Flint Boroughs (UK Parliament constituency)

Flint Boroughs (sometimes known as Flint or the Flint District of Boroughs) was a parliamentary constituency in north-east Wales which returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and its predecessors, from 1542 until it was abolished for the 1918 general election.

Flint Boroughs
Former District of Boroughs constituency
for the House of Commons
Preserved countyFlintshire
1542–1918
SeatsOne
Replaced byFlintshire

Boundaries

From its first known general election in 1542 until 1918, the constituency consisted of a number of boroughs within the historic county of Flintshire in north-east Wales. The seat should not be confused with the county constituency of Flintshire, which existed from the 16th century until 1950.

After 1918 Flintshire was represented in Parliament by the single member county constituency, which included all the boroughs formerly in the Flint District of Boroughs.

Flint 1535–1832

On the basis of information from several volumes of the History of Parliament, it is apparent that the history of the borough representation of Wales and Monmouthshire is more complicated than that of the English boroughs.

The Laws in Wales Act 1535 (26 Hen. VIII, c. 26) provided for a single borough seat for each of 11 of the 12 Welsh counties and Monmouthshire. The legislation was ambiguous as to which communities were enfranchised. The county towns were awarded a seat, but these seats in some way represented all the ancient boroughs of the county, as the boroughs other than county towns were also required to contribute to the members' wages. It is not clear whether the burgesses of the contributing boroughs could vote in the election. The only election under the original scheme was that for the 1542 Parliament. It seems that only burgesses from the county towns actually took part. An Act of 1544 (35 Hen. VIII, c. 11) confirmed that the contributing boroughs could send representatives to take part in the election at the county town. As far as can be told from surviving indentures of returns, the degree to which the out boroughs participated varied, but by the end of the 16th century all the seats had some participation from them at some elections at least.

The original scheme was modified by later legislation and decisions of the House of Commons (which were sometimes made with no regard to precedent or evidence: for example in 1728 it was decided that only the freemen of the borough of Montgomery could participate in the election for that seat, thus disenfranchising the freemen of Llanidloes, Welshpool and Llanfyllin).

In the case of Flintshire, the county town was Flint. The out boroughs were Caergwrle, Caerwys, Overton and Rhuddlan.

In 1690–1715 the freemen of the five boroughs were entitled to vote. The exact number is unknown, but in the only poll of the period (a by-election in 1697) there were 760 voters.

Between 1715 and 1754 the House of Commons changed the franchise of the constituency. In 1727 there were about 1000 freemen entitled to vote. Thereafter the inhabitants of the five boroughs, paying scot and lot (a local tax), formed the electorate. They numbered about 600.

From 1754 to 1790, there were still about 600 voters. Namier and Brooke point out that the constituency was controlled by local squires. No election went to a poll in that period.

Flint Boroughs 1832–1918

The Flint Boroughs was a district of boroughs constituency, which grouped a number of parliamentary boroughs in Flintshire into one single member constituency. The voters from each participating borough cast ballots, which were added together over the whole district to decide the result of the poll. The enfranchised communities in this district, from 1832, were the eight boroughs of Flint, Caergwrle, Caerwys, Holywell, Mold, Overton, Rhuddlan and St Asaph.

The boundaries of the parliamentary boroughs in the district were altered by the Parliamentary Boundaries Act 1868, but the general nature of the constituency was unchanged. There were no further boundary changes in the 1885 redistribution of parliamentary seats.

Members of Parliament

Members of Parliament 1542–1640

As there were sometimes significant gaps between Parliaments held in this period, the dates of first assembly and dissolution are given. Where the name of the member has not yet been ascertained or is not recorded in a surviving document, the entry unknown is entered in the table.

