Hitchin (UK Parliament constituency)

Hitchin was a parliamentary constituency in Hertfordshire which returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until it was abolished for the 1983 general election.

This article is about the pre-1983 constituency. For the post-1997 constituency, see Hitchin and Harpenden (UK Parliament constituency).

Hitchin
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Hitchin in Hertfordshire, showing boundaries used from 1974-1983
1885–1983
Seatsone
Created fromHertfordshire
Replaced byNorth Hertfordshire, Stevenage[1]

Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat will be re-established for the next general election.[2]

Contents of re-established seat

The re-established constituency will comprise the following areas:

Boundaries and boundary changes

1885–1918
  • The Sessional Divisions of Aldbury (except the parishes of Great Hadham and Little Hadham), Buntingford, Hitchin, Odsey, Stevenage, and Welwyn; and
  • The parish of Braughing.[3]

The constituency was established by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 (which followed on from the Third Reform Act) as one of four Divisions of the abolished three-member Parliamentary County of Hertfordshire, and was formally named as the Northern or Hitchin Division of Hertfordshire. It included the towns/villages of Hitchin, Stevenage, Welwyn, Baldock and Royston.

1918–1945
  • The Urban Districts of Baldock, Hitchin, Royston, and Stevenage;
  • The Rural Districts of Ashwell, Buntingford, Hitchin, and Welwyn; and
  • The Rural District of Hertford parishes of Aston, Bennington, Datchworth, Sacombe, Walkern, and Watton-at-Stone.[4]

Minor changes only to reflect local authority boundaries.

1945–1950
  • The Urban Districts of Baldock, Hitchin, Letchworth, Royston, and Stevenage;
  • The Rural Districts of Hitchin, and Welwyn; and
  • Parts of the Rural Districts of Braughing and Hertford.[5]

The constituency had included a part of the Urban District of Welwyn Garden City, which had been formed as a separate local authority in 1927, and this was now transferred to St Albans.  Other nominal changes as a result of the reorganisation of local authorities.

1950–1955
  • The Urban Districts of Baldock, Hitchin, Letchworth, Royston, and Stevenage;
  • The Rural District of Hitchin:
  • The Rural District of Braughing parishes of Anstey, Ardeley, Aspenden, Broadfield, Buckland, Buntingford, Cottered, Hormead, Meesden, Throcking, Westmilll, and Wyddiall; and
  • The Rural District of Hertford parishes of Aston, Bennington, Datchworth, Sacombe, Walkern, and Watton-at-Stone.[6]

The Rural District of Welwyn was transferred to St Albans.

1955–1974
  • The Urban Districts of Baldock, Hitchin, Letchworth, Royston, and Stevenage; and
  • The Rural District of Hitchin.[5]

The part of the Rural District of Braughing was transferred to the new constituency of East Hertfordshire, and the part of the Rural District of Hertford was transferred to Hertford.

1974–1983
  • The Urban Districts of Baldock, Hitchin, Letchworth, and Royston; and
  • The Rural District of Hitchin.[5][7]

The Urban District of Stevenage formed the majority of the new County Constituency of Hertford and Stevenage.

The constituency was abolished for the 1983 general election and was replaced by the new constituency of North Hertfordshire, with the exception of a small part in the south-east which was included in the new constituency of Stevenage (Codicote and Knebworth).

Members of Parliament
ElectionMemberParty
1885Baron Robert Dimsdale aConservative
1892George HudsonConservative
1906Julius BertramLiberal
Jan 1910Alfred HillierConservative
1911 by-electionLord Robert Cecil bConservative
1918Coalition Conservative
1922Conservative
1923Guy KindersleyConservative
1931Viscount KnebworthConservative
1933 by-electionSir Arnold WilsonConservative
1941 by-electionSeymour BerryConservative
1945Philip Asterley JonesLabour
1950Nigel FisherConservative
1955Martin MaddanConservative
1964Shirley WilliamsLabour
Feb 1974Ian StewartConservative
1983 constituency abolished

Notes:-

  • a Dimsdale was a Baron of the Russian Empire.
  • b Cecil associated himself with the non-coalition wing of the Conservative Party, at some point in the 1918-1922 Parliament.

