Lewes (UK Parliament constituency)

Coordinates: 50°52′34″N 0°01′05″E / 50.876°N 0.018°E / 50.876; 0.018

Lewes
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Boundary of Lewes in EastSussex.
County	East Sussex
Electorate	67,590 (December 2010)^[1]
Current constituency
Created	1295 (1295)
Member of Parliament	Norman Baker (Liberal Democrat)
Overlaps
European Parliament constituency	South East England

Lewes is a constituency^{[n 1]} in East Sussex represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 1997 by Norman Baker, a Liberal Democrat.

1 Boundaries and constituency profile
2 History
3 Members of Parliament
4 Elections
5 See also
6 Notes and References
7 Sources

Boundaries and constituency profile [edit]

The constituency is centred on the town of Lewes, for which it is named. However, the constituency also covers most of the Lewes district and parts of the Wealden district which are rural and semi-rural and all in outer parts of the London Commuter Belt, though with a high number of people who have retired from across the country.^[2]

History [edit]

The constituency of Lewes has existed since commoners were first summoned to Parliament in 1295, the Model Parliament. This is the county town, though less significant in population today, far surpassed by the City of Brighton and Hove — it has nonetheless been continuously represented since that date.

Trivia - Former Conservative Safe Seat Status

Between 1874 and 1997 its electorate in the elections sent only Conservative MPs.

Members of Parliament [edit]

MPs 1295-1660 [edit]

