Chatham was a parliamentary constituency in Kent which returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was created for the 1832 general election, when the borough of Chatham was enfranchised under the Reform Act 1832.
Chatham | |
---|---|
Former Borough constituency for the House of Commons | |
County | Kent |
Major settlements | Chatham |
1832–1950 | |
Seats | One |
Created from | Kent |
Replaced by | Rochester & Chatham |
It was abolished for the 1950 general election, when it was largely replaced by the new Rochester and Chatham constituency. This then became Medway in 1983. When the boroughs of Rochester upon Medway and Gillingham merged to form the larger unitary Borough of Medway in 1998, the Parliamentary constituency of Medway only covered part of the new borough, so for the 2010 election it was renamed Rochester and Strood.
Boundaries
1918–1950: The Borough of Rochester except part of St Peter's ward, and the Borough of Chatham wards of Luton and St John.
Members of Parliament
Elections
Elections in the 1830s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | William Leader Maberly | 363 | 59.4 | ||
Radical | Thomas Erskine Perry | 248 | 40.6 | ||
Majority | 115 | 18.8 | |||
Turnout | 611 | 90.3 | |||
Registered electors | 677 | ||||
Whig win (new seat) |
Maberly resigned on appointment as a Commissioner of Customs, causing a by-election.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | George Byng | 262 | 57.7 | −1.7 | |
Tory | William Ching | 192 | 42.3 | New | |
Majority | 70 | 15.4 | −3.4 | ||
Turnout | 454 | 67.2 | −23.1 | ||
Registered electors | 676 | ||||
Whig hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Beresford | 323 | 52.0 | N/A | |
Whig | George Byng | 298 | 48.0 | −11.4 | |
Majority | 25 | 4.0 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 621 | 92.4 | +2.1 | ||
Registered electors | 672 | ||||
Conservative gain from Whig | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | George Byng | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 785 | ||||
Whig gain from Conservative |
Elections in the 1840s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | George Byng | 457 | 66.1 | N/A | |
Conservative | Price Blackwood | 234 | 33.9 | New | |
Majority | 223 | 32.2 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 691 | 80.2 | N/A | ||
Registered electors | 862 | ||||
Whig hold | Swing | N/A |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | George Byng | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 1,145 | ||||
Whig hold |
Elections in the 1850s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Frederick Smith | 636 | 56.9 | New | |
Whig | James Stirling[8][9] | 482 | 43.1 | N/A | |
Majority | 154 | 13.8 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 1,118 | 81.5 | N/A | ||
Registered electors | 1,371 | ||||
Conservative gain from Whig | Swing |
The election was declared void on petition, due to bribery, causing a by-election.[10]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Leicester Viney Vernon | 610 | 50.5 | −6.4 | |
Whig | James Stirling[9] | 598 | 49.5 | +6.4 | |
Majority | 12 | 1.0 | −12.8 | ||
Turnout | 1,208 | 90.2 | +8.7 | ||
Registered electors | 1,339 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | −6.4 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Frederick Smith | 672 | 51.1 | −5.8 | |
Whig | William Govett Romaine[11] | 643 | 48.9 | +5.8 | |
Majority | 29 | 2.2 | −11.6 | ||
Turnout | 1,315 | 89.9 | +8.4 | ||
Registered electors | 1,463 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | −5.8 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Frederick Smith | 713 | 52.2 | +1.1 | |
Liberal | Arthur Otway | 652 | 47.8 | −1.1 | |
Majority | 61 | 4.4 | +2.2 | ||
Turnout | 1,365 | 88.4 | −1.5 | ||
Registered electors | 1,544 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +1.1 |
Elections in the 1860s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Arthur Otway | 986 | 58.3 | +10.5 | |
Conservative | George Elliot | 704 | 41.7 | −10.5 | |
