Bury St Edmunds (UK Parliament constituency)

Bury St Edmunds was a constituency[n 1] in Suffolk from 1621 to 2024, most recently represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament from 2015 to 2024 by Jo Churchill, a Conservative.[n 2]

Bury St Edmunds
Former county constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk
Outline map
Location of Suffolk within England
CountySuffolk
Population113,678 (2011 census)[1]
Electorate85,933 (December 2010)[2]
Major settlementsBury St Edmunds, Elmswell, Needham Market, Stowmarket, Thurston
19182024
SeatsOne
1614–1918
Seats1614–1885: Two
1885–1918: One
Type of constituencyBorough constituency

Under the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was subject to moderate boundary changes and was abolished for the 2024 general election, with the bulk of the electorate being included in the new constituency of Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket.[3]

Constituency profile

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The constituency covered Bury St Edmunds, Stowmarket and smaller settlements on the A14 corridor. Residents' wealth was around average for the UK.[4]

History

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The constituency was created as a Parliamentary Borough in 1614, returning two MPs to the House of Commons of England until 1707, then to the House of Commons of Great Britain until 1800, and from 1800 to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. By the mid eighteenth century the seat was seen as heavily influenced by the Earl of Bristol and the Duke of Grafton.[5] Its representation was reduced to one seat under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885. Under the Representation of the People Act 1918, it was abolished as a borough and reconstituted as a division of the Parliamentary County of West Suffolk. As well as the abolished borough, the expanded seat comprised most of the abolished Stowmarket Division, except for the town of Stowmarket itself. From 1950, it has been classified as a county constituency in terms of election expenses and type of returning officer.

The electorate has elected Conservative Party candidates at the general elections and two by-elections since a Liberal victory in 1880. The closest contest since that year was in 1997 when the Labour Party candidate fell 368 votes, less than 1%, short of winning the seat in 1997 during Tony Blair's first landslide result.

Boundaries and boundary changes

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1918–1950

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  • The Borough of Bury St Edmunds;
  • The Urban District of Newmarket;
  • The Rural Districts of Brandon, Mildenhall, and Thedwastre; and
  • Parts of the Rural Districts of Moulton and Thingoe.[6]

1950–1983

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  • The Borough of Bury St Edmunds:
  • The Urban Districts of Haverhill and Newmarket; and
  • The Rural Districts of Clare, Mildenhall, Thedwastre, and Thingoe.[6]

Extended to the south-west, gaining western and northern parts of the abolished Sudbury Division of West Suffolk, including Haverhill.

1983–1997

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  • The Borough of St Edmundsbury wards of Abbeygate, Barningham, Barrow, Chevington, Eastgate, Fornham, Great Barton, Honington, Horringer, Ixworth, Northgate, Pakenham, Risby, Risbygate, Rougham, St Olave's, Sextons, Southgate, Stanton, Westgate, and Whelnetham; and
  • The District of Forest Heath.[7]

Southern areas, including Haverhill, were transferred to the new constituency of South Suffolk. The easternmost area, equivalent to the former Rural District of Thedwastre, was transferred to the new constituency of Central Suffolk.

1997–2010

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  • The Borough of St Edmundsbury wards of Abbeygate, Eastgate, Fornham, Great Barton, Horringer Court, Northgate, Pakenham, Risbygate, Rougham, St Olave's, Sextons, Southgate, Westgate, and Whelnetham; and
  • The District of Mid Suffolk wards of Badwell Ash, Elmswell, Gislingham, Haughley and Wetherden, Needham Market, Norton, Onehouse, Rattlesden, Rickinghall, Ringshall, Stowmarket Central, Stowmarket North, Stowmarket South, Stowupland, Thurston, Walsham-le-Willows, and Woolpit.[8]

Major reconfiguration, with the majority of the constituency, including Newmarket, forming the basis of the new County Constituency of West Suffolk. Extended eastwards, gaining western half of Central Suffolk, including Stowmarket.

