Rutland
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
CountyRutland
Major settlementsOakham and Uppingham
1290–1918
Seats1290–1885: Two
1885–1918: One
Replaced byRutland & Stamford

Rutland was a parliamentary constituency covering the county of Rutland. It was represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1918, when it became part of the Rutland and Stamford constituency, along with Stamford in Lincolnshire. Since 1983, Rutland has formed part of the Rutland and Melton constituency along with Melton Mowbray from Leicestershire.

The constituency elected two Members of Parliament (MPs), traditionally known as Knights of the Shire, until 1885, when it was reduced to one Member.

Boundaries

The constituency comprised the whole of the historic county of Rutland, in the East Midlands. Rutland, the smallest of the historic counties of England, never had any Parliamentary borough constituencies within its borders.

The place of election for the county was at Oakham. This was where the hustings were held; at which candidates were nominated (before the Ballot Act 1872), polling took place (before the introduction of multiple polling places in county constituencies) and where the result was announced.

Pelling in his Social Geography of British Elections 1885–1910 describes most of the people in this county as "engaged in or dependent upon agriculture". The constituency was a safe Conservative one and was rarely contested in the period covered by the book. G. H. Finch MP had personally owned almost one tenth of the county he represented.

Members of Parliament

1295–1640

ParliamentFirst memberSecond member
1295 (Nov)Robert de Flixthorpe[1]Simon de Bokminster[1]
1297 (Sep)William Murdak[1]Adam de Jernemuta[1]
1298 (May)John Folville[1]William de Berck[1]
1301 (Jan)William Blount[1]John Folville[1]
1302 (Oct)John de Seyton[1]Robert de Flixthorpe[1]
1310Ralf de Beaufoy
1312William de St Liz
1313 (Mar)William de Hellewell[1]Alan de Frankton[1]
1318John de Beaufoy
1328Richard de St Liz
1330Richard de St Liz
1335Richard de St Liz
1336Richard de St Liz
1337John de Seyton
1340 (Jan)Robert de Hellewell[1]no 2nd member[1]
1363William Beaufoy
1365William Beaufoy
1368Walter Scarle[2]
1369William Beaufoy
1372John Wittlebury[3]
1377Thomas de Burton
1378Walter Scarle[2]
1380 (Jan)Walter Scarle[2]
1380 (Nov)John Wittlebury[3]
1380Thomas de Burton
1381John Wittlebury[3]
1382Thomas de Burton
1383John Calveley
1383 (Oct)John Wittlebury[3]
1384Robert Harrington[4]
1385Hugh CalveleyWalter Scarle
1386John WittleburyWalter Scarle[5]
1388 (Feb)Sir Hugh BroweSir Oliver Mauleverer[5]
1388 (Sep)Sir John Daneys[5]Walter Scarle[2]
1390 (Jan)Hugh CalveleySir Oliver Mauleverer[5]
1390 (Nov)Sir Hugh BroweSir John Calveley[5]
1391Sir John BussySir Hugh Greenham[5]
1393Sir Walter ScarleSir John Elme[5]
1394Sir John DaneysSir John Elme[5]
1395John WittleburySir Walter Scarle[5]
1397 (Jan)Sir Robert PlesingtonRoger Flore[5]
1397 (Sep)Sir Oliver MaulevererSir Thomas Oudeby[5]
1399John DurantRoger Flore[5]|- [5]
1401John DurantWilliam Oudeby[5]
1402Sir Thomas OudebyRoger Flore[5]
1404 (Jan)Thomas ThorpeJohn Pensax[5]
1404 (Oct)Sir Thomas OudebyRoger Flore[5]
1406John PensaxRobert Scarle[5]
1407Robert BroweWilliam Sheffield[5]
1410
1411
1413 (Feb)
1413 (May)John PensaxJohn Burgh[5]
1414 (Apr)Roger FloreRobert Browe[5]
1414 (Nov)Roger FloreJohn Newbold[5]
1415Roger FloreJohn Burgh[5]
1416 (Mar)Roger FloreGeoffrey Paynell[5]
1416 (Oct)Roger Flore[5]
1417Roger Flore ? [5]
1419Roger FloreRobert Browe [5]
1420Sir Thomas BurtonSir Henry Pleasington[5]
1421 (May)John PensaxWilliam Sheffield[5]
1421 (Dec)John CulpepperThomas Greenham [5]
1422Roger FloreSir Henry Pleasington
1423Robert Browe
1425Sir Thomas BurtonSir Henry Pleasington
1427Sir Thomas Burton
1429Robert Browe
1431Robert Browe
1432Thomas Flore
1433William Beaufoy
1434William Beaufoy
1439–40Robert BroweHugh Boivyle[6]
1445Thomas Flore
1447Hugh BoyvyleEverard Dygby[7]
1449Everard DigbyJohn Browe
1450Thomas PalmerEverard Digby
1510–1523No names known[8]
1529Sir Everard DigbyJohn Harington[8]
1536
1539John HaringtonEdward Sapcote[8]
1542John HaringtonSimon Digby[8]
1545Kenelm DigbyAnthony Colly[8]
1547Kenelm DigbyAnthony Colly[8]
1553 (Mar)Kenelm DigbyAnthony Colly[8]
1553 (Oct)Andrew NowellKenelm Digby[8]
1554 (Apr)Anthony CollyJohn Hunt[8]
1554 (Nov)James HaringtonAnthony Colly[8]
1555James HaringtonKenelm Digby[8]
1558Kenelm DigbyJames Harington[8]
1558–1559James HaringtonKenelm Digby[9]
1562–1563Anthony CollyJohn Flower[9]
1571Kenelm DigbyJohn Harington[9]
1572 (Apr)Sir James HaringtonKenelm Digby[9]
1584Kenelm Digby(Sir) Andrew Noel[9]
1586 (Oct)Sir James Harington(Sir) Andrew Noel[9]
1588Sir James Harington(Sir) Andrew Noel[9]
1593Sir John Harington(Sir) Andrew Noel[9]
1597William CecilSir James Harington[9]
1601 (Oct)Sir John Harington(Sir) Andrew Noel, declared void, Nov 1601
[10] replaced by Edward Noel[9][11]
1604–1611Sir James HaringtonSir William Bulstrode
1614Sir Guy PalmesBasil Fielding
1621–1622Sir Guy PalmesSir William Bulstrode
1624Sir Guy PalmesSir William Bulstrode
1625Sir Guy PalmesSir William Bulstrode
1626Sir William BulstrodeSir Francis Bodenham
1628Sir Guy PalmesSir William Bulstrode
1629–1640No Parliaments convened