Majority | 282 | 16.6 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 1,690 | 80.3 | −8.1 | ||
Registered electors | 2,104 | ||||
Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +10.5 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Arthur Otway | 2,042 | 52.4 | −5.9 | |
Conservative | George Elliot | 1,858 | 47.6 | +5.9 | |
Majority | 184 | 4.8 | −11.8 | ||
Turnout | 3,900 | 86.3 | +6.0 | ||
Registered electors | 4,518 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | −5.9 |
Elections in the 1870s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | George Elliot | 2,132 | 59.1 | +11.5 | |
Liberal | Arthur Otway | 1,476 | 40.9 | −11.5 | |
Majority | 656 | 18.2 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 3,608 | 80.8 | −5.5 | ||
Registered electors | 4,468 | ||||
Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +11.5 |
Elliot resigned, causing a by-election.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Eldon Gorst | 2,173 | 52.6 | −6.5 | |
Liberal | William Henry Stone[12] | 1,958 | 47.4 | +6.5 | |
Majority | 215 | 5.2 | −13.0 | ||
Turnout | 4,131 | 83.7 | +2.9 | ||
Registered electors | 4,935 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | −6.5 |
Elections in the 1880s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Eldon Gorst | 2,499 | 51.0 | −8.1 | |
Liberal | Henry Carr Glyn[13] | 2,398 | 49.0 | +8.1 | |
Majority | 101 | 2.0 | −16.2 | ||
Turnout | 4,897 | 88.3 | +7.5 | ||
Registered electors | 5,548 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | −8.1 |
Gorst was appointed Solicitor General for England and Wales, requiring a by-election.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Eldon Gorst | Unopposed | |||
Conservative hold |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4f/Robert_Collier.jpg/120px-Robert_Collier.jpg)
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Eldon Gorst | 3,396 | 56.5 | +5.5 | |
Liberal | Robert Collier | 2,610 | 43.5 | −5.5 | |
Majority | 786 | 13.0 | +11.0 | ||
Turnout | 6,006 | 85.9 | +2.4 | ||
Registered electors | 6,988 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +5.5 |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/55/Sir_Andrew_Clarke_WDL11454.png/120px-Sir_Andrew_Clarke_WDL11454.png)
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | John Eldon Gorst | 3,187 | 56.8 | +0.3 | |
Liberal | Andrew Clarke | 2,422 | 43.2 | −0.3 | |
Majority | 765 | 13.6 | +0.6 | ||
Turnout | 5,609 | 80.3 | −5.6 | ||
Registered electors | 6,988 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +0.3 |
Elections in the 1890s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Lewis Vivian Loyd | 3,777 | 52.6 | −4.2 | |
Liberal | Andrew Clarke | 3,400 | 47.4 | +4.2 | |
Majority | 377 | 5.2 | −8.4 | ||
Turnout | 7,177 | 83.2 | +2.9 | ||
Registered electors | 8,629 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | −4.2 |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/3e/Horatio_Davies.jpg/120px-Horatio_Davies.jpg)
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Horatio Davies | 4,082 | 53.8 | +1.2 | |
Liberal | Robert Hippisley Cox | 3,499 | 46.2 | −1.2 | |
Majority | 583 | 7.6 | +2.4 | ||
Turnout | 7,581 | 82.4 | −0.8 | ||
Registered electors | 9,199 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +1.2 |
Elections in the 1900s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Horatio Davies | Unopposed | |||
Conservative hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour Repr. Cmte. | John Jenkins | 6,692 | 62.5 | New | |
Conservative | John Eustace Jameson | 4,020 | 37.5 | N/A | |
Majority | 2,672 | 25.0 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 10,712 | 79.7 | N/A | ||
Registered electors | 13,432 | ||||
Labour Repr. Cmte. gain from Conservative |
Elections in the 1910s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Gerald Hohler | 7,411 | 54.7 | +17.2 | |
Labour | John Jenkins | 6,130 | 45.3 | −17.2 | |
Majority | 1,281 | 9.4 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 13,541 | 85.7 | +6.0 | ||