Constituency created 1295

Parliament	First member	Second member
1295	Gervasius de Wolvehope	Ricardus de Palmere ^[3]
1297	No return ^[3]
1298	Gervasius de Wolvehope	Williemus Serverleg ^[3]
1300/1	Reginaldus de Combe	Rogerus Coppyng ^[3]
1302	Gervasius de Wolvehope	Ricardus le Palmere ^[3]
1304/5	Galfridus de Wolvehope	Walterus Nyng ^[3]
1307	Robertus le Bynt	Walterus le Fust ^[3]
1309	Simon Tring	Johannes Arnald ^[3]
1311	Simon Tring	Ricardus le Hurt ^[3]
1313 (Jul)	Willielmus de la Chapele	Galfridus de Wolvehope ^[3]
1313 (Sep)	Simon Tring	Johannes Gouman ^[3]
1319	Willielmus Walewere	Henricus de Rudham ^[3]
1320	Thomas atte Novene	Radulphus atte Lote ^[3]
1322 (May)	Philippus le Mareschal	Thomas de Lofelde ^[3]
1322 (Nov)	Robertus le Spicer	Ricardus le Poleter ^[3]
1323	Willielmus Walewere	Robertus le Spicer ^[3]
1327	No return ^[3]
1328	Willielmus Darnel	Johannes le Bake ^[3]
1329/30	Walterus atte Markette	Ricardus le Hurt ^[3]
1330	Thomas Comyn	Stephanus le Boche ^[3]
1331/2	Thomas Comyn	Johannes Scoteryld ^[3]
1333/4	Robertus ? ^[3]
1334–1347	No names known ^[3]
1348	Ricardus Ploket	Johannes Payn ^[3]
1350	Willielmus Gardyner	Willielmus Darnel ^[3]
1354	Willielmus Darnel	Willielmus Gardiner ^[3]
1355	Willielmus Darnel	Willielmus Gardiner ^[3]
1357/8	Robertus atte Brouke	Ricardus Crompe ^[3]
1360	Thomas Lyndefelde	Willielmus Bocher ^[3]
1360/1	Ricardus Ferour de Lewes	Thomas Lyndefeld ^[3]
1362	Robertus Norton	Willielmus Swon ^[3]
1363	Willielmus Spicer	Thomas Norays ^[3]
1366	Willielmus Boteller	Stephanus Holte ^[3]
1368	Robertus de York	Robertus Norton ^[3]
1369	Robertus de York	Jacobus Ferrour ^[3]
1371	Henricus Werkeman ^[3]
1372	Jacobus Ferour	Thomas Norays ^[3]
1373	Robertus de York	Stephanus Holte ^[3]
1376/7	Willielmus Spicer	Jacobus Ferour ^[3]
1378	Jacobus Ferour	Johannes Shereve ^[3]
1379/80	Robertus de York	Johannes Peyntour ^[3]
1381	Henricus Werkeman	Robertus Norton ^[3]
1382	Henricus Werkeman	Thomas Norrys ^[3]
1382/3	Stephanus Holte	Johannes Goderyk ^[3]
1383	Robertus de York	Willielmus Spicer ^[3]
1384	Thomas Norrys	Willielmus Spicer ^[3]
1385	Thomas Norris	Stephen Holt ^[3]
1388 (Feb)	Stephen Holt	Thomas Norris^[4]
1388 (Sep)	Richard atte Gate	Walter Gosselyn ^[4]
1390 (Jan)
1390 (Nov)
1391	John Bedford	Thomas Norris ^[4]
1393	William Chepelond	John Godeman ^[4]
1394
1395	John Maryot	John Sadeler ^[4]
1397 (Jan)	John Godeman	John Plomer ^[4]
1397 (Sep)	John Godeman	John Maryot ^[4]
1399	William Chepelond	John Maryot ^[4]
1401	John Mason	John Maryot ^[4]
1402	Robert Bynt	John Maryot ^[4]
1404 (Jan)
1404 (Oct)
1406	Roger Forster	William Green ^[4]
1407	Roger Forster	William Hyde ^[4]
1410
1411
1413 (Feb)
1413 (May)	Andrew Blake	John Maryot ^[4]
1414 (Apr)
1414 (Nov)	John Hert	Robert Lytcombe ^[4]
1415
1416 (Mar)	William Chepelond	William Northampton ^[4]
1416 (Oct)
1417	John Gosselyn	John Parker ^[4]
1419	Andrew Blake	William Fagger ^[4]
1420	John Gosselyn	Thomas White ^[4]
1421 (May)	William Fagger	William Northampton ^[4]
1421 (Dec)	Thomas White	William Wodefold^[4]
1422	William Vaggere	Andreas Mauffay ^[3]
1423	William Wodefold	Andreas Mafay ^[3]
1425	William Fagger	John Gosselyn ^[3]
1425/6	William Penbrugge	William Feret ^[3]
1427	John Godeman	Roger Forster ^[3]
1429	Thomas White	John Gosselyn ^[3]
1430/1	John Rodys	Richard Brasier ^[3]
1432	Thomas White	William Penbrygge ^[3]
1433	John Rodys	William Penbrygge ^[3]
1435	Thomas White	John Wody ^[3]
1436/7	William Thwaytes	John Hanmere ^[3]
1441/2	Edward Mylle	Giles Wodefold ^[3]
1446/7	Robert Wodefold	Thomas Best ^[3]
1448/9 (Feb)	Giles Wodefold	William Godeman ^[3]
1449 (Nov)	John Southwell	William Delve ^[3]
1450	John Southwell	John Beckwith ^[3]
1452/3	John Parker	John Southwell ^[3]
1459	Richard Fairegoo	Thomas Sherman ^[3]
1460	John Beckwith	Thomas Best ^[3]
1467	Thomas Lewknor	John Sherman ^[3]
1472	Christopher Furnes	William Cook ^[3]
1477/8	William Cooke	John Baker ^[3]
1510-1523	No names known ^[5]
1529	Sir Edward Bray	John Batenore ^[5]
1536	?
1539	?
1542	John Kyme	? ^[5]
1545	?
1547	Sir Walter Mildmay	Sir Anthony Cooke ^[5]
1553 (Mar)	John Southcote	Thomas Gravesend ^[5]
1553 (Oct)	Sir Henry Hussey	George Darrell ^[5]
1554 (Apr)	Robert Gage	George Darrell ^[5]
1554 (Nov)	John Stempe	John Morley ^[5]
1555	William Devenish	Thomas Gravesend ^[5]
1558	John Gage	William Peterson ^[5]
1558/9	George Goring I	Thomas Saunder ^[6]
1562/3	George Goring I	William Cantrell ^[6]
1571	William Morley	Edward Fenner ^[6]
1572	Edward Bellingham	John Shirley ^[6]
1584	Richard Browne	Thomas Pelham ^[6]
1586	Richard Browne	Francis Alford ^[6]
1588	Robert Sackville	John Shirley ^[6]
1593	Sir Henry Glemham	George Goring II ^[6]
1597	Sir Henry Glemham	John Shirley ^[6]
1601	George Goring II	Goddard Pemberton, sat for Peterborough and replaced by Sir Percival Hart ^[6]
1604	John Shirley	Sir Henry Nevill
1614	Christopher Neville	Richard Amhurst
1621	Sir George Goring	Richard Amhurst
1624	Sir George Goring	Christopher Newell
1625	Sir George Goring	Sir George Rivers
1626	Sir George Goring	Sir George Rivers
1628	Anthony Stapley	Sir George Goring
1629–1640	No Parliaments summoned
1640 (Apr)	Anthony Stapley, sat for Sussex replaced by Herbert Morley^[7]	James Rivers
1641	Herbert Morley	Henry Shelley
1645	Herbert Morley	Henry Shelley
1648	Herbert Morley	Henry Shelley
1653	Lewes not represented in Barebones Parliament
1654	Henry Shelley	(one seat only)
1656	Anthony Stapley	(one seat only)
1659	Herbert Morley	Richard Boughton

