West Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)

West Norfolk or Norfolk Western (formally the "Western division of Norfolk") was a county constituency in the county of Norfolk, which returned two Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the bloc vote system.

West Norfolk
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
Context of 1832-1868. Extract from 1837 result: the northern 'doubly' blue land by the great bay (bight), the Wash.
1832–1885
Seatstwo
Replaced byMid Norfolk
North West Norfolk
South West Norfolk

The constituency was created by the Reform Act 1832 for the 1832 general election, alongside Eastern Norfolk, as one of two Divisions of the Parliamentary County of Norfolk, each returning 2 MPs. It was abolished under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 for the 1885 general election.

Boundaries and boundary changes

1832–1868
  • The Hundreds of Freebridge Marshland, Smithdon, Freebridge Lynn, Clackclose, Brothercross, Gallow, Holt, Launditch, South Greenhoe, Grimshoe, North Greenhoe, Wayland, Shropham, Gilt Cross and Mitford.[1]

1868–1885
  • The Hundreds of Wayland, Launditch, South Greenhoe, Gallow, Brothercross, Smithdon, Freebridge Lynn, Freebridge Marshland, Clackclose and Grimshoe.[2]

Small parts of the division were transferred to the newly formed North and South Divisions of Norfolk. Also absorbed the disenfranchised Parliamentary Borough of Thetford.

On abolition in 1885, northern areas formed the new North-Western Division of Norfolk, southern areas formed the new South-Western Division and central areas were included in the new Mid Division.

Members of Parliament
Election1st Member1st Party2nd Member2nd Party
1832 Sir William Ffolkes, Bt Whig[3][4] Sir Jacob Astley, Bt Whig[3]
1837 William Bagge Conservative William Chute Conservative
1847 Hon. Edward Coke Whig[5][6][7]
1852 George Bentinck Conservative
1857 Brampton Gurdon Whig[8][9]
1859 Liberal
1865 Sir William Bagge, Bt Conservative Hon. Thomas de Grey Conservative
1871 by-election George Bentinck Conservative
1880 William Tyssen-Amherst Conservative
1884 by-election Clare Sewell Read Conservative
1885 representation reduced to one member and constituency abolished

Election results

Elections in the 1830s
General election 1832: West Norfolk[10][3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig William ffolkes Unopposed
Whig Jacob Astley Unopposed
Registered electors 4,396
Whig win (new seat)
Whig win (new seat)
General election 1835: West Norfolk[10][3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig William ffolkes 2,299 36.4
Whig Jacob Astley 2,134 33.8
Conservative William Bagge 1,880 29.8
Majority 254 4.0
Turnout 3,947 85.2
Registered electors 4,633
Whig hold
Whig hold
General election 1837: West Norfolk[10][3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Bagge 3,178 27.4 +12.5
Conservative William Lyde Wiggett Chute 2,877 24.8 +9.9
Whig William ffolkes 2,838 24.5 −11.9
Whig Jacob Astley 2,713 23.4 −10.4
Majority 39 0.3 N/A
Turnout 5,898 81.3 −3.9
Registered electors 7,258
Conservative gain from Whig Swing +11.8
Conservative gain from Whig Swing +10.5

Elections in the 1840s
General election 1841: West Norfolk[10][3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Bagge Unopposed
Conservative William Lyde Wiggett Chute Unopposed
Registered electors 7,559
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

11776

General election 1847: West Norfolk[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Bagge 3,113 26.4 N/A
Whig Edward Coke 3,052 25.9 New
Whig Anthony Hamond, Sr. 2,935 24.9 New
Conservative Henry L'Estrange Styleman Le Strange 2,676 22.7 N/A
Turnout 5,888 (est) 78.3 (est) N/A
Registered electors 7,516
Majority 61 0.5 N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A
Majority 376 3.2 N/A
Whig gain from Conservative Swing N/A

Elections in the 1850s
General election 1852: West Norfolk[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Bagge 3,421 40.1 +13.7
Conservative George Bentinck 3,143 36.8 +14.1
Whig Anthony Hamond, Sr.[11] 1,973 23.1 −27.7
Majority 1,170 13.7 +13.2
Turnout 5,255 (est) 67.1 (est) −11.2
Registered electors 7,827
Conservative hold Swing +13.8
Conservative gain from Whig Swing +14.0
General election 1857: West Norfolk[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Bentinck Unopposed
Whig Brampton Gurdon Unopposed
Registered electors 7,179
Conservative hold
Whig gain from Conservative
General election 1859: West Norfolk[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Bentinck Unopposed
Liberal Brampton Gurdon Unopposed
Registered electors 6,941
Conservative hold
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1860s
General election 1865: West Norfolk[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Bagge 2,710 28.4 N/A
Conservative Thomas de Grey 2,611 27.4 N/A
Liberal Willoughby Jones 2,133 22.4 N/A
Liberal Brampton Gurdon 2,088 21.9 N/A
Majority 478 5.0 N/A
Turnout 4,771 (est) 73.0 (est) N/A
Registered electors 6,534
Conservative hold
Conservative gain from Liberal
General election 1868: West Norfolk[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thomas de Grey Unopposed
Conservative William Bagge Unopposed
Registered electors 7,062
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1870s

Grey succeeded to the peerage, becoming Lord Walsingham.

By-election, 8 Feb 1871: West Norfolk[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Bentinck Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1874: West Norfolk[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Bentinck Unopposed
Conservative William Bagge Unopposed
Registered electors 6,647
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1880s

Bagge's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 8 Mar 1880: West Norfolk[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Tyssen-Amherst Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1880: West Norfolk[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Tyssen-Amherst 2,671 38.1 N/A
Conservative George Bentinck 2,233 31.9 N/A
Liberal Anthony Hamond (jun)[12] 2,104 30.0 New
Majority 129 1.9 N/A
Turnout 4,556 (est) 70.4 (est) N/A
Registered electors 6,471
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

Bentinck's resignation caused a by-election.

By-election, 21 Feb 1884: West Norfolk[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Clare Sewell Read Unopposed
Conservative hold

References
  1. "The statutes of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. 2 & 3 William IV. Cap. LXIV. An Act to settle and describe the Divisions of Counties, and the Limits of Cities and Boroughs, in England and Wales, in so far as respects the Election of Members to serve in Parliament". London: His Majesty's statute and law printers. 1832. pp. 300–383. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  2. "Representation of the People Act 1867" (PDF). Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  3. Stooks Smith, Henry. (1973) [1844-1850]. Craig, F. W. S. (ed.). The Parliaments of England (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 222. ISBN 0-900178-13-2.
  4. Mosse, Richard Bartholomew (1836). The Parliamentary Guide: a concise history of the Members of both Houses, etc. p. 74. Retrieved 17 May 2019 – via Google Books.
  5. "Norfolk (West)". Morning Advertiser. 16 August 1847. p. 3. Retrieved 11 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. "The General Election". The Ipswich Journal. 21 August 1847. p. 1. Retrieved 11 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. "Norfolk Chronicle". 3 July 1847. p. 2. Retrieved 11 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. "The Old and the New Parliament". The Examiner. 25 April 1857. p. 8. Retrieved 11 March 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. "Norwich Mercury". 18 March 1857. p. 3. Retrieved 11 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. pp. 429–439. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3. {{cite book}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
  11. "West Norfolk Election". Norfolk News. 17 July 1852. p. 2. Retrieved 11 August 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. "West Norfolk". Eastern Daily Press. 13 March 1880. p. 2. Retrieved 21 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
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