ElectedAssembledDissolvedMemberNote
154216 January 154228 March 1544unknown
154523 November 154531 January 1547Thomas Salusbury
15474 November 154715 April 1552Robert Massey
15531 March 155331 March 1553Edward Stanley
15535 October 15535 December 1553Edward Stanley
15542 April 15543 May 1554 ?Robert Massey
155412 November 155416 January 1555Robert Massey
155521 October 15559 December 1555Edward Stanley II
155820 January 155817 November 1558Peter Mostyn
155923 January 15598 May 1559John Hanmer[1]
1562–311 January 15632 January 1567John Conway [1]
15712 April 157129 May 1571John Hanmer[1]
15728 May 157219 April 1583Humphrey Hanmer [1]
158423 November 158414 September 1585Richard Lloyd [1]
158613 October 158623 March 1587Michael Doughty [1]
15884 February 158929 March 1589John Edwards[1]
159318 February 159310 April 1593Thomas Griffith[1]
159724 October 15979 February 1598Edward Morgan [1]
160127 October 160119 December 1601John Price[1]
160419 March 16049 February 1611Roger Brereton
16145 April 16147 June 1614John Eyton
162016 January 16218 February 1622William Ravenscroft
162412 February 162427 March 1625William Ravenscroft
162517 May 162512 August 1625William Ravenscroft
16266 February 162615 June 1626John Salusbury
162817 March 162810 March 1629William Ravenscroft
164013 April 16405 May 1640Sir Thomas Hanmer, Bt

Members of Parliament 1640–1660

This sub-section includes the Long Parliament and the Rump Parliament, together with the Parliaments of the Commonwealth and the Protectorate (before the Convention Parliament of 1660).

ElectedAssembledDissolvedMemberNote
16403 November 16405 December 1648John Salusbury
Disabled 1643
Thomas Myddelton
1646–1648		Long Parliament
...6 December 164820 April 1653unrepresentedRump Parliament
...4 July 165312 December 1653unrepresentedBarebones Parliament
16543 September 165422 January 1655unrepresentedFirst Protectorate Parliament
165617 September 16564 February 1658unrepresentedSecond Protectorate Parliament
1658–5927 January 165922 April 1659John HanmerThird Protectorate Parliament
...7 May 165920 February 1660unrepresentedRump Parliament restored
...21 February 166016 March 1660unknownLong Parliament restored

Members of Parliament 1660–1918
First ElectionMemberPartyNote
1660, November 12 Roger Whitley
1681, March 7 Thomas Whitley
1685, April 3 Sir John Hanmer, Bt
1690, March 17 Thomas Whitley Whig
1695, October 28 Sir Roger Puleston Whig Died 28 February 1697
1697, April 8 Thomas Ravenscroft Whig Died 3 May 1698
1698, August 13 Thomas Mostyn Tory
1701, December 13 Sir Thomas Hanmer, Bt Tory Elected to sit for Thetford
1702, February 2 Sir John Conway, Bt Tory
1702, August 1 Sir Roger Mostyn, Bt Tory Elected to sit for Cheshire
1702, December 2 Thomas Mostyn Tory
1705, May 29 Sir Roger Mostyn, Bt Tory
1708, May 20 Sir John Conway, Bt Tory
1713, September 21 Sir Roger Mostyn, Bt Tory
1715, February 18 Sir John Conway, Bt Died 27 April 1721
1721, June 10 Thomas Eyton
1727, August 31 Salusbury Lloyd A double return. The House of Commons seated Lloyd.
1734, May 16 Sir George Wynne, Bt Unseated on petition
1742, March 22 Richard Williams Declared duly elected, on petition
1747, July 3 Kyffin Williams Died 30 October 1753
1753, November 28 Sir John Glynne, Bt Died 1 June 1777
1777, June 26 Watkin Williams
1806, November 11 Sir Edward Lloyd, Bt
1807, May 27 William Shipley
1812, October 10 Sir Edward Lloyd, Bt Whig[2] Created the Lord Mostyn 1831
1831, September 22 Henry Glynne Whig[2] Resigned
1832, February 25 Sir Stephen Glynne, Bt Whig[2]
1835 Conservative[2][3][4]
1837, August 1 Charles Whitley Deans Dundas Whig[2][5]
1841, June 30 Sir Richard Williams-Bulkeley, Bt Whig[2][6][7]
1847, July 31 Sir John Hanmer, Bt Peelite[8][9][10][11]
1859 Liberal Created the Lord Hanmer 1872
1872, October 16 Sir Robert Cunliffe, Bt Liberal
1874, February 6 P. Ellis Eyton Liberal Died 19 June 1878
1878, July 5 John Roberts Liberal
1892, July Herbert Lewis Liberal
1906, January 20 Howell Idris Liberal
1910, January 19 James Woolley Summers Liberal Died 1 January 1913
1913, January 21 Thomas Henry Parry Liberal
1918 Constituency abolished

