North Essex (UK Parliament constituency)

North Essex was a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom between 1997 and 2010. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

North Essex
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of North Essex in Essex for the 2005 general election
Outline map
Location of Essex within England
CountyEssex
19972010
SeatsOne
Created fromColchester North
Replaced byHarwich and North Essex
18321868
Created fromEssex
Replaced byEast Essex, West Essex

The name was also used for the Northern Division of Essex, covering a much wider area and electing two members using the bloc vote system from 1832 until 1868.

History edit

The Northern Division of Essex was one of two Divisions, along with the Southern Division, created from the undivided Parliamentary County of Essex by the Reform Act of 1832. The constituency was abolished under the Reform Act 1867 (as amended by the Boundaries Act 1868) which divided Essex into three two-member Divisions (East, South and West).

The North Essex constituency was created for the 1997 general election following the Fourth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, mostly replacing the former seat of Colchester North. This was abolished for the 2010 general election by the Fifth Review, when it was largely replaced by the new constituency of Harwich and North Essex.

Boundaries edit

1832–1868 edit

  • The Hundreds of Clavering, Dunmow, Freshwell, Hinckford, Lexden, Tendring, Thurstable, Uttlesford, Winstree and Witham.[1]

See map on Vision of Britain website.[2]


On abolition, the Hundreds of Hinckford, Lexden, Tendring, Thurstable, Winstree and Witham were included in the new East Division of Essex; the Hundreds of Clavering, Dunmow, Freshwell and Uttlesford were included in the new West Division.

1997–2010 edit

  • The Borough of Colchester wards of Birch Messing and Copford, Boxted and Langham, Dedham, East Donyland, Fordham, Great and Little Horkesley, Great Tey, Marks Tey, Pyefleet, Tiptree, West Bergholt and Eight Ash Green, West Mersea, Winstree, and Wivenhoe; and
  • The District of Tendring wards of Alresford, Thorrington and Frating, Ardleigh, Bradfield, Wrabness and Wix, Brightlingsea East, Brightlingsea West, Elmstead, Great Bentley, Great Bromley, Little Bromley and Little Bentley, Lawford and Manningtree, Mistley, St Osyth, and Tendring and Weeley.[3]

The new constituency comprised rural areas of the Borough of Colchester, including West Mersea and Wivenhoe, and western parts of the District of Tendring, including Brightlingsea. Formed primarily from parts of the abolished constituencies of North Colchester and South Colchester and Maldon, with a small slice of the western part of Harwich, including St Osyth.

Abolition and the new Harwich and North Essex constituency edit

On abolition in 2010, the rural area to the south-west of Colchester was transferred to the new constituency of Witham. The remainder formed the new constituency of Harwich and North Essex, together with the town of Harwich and surrounding areas, previously part of the abolished Harwich constituency.

Members of Parliament edit

MPs 1832–1868 edit

Election 1st Member [4] 1st Party 2nd Member 2nd Party
1832 Sir John Tyrell, Bt Tory[5] Alexander Baring Tory[5]
1834 Conservative[5] Conservative[5]
1835 by-election John Payne Elwes Conservative[5]
1837 Charles Gray Round Conservative[5]
1847 William Beresford Conservative
1857 Charles Du Cane Conservative
1865 Sir Thomas Western Liberal
1868 Reform Act 1867: constituency abolished

MPs 1997-2010 edit

Election Member [4] Party
1997 Bernard Jenkin Conservative
2010 Constituency abolished: see Harwich and North Essex

Elections edit

Elections in the 2000s edit

General election 2005: North Essex[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bernard Jenkin 22,811 47.6 +0.2
Labour Elizabeth Hughes 11,908 24.8 −6.7
Liberal Democrats James Raven 9,831 20.5 +3.0
Green Chris Fox 1,718 3.6 New
UKIP George Curtis 1,691 3.5 −0.1
Majority 10,903 22.8 +6.9
Turnout 47,959 65.7 +2.9
Conservative hold Swing +3.4
General election 2001: North Essex[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bernard Jenkin 21,325 47.4 +3.5
Labour Philip Hawkins 14,139 31.5 −1.7
Liberal Democrats Trevor Ellis 7,867 17.5 −2.5
UKIP George Curtis 1,613 3.6 +1.3
Majority 7,186 15.9 +5.2
Turnout 44,944 62.8 −12.5
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1990s edit

