Devizes (UK Parliament constituency)

Devizes /dɪvaɪzɪz/ is a constituency in Wiltshire, England, which is represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament and includes four towns and many villages in the middle and east of the county.[n 1] The area's representative has been a Conservative since 1924.

Devizes
County constituency for the House of Commons
Boundary of Devizes in Wiltshire
Location of Wiltshire within England
County	Wiltshire
Electorate	68,846 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlements	Devizes, Marlborough, Durrington, Pewsey
Current constituency
Created	1885
Member of Parliament	Danny Kruger (Conservative)
Number of members	One
1331–1885
Number of members	Two until 1868, then One
Type of constituency	Borough constituency

History

Until 1885 Devizes was a parliamentary borough, electing two Members of Parliament (MPs) by the bloc vote system until the 1868 election, when the Reform Act 1867 reduced its representation to one MP, elected by the first-past-the-post system of election. The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 abolished the parliamentary borough, and created a new county constituency of the same name, covering a wider area and electing one member. It has returned a Conservative MP at every election since 1924.

Its most notable MP was Henry Addington, who held the seat during his term as Prime Minister, as well as when he was Speaker of the House of Commons.

Boundaries

1885–1918: The Boroughs of Devizes and Marlborough, the Sessional Divisions of Devizes, Everley, Marlborough, and Ramsey, and part of the Sessional Division of Pewsey.

1918–1950: The Boroughs of Devizes and Marlborough, the Rural Districts of Devizes, Marlborough, Pewsey, and Ramsbury, and part of the Rural District of Highworth.

1950–1983: The Boroughs of Devizes and Marlborough, and the Rural Districts of Devizes, Highworth, Marlborough and Ramsbury, and Pewsey.

1983–1997: The District of Kennet, and the Borough of Thamesdown wards of Blunsdon, Chiseldon, Covingham, Highworth, Ridgeway, St Margaret, St Philip, and Wroughton.

1997–2010: The District of Kennet, the District of North Wiltshire wards of Calne Abberd, Calne Central, Calne North, Calne North East, Calne South, and Calne Without, and the District of West Wiltshire wards of Blackmore Forest, Melksham Forest, Melksham Lambourne, Melksham Roundpoint, Melksham Town, and Melksham Woodrow.

2010–present: The District of Kennet, and the District of Salisbury wards of Bulford and Durrington.

The Devizes constituency covers Devizes in Wiltshire and the surrounding former Kennet district, which includes the towns of Marlborough, Ludgershall and Tidworth, together with the large villages of Bulford, Durrington and Pewsey.

Members of Parliament

1295–1640

Parliament	First member	Second member
1386	Richard Gobet	William Salter[2]
1388 (Feb)	Richard Cardmaker	William Salter[2]
1388 (Sep)	Richard Cardmaker	William Spicer[2]
1390 (Jan)	Richard Gobet	William Spicer[2]
1390 (Nov)
1391
1393	William Coventre I	William Spicer[2]
1394	John Tapener	Richard Brunker [2]
1395	Richard Cardmaker	William Spicer[2]
1397 (Jan)	William Salter	Henry Webbe[2]
1397 (Sep)	William Salter	John Peyntour[2]
1399	Richard Cardmaker	William Salter[2]
1401
1402	Simon Skinner	Richard Smith[2]
1404 (Jan)
1404 (Oct)
1406	John Huwet	John Kingston[2]
1407	John Peyntour	Simon Skinner[2]
1410
1411
1413 (Feb)
1413 (May)	John Coventre	Simon Skinner[2]
1414 (Apr)	Thomas Coventre	Robert Smith[2]
1414 (Nov)	William Coventre III	Thomas Coventre[2]
1415	William Coventre III	Roger Barbour[2]
1416 (Mar)	Richard Litelcote	John Peyntour[2]
1416 (Oct)
1417	William Coventre III	Robert Tyndale[2]
1419	Robert Tyndale	William Hendelove[2]
1420	John Coventre I	Robert Chandler[2]
1421 (May)	William Coventre III	Robert Smith[2]
1421 (Dec)	John Baker	John Fauconer[2]
1425	Robert Chandler[3]
1429	Robert Chandler[3]
1442	Henry Long
1492	Richard Pudsey[4]
1510–1523	No names known[5]
1529	John Poyntz	Richard Mytton[5]
1536	?
1539	?
1542	?
1545	Clement Throckmorton	Geoffrey Danielle[5]
1547	Sir George Howard	Nicholas Throckmorton[5]
1553 (Mar)	?
1553 (Oct)	William Rede	Thomas Hull[5]
1554 (Apr)	Thomas Highgate	Henry Leke[5]
1554 (Nov)	Thomas Hull	Edward Heynes[5]
1555	Thomas Hull	James Webbe[5]
1558	Thomas Hull	Henry Morris[5]
1558	John Young	Edward Heynes[6]
1562/3	Hugh Powell	Edward Heynes[6]
1571	Edward Baynton	William Clerke[6]
1572	George Reynolds, died and replaced 1580 by John Snell	Henry Grube[6]
1584	Edward Baynton I	Henry Brouncker[6]
1586	Edward Baynton I	Henry Brouncker[6]
1588	Henry Brouncker	John Delabere[6]
1593	Henry Baynton I or Henry Baynton II	Richard Mompesson[6]
1597	John Kent	Robert Drew[6]
1601	Giles Fettiplace	Robert Drew[6]
1604	Sir Henry Baynton	Robert Drew
1614	Sir Edward Baynton	William Kent
1621	Sir Henry Ley	John Kent
1624	Edward Bayntun	John Kent
1625	Edward Bayntun	Robert Drew
1626	Robert Long	Sir Henry Ley
1628	Robert Long	Thomas Kent
1629–1640	No Parliaments summoned