2010–2024

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Map of boundaries 2010–2024
  • The Borough of St Edmundsbury wards of Abbeygate, Eastgate, Fornham, Great Barton, Horringer and Whelnetham, Minden, Moreton Hall, Northgate, Pakenham, Risbygate, Rougham, St Olave's, Southgate, and Westgate; and
  • The District of Mid Suffolk wards of Bacton and Old Newton, Badwell Ash, Elmswell and Norton, Gislingham, Haughley and Wetherden, Needham Market, Onehouse, Rattlesden, Rickinghall and Walsham, Ringshall, Stowmarket Central, Stowmarket North, Stowmarket South, Stowupland, Thurston and Hessett, and Woolpit.[9]

Marginal changes due to revision of local authority wards.

The constituency contained the towns of Bury St Edmunds, Stowmarket and Needham Market. Its boundaries did not match those of the former borough of St Edmundsbury, which included Haverhill (part of West Suffolk constituency), and excludes Stowmarket and Needham Market.

Members of Parliament

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MPs 1621–1660

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Parliament First member Second member
1621 Sir Thomas Jermyn John Woodford
1624 Sir Thomas Jermyn Anthony Crofts
1625 Sir Thomas Jermyn Sir William Spring
1626 Sir Thomas Jermyn Emanuel Gifford
1628 Sir Thomas Jermyn Sir William Hervey
1629–1640 No Parliaments summoned
1640 April Sir Thomas Jermyn John Godbolt
1640 November Thomas Jermyn,
disabled on 14 February 1644
Henry Jermyn, ennobled 6 September 1643[10]
1645 Sir Thomas Barnardiston Sir William Spring,
excluded in Pride's Purge in 1648
1653 Bury St Edmunds not represented in Barebones Parliament
1654 Samuel Moody John Clarke
1656 Samuel Moody John Clarke
1659 John Clarke Thomas Chaplin[11]
1659 Restored Rump Parliament Sir Thomas Barnardiston No second member[n 3]

MPs 1660–1885

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Two Members

Year First member[12] First party Second member[12] Second party
1660[13] Sir Henry Crofts Sir John Duncombe
1661 Sir Edmund Poley
1673 William Duncombe
1679 Sir Thomas Hervey Thomas Jermyn
1685 William Crofts
1689 Sir Robert Davers, Bt Tory
1690 Henry Goldwell
1694 John Hervey Whig
1701 Sir Thomas Felton, Bt Whig
1703 Sir Robert Davers, Bt[14] Tory
Dec. 1705 Aubrey Porter
1709 Joseph Weld
1712 Samuel Batteley
1713 Lord Hervey
1717 James Reynolds
1722 Sir Jermyn Davers, Bt Tory
1725 Lord Hervey
1727 Thomas Norton
1733 Thomas Hervey
1747 Felton Hervey[15] Viscount Petersham
1756 The Earl of Euston
1757 Hon. Augustus Hervey
1761 Hon. Charles Fitzroy
1763 William Hervey
1768 Hon. Augustus Hervey
1774 Sir Charles Davers, Bt
1775 Henry Seymour Conway Whig
1784 Hon. George FitzRoy
1787 Lord Charles FitzRoy
1796 Lord Hervey
1802 Lord Charles FitzRoy
1803 The Lord Templetown
1812 Frederick Foster Whig
1818 The Earl of Euston Whig[16] Hon. Arthur Upton Whig[16]
1820 Lord John FitzRoy Whig[16]
1826 Earl Jermyn Tory[16] Earl of Euston Whig[16]
1831 Charles Augustus FitzRoy Whig[16]
1832 Lord Charles FitzRoy Whig[16][17]
1834 Conservative[16]
1847 Edward Bunbury Whig[18][19]
1852 John Stuart Conservative
Dec 1852 by-election James Oakes Conservative
1857 Joseph Hardcastle Whig[20][21][22]
1859 by-election Lord Alfred Hervey Peelite[23][24][25]
1859 Liberal
1865 Edward Greene Conservative
1874 Lord Francis Hervey Conservative
1880 Joseph Hardcastle Liberal
1885 representation reduced to one member[26]

MPs since 1885

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Year Member[12][27] Party
1885 Lord Francis Hervey Conservative
1892 by-election Henry Cadogan
1900 Edward Greene
1906 Frederick Hervey
1907 by-election Walter Guinness
1931 Frank Heilgers
1944 by-election Edgar Keatinge
1945 Geoffrey Clifton-Brown
1950 William Aitken
1964 Eldon Griffiths
1992 Richard Spring
1997 David Ruffley
2015 Jo Churchill