1640–1885

YearFirst memberFirst partySecond memberSecond party
November 1640 Hon. Baptist NoelRoyalist Sir Guy PalmesRoyalist
1643 Noel succeeded to peerage, August 1643 – seat vacant Palmes disabled from sitting, September 1643 – seat vacant
1646 James Harington Thomas Waite
1653 Edward Horseman Rutland had only one representative in the Barebones Parliament
1654 William Shield
1656 Abel Barker
January 1659 Edward Horseman
May 1659 Sir James Harington Thomas Waite not recorded as participating in the restored Rump
April 1660 Philip Sherard Samuel Browne
1661 Edward Noel
February 1679 Sir Thomas Mackworth
August 1679 Sir Abel Barker
1680 Sir Thomas Mackworth
1681 Edward Fawkener
1685 Baptist Noel Tory Sir Thomas Mackworth
1689 Bennet Sherard
1694 Sir Thomas Mackworth
1695 Lord Burghley
1698 Richard Halford
1701 Sir Thomas Mackworth
1708 Philip Sherard
1710 Lord Finch John Noel[12]
1711 Richard Halford
1713 The Lord Sherard
1715 John Noel
1719 Marquess of Granby Whig
1721 Sir Thomas Mackworth
1727 John Noel
1728 Thomas Noel
1730 William Burton
1734 James Noel
1741 John Finch
1747 Lord Burghley
1753 Thomas Noel
1754 George Bridges Brudenell
1761 Hon. Thomas Chambers Cecil
1768 George Bridges Brudenell
1788 Gerard Edwardes[13] Tory[14]
1790 John Heathcote Tory[14]
1795 Lord Sherard Tory[14]
1796 Sir William Lowther, Bt Tory[14]
1802 The Lord Carbery Tory[14]
1805 The Lord Henniker Tory[14]
1808 Charles Noel Tory[14]
1812 Sir Gilbert Heathcote, Bt Whig[14]
1814 Sir Gerard Noel, Bt Tory[14]
1830
1834 Conservative[14]
1838 Hon. William Noel Conservative[14]
1840 Hon. Charles Noel Whig[14][15]
1841 Sir Gilbert Heathcote, Bt Whig[14][16][17] Hon. William Dawnay Conservative[14]
1846 George Finch Conservative
1847 Hon. Gerard Noel Conservative
1856 Hon. Gilbert Heathcote Whig[18]
1859 Liberal
1867 George Finch Conservative
1883 James Lowther Conservative
1885 Representation reduced to one member

1885–1918

YearMember of ParliamentParty
1885 George Finch Conservative
1907 John Gretton Conservative
1918 Constituency abolished: see Rutland and Stamford

Elections

Population in 1831: 19,380

General Election 1832 (December 14)
Registered Electors: 1,296
G N Noel, Bart. Conservative
G Heathcote Whig