General election 1997: North Essex[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bernard Jenkin 22,480 43.9 −13.8
Labour Timothy Young 17,004 33.2 +12.8
Liberal Democrats Andrew Phillips 10,028 20.0 −5.1
UKIP Roger Lord 1,202 2.3 New
Green Susan Ransome 495 1.0 0.0
Majority 5,476 10.7 −17.3
Turnout 51,209 75.3 −4.0
Conservative win (new seat)
Notional result for the General Election 1992: North Essex
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bernard Jenkin 36,381 53.1
Liberal Democrats 17,224 25.1
Labour 14,014 20.4
Green 700 1.0
Natural Law 238 0.3
Majority 19,157 28.0
Turnout 68,557 79.3
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1860s edit

By-election, 16 July 1866: North Essex[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Du Cane Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1865: North Essex[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Du Cane 2,081 35.3 N/A
Liberal Thomas Western 1,931 32.8 New
Conservative William Beresford 1,881 31.9 N/A
Turnout 3,912 (est) 78.8 (est) N/A
Registered electors 4,904
Majority 150 2.5 N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A
Majority 50 0.9 N/A
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing N/A

Elections in the 1850s edit

General election 1859: North Essex[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Du Cane Unopposed
Conservative William Beresford Unopposed
Registered electors 5,510
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
General election 1857: North Essex[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Du Cane Unopposed
Conservative William Beresford Unopposed
Registered electors 5,553
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
General election 1852: North Essex[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Tyrell 2,412 43.2 +4.3
Conservative William Beresford 2,334 41.8 +5.7
Whig Thomas Barrett-Lennard 833 14.9 −10.2
Majority 1,501 26.9 +15.3
Turnout 3,206 (est) 56.1 (est) −2.1
Registered electors 5,715
Conservative hold Swing +4.7
Conservative hold Swing +5.4
By-election, 9 March 1852: North Essex[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Beresford Unopposed
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1840s edit

General election 1847: North Essex[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Tyrell 2,472 38.9 N/A
Conservative William Beresford 2,292 36.1 N/A
Whig John Gurdon Rebow 1,555 24.5 New
Whig Fiske Goodeve Fiske-Harrison 36 0.6 New
Majority 737 11.6 N/A
Turnout 3,178 (est) 58.2 (est) N/A
Registered electors 5,461
Conservative hold Swing N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 1841: North Essex[9][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Tyrell Unopposed
Conservative Charles Gray Round Unopposed
Registered electors 5,771
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1830s edit

General election 1837: North Essex[9][5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative John Tyrell Unopposed
Conservative Charles Gray Round Unopposed
Registered electors 5,899
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
By-election, 4 May 1835: North Essex[9][5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative John Payne Elwes 2,406 63.9
Whig John Disney 1,357 36.1
Majority 1,049 27.8
Turnout 3,763 70.3
Registered electors 5,351
Conservative hold
General election 1835: North Essex[9][5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative John Tyrell Unopposed
Conservative Alexander Baring Unopposed
Registered electors 5,351
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
General election 1832: North Essex[9][5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Tory John Tyrell 2,448 27.8
Tory Alexander Baring 2,280 25.9
Whig Charles Western[11] 2,244 25.5
Whig Thomas Brand 1,840 20.8
Majority 36 0.4
Turnout 4,513 87.4
Registered electors 5,163
Tory win (new seat)
Tory win (new seat)

Boundary changes edit

See also edit

Notes and references edit

  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. ^ "HMSO Boundary Commission 1832, Essex".
  3. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  4. ^ a b Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "E" (part 2)
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Stooks Smith, Henry. (1973) [1844-1850]. Craig, F. W. S. (ed.). The Parliaments of England (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 104. ISBN 0-900178-13-2.
  6. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  7. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  8. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l 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.
  10. ^ "The General Election". Morning Post. 24 July 1847. p. 3. Retrieved 9 April 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^ Urban, Sylvanus (1844). "Obituary". The Gentleman's Magazine. Volume XXII. London: John Bowyer Nichols and Son. p. 645. Retrieved 1 May 2020 – via Internet Archive.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by UK Parliament constituency
18321868
Succeeded by
Preceded by UK Parliament constituency
19972010
Succeeded by