Chelmsford (UK Parliament constituency)

Chelmsford is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. It has been represented since 2017 by Vicky Ford of the Conservative Party. She is currently serving as the Minister for Children in the Department for Education.

Chelmsford
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Boundary of Chelmsford in Essex
Location of Essex within England
CountyEssex
Population105,424 (2011 census)[1]
Electorate77,835 (December 2010)[2]
Major settlementsChelmsford, Great Baddow
Current constituency
Created2010
Member of ParliamentVicky Ford (Conservative)
Number of membersOne
Created fromWest Chelmsford, Maldon & East Chelmsford
1885–1997
Replaced byWest Chelmsford, Maldon and Chelmsford East, Rayleigh
Created fromWest Essex

History
Chelmsford in Essex, showing boundaries used from 1918 to 1945.
Chelmsford in Essex, showing boundaries used from 1945 to 1950.

Chelmsford was one of eight single-member divisions of Essex (later classified as county constituencies) created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, replacing the three two member divisions of East, South and West Essex. It continued in existence until it was briefly abolished for the 1997 general election following the Fourth Periodic Review of Westminster Constituencies, but re-established for the 2010 general election as a Borough Constituency by the Fifth Review.

During its latter years, the old seat was narrowly won by a Conservative over strong Liberal Democrat performances, including their predecessor party the Liberal Party. Historically, the constituency has on occasion been referred to as 'Mid Essex', especially in the early part of the 20th Century. [3]

Boundaries and boundary changes

1885–1918: The Sessional Divisions of Brentwood (except the parishes of Rainham and Wennington) and Chelmsford.[4]

Formed from parts of the abolished West Division, including Chelmsford, and part of the South Division, including Brentwood and Billericay.

1918–1945: The Borough of Chelmsford, the Urban District of Brentwood, the Rural Districts of Chelmsford and Ongar, and in the Rural District of Billericay the parishes of Hutton, Ingrave, Mountnessing, Shenfield, and South Weald.[5]

Gained eastern part of the Epping Division, including Chipping Ongar. The south-western corner, including Upminster, transferred to Romford and southern-most parts, including the town of Billericay, transferred to the South-Eastern Division.

1945–1950: The Borough of Chelmsford, the Urban District of Brentwood, and the Rural Districts of Chelmsford and Ongar.[6]

Minor changes following the reorganisation of local authorities, involving the abolition of the Rural District of Billericay and the expansion of the Urban District of Brentwood.

1950–1955: The Borough of Chelmsford, and the Rural Districts of Chelmsford and Ongar.[6]

Brentwood transferred to Romford.

1955–1974: The Borough of Chelmsford, and the Rural District of Chelmsford.[6]

The Rural District of Ongar included in the new County Constituency of Chigwell.

1974–1983: The Borough of Chelmsford, and in the Rural District of Chelmsford the parishes of Danbury, East Hanningfield, Great Baddow, Highwood, Ingatestone and Fryerning, Little Baddow, Margaretting, Mountnessing, Rettendon, Runwell, Sandon, South Hanningfield, Stock, West Hanningfield, and Woodham Ferrers.[7]

Northern parts of the Rural District of Chelmsford transferred to the new County Constituency of Braintree.

1983–1997: The Borough of Chelmsford wards of All Saints, Baddow Road, Boreham and Springfield, Cathedral, Danbury and Sandon, East and West Hanningfield, Galleywood, Goat Hall, Great Baddow Village, Highwood and Margaretting, Little Baddow, Mildmays, Moulsham Lodge, Oaklands, Patching Hall, Rothmans, St Andrew's, Stock, The Lawns, and Waterhouse Farm.[8]

Gained the Boreham and Springfield ward from Braintree.  Two parishes (Ingatestone and Fryerning, and Mountnessing), included in the District of Brentwood under the Local Government Act 1972, were transferred to the County Constituency of Brentwood and Ongar.  South-eastern areas, including South Woodham Ferrers, included in the new County Constituency of Rochford.

For the 1997 general election the constituency was abolished. Northern and western areas forming the majority of the new County Constituency of West Chelmsford; eastern areas included in the new County Constituency of Maldon and East Chelmsford; and a small area in the south included the new County Constituency of Rayleigh.

2010–present: The City of Chelmsford wards of Chelmer Village and Beaulieu Park, Galleywood, Goat Hall, Great Baddow East, Great Baddow West, Marconi, Moulsham and Central, Moulsham Lodge, Patching Hall, St Andrew's, Springfield North, The Lawns, Trinity, and Waterhouse Farm.[9]

Following the Boundary Commission's Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies in 2007, Parliament re-established Chelmsford as a borough constituency for the 2010 general election. For the previous three elections the constituency had been split in two halves and included more surrounding rural settlements. A majority of the electorate for this new constituency came from the previous West Chelmsford constituency. A smaller element (Great Baddow and Galleywood) came from the Maldon & East Chelmsford constituency.