Supplemental Notes:-

  • 1 F. W. S. Craig, in his compilations of election results for Great Britain, classifies Whig, Radical and similar candidates as Liberals from 1832. The name Liberal was gradually adopted as a description for the Whigs and politicians allied with them, before the formal creation of the Liberal Party shortly after the 1859 general election.

Election results 1690-1713

Sources 1690–1715: Cruickshanks et al.; 1715–1754: Stooks Smith; 1754–1784: Namier and Brooke; 1784–1832 Stooks Smith. Positive swing is from Whig to Tory. Source 1832–1918: Craig. Positive swing is from Liberal to Conservative.

General election 17 March 1690: Flint
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Thomas Whitley Unopposed N/A N/A
Whig gain from ? Swing N/A
General election 28 October 1695: Flint
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Roger Puleston Unopposed N/A N/A
Whig hold Swing N/A
  • Death of Puleston
By-Election 8 April 1697: Flint
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Thomas Ravenscroft 510 67.1 N/A
Tory John Hanmer 250 32.9 New
Majority 260 34.2 N/A
Turnout 760 N/A
Whig hold Swing N/A
  • Seat vacant at dissolution, on the death of Ravenscroft
General election 13 August 1698: Flint
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Thomas Mostyn Unopposed N/A N/A
Tory gain from Whig Swing N/A
General Election 11 January 1701: Flint
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Thomas Mostyn Unopposed N/A N/A
Tory hold Swing N/A
General Election 13 December 1701: Flint
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Thomas Hanmer Unopposed N/A N/A
Tory hold Swing N/A
  • Hanmer was also returned by and elected to sit for Thetford
By-Election 2 February 1702: Flint
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory John Conway Unopposed N/A N/A
Tory hold Swing N/A
General election 1 August 1702: Flint
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Roger Mostyn Unopposed N/A N/A
Tory hold Swing N/A
  • Mostyn was also returned by and elected to sit for Cheshire
By-Election 2 December 1702: Flint
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Thomas Mostyn Unopposed N/A N/A
Tory hold Swing N/A
General election 29 May 1705: Flint
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Roger Mostyn Unopposed N/A N/A
Tory hold Swing N/A
General election 20 May 1708: Flint
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory John Conway Unopposed N/A N/A
Tory hold Swing N/A
General election 17 October 1710: Flint
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory John Conway Unopposed N/A N/A
Tory hold Swing N/A
General election 21 September 1713: Flint
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Roger Mostyn Unopposed N/A N/A
Tory hold Swing N/A

Election results 1800-1832

Elections in the 1830s
General election 1830: Flint Boroughs[2][12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Edward Lloyd Unopposed
Registered electors c. 1,200
Whig hold
General election 1831: Flint Boroughs[2][12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Edward Lloyd Unopposed
Registered electors c. 1,200
Whig hold

Lloyd was elevated to the peerage, becoming 1st Baron Mostyn and causing a by-election.

By-election, 22 September 1831: Flint Boroughs[2][12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Henry Glynne Unopposed
Registered electors c. 1,200
Whig hold

Glynne resigned, causing a by-election.

