allen Richard Burton[10]
1768 Hon. William Cornwallis
1770 Richard Burton Phillipson
March 1774 Francis Osborne, Marquess of Carmarthen Tory
October 1774 John St John
1780 Arnoldus Jones-Skelton
1782 Hon. William Cornwallis
1784 Peter Bathurst Pittite
1790 Hon. William Cornwallis[11]
1792 Peter Bathurst Pittite
1795 Viscount Brome Tory
1796 Mark Singleton
1799 James Cornwallis Tory
1806 Marquess of Huntly Tory
January 1807 James Cornwallis Tory
April 1807 Hon. Henry Wellesley Tory
May 1807 Mark Singleton
1809 Charles Arbuthnot Tory
1812 Sir William Garrow Whig
1817 Sir Robert Gifford Tory[12]
1820 Sir Miles Nightingall Tory[12]
1824 Sir Edward Kerrison, Bt Tory[12]
1829 Sir Philip Sidney, Bt Tory[12]
1831 William Burge Tory[12]
1832 Representation reduced to one member

MPs 1832–1885
ElectionMember [8] Party
1832 Sir Edward Kerrison, Bt Tory
1834 Conservative
1852 Edward Kerrison[13] Conservative
1866 by-election Hon. George Barrington[14] Conservative
1880 Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett Conservative
1885 Borough abolished – name transferred to county division

MPs 1885–1983
ElectionMember [8] Party
1885 Francis Seymour Stevenson Liberal
1906 by-election Harold Pearson Liberal
1918 Alexander Lyle-Samuel Liberal
1923 The Lord Huntingfield Conservative
1929 Edgar Granville Liberal
1931 Liberal National
1942 Independent
1945 Liberal
1951 Sir Harwood Harrison Conservative
1979 John Gummer Conservative
1983 constituency abolished: see Suffolk Central

Elections

Elections in the 1830s
General election 1830: Eye[12][15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Tory Edward Kerrison Unopposed
Tory Philip Sidney Unopposed
Tory hold
Tory hold

Sidney resigned, causing a by-election.

By-election, 14 March 1831: Eye[12][15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Tory William Burge Unopposed
Tory hold
General election 1831: Eye[12][15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Tory Edward Kerrison Unopposed
Tory William Burge Unopposed
Registered electors c. 125
Tory hold
Tory hold
General election 1832: Eye[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Edward Kerrison Unopposed
Registered electors 253
Tory hold
General election 1835: Eye[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Kerrison Unopposed
Registered electors 282
Conservative hold
General election 1837: Eye[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Kerrison Unopposed
Registered electors 301
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1840s
General election 1841: Eye[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Kerrison Unopposed
Registered electors 342
Conservative hold
General election 1847: Eye[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Kerrison Unopposed
Registered electors 322
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1850s
General election 1852: Eye[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Kerrison Unopposed
Registered electors 356
Conservative hold
General election 1857: Eye[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Kerrison Unopposed
Registered electors 359
Conservative hold
General election 1859: Eye[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Kerrison Unopposed
Registered electors 342
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1860s
General election 1865: Eye[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Kerrison Unopposed
Registered electors 339
Conservative hold

Kerrison resigned in order to contest the 1866 by-election in East Suffolk.

By-election, 27 July 1866: Eye[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Barrington Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1868: Eye[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Barrington Unopposed
Registered electors 1,198
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1870s
General election 1874: Eye[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Barrington Unopposed
Registered electors 1,163
Conservative hold

Barrington was appointed Vice-Chamberlain of the Household, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 19 Mar 1874: Eye[17][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Barrington 656 63.0 N/A
Liberal Charles Easton[18] 386 37.0 New
Majority 270 26.0 N/A
Turnout 1,042 89.6 N/A
Registered electors 1,163
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1880s
General election 1880: Eye [16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett 540 53.0 N/A
Liberal Charles Easton[18] 478 47.0 N/A
Majority 62 6.0 N/A
Turnout 1,018 94.2 N/A
Registered electors 1,081
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Bartlett was appointed a Civil Lord of the Admiralty, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 2 Jul 1885: Eye [16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett 473 58.5 +5.5
Liberal Mervyn Lanark Hawkes[19] 336 41.5 −5.5
Majority 137 17.0 +11.0
Turnout 809 82.3 −11.9
Registered electors 983
Conservative hold Swing +5.5
Stevenson
General election 1885: Eye [20][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Francis Seymour Stevenson 5,356 61.5 +14.5
Conservative Benjamin Bridges Hunter Rodwell 3,360 38.5 −14.5
Majority 1,996 23.0 N/A
Turnout 8,716 79.3 −13.9
Registered electors 10,993
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +14.5
General election 1886: Eye [20][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Francis Seymour Stevenson 4,544 60.7 −0.8
Liberal Unionist James Colquhoun Revell Reade 2,938 39.3 +0.8
Majority 1,606 21.4 −1.6
Turnout 7,482 68.1 −11.2
Registered electors 10,993
Liberal hold Swing −0.8