Elections

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Elections in the 2010s

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General election 2019: Bury St Edmunds[28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jo Churchill 37,770 61.0 +1.8
Labour Cliff Waterman 12,782 20.6 −8.9
Green Helen Geake 9,711 15.7 +11.5
Independent Paul Hopfensperger 1,694 2.7 New
Majority 24,988 40.4 +10.7
Turnout 61,957 69.1 −3.1
Registered electors 89,644 +4.2
Conservative hold Swing +5.3
General election 2017: Bury St Edmunds[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jo Churchill 36,794 59.2 +5.6
Labour William Edwards 18,353 29.5 +11.8
Liberal Democrats Helen Korfanty 3,565 5.7 −0.3
Green Helen Geake 2,596 4.2 −3.7
Independent Liam Byrne 852 1.4 New
Majority 18,441 29.7 −6.2
Turnout 62,160 72.2 +3.2
Registered electors 86,071
Conservative hold Swing -3.1

Note: Independent politician St Edmundsbury Borough Councillor[30] and Bury St Edmunds Town Councillor[31] Paul Hopfensperger[32] submitted a valid nomination but this was subsequently withdrawn. Because of the timing of the withdrawal, his name appears in the Statement of Persons Nominated[33] for this election.

General election 2015: Bury St Edmunds[34][35]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jo Churchill[36] 31,815 53.6 +6.1
Labour William Edwards[37] 10,514 17.7 +1.0
UKIP John Howlett 8,739 14.7 +9.6
Green Helen Geake[38] 4,692 7.9 +3.6
Liberal Democrats David Chappell 3,581 6.0 −20.4
Majority 21,301 35.9 +14.8
Turnout 59,341 69.0 −0.3
Conservative hold Swing +2.5
General election 2010: Bury St Edmunds[39]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Ruffley 27,899 47.5 +1.2
Liberal Democrats David Chappell 15,519 26.4 +6.7
Labour Kevin Hind 9,776 16.7 −10.7
UKIP John Howlett 3,003 5.1 +1.6
Green Mark Ereira-Guyer 2,521 4.3 +1.3
Majority 12,380 21.1 +2.2
Turnout 58,718 69.3 +2.5
Conservative hold Swing −2.8

Elections in the 2000s

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General election 2005: Bury St Edmunds
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Ruffley 24,332 46.2 +2.7
Labour David Monaghan 14,402 27.4 −11.1
Liberal Democrats David Chappell 10,423 19.8 +5.9
UKIP John Howlett 1,859 3.5 +1.8
Green Graham Manning 1,603 3.0 New
Majority 9,930 18.8 +13.8
Turnout 52,619 66.1 +0.1
Conservative hold Swing +6.9
General election 2001: Bury St Edmunds
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Ruffley 21,850 43.5 +5.2
Labour Mark Ereira-Guyer 19,347 38.5 +0.8
Liberal Democrats Richard Williams 6,998 13.9 −4.3
UKIP John Howlett 831 1.7 New
Independent Michael Brundle 651 1.3 New
Socialist Labour Michael Benwell 580 1.2 New
Majority 2,503 5.0 +4.4
Turnout 50,257 66.0 −9.0
Conservative hold Swing +2.1

Elections in the 1990s

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General election 1997: Bury St Edmunds
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Ruffley 21,290 38.3 −7.6
Labour Mark Ereira-Guyer 20,922 37.7 +11.7
Liberal Democrats David A. Cooper 10,102 18.2 −8.7
Referendum Ian C.H. McWhirter 2,939 5.3 New
Natural Law Joanna B. Lillis 272 0.5 −0.4
Majority 368 0.6 −29.4
Turnout 55,525 75.0 +0.6
Conservative hold Swing −14.6
General election 1992: Bury St Edmunds[40]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Richard Spring 33,554 53.5 −5.8
Labour Tommy Sheppard 14,767 23.6 +6.3
Liberal Democrats John B. Williams 13,814 22.0 +0.5
Natural Law Joanna B. Lillis 550 0.9 New
Majority 18,787 29.9 −7.9
Turnout 62,685 78.9 +4.8
Conservative hold Swing −6.1