By-election, 25 February 1832: Flint Boroughs[2][12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Stephen Glynne Unopposed
Registered electors c. 1,185
Whig hold

Election results 1832-1868

Elections in the 1830s
General election 1832: Flint Boroughs[2][13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Stephen Glynne Unopposed
Registered electors 1,359
Whig hold
General election 1835: Flint Boroughs[2][13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Stephen Glynne Unopposed
Registered electors 1,067
Conservative gain from Whig
General election 1837: Flint Boroughs[2][13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Charles Whitley Deans Dundas 591 60.1
Conservative Robert John Mostyn 393 39.9
Majority 198 20.2
Turnout 984 75.9
Registered electors 1,297
Whig gain from Conservative

Elections in the 1840s
General election 1841: Flint Boroughs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Richard Williams-Bulkeley Unopposed
Registered electors 1,006
Whig hold
General election 1847: Flint Boroughs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Peelite John Hanmer Unopposed
Registered electors 840
Peelite gain from Whig

Elections in the 1850s
General election 1852: Flint Boroughs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Peelite John Hanmer 386 59.1 N/A
Conservative Richard Pelham Warren[14] 267 40.9 N/A
Majority 119 18.2 N/A
Turnout 653 79.7 N/A
Registered electors 819
Peelite hold Swing N/A
General election 1857: Flint Boroughs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Peelite John Hanmer Unopposed
Registered electors 783
Peelite hold
General election 1859: Flint Boroughs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Hanmer Unopposed
Registered electors 741
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1860s
General election 1865: Flint Boroughs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Hanmer Unopposed
Registered electors 689
Liberal hold

Election results 1868-1880

Elections in the 1860s
General election 1868: Flint Boroughs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Hanmer Unopposed
Registered electors 3,279
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1870s

Hanmer was raised to the peerage, becoming Lord Hanmer.

By-election, 16 Oct 1872: Flint Boroughs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Robert Cunliffe Unopposed
Liberal hold
General election 1874: Flint Boroughs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal P. Ellis Eyton 1,076 36.8 N/A
Conservative Conwy Greville Hercules Rowley-Conwy[15] 1,072 36.7 New
Liberal Robert Cunliffe 772 26.4 N/A
Majority 4 0.1 N/A
Turnout 2,920 80.5 N/A
Registered electors 3,628
Liberal hold Swing

Eyton's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 5 Jul 1878: Flint Boroughs[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Roberts 1,636 52.0 −11.2
Conservative Philip Pennant Pennant 1,511 48.0 +11.3
Majority 125 4.0 +3.9
Turnout 3,147 84.9 +4.4
Registered electors 3,707
Liberal hold Swing −11.2

Elections in the 1880s
General election 1880: Flint Boroughs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Roberts 2,039 58.1 −5.1
Conservative Philip Pennant Pennant 1,468 41.9 +5.2
Majority 571 16.2 +16.2
Turnout 3,507 92.4 +11.9
Registered electors 3,794
Liberal hold Swing −5.2

Election results 1885-1918

Elections in the 1880s
General election 1885: Flint Boroughs [17][18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Roberts 1,835 51.7 −6.4
Conservative Philip Pennant Pennant 1,713 48.3 +6.4
Majority 122 3.4 −12.8
Turnout 3,548 94.0 +1.6
Registered electors 3,773
Liberal hold Swing
General election 1886: Flint Boroughs [17][18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Roberts 1,827 56.6 +4.9
Liberal Unionist Sir Henry Mather-Jackson, 3rd Baronet 1,403 43.4 -4.9
Majority 424 13.2 +9.8
Turnout 3,230 85.6 -8.4
Registered electors 3,773
Liberal hold Swing +4.9

Elections in the 1890s
Lewis
General election 1892: Flint Boroughs [17][18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Herbert Lewis 1,883 55.3 -1.3
Conservative Philip Pennant Pennant 1,524 44.7 +1.3
Majority 359 10.6 -2.6
Turnout 3,407 91.8 +6.2
Registered electors 3,710
Liberal hold Swing -1.3
General election 1895: Flint Boroughs [17][18][19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Herbert Lewis 1,828 52.4 -2.9
Conservative Philip Pennant Pennant 1,663 47.6 +2.9
Majority 165 4.8 -5.8
Turnout 3,491 90.6 -1.2
Registered electors 3,853
Liberal hold Swing -2.9

