West Somerset (UK Parliament constituency)

West Somerset or Somerset Western (formally The Western division of Somerset) was the name of a parliamentary constituency in the county of Somerset between 1832 and 1885. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the bloc vote system.

For the constituency sometimes called Western Somerset between 1885 and 1918, see Wellington (Somerset).

West Somerset
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
Context: 1832-1868. Extract from 1837 result: the main striped area at centre
CountySomerset
1832–1885
SeatsTwo
Created fromSomerset
Replaced byBridgwater, South Somerset and Wellington

Boundaries

1832–1868

1832–1868: The Hundreds of Abdick and Bulstone, Andersfield, Cannington, Carhampton, Crewkerne, North Curry, Houndsborough, Berwick and Coker, Huntspill and Puriton, Kingsbury East, Kingsbury West, Martock, Milverton, North Petherton, South Petherton, Pitney, Somerton, Stone, Taunton and Taunton Dean, Tintinhull, Whitley, and Williton and Freemanors.[1]

The constituency was created for the 1832 general election, when the former Somerset constituency was divided into new East and West divisions. It also absorbed the voters from the abolished boroughs of Ilchester and Minehead. The constituency might have been better described as South-Western Somerset, since it stretched to the southern as well as the western extremities of the county. It surrounded the county town of Taunton (although Taunton was a borough electing MPs in its own right, freeholders within the borough who met the property-owning qualifications for the county franchise could vote in West Somerset as well, as could those in Bridgwater); otherwise, the largest town was Yeovil, but the division also included Chard, Crewkerne, Minehead, Wellington, Ilminster, Street, Watchet and Wiveliscombe; nevertheless, the majority of voters were in the rural areas.

1868–1885

The Second Reform Act changed the limits greatly for the 1868 general election. It gave the county a third division, Mid Somerset into which were moved the eastern end of this seat (including Yeovil, Street and Crewkerne).

The West gained a new main town, Bridgwater, its seats abolished partly for corruption.

Abolition

The constituency was abolished for the 1885 general election, when those parts of Somerset outside its boroughs were divided into seven single-member county constituencies. West Somerset's voters were divided between the new Bridgwater, South Somerset and Wellington divisions. (The Wellington division, which lasted until 1918, had the alternative name of Western Somerset.)

Members of Parliament
Election1st Member1st Party2nd Member2nd Party
1832 Edward Ayshford Sanford[2][3] Whig[4][5] Charles Kemeys-Tynte Whig[4][5]
1837 Thomas Dyke Acland Conservative[4]
1841 Francis Dickinson Conservative[4]
1847 Charles Moody Conservative Sir Alexander Hood, Bt Conservative
1851 by-election William Gore-Langton Conservative
1859 Sir Alexander Fuller-Acland-Hood, Bt Conservative
1863 by-election William Gore-Langton Conservative
1868 Hon. Arthur Hood Conservative
1874 Vaughan Lee[n 1] Conservative
1880 Mordaunt Bisset Conservative
1882 by-election Edward Stanley Conservative
1884 by-election Charles Elton Conservative
1885 constituency abolished

Notes
  1. Later adopted the surname Vaughan-Lee

Election Results

Elections in the 1830s
General election 1832: West Somerset[6][4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Edward Ayshford Sanford 4,815 45.6
Whig Charles Kemeys-Tynte 4,299 40.7
Tory Bickham Escott 1,449 13.7
Majority 2,850 27.0
Turnout 5,812 73.7
Registered electors 7,884
Whig win (new seat)
Whig win (new seat)
General election 1835: West Somerset[6][4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Edward Ayshford Sanford 3,770 37.2 −8.4
Whig Charles Kemeys-Tynte 3,586 35.4 −5.3
Conservative Bickham Escott 2,766 27.3 +13.6
Majority 820 8.1 −18.9
Turnout 6,323 82.6 +8.9
Registered electors 7,658
Whig hold Swing −7.6
Whig hold Swing −6.1
General election 1837: West Somerset[6][4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thomas Dyke Acland 3,883 26.9 +13.3
Whig Edward Ayshford Sanford 3,556 24.7 −12.5
Conservative Francis Dickinson 3,524 24.4 +10.8
Whig Charles Kemeys-Tynte 3,458 24.0 −11.4
Turnout 7,349 83.0 +0.4
Registered electors 8,854
Majority 327 2.3 N/A
Conservative gain from Whig Swing +12.6
Majority 32 0.3 −7.8
Whig hold Swing −12.3