Elections in the 1980s

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General election 1987: Bury St Edmunds
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Eldon Griffiths 33,672 59.3 +0.3
SDP Reginald Harland 12,214 21.5 −6.9
Labour Christopher Greene 9,841 17.3 +4.6
Green Ida Wakelam 1,057 1.9 New
Majority 21,458 37.8 +7.2
Turnout 56,784 74.1 +1.8
Conservative hold Swing +3.6
General election 1983: Bury St Edmunds
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Eldon Griffiths 31,081 59.0 −2.0
SDP Reginald Harland 14,959 28.4 +14.2
Labour Wiktor Mosczynski 6,666 12.7 −16.3
Majority 16,122 30.6 +2.6
Turnout 52,706 72.3 −4.0
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

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General election 1979: Bury St Edmunds
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Eldon Griffiths 41,426 57.0 +6.6
Labour A. Gibson 21,167 29.0 −4.0
Liberal G. Jones 10,836 14.2 −2.4
Majority 20,259 28.0 +10.6
Turnout 73,429 76.3 +3.1
Conservative hold Swing +5.3
General election October 1974: Bury St Edmunds
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Eldon Griffiths 32,179 50.4 +2.9
Labour J.K Stephenson 21,097 33.0 +4.3
Liberal G Jones 10,631 16.6 −7.2
Majority 11,082 17.4 −1.4
Turnout 63,907 73.2 −8.1
Conservative hold Swing −0.7
General election February 1974: Bury St Edmunds
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Eldon Griffiths 33,424 47.5 −13.7
Labour J.K Stephenson 20,171 28.7 −10.1
Liberal B. Boulton 16,772 23.8 New
Majority 13,253 18.8 −3.6
Turnout 70,367 81.3 +4.1
Conservative hold Swing −7.2
General election 1970: Bury St Edmunds
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Eldon Griffiths 36,688 61.2 +6.6
Labour Colin J. V. Seager 23,286 38.8 −6.6
Majority 13,402 22.4 +13.2
Turnout 59,974 77.2 −1.6
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

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General election 1966: Bury St Edmunds
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Eldon Griffiths 27,782 54.6 +4.4
Labour Colin J. V. Seager 23,140 45.4 +5.2
Majority 4,462 9.2 −0.8
Turnout 50,922 78.8 −3.4
Conservative hold Swing -0.8
General election 1964: Bury St Edmunds
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Eldon Griffiths 25,206 50.2 −8.6
Labour Noel James Insley 20,216 40.2 −1.1
Liberal Richard L. Afton 4,840 9.6 N/A
Majority 4,990 10.0 −7.5
Turnout 50,262 82.2 +3.6
Conservative hold Swing -7.5
1964 Bury St Edmunds by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Eldon Griffiths 22,141 49.0 −9.8
Labour Noel James Insley 19,682 43.5 +2.2
Liberal Richard L. Afton 3,387 7.5 New
Majority 2,459 5.5 −12.0
Turnout 45,210
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

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General election 1959: Bury St Edmunds
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Aitken 26,730 58.8 +3.7
Labour Alison Margaret A. Walter 18,768 41.3 −3.6
Majority 7,962 17.5 +7.3
Turnout 45,498 78.6 +0.3
Conservative hold Swing +3.6
General election 1955: Bury St Edmunds
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Aitken 24,532 55.1 +0.7
Labour Neville Stanley 19,962 44.9 −0.7
Majority 4,570 10.2 +1.4
Turnout 44,494 78.3 −1.5
Conservative hold Swing +0.7
General election 1951: Bury St Edmunds
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Aitken 24,679 54.4 +5.1
Labour Neville Stanley 20,690 45.6 +5.3
Majority 3,989 8.8 −0.2
Turnout 45,369 79.8 −2.7
Conservative hold Swing -0.1
General election 1950: Bury St Edmunds
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Aitken 22,559 49.3 +0.6
Labour Cecily Alicia McCall 18,430 40.3 +10.5
Liberal Henry William Sparham 4,780 10.4 −8.6
Majority 4,129 9.0 −9.9
Turnout 45,769 82.5 +14.7
Conservative hold Swing -4.9

Elections in the 1940s

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General election 1945: Bury St Edmunds[41]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Geoffrey Clifton-Brown 15,013 48.7 N/A
Labour Cecily Alicia McCall 9,195 29.8 New
Liberal Harold Charles Drayton 5,863 19.0 New
Common Wealth Eric Gordon England 750 2.4 New
Majority 5,818 18.9 N/A
Turnout 30,821 67.8 N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Following the death of Frank Heilgers on 16 January 1944 a by-election was held on 29 February 1944.