Elections

Elections in the 1880s
General election 1885: Hitchin [8][9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Dimsdale 4,419 60.6
Liberal Henry George Fordham 2,869 39.4
Majority 1,550 21.2
Turnout 7,288 81.0
Registered electors 8,996
Conservative win (new seat)
General election 1886: Hitchin [8][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Dimsdale Unopposed
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1890s
General election 1892: Hitchin [8][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Bickersteth Hudson 4,187 60.5 N/A
Liberal John Wattridge 2,728 39.5 New
Majority 1,459 21.0 N/A
Turnout 6,915 77.0 N/A
Registered electors 8,982
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 1895: Hitchin [8][9][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Bickersteth Hudson Unopposed
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1900s
General election 1900: Hitchin [8][9][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Bickersteth Hudson Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1906: Hitchin [8][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Julius Bertram 4,157 50.5 New
Conservative J J W Miller 4,081 49.5 N/A
Majority 76 1.0 N/A
Turnout 8,238 83.9 N/A
Registered electors 9,820
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing N/A

Elections in the 1910s
General election January 1910: Hitchin [8][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alfred Hillier 5,761 59.8 +10.3
Liberal Julius Bertram 3,877 40.2 −10.3
Majority 1,884 19.6 N/A
Turnout 9,638 88.5 +4.6
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +10.3
General election December 1910: Hitchin [8][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alfred Hillier 5,233 57.0 −2.8
Liberal Thomas Tylston Greg 3,942 43.0 +2.8
Majority 1,291 14.0 −5.6
Turnout 9,175 84.3 −4.2
Conservative hold Swing −2.8
Hitchin by-election, 1911[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Cecil 5,542 58.6 +1.6
Liberal Thomas Tylston Greg 3,909 41.4 −1.6
Majority 1,633 17.2 +3.2
Turnout 9,451 84.8 +0.5
Conservative hold Swing +1.6

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;

Robert Cecil
General election 14 December 1918: Hitchin [13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Unionist Robert Cecil 9,828 60.6 +3.6
Labour Robert Green 5,661 34.9 New
NFDDSS George Humm 722 4.5 New
Majority 4,167 25.7 +11.7
Turnout 16,211 54.4 −29.9
Registered electors 29,820
Unionist hold Swing N/A
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Elections in the 1920s
General election 1922: Hitchin[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Robert Cecil 13,124 62.0 +1.4
Labour Skene Mackay 8,049 38.0 +3.1
Majority 5,075 24.0 −1.7
Turnout 21,173 66.2 +7.8
Registered electors 32,005
Unionist hold Swing −0.9
General election 1923: Hitchin [14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Guy Kindersley 11,157 49.7 −12.3
Labour Skene Mackay 5,913 26.3 −11.7
Liberal Dugald Macfadyen 5,390 24.0 New
Majority 5,244 23.4 −0.6
Turnout 22,460 67.7 +1.5
Registered electors 33,197
Unionist hold Swing −0.3
General election 1924: Hitchin[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Guy Kindersley 14,019 59.2 +9.5
Labour Julian Athelstan Tayler 5,773 24.4 −1.9
Liberal Dugald Macfadyen 3,881 16.4 −7.6
Majority 8,246 34.8 +11.4
Turnout 23,673 69.5 +1.8
Registered electors 34,060
Unionist hold Swing +5.7
General election 1929: Hitchin[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Guy Kindersley 14,786 44.8 −14.4
Liberal Enid Lapthorn 9,325 28.3 +3.9
Labour Richard Gifford 8,880 26.9 +10.5
Majority 5,461 16.5 −18.3
Turnout 32,991 73.4 +3.9
Registered electors 44,967
Unionist hold Swing −9.2

Elections in the 1930s
General election 1931: Hitchin [15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Antony Bulwer-Lytton 25,841 75.7 +30.9
Labour Dermot Freyer 8,312 24.3 −2.6
Majority 17,529 51.4 +34.9
Turnout 34,153 71.1 −2.3
Conservative hold Swing
Arnold Wilson
Hitchin by-election, 1933
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Arnold Wilson 14,569 58.4 −17.3
Labour William Bennett 10,362 41.6 +17.3
Majority 4,207 16.8 −34.6
Turnout 24,931 51.3 −19.8
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1935: Hitchin [15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Arnold Wilson 21,452 63.34
Labour George Lindgren 12,417 36.66
Majority 9,035 26.68
Turnout 33,869 66.44
Conservative hold Swing