The new constituency coincides with the built-up area which comprises the City of Chelmsford.

At its first contest in 2010, the seat was closely fought by the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats, who finished less than 10% apart, with Conservative candidate Simon Burns (the former MP for West Chelmsford) being elected. Labour polled 11%, despite having been only around 100 votes behind the Liberal Democrats in West Chelmsford in 2005, and even taking second place in 2001.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1885–1997
ElectionMember[10][11] Party
1885 William Beadel Conservative
1892 by-election Thomas Usborne Conservative
1900 Sir Carne Rasch, Bt Conservative
1908 by-election E. G. Pretyman Conservative
1918 Coalition Conservative
1922 Conservative
1923 Sydney Robinson Liberal
1924 Henry Curtis-Bennett Conservative
1926 by-election Charles Howard-Bury Conservative
1931 Sir Vivian Henderson Conservative
1935 John Macnamara Conservative
1945 by-election Ernest Millington Common Wealth
1946 Labour
1950 Sir Hubert Ashton Conservative
1964 Norman St John-Stevas Conservative
1987 Simon Burns Conservative
1997 Constituency abolished – see West Chelmsford,
Maldon and Chelmsford East, Rayleigh

MPs since 2010
ElectionMember[11] Party
2010 Sir Simon Burns Conservative
2017 Vicky Ford Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2010s
General election 2019: Chelmsford[12][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Vicky Ford 31,934 55.9 +2.2
Liberal Democrats Marie Goldman 14,313 25.1 +12.9
Labour Penny Richards 10,295 18.0 -11.8
Monster Raving Loony Mark Lawrence 580 1.0 +1.0
Majority 17,621 30.8 +7.0
Turnout 57,122 71.0 +0.8
Conservative hold Swing -5.3
General election 2017: Chelmsford[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Vicky Ford[15] 30,525 53.7 +2.2
Labour Chris Vince[16] 16,953 29.8 +12.2
Liberal Democrats Stephen Robinson 6,916 12.2 +0.3
UKIP Nigel Carter 1,645 2.9 −11.3
Green Reza Hossain 821 1.4 −2.1
Majority 13,572 23.9 −10.0
Turnout 56,860 70.2 +1.7
Conservative hold Swing −5.0
General election 2015: Chelmsford[17][18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Simon Burns 27,732 51.5 +5.4
Labour Chris Vince [19] 9,482 17.6 +6.7
UKIP Mark Gough[20] 7,652 14.2 +11.4
Liberal Democrats Stephen Robinson 6,394 11.9 −24.9
Green Angela Thomson 1,892 3.5 +2.6
Liberal Henry Boyle 665 1.2 +1.2
Majority 18,250 33.9 +24.5
Turnout 53,817 68.5 -1.9
Conservative hold Swing
General election 2010: Chelmsford[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Simon Burns* 25,207 46.2 +6.7
Liberal Democrats Stephen Robinson 20,097 36.8 +6.6
Labour Peter Dixon 5,980 11.0 −16.0
UKIP Ken Wedon 1,527 2.8 −0.6
BNP Michael Bateman 899 1.6 +1.6
Green Angela Thomson 476 0.9 +0.9
English Democrat Claire Breed 254 0.5 +0.3
Reduce Tax On Beer Ben Sherman 153 0.3 +0.3
Majority 5,110 9.4 -16.5
Turnout 54,593 70.4 -14.2
Conservative hold Swing
* Served in the 2005–2010 Parliament as MP for West Chelmsford

Elections in the 1990s
General election 1992: Chelmsford[22][23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Simon Burns 39,043 55.3 +3.4
Liberal Democrats Hugh Nicholson 20,783 29.4 −11.1
Labour Roy Chad 10,010 14.2 +7.3
Green Eleanor Burgess 769 1.1 +0.4
Majority 18,260 25.9 +14.5
Turnout 70,605 84.6 +2.4
Conservative hold Swing +7.2

Elections in the 1980s
General election 1987: Chelmsford[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Simon Burns 35,231 51.9 +4.3
Liberal Stuart Mole 27,470 40.5 −6.5
Labour Clive Playford 4,642 6.8 +1.7
Green Anthony Slade 486 0.7 N/A
Majority 7,761 11.4 +10.8
Turnout 67,829 82.2 +2.8
Conservative hold Swing +5.4
General election 1983: Chelmsford[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Norman St John-Stevas 29,824 47.6 −2.0
Liberal Stuart Mole 29,446 47.0 +5.5
Labour Clive Playford 3,208 5.1 −3.8
Independent Philip Waite 127 0.2 N/A
Majority 378 0.6 −9.3
Turnout 62,605 79.4 −4.5
Conservative hold Swing −4.7