1640–1832

Election	1st member[7]		1st party	2nd member[7]		2nd party
March 1640		Edward Bayntun			Henry Danvers
November 1640		Edward Bayntun			Robert Nicholas
1653		Devizes not represented in Barebones Parliament
September 1654		Edward Bayntun			One seat only
September 1656		Edward Scotton			One seat only
January 1659		Chaloner Chute jnr			Edward Scotton
March 1660		William Lewis			Robert Aldworth
April 1661		William Yorke			John Kent
December 1666		John Norden
October 1669		Edward Lewis			George Johnson
April 1675		Sir Edward Bayntun
February 1679					Sir Walter Ernle
September 1679		Sir Giles Hungerford			John Eyles
February 1681		Sir Walter Ernle			George Johnson
March 1685		John Talbot of Lacock			Walter Grubbe
January 1689		Sir William Pynsent
March 1690		Sir Thomas Fowle
December 1690		John Methuen
November 1695					Sir Edward Ernle
July 1698					Sir Francis Child
January 1701		Francis Merewether
November 1701		John Methuen
November 1702					John Child
March 1703					Francis Merewether
May 1705					Sir Francis Child
December 1706		Josiah Diston
May 1708					Paul Methuen
October 1710		Sir Francis Child			Thomas Richmond Webb
August 1713		Robert Child			John Nicholas
January 1715		Josiah Diston			Francis Eyles (expelled)
February 1721					Benjamin Haskins-Stiles
March 1722		Sir Joseph Eyles	Whig
August 1727		Francis Eyles	Whig
April 1734					Sir Joseph Eyles	Whig
February 1740					John Garth	Whig
July 1742		George Lee	Whig
July 1747		William Willy
January 1765					Charles Garth
June 1765		James Sutton
September 1780		Sir James Tylney-Long, 7th Bt.
November 1780					Henry Jones
April 1784			Tory[8]		Henry Addington	Tory[8]
December 1788		Joshua Smith	Tory[8]
January 1805					Thomas Grimston Estcourt	Tory[8]
June 1818		John Pearse	Tory[8]
March 1826					George Watson-Taylor	Tory[8]

1832–1868

Election	1st member[7]		1st party	2nd member[7]		2nd party
1832		Wadham Locke	Whig[9][10][11][8]		Montague Gore	Whig[12][13][8]
February 1834					Admiral Sir Philip Charles Durham	Tories[8]
December 1834						Conservative[8]
November 1835		T. H. S. Sotheron-Estcourt	Conservative[8]
February 1836					James Whitley Deans Dundas	Whig[14][15][16][17][8]
May 1838					George Heneage Walker Heneage	Conservative[8]
February 1844		William Heald Ludlow Bruges	Conservative
February 1848		James Bucknall Bucknall-Estcourt	Conservative
1852		John Neilson Gladstone	Conservative
1857		Simon Watson Taylor	Peelite[18][19]		Christopher Darby Griffith	Conservative
1859		John Neilson Gladstone	Conservative
Feb 1863		William Addington	Conservative
Apr 1864		Sir Thomas Bateson, Bt.	Conservative
1868	Second Reform Act: representation reduced to one member