MPs 1660-1868 [edit]

Election	1st Member^[8]		1st Party		2nd Party
1660		Nizel Rivers		Sir John Stapley
1661		Sir Thomas Woodcock		Sir John Stapley
Feb 1679		William Morley		Richard Bridger
Aug 1679		Thomas Pelham		Richard Bridger
1695				Henry Pelham
Jan 1701				Sir Thomas Trevor
Nov 1701				Henry Pelham
Jul 1702				Richard Payne
Nov 1702		Sir Nicholas Pelham
1705		Thomas Pelham
May 1708				Peter Gott
Dec 1708				Samuel Gott
1710				Peter Gott
1712				John Morley Trevor
1719				Philip Yorke
1722				Henry Pelham
1726				Sir Nicholas Pelham
1727				Thomas Pelham
1738				John Trevor
1741		Thomas Pelham		John Trevor
1743		Sir John Shelley		Sir Francis Poole
1747		Thomas Sergison		Sir Francis Poole
1763		Thomas Sergison		William Plumer
1766		Lord Edward Bentinck		William Plumer
1768		Thomas Hampden		Thomas Hay
1774		Sir Thomas Miller, Bt		Thomas Hay
1780		Henry Pelham		Thomas Kemp
1796		John Cressett-Pelham		Thomas Kemp
1802		Henry Shelley		Lord Francis Osborne
1806				Thomas Kemp
1811				Thomas Read Kemp
1812		Sir George Shiffner		Thomas Read Kemp
1816		Sir George Shiffner		John Shelley
1826		Thomas Read Kemp	Liberal	John Shelley
1831		Thomas Read Kemp	Liberal	Sir Charles Blunt, Bt	Liberal
1837		Henry Fitzroy	Conservative	Sir Charles Blunt, Bt	Liberal
1840		Henry Fitzroy	Conservative	Viscount Cantelupe	Conservative
1841		Summers Harford	Liberal	Sir Howard Elphinstone	Liberal
1842		Henry Fitzroy	Peelite	Sir Howard Elphinstone	Liberal
1847				Robert Perfect	Liberal
1852				Henry Brand	Liberal
1860		John George Blencowe	Liberal
1865		Lord Pelham	Liberal
1868	Representation reduced to one

MPs since 1868 [edit]

	Member^[8]	Party
1868	Lord Pelham	Liberal
1874	William Langham Christie	Conservative
1885	Sir Henry Aubrey-Fletcher	Conservative
1910 by-election	William Campion	Conservative
1924	Tufton Percy Hamilton Beamish	Conservative
1931	John de Vere Loder	Conservative
1936 by-election	Sir Tufton Victor Hamilton Beamish	Conservative
Feb 1974	Tim Rathbone	Conservative
1997	Norman Baker	Liberal Democrat

Elections [edit]

Elections in the 2010s [edit]

General Election 2010: Lewes ^[9]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrat	Norman Baker	26,048	52.0	+0.5
	Conservative	Jason Sugarman	18,401	36.7	+2.1
	Labour	Hratche Koundarjian	2,508	5.0	−4.3
	UKIP	Peter Charlton	1,728	3.4	+1.2
	Green	Susan Murray	729	1.5	−0.8
	BNP	David Lloyd	594	1.2	N/A
	Independent	Ondrej Soucek	80	0.2	N/A
Majority			7,647	15.3
Turnout			50,088	72.9	+3.1
	Liberal Democrat hold		Swing

Elections in the 2000s [edit]

General Election 2005: Lewes
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrat	Norman Baker	24,376	52.4	−3.9
	Conservative	Rory Love	15,902	34.2	−0.7
	Labour	Richard Black	4,169	9.0	+1.7
	Green	Susan Murray	1,071	2.3	+2.3
	UKIP	John Petley	1,034	2.2	+0.8
Majority			8,474	18.2
Turnout			46,552	69.4	0.9
	Liberal Democrat hold		Swing	−1.6