1944 Bury St Edmunds by-election[41]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edgar Keatinge 11,705 56.2 N/A
Independent Liberal Margery Corbett Ashby 9,121 43.8 New
Majority 2,584 12.4 N/A
Turnout 20,828 50.8 N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1930s

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General election 1935: Bury St Edmunds
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Frank Heilgers Unopposed N/A N/A
Conservative hold
General election 1931: Bury St Edmunds
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Frank Heilgers Unopposed N/A N/A
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1920s

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General election 1929: Bury St Edmunds
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Walter Guinness 16,462 54.4 −8.7
Liberal Dar Lyon 11,344 37.4 +0.5
Labour Percy Astins 2,490 8.2 New
Majority 5,118 17.0 −9.2
Turnout 30,296 77.8 −4.0
Registered electors 38,938
Unionist hold Swing −4.6

On Guinness's nomination as Minister of Agriculture a by-election in 1925 was required under the electoral law of the time, which he won.[42]

1925 Bury St Edmunds by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Walter Guinness 14,700 62.8 −0.3
Liberal George Nicholls 8,703 37.2 +0.3
Majority 5,997 25.6 −0.6
Turnout 23,403 73.9 −7.9
Registered electors 31,648
Unionist hold Swing −0.3
General election 1924: Bury St Edmunds[43]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Walter Guinness 16,073 63.1 N/A
Liberal John Adam Day 9,392 36.9 New
Majority 6,681 26.2 N/A
Turnout 25,465 81.8 N/A
Registered electors 31,138
Unionist hold Swing N/A
General election 1923: Bury St Edmunds[43]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Walter Guinness Unopposed
Unionist hold
General election 1922: Bury St Edmunds[43]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Walter Guinness Unopposed
Unionist hold

Elections in the 1910s

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General election 1918: Bury St Edmunds[43]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Unionist Walter Guinness Unopposed
Unionist hold
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

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;

General election December 1910: Bury St Edmunds[44][45]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Walter Guinness Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election January 1910: Bury St Edmunds[44][45]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Walter Guinness Unopposed
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1900s

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1907 Bury St Edmunds by-election[46][47]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Walter Guinness 1,631 68.8 +10.2
Liberal Walter Baldwyn Yates 741 31.2 −10.2
Majority 890 37.6 +20.4
Turnout 2,372 86.6 −4.1
Registered electors 2,740
Conservative hold Swing +10.2
General election 1906: Bury St Edmunds[44][48][46][47]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Frederick Hervey 1,481 58.6 N/A
Liberal Walter Baldwyn Yates 1,047 41.4 New
Majority 434 17.2 N/A
Turnout 2,528 90.7 N/A
Registered electors 2,788
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 1900: Bury St Edmunds[44][48][49][46][47]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Greene Unopposed
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1890s

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General election 1895: Bury St Edmunds[44][48][49]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Cadogan Unopposed
Conservative hold
 
Cadogan
1892 Bury St Edmunds by-election[44][48]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Cadogan Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1892: Bury St Edmunds[44][48]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Francis Hervey 1,267 59.5 +0.8
Liberal John Eustace Jameson 863 40.5 −0.8
Majority 404 19.0 +1.6
Turnout 2,130 84.7 +0.3
Registered electors 2,515
Conservative hold Swing +0.8

Elections in the 1880s

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General election 1886: Bury St Edmunds[44][48]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Francis Hervey 1,135 58.7 +4.7
Liberal Frederick Goodwin 800 41.3 −4.7
Majority 335 17.4 +9.4
Turnout 1,935 84.4 −6.3
Registered electors 2,292
Conservative hold Swing +4.7
General election 1885: Bury St Edmunds[44][48][50]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Francis Hervey 1,122 54.0 −5.9
Liberal Joseph Hardcastle 956 46.0 +5.8
Majority 166 8.0
Turnout 2,078 90.7 −1.7 (est)
Registered electors 2,292
Conservative win (new seat)
General election 1880: Bury St Edmunds (2 seats)[51]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Joseph Hardcastle 1,110 40.2 −0.8
Conservative Edward Greene 850 30.8 −0.1
Conservative Francis Hervey 803 29.1 +1.0
Majority 307 11.1 N/A
Turnout 1,960 (est) 92.4 (est) +7.6
Registered electors 2,122
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing −0.7
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1870s