Since 1868

Devizes has been a safe Conservative seat since 1945. The current Member of Parliament is Danny Kruger who was first elected at the 2019 general election, succeeding Claire Perry, who had stood down at that election after nine years of holding the seat.[20]

Election		Member[7]	Party
	1868	Sir Thomas Bateson	Conservative
	1885	Walter Long	Conservative
	1892	Charles Hobhouse	Liberal
	1895	Edward Goulding	Conservative
	1906	Francis Rogers	Liberal
	1910	Basil Peto	Unionist
	1918	Cory Bell	Unionist
	1923	Eric Macfadyen	Liberal
	1924	Percy Hurd	Conservative
	1945	Christopher Hollis	Conservative
	1955	Percivall Pott	Conservative
	1964	Charles Morrison	Conservative
	1992	Michael Ancram	Conservative
	2010	Claire Perry	Conservative
	2019	Danny Kruger	Conservative

Fictional Member of Parliament

Devizes was the stated constituency of fictional Conservative MP The Honourable Sir Piers Fletcher-Dervish, Baronet, later Junior Minister for Housing, in the TV sitcom The New Statesman, which was produced and set during the same decade (1980s) that Charles Andrew Morrison was MP for the real-life seat. He was portrayed by actor Michael Troughton.

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Devizes[21]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Danny Kruger	32,150	63.1	+0.4
	Liberal Democrats	Jo Waltham	8,157	16.0	+6.7
	Labour	Rachael Schneider	7,838	15.4	-5.6
	Green	Emma Dawnay	2,809	5.5	+2.3
Majority			23,983	47.1	+5.4
Turnout			50,954	69.4	-1.4
	Conservative hold		Swing	-3.15

General election 2017: Devizes[22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Claire Perry	31,744	62.7	+5.0
	Labour	Imtiyaz Shaikh	10,608	21.0	+8.0
	Liberal Democrats	Chris Coleman	4,706	9.3	+1.2
	UKIP	Timothy Page	1,706	3.4	−12.0
	Green	Emma Dawnay	1,606	3.2	−2.6
	Wessex Regionalist	Jim Gunter	223	0.4	N/A
Majority			21,136	41.7	−0.6
Turnout			50,593	71.1	+0.3
	Conservative hold		Swing	−1.5

General election 2015: Devizes[23]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Claire Perry	28,295	57.7	+2.7
	UKIP	David Pollitt	7,544	15.4	+10.9
	Labour	Chris Watts	6,360	13.0	+2.8
	Liberal Democrats	Manda Rigby	3,954	8.1	−18.9
	Green	Emma Dawnay[24]	2,853	5.8	+4.1
Majority			20,751	42.3	+14.2
Turnout			49,006	70.8	+2.0
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 2010: Devizes[25][26]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Claire Perry	25,519	55.1	+4.0
	Liberal Democrats	Fiona Hornby	12,514	27.0	+4.7
	Labour	Junab Ali	4,711	10.2	−12.2
	UKIP	Patricia Bryant	2,076	4.5	+0.2
	Green	Mark Fletcher	813	1.8	N/A
	Independent	Martin Houlden	566	1.2	N/A
	Libertarian	Nic Coome	141	0.3	N/A
Majority			13,005	28.1	+4.6
Turnout			46,340	68.8	+3.5
	Conservative hold		Swing	−0.3

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Devizes[27]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Michael Ancram	27,253	48.5	+1.3
	Liberal Democrats	Fiona Hornby	14,059	25.0	+2.9
	Labour	Sharon Charity	12,519	22.3	−2.6
	UKIP	Alan Wood	2,315	4.1	+1.2
Majority			13,194	23.5	+1.2
Turnout			56,146	65.2	+1.0
	Conservative hold		Swing	−0.8