General Election 2001: Lewes
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrat	Norman Baker	25,588	56.3	+13.1
	Conservative	Simon Sinnatt	15,878	34.9	−5.6
	Labour	Paul Richards	3,317	7.3	−3.3
	UKIP	John Harvey	650	1.4	+0.9
Majority			9,710	21.4
Turnout			45,433	68.5	−7.9
	Liberal Democrat hold		Swing

Elections in the 1990s [edit]

General Election 1997: Lewes
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrat	Norman Baker	21,250	43.2	+4.1
	Conservative	Tim Rathbone	19,950	40.6	−10.8
	Labour	Mark Patton	5,232	10.6	+2.4
	Referendum Party	Lucille Butler	2,481	5.0	N/A
	UKIP	John Harvey	256	0.5	N/A
Majority			1,300	2.6
Turnout			49,169	76.4
	Liberal Democrat gain from Conservative		Swing

This constituency underwent boundary changes between the 1992 and 1997 general elections and thus change in share of vote is based on a notional calculation.

General Election 1992: Lewes^[10]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tim Rathbone	33,042	54.6	−2.2
	Liberal Democrat	Norman Baker	20,867	34.5	+1.8
	Labour	Alison Chapman	5,758	9.5	+0.7
	Green	A. E. Beaumont	719	1.2	−0.5
	Natural Law	N. F. Clinch	87	0.2	N/A
Majority			12,175	20.1	−4.0
Turnout			60,473	81.8	+4.8
	Conservative hold		Swing	−2.0

Elections in the 1980s [edit]

General Election 1987: Lewes
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tim Rathbone	32,016	56.8	−1.8
	SDP–Liberal Alliance (Liberal)	David Bellotti	18,396	32.7	+2.0
	Labour	R. P. Taylor	4,973	8.8	+0.3
	Green	A. G. P. Sherwood	970	1.7	−0.7
Majority			13,620	24.1
Turnout			56,355	77.0
	Conservative hold		Swing

General Election 1983: Lewes
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tim Rathbone	29,261	58.4
	SDP–Liberal Alliance (Liberal)	David Bellotti	15,357	30.7
	Labour	Debbie Sander	4,244	8.5
	Ecology	R. P. C. Mutter	1,221	2.4
Majority			13,904	27.7
Turnout			50,083	74.3
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1970s [edit]

General Election 1979: Lewes
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tim Rathbone	33,992	58.42
	Liberal	G. Hook	12,279	21.10
	Labour	T. Forrester	11,152	19.17
	National Front	B. Webb	764	1.31
Majority			21,713	37.32
Turnout			58,187	76.32
	Conservative hold		Swing

General Election October 1974: Lewes
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tim Rathbone	27,588	51.87
	Liberal	G. Hook	13,741	25.84
	Labour	J. F. Little	11,857	22.29
Majority			13,847	26.04
Turnout			53,186	73.81
	Conservative hold		Swing

New constituency boundaries.

General Election February 1974: Lewes
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tim Rathbone	30,423	52.94
	Liberal	M. Holt	16,166	28.13
	Labour	J. F. Little	10,875	18.92
Majority			14,257	24.81
Turnout			57,464	80.30
	Conservative hold		Swing

General Election 1970: Lewes
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tufton Victor Hamilton Beamish	33,592	58.34
	Labour	Q. Barry	14,904	25.88
	Liberal	M. Holt	9,083	15.77
Majority			18,688	32.46
Turnout			57,579	72.79
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1960s [edit]

General Election 1966: Lewes
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tufton Victor Hamilton Beamish	27,529	53.44
	Labour	R. E. Manley	14,561	28.32
	Liberal	G. A. Dowden	9,328	18.14
Majority			12,968	25.22
Turnout			51,418	76.27
	Conservative hold		Swing

General Election 1964: Lewes
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tufton Victor Hamilton Beamish	26,818	55.30
	Labour	R. E. Fitch	12,757	26.30
	Liberal	G. A. Dowden	8,924	18.40
Majority			14,061	28.99
Turnout			48,499	76.43
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1950s [edit]

General Election 1959: Lewes
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tufton Victor Hamilton Beamish	29,642	69.41
	Labour	W. Reay	13,065	30.59
Majority			16,577	38.82
Turnout			42,707	75.80
	Conservative hold		Swing

General Election 1955: Lewes
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tufton Victor Hamilton Beamish	24,938	66.80
	Labour	J. L. Eley	12,392	33.20
Majority			12,546	33.61
Turnout			37,330	74.83
	Conservative hold		Swing