Elections in the 1890s
Holland
General election 1892: Eye [20][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Francis Seymour Stevenson 4,701 57.8 −2.9
Conservative Lionel Holland 3,431 42.2 +2.9
Majority 1,270 15.6 −5.8
Turnout 8,132 78.8 +10.7
Registered electors 10,321
Liberal hold Swing −2.9
General election 1895: Eye [22][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Francis Seymour Stevenson 4,437 55.2 −2.6
Conservative Frederick John Francis Wootton Isaacson 3,603 44.8 +2.6
Majority 834 10.4 −5.2
Turnout 8,040 77.8 −1.0
Registered electors 10,339
Liberal hold Swing −2.6

Elections in the 1900s
Harben
General election 1900: Eye [22][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Francis Seymour Stevenson 4,664 61.3 +6.1
Conservative Henry Harben 2,947 38.7 −6.1
Majority 1,717 22.6 +12.2
Turnout 7,611 74.9 −2.9
Registered electors 10,162
Liberal hold Swing +6.1
General election 1906: Eye [20][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Francis Seymour Stevenson Unopposed
Liberal hold
Pearson
1906 Eye by-election[20][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Harold Pearson 4,568 51.1 N/A
Conservative James Graham 4,371 48.9 New
Majority 197 2.2 N/A
Turnout 8,939 87.9 N/A
Registered electors 10,166
Liberal hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1910s
General election January 1910: Eye [23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Harold Pearson 4,991 52.0 N/A
Conservative James Graham 4,614 48.0 New
Majority 377 4.0 +1.8
Turnout 9,605 90.4 +2.5
Registered electors 10,621
Liberal hold Swing +0.9
General election December 1910: Eye [23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Harold Pearson 4,927 54.2 +2.2
Liberal Unionist George Borwick, 2nd Baron Borwick 4,157 45.8 −2.2
Majority 770 8.4 +4.4
Turnout 9,084 85.5 −4.9
Registered electors 10,621
Liberal hold Swing +2.2

General Election 1914–15:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place from 1914 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;

General election 1918: Eye
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Liberal Alexander Lyle-Samuel 10,072 61.3 +7.1
Unionist Frederick William French 6,362 38.7 −7.1
Majority 3,710 22.6 +14.2
Turnout 16,434 49.2 −36.3
Registered electors 33,399
Liberal hold Swing +7.1
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Elections in the 1920s
General election 1922: Eye
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alexander Lyle-Samuel 10,556 60.0 −1.3
National Liberal Gerald Howard 7,025 40.0 New
Majority 3,531 20.0 −2.6
Turnout 17,581 54.0 +4.8
Registered electors 32,579
Liberal hold Swing N/A
General election 1923: Eye
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist William Vanneck 11,172 47.7 New
Liberal Alexander Lyle-Samuel 9,244 39.5 −20.5
Labour Charles Wye Kendall 2,984 12.8 New
Majority 1,928 8.2 N/A
Turnout 23,400 70.9 +16.9
Registered electors 32,999
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing N/A
General election 1924: Eye
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist William Vanneck 13,450 53.3 +5.6
Liberal Thomas Bethell 7,441 29.5 −10.0
Labour Charles Wye Kendall 4,329 17.2 +4.4
Majority 6,009 23.8 +15.6
Turnout 25,220 74.5 +3.6
Registered electors 33,841
Unionist hold Swing +7.8
General election 1929: Eye
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Edgar Granville 13,944 44.3 +14.8
Unionist Arthur Gilstrap Soames 12,880 40.8 −12.5
Labour Owen Aves 4,709 14.9 −2.3
Majority 1,064 3.5 N/A
Turnout 31,533 78.2 +3.7
Registered electors 40,340
Liberal gain from Unionist Swing +13.7

Elections in the 1930s
General election 1931: Eye
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal Edgar Granville Unopposed N/A N/A
National Liberal hold Swing N/A
General election 1935: Eye
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal Edgar Granville 21,606 73.95 N/A
Labour Harry Leonard Self 7,613 26.05 New
Majority 13,993 47.90 N/A
Turnout 29,219 70.69 N/A
National Liberal hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1940s

General Election 1939–40:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;