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General election 1874: Bury St Edmunds (2 seats)[51]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Greene 1,004 30.9 +13.1
Conservative Francis Hervey 914 28.1 +10.3
Liberal Joseph Hardcastle 707 21.7 −13.3
Liberal Charles Lamport[52] 628 19.3 −10.2
Majority 207 6.4 +5.9
Turnout 1,627 (est) 84.8 (est) −5.7
Registered electors 1,919
Conservative hold Swing +11.7
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +11.8

Elections in the 1860s

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General election 1868: Bury St Edmunds (2 seats)[51]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Greene 714 35.5 +2.1
Liberal Joseph Hardcastle 703 35.0 −1.9
Liberal Edward Bunbury 593 29.5 N/A
Majority 11 0.5
Turnout 1,362 (est) 90.5 (est) +4.5
Registered electors 1,505
Conservative hold Swing N/A
Liberal hold Swing N/A
General election 1865: Bury St Edmunds (2 seats)[51]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Joseph Hardcastle 331 36.9 +6.5
Conservative Edward Greene 300 33.4 +5.3
Liberal-Conservative Alfred Hervey[53] 266 29.7 −11.7
Majority 31 3.5 +1.2
Turnout 582 (est) 86.0 (est) +13.4
Registered electors 676
Liberal hold Swing +6.2
Conservative hold Swing +5.6

Elections in the 1850s

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General election 1859: Bury St Edmunds (2 seats)[51]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Peelite Alfred Hervey 418 41.4 +4.4
Liberal Joseph Hardcastle 307 30.4 −4.0
Conservative Robert Buxton 284 28.1 −0.5
Turnout 505 (est) 72.6 (est) +6.4
Registered electors 695
Majority 111 11.0 N/A
Peelite gain from Conservative Swing +2.3
Majority 23 2.3 −3.5
Liberal hold Swing −1.9
By-election, 7 March 1859: Bury St Edmunds[51]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Peelite Alfred Hervey Unopposed
Peelite gain from Conservative
  • Caused by Hervey's succession to the peerage, becoming 2nd Marquess of Bristol
General election 1857: Bury St Edmunds (2 seats)[51]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Frederick Hervey 344 37.0 −6.2
Whig Joseph Hardcastle 320 34.4 +6.4
Conservative James Oakes 266 28.6 −0.2
Turnout 465 (est) 66.2 (est) −10.7
Registered electors 702
Majority 24 2.6 +1.8
Conservative hold Swing −4.7
Majority 54 5.8 N/A
Whig gain from Conservative Swing +6.4
By-election, 4 December 1852: Bury St Edmunds[51]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Oakes 324 50.6 −21.4
Whig Joseph Hardcastle 316 49.4 +21.4
Majority 8 1.2 +0.4
Turnout 640 89.8 +12.9
Registered electors 713
Conservative hold Swing −21.4
  • Caused by Stuart's resignation after being appointed a Vice-Chancellor of the Court of Chancery.
General election 1852: Bury St Edmunds (2 seats)[51]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Frederick Hervey 493 43.2 +3.4
Conservative John Stuart 328 28.8 +1.9
Whig Edward Bunbury 319 28.0 −5.3
Majority 9 0.8 −5.7
Turnout 570 (est) 76.9 (est) +11.6
Registered electors 741
Conservative hold Swing +3.0
Conservative gain from Whig Swing +2.3