General Election 1951: Lewes
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tufton Victor Hamilton Beamish	34,345	66.78
	Labour	A. W. Briggs	17,082	33.22
Majority			17,263	33.57
Turnout			51,478	78.26
	Conservative hold		Swing

General Election 1950: Lewes
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tufton Victor Hamilton Beamish	30,430	58.50
	Labour	A.W. Briggs	15,023	28.88
	Liberal	F. Kingdom-Ward	6,565	12.62
Majority			15,407	29.62
Turnout				80.99
	Conservative hold		Swing

Election in the 1940s [edit]

General Election 1945: Lewes
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tufton Victor Hamilton Beamish	26,176	51.26
	Labour	A.E. Oram	18,511	36.25
	Liberal	P. Cadogan	6,374	12.48
Majority			7,665	15.01
Turnout				71.87
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1930s [edit]

Lewes by-election 18 June 1936
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tufton Victor Hamilton Beamish	14,646
	Labour		7,557
Majority			7,089
Turnout
	Conservative hold		Swing

General Election 1935: Lewes
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Capt. John de Vere Loder	24,644	70.01
	Labour	F.R. Hancock	10,559	29.99
Majority			14,085	40.01
Turnout				64.41
	Conservative hold		Swing

General Election 1931: Lewes
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Capt. John de Vere Loder	25,181	81.29
	Labour	F.R. Hancock	5,795	18.71
Majority			19,386	62.58
Turnout				70.87
	Conservative hold		Swing

Notes and References [edit]

Notes

^ A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)

References

^ "Electorate Figures - Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
^ 2001 Census
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac ^ad ^ae ^af ^ag ^ah ^ai ^aj ^ak ^al ^am ^an ^ao ^ap ^aq ^ar ^as ^at ^au ^av ^aw ^ax ^ay ^az ^ba ^bb ^bc ^bd ^be ^bf ^bg ^bh ^bi ^bj ^bk ^bl ^bm ^bn ^bo ^bp ^bq "Lewes Parliament 1295-1885". Retrieved 2011-10-30.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 2011-10-30.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 2011-10-30.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 2011-10-30.
^ National Archives - The Glynde Place Archives
^ ^a ^b ^c Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "L" (part 2)^{[self-published source]}^{[better source needed]}
^ UKPollingReport, Lewes
^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 2010-12-06.

Sources [edit]

The Parliamentary History of the Borough of Lewes 1295-1885
Election result, 2005 (BBC)
Election results, 1997 - 2001 (BBC)
Election results, 1997 - 2001 (Election Demon)
Election results, 1983 - 1992 (Election Demon)
Election results, 1992 - 2005 (Guardian)
Election results, 1951 - 2001 (Keele University)
F. W. S. Craig. British Parliamentary Election Results 1950-1973. (ISBN 0-900178-07-8)

v t e Constituencies in South East England (84)

Conservative (74)	Aldershot Arundel and South Downs Ashford Aylesbury Banbury Basingstoke Beaconsfield Bexhill and Battle Bognor Regis and Littlehampton Bracknell Brighton Kemptown Canterbury Chatham and Aylesford Chesham and Amersham Chichester Crawley Dartford Dover East Hampshire East Surrey East Worthing and Shoreham Epsom and Ewell Esher and Walton Fareham Faversham and Mid Kent Folkestone and Hythe Gillingham and Rainham Gosport Gravesham Guildford Hastings and Rye Havant Henley Horsham Hove Isle of Wight Maidenhead Maidstone and The Weald Meon Valley Mid Sussex Milton Keynes North Milton Keynes South Mole Valley Newbury New Forest East New Forest West North East Hampshire North Thanet North West Hampshire Oxford West and Abingdon Portsmouth North Reading East Reading West Reigate Rochester and Strood Romsey and Southampton North Runnymede and Weybridge Sevenoaks Sittingbourne and Sheppey South Thanet South West Surrey Spelthorne Surrey Heath Tonbridge and Malling Tunbridge Wells Wantage Wealden Winchester Windsor Witney Woking Wokingham Worthing West Wycombe

Labour (4)	Oxford East Slough Southampton Itchen Southampton Test

Liberal Democrats (4)	Eastbourne Lewes Portsmouth South Eastleigh

Green (1)	Brighton Pavilion

Speaker (1)	Buckingham

South East England European constituency: Conservative (4) UKIP (2) Liberal Democrats (2) Green (1) Labour (1)

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