Elections in the 1900s
General election 1900: Flint Boroughs [17][18][19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Herbert Lewis 1,760 55.5 +3.1
Conservative John Lloyd-Price 1,413 44.5 −3.1
Majority 347 11.0 +6.2
Turnout 3,173 88.6 −2.0
Registered electors 3,581
Liberal hold Swing +3.1
Idris
General election 1906: Flint Boroughs [17][18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Howell Idris 1,899 55.5 0.0
Conservative John Eldon Banks 1,523 44.5 0.0
Majority 376 11.0 0.0
Turnout 3,422 93.5 +4.9
Registered electors 3,659
Liberal hold Swing 0.0

Elections in the 1910s
General election January 1910: Flint Boroughs [17][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal James Woolley Summers 2,150 55.5 0.0
Conservative H.A. Tilby 1,723 44.5 0.0
Majority 427 11.0 0.0
Turnout 3,873 95.4 +1.9
Liberal hold Swing 0.0
General election December 1910: Flint Boroughs [17][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal James Woolley Summers 2,098 56.9 +1.4
Conservative Henry Howard 1,589 43.1 -1.4
Majority 509 13.8 +2.8
Turnout 3,687 90.8 -4.6
Liberal hold Swing +1.4
Parry
1913 Flint Boroughs by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Tom Parry 2,152 52.6 -4.3
Unionist J. Hamlet Roberts 1,941 47.4 +4.3
Majority 211 5.2 -8.6
Turnout 4,093 94.1 +3.3
Liberal hold Swing -4.3

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 and by the July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

References
  1. "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
  2. 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. 190–191. Retrieved 13 August 2019 – via Google Books.
  3. Mosse, Richard Bartholomew (1837). The Parliamentary Guide: a concise history of the Members of both Houses, etc. p. 167. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  4. Churton, Edward (1838). The Assembled Commons or Parliamentary Biographer. p. 99. Retrieved 13 August 2019 – via Google Books.
  5. "Morning Post". 12 August 1837. pp. 1–2. Retrieved 13 August 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. Cragoe, Matthew (2004). Culture, Politics, and National Identity in Wales, 1832-1886. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 31. ISBN 0-19-820754-9. Retrieved 22 August 2018 – via Google Books.
  7. "Anglesey (County)". Bell's New Weekly Messenger. 11 January 1835. p. 5. Retrieved 22 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. MikeMCSG (26 March 2013). "96 Sir John Hanmer". Clarke Chronicler's Politicians. Retrieved 22 August 2018.
  9. "FLINT". Cambridge Chronicle and Journal. 31 July 1847. p. 8. Retrieved 22 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. "Flint Boroughs". Evening Mail. 2 August 1847. p. 5. Retrieved 22 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. "Morning Advertiser". 20 July 1852. p. 5. Retrieved 22 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. Escott, Margaret. "Flint Boroughs". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
  13. Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3. e-book format
  14. "The Flintshire Boroughs". Evening Mail. 12 July 1852. p. 5. Retrieved 22 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  15. "Flint Boroughs". Wrexham Advertiser. 14 February 1874. pp. 1–4, 8. Retrieved 30 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  16. "Flint Boroughs Election". South Wales Daily News. 6 July 1878. Retrieved 13 October 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  17. British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, FWS Craig
  18. The Liberal Year Book, 1907
  19. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
  20. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
  21. Cheshire Observer 1 Aug 1914
  • 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)
  • British Parliamentary Election Results 1885–1918, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press 1974)
  • 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 1690–1715, by Eveline Cruickshanks, Stuart Handley and D.W. Hayton (Cambridge University Press 2002)
  • 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 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)
  • Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "F"
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