Elections in the 1840s

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General election 1847: Bury St Edmunds (2 seats)[51]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Frederick Hervey 390 39.8 +11.5
Whig Edward Bunbury 327 33.3 −13.6
Conservative Horace Twiss 264 26.9 +2.2
Turnout 491 (est) 65.3 (est) −20.5
Registered electors 751
Majority 63 6.5 +3.9
Conservative hold Swing +9.2
Majority 63 6.4 +5.4
Whig hold Swing −13.7
By-election, 14 September 1841: Bury St Edmunds[51][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Frederick Hervey Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1841: Bury St Edmunds (2 seats)[51][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Frederick Hervey 341 28.3 +2.9
Whig Charles FitzRoy 310 25.7 −0.8
Conservative Horace Twiss 298 24.7 +1.9
Whig Rowland Gardiner Alston[54] 256 21.2 −4.1
Turnout 612 85.8 −0.3
Registered electors 713
Majority 31 2.6 +2.5
Conservative hold Swing +2.7
Majority 12 1.0 −0.1
Whig hold Swing −1.6

Elections in the 1830s

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General election 1837: Bury St Edmunds (2 seats)[51][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Charles FitzRoy 289 26.5 −7.6
Conservative Frederick Hervey 277 25.4 +8.1
Whig Charles Bunbury 275 25.3 −6.0
Conservative Frederick Gough-Calthorpe 248 22.8 +5.5
Turnout 552 86.1 −7.8
Registered electors 641
Majority 12 1.1
Whig hold Swing −7.2
Majority 2 0.1 −0.4
Conservative hold Swing +7.5
By-election, 26 June 1835: Bury St Edmunds[51][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Charles FitzRoy Unopposed
Whig hold
General election 1835: Bury St Edmunds (2 seats)[51][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Frederick Hervey 317 34.6 +2.7
Whig Charles FitzRoy 312 34.1 −6.2
Whig Charles Bunbury 287 31.3 +3.4
Majority 5 0.5 −3.5
Turnout 582 93.9 +5.6
Registered electors 620
Conservative hold Swing +2.8
Whig hold Swing −3.8
General election 1832: Bury St Edmunds (2 seats)[51][16][55]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Charles FitzRoy 344 40.3 +14.9
Tory Frederick Hervey 272 31.9 −39.3
Whig Frederick King Eagle 238 27.9 +24.5
Turnout 521 88.3 +1.8
Registered electors 590
Majority 72 8.4 +6.7
Whig hold Swing +17.3
Majority 34 4.0 −18.1
Tory hold Swing −39.4
General election 1831: Bury St Edmunds (2 seats)[16][55]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Frederick Hervey 28 47.5 N/A
Whig Charles Augustus FitzRoy 15 25.4 N/A
Tory Philip Bennet 14 23.7 N/A
Whig Robert Rolfe 2 3.4 N/A
Turnout 32 86.5 N/A
Registered electors 37
Majority 13 22.1 N/A
Tory hold Swing N/A
Majority 1 1.7 N/A
Whig hold Swing N/A
General election 1830: Bury St Edmunds (2 seats)[16][55]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Frederick Hervey Unopposed
Whig Henry FitzRoy Unopposed
Tory hold
Whig hold

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer).
  2. ^ As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.
  3. ^ Sir William Spring, 1st Baronet had died in 1654