General Election 1835 (January 10)
G N Noel, Bart. Conservative
G Heathcote Whig

General Election 1837 (July 29)
G N Noel, Bart. Conservative
G Heathcote Whig

Following the death of Sir G N Noel:

By-Election 1838 (March 13)
W M Noel Conservative

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Rutland (2 seats)[14][19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Gilbert Heathcote Unopposed
Tory Gerard Noel Noel Unopposed
Registered electors c.800
Whig gain from Tory
Tory hold
General election 1831: Rutland (2 seats)[14][19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Gilbert Heathcote Unopposed
Tory Gerard Noel Noel Unopposed
Registered electors c.800
Whig hold
Tory hold
General election 1832: Rutland (2 seats)[14][20]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Gilbert Heathcote Unopposed
Tory Gerard Noel Noel Unopposed
Registered electors 1,296
Whig hold
Tory hold
General election 1835: Rutland (2 seats)[14][19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Gilbert Heathcote Unopposed
Conservative Gerard Noel Noel Unopposed
Registered electors 1,264
Whig hold
Conservative hold
General election 1837: Rutland (2 seats)[14][19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Gilbert Heathcote Unopposed
Conservative Gerard Noel Noel Unopposed
Registered electors 1,325
Whig hold
Conservative hold

Noel's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 13 March 1838: Rutland[14][19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative William Noel Unopposed
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1840s

Noel resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, causing a by-election.

By-election, 28 January 1840: Rutland[14][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Charles Noel Unopposed
Whig gain from Conservative
General election 1841: Rutland (2 seats)[14][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Gilbert John Heathcote 767 36.4 N/A
Conservative William Dawnay 676 32.1 N/A
Whig Charles Noel 664 31.5 N/A
Turnout 1,341 86.1 N/A
Registered electors 1,557
Majority 91 4.3 N/A
Whig hold Swing N/A
Majority 12 0.6 N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Dawnay resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, causing a by-election.

By-election, 14 February 1846: Rutland[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Finch Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1847: Rutland (2 seats) [20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Gilbert John Heathcote Unopposed
Conservative Gerard Noel Unopposed
Registered electors 1,887
Whig hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Rutland (2 seats) [20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Gilbert John Heathcote Unopposed
Conservative Gerard Noel Unopposed
Registered electors 1,876
Whig hold
Conservative hold

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

By-election, 4 March 1856: Rutland[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Gilbert Heathcote Unopposed
Whig hold
General election 1857: Rutland (2 seats) [20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Gilbert Heathcote Unopposed
Conservative Gerard Noel Unopposed
Registered electors 1,822
Whig hold
Conservative hold
General election 1859: Rutland (2 seats) [20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Gilbert Heathcote Unopposed
Conservative Gerard Noel Unopposed
Registered electors 1,810
Liberal hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Rutland (2 seats) [20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Gilbert Heathcote Unopposed
Conservative Gerard Noel Unopposed
Registered electors 1,774
Liberal hold
Conservative hold

Noel was appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 14 July 1866: Rutland [20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gerard Noel Unopposed
Conservative hold

Heathcote succeeded to the peerage, becoming Lord Aveland and causing a by-election.

By-election, 23 November 1867: Rutland [20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Finch Unopposed
Conservative gain from Liberal
General election 1868: Rutland (2 seats) [20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Finch Unopposed
Conservative Gerard Noel Unopposed
Registered electors 2,200
Conservative hold
Conservative gain from Liberal

Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Rutland (2 seats) [20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Finch Unopposed
Conservative Gerard Noel Unopposed
Registered electors 1,950
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Noel was appointed First Commissioner of Works and Public Buildings.

By-election, 17 Aug 1876: Rutland (1 seat) [20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gerard Noel Unopposed
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Rutland (2 seats) [20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Finch Unopposed
Conservative Gerard Noel Unopposed
Registered electors 1,736
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Noel's resignation caused a by-election, which was the first contest in the constituency for 42 years.[21]

By-election, 1 Sep 1883: Rutland (1 seat) [20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Lowther 860 81.6 N/A
Liberal John William Davenport-Handley[22] 194 18.4 New
Majority 666 63.2 N/A
Turnout 1,054 59.6 N/A
Registered electors 1,768
Conservative hold
Buszard
General election 1885: Rutland [23][24][25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Finch 2,366 68.1 N/A
Liberal Marston Clarke Buszard 1,110 31.9 N/A
Majority 1,256 36.2 N/A
Turnout 3,476 83.4 N/A
Registered electors 4,166
Conservative hold Swing N/A
Finch
General election 1886: Rutland [23][24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Finch Unopposed
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Rutland [23][24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Finch Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1895: Rutland [23][24][26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Finch Unopposed
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Rutland [23][24][26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Finch Unopposed
Conservative hold
Pearson
General election 1906: Rutland [23][24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Finch 2,047 56.7 N/A
Liberal Harold Pearson 1,564 43.3 New
Majority 483 13.4 N/A
Turnout 3,611 89.3 N/A
Registered electors 4,042
Conservative hold Swing N/A
John Gretton
1907 Rutland by-election[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Gretton 2,213 61.9 +5.2
Liberal W F H Lyon 1,362 38.1 −5.2
Majority 851 23.8 +10.4
Turnout 3,575 87.6 1.7
Registered electors 4,083
Conservative hold Swing +5.2

Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Rutland [23][26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Gretton 2,235 59.3 +2.6
Liberal Joseph Nathaniel Emery 1,531 40.7 2.6
Majority 704 18.6 +5.2
Turnout 3,766 91.2 +1.9
Registered electors 4,128
Conservative hold Swing +2.6
General election December 1910: Rutland [23][27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Gretton 2,169 61.3 +2.0
Liberal Joseph Nathaniel Emery 1,367 38.7 2.0
Majority 802 22.6 +4.0
Turnout 3,536 85.7 5.5
Registered electors 4,128
Conservative hold Swing +2.0

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 July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Members of Parliament 1213–1702. London: House of Commons. 1878.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "SCARLE, Walter (d.c.1401), of Uppingham, Rutland". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 15 April 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "WITTLEBURY, John (1333–1400), of Whissendine, Rutland and Milton and Marholm, Northants". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  4. "HARRINGTON, Sir Robert (d.1399), of Glaston, Rutland and Glooston, Leics. | History of Parliament Online". www.historyofparliamentonline.org.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 "History of Parliament". Retrieved 8 September 2011.
  6. History of Parliament: Register of the Ministers and of the Members of Both Houses 1439–1509. London: His Majesty’s Stationery Office. 1938. p. 17.
  7. History of Parliament: Register of the Ministers and of the Members of Both Houses 1439–1509. London: His Majesty’s Stationery Office. 1938. p. 82.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "History of Parliament". Retrieved 8 September 2011.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "History of Parliament". Retrieved 8 September 2011.
  10. Sir Andrew Noel was elected despite being ineligible, being Sheriff of Rutland|| the Commons annulled his election and issued a new writ
  11. Edward Noel was returned despite being ineligible to sit|| he was underage, and owned no freeholds in the county. The controversial election, conducted by the candidate's father in his capacity as Sheriff, led to a suit in the Court of Star Chamber
  12. On petition, Noel was declared not to have been duly elected
  13. Adopted the surname Noel on succeeding to his uncle's estates in 1798
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 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. 12–14. Retrieved 27 May 2019 via Google Books.
  15. "Berkshire Chronicle". 1 February 1840. p. 2. Retrieved 27 May 2019 via British Newspaper Archive.
  16. Churton, Edward (1836). The Assembled Commons or Parliamentary Biographer: 1836. p. 94. Retrieved 13 August 2018 via Google Books.
  17. "Stamford Mercury". 23 July 1841. p. 3. Retrieved 13 August 2018 via British Newspaper Archive.
  18. "Miscellaneous Intelligence". Berkshire Chronicle. 8 March 1856. p. 6. Retrieved 13 August 2018 via British Newspaper Archive.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 Harratt, Simon. "Rutland". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 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.
  21. "Rutlandshire Election". The Cornishman. No. 269. 6 September 1883. p. 6.
  22. "The Rutland Election". South Wales Daily News. 28 August 1883. p. 3. Retrieved 10 December 2017 via British Newspaper Archive.
  23. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 British Parliamentary Election Results 1885–1918, FWS Craig
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 6 The Liberal Year Book, 1907
  25. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886
  26. 1 2 3 Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
  27. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916

Sources

  • Robert Beatson, A Chronological Register of Both Houses of Parliament (London: Longman, Hurst, Res & Orme, 1807)
  • D Brunton & D H Pennington, Members of the Long Parliament (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1954)
  • Cobbett's Parliamentary history of England, from the Norman Conquest in 1066 to the year 1803 (London: Thomas Hansard, 1808) Digital Bodleian
  • F W S Craig, Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885–1972 (Parliamentary Reference Publications 1972)
  • F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885 (2nd edition, Aldershot: Parliamentary Research Services, 1989)
  • M Kinnear, The British Voter (London: Batsford, 1968)
  • McCalmont's Parliamentary Poll Book of All Elections 1832–1918
  • Lewis Namier & John Brooke, The History of Parliament: The House of Commons 1754–1790 (London: HMSO, 1964)
  • J E Neale, The Elizabethan House of Commons (London: Jonathan Cape, 1949)
  • Henry Pelling, Social Geography of British Elections 1885–1910 (Macmillan, 1967)
  • Henry Stooks Smith, The Parliaments of England (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 "R" (part 2)
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