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;

Hitchin by-election, 1941[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Seymour Berry Unopposed N/A N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 1945: Hitchin [15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Philip Jones 20,779 42.64
Conservative Seymour Berry 20,433 41.93
Liberal Thomas Darling 7,515 15.42 New
Majority 346 0.71 N/A
Turnout 48,727 72.44
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Elections in the 1950s
General election 1950: Hitchin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nigel Fisher 23,580 45.11
Labour Philip Jones 21,829 41.76
Liberal Frank Haigh 6,863 13.13
Majority 1,751 3.35 n/a
Turnout 52,272 85.78
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
General election 1951: Hitchin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nigel Fisher 27,719 52.64
Labour Peter Benenson 24,941 47.36
Majority 2,778 5.28
Turnout 52,660 84.98
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1955: Hitchin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Martin Maddan 26,371 50.93
Labour Peter Benenson 25,406 49.07
Majority 965 1.86
Turnout 51,777 83.17
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1959: Hitchin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Martin Maddan 30,193 46.82
Labour Peter Benenson 25,818 40.03
Liberal Robert Glenton 8,481 13.15 New
Majority 4,375 6.79
Turnout 64,492 85.43
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s
General election 1964: Hitchin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Shirley Williams 34,034 45.84
Conservative Martin Maddan 30,649 41.28
Liberal Elma Dangerfield 9,564 12.88
Majority 3,385 4.56 N/A
Turnout 74,247 84.54
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
General election 1966: Hitchin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Shirley Williams 42,233 56.52
Conservative John Stokes 32,483 43.48
Majority 9,750 13.04
Turnout 74,716 65.54
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s
General election 1970: Hitchin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Shirley Williams 40,932 48.53
Conservative Richard Luce 37,258 44.18
Liberal Thomas Willis 6,148 7.29 New
Majority 3,674 4.35
Turnout 84,338 76.88
Labour hold Swing
General election February 1974: Hitchin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Stewart 27,222 44.11
Labour Ann Mallalieu 23,204 37.60
Liberal D Beavan 10,824 17.54
Independent P Bianchi 467 0.76 New
Majority 4,018 6.51 N/A
Turnout 61,717 85.57
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
General election October 1974: Hitchin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Stewart 25,842 44.59
Labour Ann Mallalieu 22,656 39.09
Liberal Eric Dix 9,454 16.31
Majority 3,186 5.50
Turnout 57,952 79.59
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1979: Hitchin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Stewart 33,169 52.54
Labour Denis O'Flynn 19,940 31.59
Liberal Eric Dix 8,224 13.03
Ecology Brian Goodale 911 1.44 New
National Front Victor Logan 881 1.40 New
Majority 13,229 20.95
Turnout 63,125 82.19
Conservative hold Swing

References
  1. "Hitchin', Feb 1974 - May 1983". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Archived from the original on 24 August 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  2. "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report – Eastern | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  3. Great Britain, Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England and Wales. The public general acts. unknown library. Proprietors of the Law Journal Reports, 1884.
  4. Fraser, Hugh (1918). The Representation of the people act, 1918 : with explanatory notes. University of California Libraries. London : Sweet and Maxwell.
  5. Craig, Fred W. S. (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885–1972;. Chichester: Political Reference Publications. ISBN 0900178094. OCLC 539011.
  6. "Representation of the People Act, 1948". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  7. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (Hertford and Stevenage and Hitchin) Order 1971. SI 1971/2110". Statutory Instruments 1971. Part III Section 2. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. 1972. pp. 6223–6225.
  8. British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, FWS Craig
  9. The Liberal Year Book, 1907
  10. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886
  11. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
  12. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
  13. British parliamentary election results, 1918-1949 (Craig)
  14. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  15. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, F W S Craig
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