Elections in the 1840s
General election 1841: West Somerset[6][4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thomas Dyke Acland Unopposed
Conservative Francis Dickinson Unopposed
Registered electors 9,024
Conservative hold
Conservative gain from Whig

12321

General election 1847: West Somerset[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Moody 3,603 29.2 N/A
Conservative Alexander Hood 3,311 26.9 N/A
Whig Philip Pleydell-Bouverie[7][8] 2,783 22.6 New
Radical Bickham Escott[9] 2,624 21.3 New
Majority 528 4.3 N/A
Turnout 6,161 (est) 73.1 (est) N/A
Registered electors 8,433
Conservative hold Swing N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1850s

Hood's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 10 April 1851: West Somerset[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Gore-Langton Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1852: West Somerset[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Gore-Langton Unopposed
Conservative Charles Moody Unopposed
Registered electors 8,210
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
General election 1857: West Somerset[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Gore-Langton Unopposed
Conservative Charles Moody Unopposed
Registered electors 7,323
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
General election 1859: West Somerset[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alexander Fuller-Acland-Hood Unopposed
Conservative Charles Moody Unopposed
Registered electors 7,750
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1860s

Moody's resignation caused a by-election.

By-election, 17 February 1863: West Somerset[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Gore-Langton Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1865: West Somerset[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Gore-Langton Unopposed
Conservative Alexander Fuller-Acland-Hood Unopposed
Registered electors 8,632
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
General election 1868: West Somerset[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Gore-Langton Unopposed
Conservative Arthur Hood Unopposed
Registered electors 8,632
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1870s

Langton's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 12 Jan 1874: West Somerset[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Vaughan Lee Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1874: West Somerset[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Vaughan Lee Unopposed
Conservative Arthur Hood Unopposed
Registered electors 7,774
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1880s
General election 1880: West Somerset[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Vaughan Vaughan-Lee 3,186 34.3 N/A
Conservative Mordaunt Bisset 3,136 33.8 N/A
Liberal Thomas Dyke Acland[10] 2,967 31.9 New
Majority 169 1.9 N/A
Turnout 6,128 (est) 73.9 (est) N/A
Registered electors 8,291
Conservative hold Swing N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Lee resigned, causing a by-election.

By-election, 26 Apr 1882: West Somerset[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Stanley Unopposed
Conservative hold

Bisset resigned, causing a by-election.

By-election, 18 Feb 1884: West Somerset[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Elton 3,757 55.6 −12.5
Liberal Frederick Lambart 2,995 44.4 +12.5
Majority 762 11.2 +9.3
Turnout 6,752 71.6 −2.3
Registered electors 9,431
Conservative hold Swing −12.5

References
  • F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (2nd edition, Aldershot: Parliamentary Research Services, 1989)
  • Frederic A Youngs, jr, Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England, Vol I (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979)
  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 23 May 2020.
  2. Jenekins, Terry. "Somerset". History of Parliament. The History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 6 October 2012.
  3. Jenkins, Terry. "SANFORD, Edward Ayshford (1794-1871), of Nynehead Court, Wellington, Som. and 41 Grosvenor Street, Mdx". The History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 6 October 2012.
  4. 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. 25–26. Retrieved 27 May 2019 – via Google Books.
  5. Churton, Edward (1836). The Assembled Commons or Parliamentary Biographer: 1836. pp. 156, 174. Retrieved 27 May 2019 – via Google Books.
  6. Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. p. 452. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
  7. "Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette". 15 July 1847. p. 2. Retrieved 27 May 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. "Progress of the Elections". Hampshire Advertiser. 21 August 1847. p. 2. Retrieved 27 May 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. "District News". Exeter and Plymouth Gazette. 21 August 1847. p. 8. Retrieved 27 May 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. "West Somerset Liberal Association Luncheon at Bridgwater". West Somerset Free Press. 22 May 1880. p. 8. Retrieved 22 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
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