Registered electors | 15,799 | ||||
Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +17.2 |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0c/Bernacchi_at_WIdnes.jpg/120px-Bernacchi_at_WIdnes.jpg)
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Gerald Hohler | 6,989 | 56.4 | +1.7 | |
Liberal | Louis Bernacchi | 4,302 | 34.7 | New | |
Labour | Frank Smith | 1,103 | 8.9 | −36.4 | |
Majority | 2,687 | 21.7 | +12.3 | ||
Turnout | 12,394 | 78.4 | −7.3 | ||
Registered electors | 15,799 | ||||
Conservative hold |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a1/Drysdale_Woodcock.jpg/120px-Drysdale_Woodcock.jpg)
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unionist | John Moore-Brabazon | 11,454 | 62.4 | +6.0 | |
Labour | Dansy Hubbard | 4,134 | 22.5 | +13.6 | |
Liberal | H. B. D. Woodcock | 2,778 | 15.1 | −19.6 | |
Majority | 7,320 | 39.9 | +18.2 | ||
Turnout | 18,366 | 59.2 | −19.2 | ||
Registered electors | 31,000 | ||||
Unionist hold | Swing | -3.8 |
Elections in the 1920s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unionist | John Moore-Brabazon | 11,335 | 51.5 | −10.9 | |
Liberal | Alfred John Callaghan | 10,682 | 48.5 | +33.4 | |
Majority | 653 | 3.0 | −36.9 | ||
Turnout | 22,017 | 69.8 | +10.6 | ||
Registered electors | 31,525 | ||||
Unionist hold | Swing | −22.1 |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/bf/Mary_Hamilton.jpg/120px-Mary_Hamilton.jpg)
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unionist | John Moore-Brabazon | 9,994 | 41.6 | −9.9 | |
Liberal | Alfred John Callaghan | 8,227 | 34.3 | −14.2 | |
Labour | Mary Hamilton | 5,794 | 24.1 | New | |
Majority | 1,767 | 7.3 | +4.3 | ||
Turnout | 24,015 | 74.6 | +4.8 | ||
Registered electors | 32,212 | ||||
Unionist hold | Swing | +2.2 |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/5b/Cyril_Berkeley_Dallow.jpg/120px-Cyril_Berkeley_Dallow.jpg)
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unionist | John Moore-Brabazon | 13,184 | 52.2 | +10.6 | |
Labour | William Harvey Moore | 9,276 | 36.7 | +12.6 | |
Liberal | Cyril Berkeley Dallow | 2,806 | 11.1 | −23.2 | |
Majority | 3,908 | 15.5 | +8.2 | ||
Turnout | 25,266 | 77.8 | +3.2 | ||
Registered electors | 32,481 | ||||
Unionist hold | Swing | +10.6 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Frank Markham | 13,007 | 42.6 | +5.9 | |
Unionist | John Moore-Brabazon | 12,231 | 40.1 | −12.1 | |
Liberal | George H Bryans | 5,284 | 17.3 | +6.2 | |
Majority | 776 | 2.5 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 30,522 | 74.5 | −3.3 | ||
Registered electors | 40,980 | ||||
Labour gain from Unionist | Swing | +9.0 |
Elections in the 1930s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Park Goff | 19,991 | 62.5 | +22.4 | |
Labour | Oliver Baldwin | 10,837 | 33.9 | −8.7 | |
New Party | Martin Woodroffe | 1,135 | 3.6 | New | |
Majority | 9,154 | 28.6 | New | ||
Turnout | 31,963 | 75.5 | +1.0 | ||
Registered electors | 42,356 | ||||
Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +15.6 |
The sitting MP Sydney Frank Markham sought re-election as a National Labour candidate. However, the Conservatives refused to withdraw in his favour. As a result, he was forced to withdraw. Communist candidate Walter Hannington was also adopted[20] but subsequently withdrew.[21]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Leonard Plugge | 19,212 | 59.1 | −3.4 | |
Labour | Hugh Gaitskell | 13,315 | 40.9 | +7.0 | |
Majority | 5,897 | 18.2 | −10.4 | ||
Turnout | 32,527 | 74.6 | −0.9 | ||
Registered electors | 43,573 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | −5.3 |
Elections in the 1940s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Arthur Bottomley | 19,250 | 55.3 | +14.4 | |
Conservative | Leonard Plugge | 15,534 | 44.7 | −14.4 | |
Majority | 3,716 | 10.6 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 34,784 | 72.1 | −2.5 | ||
Registered electors | 48,270 | ||||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +14.4 |
References
Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 3)