Elections in the 1970s
General election 1979: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Norman St John-Stevas 33,808 49.6 +8.0
Liberal Stuart Mole 28,337 41.5 +6.3
Labour Susan Ann Reeves 6,041 8.9 −14.3
Majority 5,471 8.1 +2.5
Turnout 68,186 81.0 +1.8
Conservative hold Swing +0.9
General election October 1974: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Norman St John-Stevas 26,334 41.6 −1.3
Liberal Stuart Mole 22,332 35.2 +2.2
Labour John Thomas Acklaw 14,711 23.2 −0.9
Majority 4,002 6.4 −3.5
Turnout 66,377 79.2 −4.7
Conservative hold Swing −1.8
General election February 1974: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Norman St John-Stevas 28,560 42.9 −11.1
Liberal Stuart Mole 21,929 33.0 +24.3
Labour Frances Morrell 16,063 24.1 −12.7
Majority 6,631 9.9
Turnout 66,552 83.9
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1970: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Norman St John-Stevas 36,821 55.15
Labour Gavin Kennedy 23,780 35.62
Liberal Jessie Hunt 5,811 8.70
Independent Joseph D Steel 350 0.52
Majority 13,041 19.53
Turnout 66,762 75.60
Conservative hold Swing +5.3

Elections in the 1960s
General election 1966: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Norman St John-Stevas 28,600 47.16
Labour Colin George 23,625 38.96
Liberal W Peter Longhurst 8,419 13.88
Majority 4,975 8.20
Turnout 60,644 82.47
Conservative hold Swing –2.00
General election 1964: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Norman St John-Stevas 27,849 47.95
Labour E Gordon Lawrence 20,816 35.84
Liberal W Peter Longhurst 9,414 16.21
Majority 7,033 12.11
Turnout 58,105 82.78
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s
General election 1959: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Hubert Ashton 29,992 59.85
Labour Brian Ralph Clapham 20,124 40.15
Majority 9,868 19.69
Turnout 50,116 81.32
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1955: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Hubert Ashton 25,450 55.63
Labour Bernard Floud 20,301 44.37
Majority 5,149 11.25
Turnout 45,751 81.82
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1951: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Hubert Ashton 29,069 55.01
Labour James Haworth 23,775 44.99
Majority 5,294 10.02
Turnout 83.31
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1950: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Hubert Ashton 28,541 54.65
Labour Ernest Millington 23,682 45.35
Majority 4,859 9.30
Turnout 84.33
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Elections in the 1940s
General election 1945: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Common Wealth Ernest Millington 27,309 46.7
Conservative Hubert Ashton 25,229 43.2
Liberal Hilda Buckmaster 5,909 10.1
Majority 2,080 3.6
Turnout 73.4
Common Wealth hold Swing
1945 Chelmsford by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Common Wealth Ernest Millington 24,548 57.5
Conservative Brian Batsford 18,117 42.5
Majority 6,431 15.0
Turnout 54.1
Common Wealth gain from Conservative Swing

General Election 1939/40:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;

Elections in the 1930s
General election 1935: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative John Macnamara 28,314 70.8
Labour Fred Hughes 11,690 29.2
Majority 16,624 41.6
Turnout 40,004 65.4
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1931: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Vivian Henderson 31,961 80.5
Labour Joseph Sparks 7,755 19.5
Majority 24,206 60.9
Turnout 39,716 70.9
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1920s
General election 1929: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Unionist Charles Howard-Bury 17,094 43.8 –4.0
Liberal Sydney Robinson 13,034 33.4 +3.2
Labour Nils Henry Moller 8,910 22.8 +0.8
Majority 4,060 10.4 –7.2
Turnout 39,038 75.1 +4.6
Unionist hold Swing –3.6
1926 Chelmsford by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Unionist Charles Howard-Bury 13,395 47.8 –6.9
Liberal Sydney Robinson 8,435 30.2 –5.1
Labour Nils Henry Moller 6,140 22.0 +12.0
Majority 4,960 17.6 –1.8
Turnout 70.5 –6.6
Unionist hold Swing –0.9
General election 1924: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Unionist Henry Curtis-Bennett 15,875 54.7 +10.5
Liberal Sydney Robinson 10,244 35.3 –20.5
Labour Nils Henry Moller 2,904 10.0 n/a
Majority 5,631 19.4 31.0
Turnout 77.1 +13.6
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +15.5
General election 1923: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Sydney Robinson 12,877 55.8 +26.0
Unionist E. G. Pretyman 10,185 44.2 –8.4
Majority 2,692 11.6 34.4
Turnout 63.5 +2.5
Liberal gain from Unionist Swing +17.2
General election 1922: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Unionist E. G. Pretyman 11,267 52.6 –14.3
Liberal Sydney Robinson 6,380 29.8 n/a
Labour Clara Rackham 3,767 17.6 –15.5
Majority 4,887 22.8 –11.0
Turnout 61.0 +10.8
Unionist hold Swing n/a