General election 1945: Eye
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Edgar Granville 11,899 38.46
Conservative Algernon Malcolm Borthwick 10,950 35.39
Labour B Collingson 8,089 26.15 +0.10
Majority 949 3.07
Turnout 30,938 71.74
Liberal hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s
General election 1950: Eye
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Edgar Granville 17,755 37.2 −1.19
Conservative Harwood Harrison 17,128 36 +0.57
Labour Leslie George Emsden 12,474 26.2 +0.04
Communist Lee Chadwick 271 0.58 New
Majority 627 1.2
Turnout 47,628 83.8
Liberal hold Swing −0.88
General election 1951: Eye
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Harwood Harrison 19,791 40.61 +4.65
Liberal Edgar Granville 17,602 36.12 −1.15
Labour Harold F Falconer 11,340 23.27 −2.92
Majority 2,189 4.49 N/A
Turnout 48,733 83.28
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing
General election 1955: Eye
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Harwood Harrison 21,317 45.04 +4.43
Labour Edgar Granville 20,428 43.16 +19.89
Liberal Inga-Stina Robson 5,582 11.79 −24.33
Majority 898 1.88
Turnout 47,327 82.90
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1959: Eye
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Harwood Harrison 22,333 47.12 +2.08
Labour Edgar Granville 19,849 41.88 −1.28
Liberal Inga-Stina Robson 5,215 11.00 −0.79
Majority 2,484 5.24
Turnout 47,397 84.04
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s
General election 1964: Eye
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Harwood Harrison 21,555 45.74
Labour John Wilson Fear 16,129 34.23
Liberal Donald James Newby 9,437 20.03
Majority 5,426 11.51
Turnout 47,121 82.54
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1966: Eye
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Harwood Harrison 21,044 44.65
Labour Richard Wallis Speaight Pryke 17,431 36.98
Liberal Donald James Newby 8,661 18.37
Majority 3,613 7.67
Turnout 47,136 81.48
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s
General election 1970: Eye
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Harwood Harrison 26,099 52.41
Labour Roy Ellison Manley 17,735 35.62
Liberal Ian Stanley Temple Senior 5,962 11.97
Majority 8,364 16.79
Turnout 49,796 78.12
Conservative hold Swing
General election February 1974: Eye
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Harwood Harrison 23,486 43.61
Liberal Denys Robinson 15,811 29.36
Labour Roy Ellison Manley 13,937 25.88
PEOPLE Edward Goldsmith 395 0.73 New
Independent Democratic Alliance Albert William George Kingham 220 0.41 New
Majority 7,675 14.25
Turnout 53,849 82.64
Conservative hold Swing
General election October 1974: Eye
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Harwood Harrison 22,387 44.01
Liberal Denys Robinson 14,530 28.57
Labour Ranken Bushby 13,948 27.42
Majority 7,857 15.44
Turnout 50,865 77.41
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1979: Eye
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Gummer 28,707 51.96
Labour Paul Koppel 13,686 24.77
Liberal Peter Kemsley 12,259 22.19
Independent JJ Flint 324 0.59 New
Anti-Common Market Conservative Norman Rogers 268 0.49 New
Majority 15,021 27.19
Turnout 55,244 79.10
Conservative hold Swing

See also

References
  1. "'Eye', Feb 1974 - May 1983". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  2. Ekwall, Eilert (1960). The concise Oxford dictionary of English place-names (4 ed.). Oxford: Clarendon Press. p. 171. ISBN 0-19-869103-3.
  3. Pages 144 and 199, Lewis Namier, The Structure of Politics at the Accession of George III (2nd edition - London: St Martin's Press, 1957)
  4. Great Britain, Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England and Wales. The public general acts. unknown library. Proprietors of the Law Journal Reports, 1884.
  5. S., Craig, Fred W. (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885-1972;. Chichester: Political Reference Publications. ISBN 0900178094. OCLC 539011.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. "Representation of the People Act, 1948". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
  7. "History of Parliament". History of Parliament. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  8. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "E" (part 2)
  9. D. W. Hayton (2002). "Eye". In Hayton, David; Cruickshanks, Eveline; Handley, Stuart (eds.). The House of Commons 1690-1715. The History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  10. Later adopted the surname Phillipson
  11. Rear Admiral from 1793, Vice Admiral 1794, Admiral 1799
  12. 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. 55–58. Retrieved 13 April 2020 – via Google Books.
  13. Succeeded as baronet, March 1853
  14. Succeeded as The Viscount Barrington (in the Peerage of Ireland), February 1867
  15. Escott, Margaret. "Eye". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  16. Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
  17. "Eye Election". Cardiff Times. 21 March 1874. Retrieved 12 October 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  18. "The Polling at Eye". Diss Express. 2 April 1880. p. 5. Retrieved 26 November 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  19. "The Candidature of Mr Mervyn Hawkes". Sheffield Daily Telegraph. 13 August 1885. p. 6. Retrieved 26 November 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  20. The Liberal year book, 1907
  21. Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
  22. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
  23. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
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