References

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  1. ^ "Bury St Edmunds: Usual Resident Population, 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  2. ^ "Electorate Figures – Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Archived from the original on 6 November 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  3. ^ "Eastern | Boundary Commission for England". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  4. ^ Electoral Calculus https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcgi-bin/seatdetails.py?seat=Bury+St+Edmunds
  5. ^ Pages 144 and 145, Lewis Namier, The Structure of Politics at the Accession of George III (2nd edition – London: St Martin's Press, 1957)
  6. ^ a b S., Craig, Fred W. (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885–1972;. Chichester: Political Reference Publications. ISBN 0900178094. OCLC 539011.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
  8. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
  9. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
  10. ^ "General Index to the Twenty-three Volumes of The Parliamentary Or Constitutional History of England". Printed; and sold by Thomas Osborne, ... and William Sandby. 12 October 2017 – via Google Books.
  11. ^ Hervey, Arthur Charles (1858). A Paper Read Before the Archaeological Institute of Suffolk, at Their Meeting Held at Ickworth, October 2nd, 1856. S. Tymms. p. 16 – via Internet Archive.
  12. ^ a b c Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "B" (part 6)
  13. ^ A double return was made, Thomas Chaplin and John Clarke were subsequently declared not duly elected.
  14. ^ At the general election in May 1705, Davers was also returned for Suffolk, for which he chose to sit.
  15. ^ Hon. Augustus John Hervey was also declared elected in April 1754, he and his uncle Felton having an equal number of votes. This election was declared void. At the subsequent by-election held on 9 December 1754, Felton Hervey was returned.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p 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. 53–55. Retrieved 29 October 2018 – via Google Books.
  17. ^ Churton, Edward (1838). The Assembled Commons or Parliamentary Biographer: 1838. p. 92. Retrieved 29 October 2018 – via Google Books.
  18. ^ Ollivier, John (1841). "Alphabetical List of the House of Commons". Ollivier's parliamentary and political director. p. 38. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  19. ^ "Political". Norfolk News. 10 July 1847. p. 3. Retrieved 21 April 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  20. ^ "Reference: D/B 5 Pb1/1". Essex Record Office. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  21. ^ "Neighbouring Counties". Norfolk News. 7 August 1847. p. 3. Retrieved 21 April 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  22. ^ Gardeners Chronicle & New Horticulturist, Volume 7. Haymarket Publishing. 1847. p. 233. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  23. ^ "Bury St Edmunds". Beacon and Christian Times. 13 April 1859. p. 4. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  24. ^ Gash, Norman (2013). Politics in the Age of Peel: A Study in the Technique of Parliamentary Representation, 1830–1850. Faber & Faber. p. 386. ISBN 9780571302901. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  25. ^ "207 Lord Alfred Hervey". Clarke Chronicler's Politicians. 13 July 2013. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  26. ^ https://archive.org/stream/publicgeneralac01walegoog#page/n131/mode/2up Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, Second Schedule; Statutes of the Realm, Eyre & Spottiswoode (1884, London) at p. 123
  27. ^ "Bury St Edmunds 1660-". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  28. ^ "Bury St Edmunds Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  29. ^ Geater, Paul (30 May 2017). "Election 2017: Find out who is standing in the general election in Suffolk and north Essex". East Anglian Times.
  30. ^ "Councillor details – St Edmundsbury Borough Councillor Paul Hopfensperger". 12 October 2017.
  31. ^ "Councillor details – Bury St Edmunds Town Councillor Paul Hopfensperger". 12 October 2017.
  32. ^ "Cllr Paul Hopfensperger | St Olaves Ward | Bury St Edmunds |". Cllr Paul Hopfensperger.
  33. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated" (PDF). West Suffolk Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 May 2017.
  34. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  35. ^ "Bury St Edmunds". BBC News. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  36. ^ "Jo Churchill selected as Bury St Edmunds candidate for next election". ITN. 5 November 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  37. ^ "Labour's Candidates | the Labour Party". Archived from the original on 5 August 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  38. ^ "Director selected as Tory candidate". BBC. 4 November 2014.
  39. ^ "UK > England > Eastern > Bury St Edmunds". BBC News. Retrieved 8 May 2010.
  40. ^ "UK General Election results April 1992". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  41. ^ a b F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow 1949
  42. ^ Cooper, Andrew Fenton (1989). British agricultural policy, 1912–36 : a study in Conservative politics. Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press. p. 121. ISBN 0-7190-2886-8. OCLC 18557089.
  43. ^ a b c d British parliamentary election results 1918–1949, Craig, F. W. S.
  44. ^ a b c d e f g h i British Parliamentary Election Results 1885–1918, FWS Craig
  45. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
  46. ^ a b c "The Bury St Edmunds Election". Grantham Journal. 31 August 1907. Retrieved 5 October 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  47. ^ a b c Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885–1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
  48. ^ a b c d e f g The Liberal Year Book, 1907
  49. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
  50. ^ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886
  51. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p 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.
  52. ^ "Bury St. Edmunds". Diss Express. 4 June 1875. p. 5. Retrieved 28 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  53. ^ "Bury St. Edmunds". Evening Mail. 14 July 1865. pp. 1–2. Retrieved 31 January 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  54. ^ "Hertford Mercury and Reformer". 5 June 1841. p. 2. Retrieved 29 October 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  55. ^ a b c Escott, Margaret (2009). "Bury St. Edmunds". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 9 April 2020.

Sources

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52°15′N 0°54′E / 52.25°N 0.90°E / 52.25; 0.90