Elections in the 1910s
General election 1918: Chelmsford
Party Candidate Votes % ±
C Unionist E. G. Pretyman 11,217 66.9 N/A
Labour William Frederick Toynbee 5,551 33.1 N/A
Majority 5,666 33.8 N/A
Turnout 16,768 50.2 N/A
Unionist hold Swing N/A
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.
General election December 1910: Chelmsford [26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative E. G. Pretyman Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election January 1910: Chelmsford [26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative E. G. Pretyman 6,816 61.5 –1.7
Liberal T.Cuthbertson 4,271 38.5 +1.7
Majority 2,545 23.0 –3.4
Turnout 11,087 83.3 +5.6
Registered electors 13,314
Conservative hold Swing –1.7

Elections in the 1900s
1908 Chelmsford by-election[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative E. G. Pretyman 6,152 63.2 +10.8
Liberal Alexander Henry Dence 3,587 36.8 −10.8
Majority 2,565 26.4 +21.6
Turnout 9,739 77.7 −2.0
Registered electors 12,539
Conservative hold Swing +10.8
General election January 1906[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Carne Rasch 4,915 52.4 −20.5
Liberal Alexander Henry Dence 4,461 47.6 +20.5
Majority 454 4.8 −41.0
Turnout 9,376 79.7 +13.7
Registered electors 11,767
Conservative hold Swing +20.5
General election October 1900[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Carne Rasch 4,978 72.9 N/A
Liberal Charles Henry 1,849 27.1 N/A
Majority 3,129 45.8 N/A
Turnout 6,827 66.0 N/A
Registered electors 10,341
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1890s
General election 1895[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Thomas Usborne Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1892[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Thomas Usborne 4,168 59.8 N/A
Liberal William Ebenezer Grigsby[27] 2,799 40.2 N/A
Majority 1,369 19.6 N/A
Turnout 6,967 74.6 N/A
Registered electors 9,333
Conservative hold Swing N/A
By-election, 1892[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Thomas Usborne Unopposed
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1880s
General election 1886[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative William Beadel Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1885[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative William Beadel 4,321 58.4 N/A
Liberal Richard Martin 3,079 41.6 N/A
Majority 1,242 16.8 N/A
Turnout 7,400 79.8 N/A
Registered electors 9,277
Conservative win (new seat)

Boundary changes
Preceded by
Constituency created		 UK Parliament constituency
Chelmsford (West), Writtle
1885–1997		 Succeeded by
Chelmsford West
UK Parliament constituency
Chelmsford (East), Great Baddow, Danbury
1885–1997		 Succeeded by
Maldon and Chelmsford East
UK Parliament constituency
Ingatestone
1885–1974		 Succeeded by
Brentwood and Ongar
UK Parliament constituency
Ongar
1885–1955		 Succeeded by
Chigwell
UK Parliament constituency
Brentwood
1885–1950		 Succeeded by
Romford
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See also

Notes and references
Notes
  1. A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
References

Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.

  1. "Chelmsford: Usual Resident Population, 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 21 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. "Frederick Carne Rasch Alumnus Record". University of Cambridge Alumni Print Records. University of Cambridge. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  4. Great Britain, Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England and Wales. The public general acts. unknown library. Proprietors of the Law Journal Reports, 1884.
  5. Fraser, Hugh (1918). The Representation of the people act, 1918 : with explanatory notes. University of California Libraries. London : Sweet and Maxwell.
  6. Craig, Fred W. S. (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885-1972;. Chichester: Political Reference Publications. ISBN 0900178094. OCLC 539011.
  7. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1970". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  8. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  9. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  10. "Chelmsford 1885–1997". Hansard 1803–2005. UK Parliament. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  11. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 3)
  12. https://www.chelmsford.gov.uk/_resources/assets/inline/full/0/3208314.pdf
  13. "Chelmsford parliamentary constituency - Election 2019". BBC News.
  14. "=Chelmsford City Council". Retrieved 18 May 2017.
  15. "MEP Vicky Ford to fight for Chelmsford seat in General election". ITV. 29 April 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  16. "General Election 2017 – Candidate List – (A – M)". labour.org.uk. Archived from the original on 11 May 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  17. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  18. "Chelmsford parliamentary constituency - Election 2017". BBC News – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  19. "CHELMSFORD 2015". electionresults.blogspot.co.uk.
  20. "Mark Gough PPC page". UK Independence Party. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
  21. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  22. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  23. "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.
  24. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  25. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  26. British parliamentary election results 1885–1918
  27. "Profile of To-day". Gloucester Citizen. 2 September 1899. p. 4. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
Sources
  • F. W. S. Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1974 – 1983
  • The Times Guide to the House of Commons 1983, 1987 & 1992
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