General election 2001: Devizes[28]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Michael Ancram	25,159	47.2	+4.4
	Labour	Jim Thorpe	13,263	24.9	+0.7
	Liberal Democrats	Helen Frances	11,756	22.1	-4.5
	UKIP	Alan Wood	1,521	2.9	+1.8
	Independent	Ludovic Kennedy	1,078	2.0	N/A
	Monster Raving Loony	Long Tall Sally Potter	472	0.9	N/A
Majority			11,896	22.3	+6.0
Turnout			53,249	64.2	−10.5
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Devizes[29]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Michael Ancram	25,710	42.8	-11.5
	Liberal Democrats	Antony Vickers	15,928	26.5	+0.1
	Labour	Frank Jeffrey	14,551	24.2	+3.4
	Referendum	John Goldsmith	3,021	5.0	N/A
	UKIP	S. Oram	622	1.0	N/A
	Natural Law	Stephen Haysom	204	0.3	N/A
Majority			9,782	16.3	-10.6
Turnout			60,036	74.7	-7.0
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1992: Devizes[30][31]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Michael Ancram	39,090	53.3	−1.4
	Liberal Democrats	Jane L. Mactaggart	19,378	26.4	−1.5
	Labour	Rosemary J. Berry	13,060	17.8	+0.5
	Liberal	S. C. Coles	962	1.3	−26.6
	Green	David Ripley	808	1.1	+1.1
Majority			19,712	26.9	0.0
Turnout			73,298	81.7	+4.5
	Conservative hold		Swing	+0.0

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Devizes[32]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Charles Morrison	36,372	54.78
	Liberal	Linda Siegle	18,542	27.92
	Labour	Richard Buxton	11,487	17.30
Majority			17,830	26.85
Turnout				77.17
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1983: Devizes[33]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Charles Morrison	33,644	53.95
	SDP	E. Palmer	18,020	28.89
	Labour	D. Hulme	10,468	16.78
	Wessex Regionalist	G. Ewen	234	0.38
Majority			15,624	25.05
Turnout				74.95
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Devizes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Charles Morrison	32,439	50.92
	Labour	V. E. Finlayson	16,351	25.67
	Liberal	Jack Ainslie	14,059	22.07
	Ecology	R. Burcham	713	1.12
	Wessex Regionalist	A. B. Mockler	142	0.22
Majority			16,088	25.25
Turnout				79.60
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election October 1974: Devizes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Charles Morrison	24,842	42.45
	Labour	V. E. Finlayson	17,821	30.46
	Liberal	Jack Ainslie	15,851	27.09
Majority			7,021	12.00
Turnout				75.22
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election February 1974: Devizes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Charles Morrison	27,878	44.53
	Labour	Richard Faulkner	17,980	28.72
	Liberal	J. Crawford	16,753	26.76
Majority			9,898	15.81
Turnout				81.29
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1970: Devizes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Charles Morrison	28,475	51.65
	Labour	Richard Faulkner	20,442	37.08
	Liberal	John Jones	6,210	11.26
Majority			8,033	14.57
Turnout				76.15
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Devizes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Charles Morrison	21,429	44.65
	Labour	Ian Hamilton	18,832	39.24
	Liberal	Michael Patrick Fogarty	7,730	16.11
Majority			2,597	5.41
Turnout				81.02
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1964: Devizes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Charles Morrison	21,118	46.75
	Labour	Irving H. H. Rogers	17,170	38.01
	Liberal	Michael Patrick Fogarty	6,881	15.23
Majority			3,948	8.74
Turnout				81.37
	Conservative hold		Swing

Devizes by-election, 1964[34]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Charles Morrison	19,554	46.87	-4.54
	Labour	I. H. H. Rogers	17,884	42.87	+1.0
	Liberal	Michael Patrick Fogarty	4,281	10.26	+3.53
Majority			1,670	4.0	-5.54
Turnout			41,719
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Devizes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Percivall Pott	20,682	51.41	-1.28
	Labour	Wilfrid Edward Cave	16,844	41.87	-5.45
	Independent Liberal	Jack Norton	2,707	6.73	N/A
Majority			3,838	9.54
Turnout				79.23
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1955: Devizes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Percivall Pott	20,317	52.69	+0.77
	Labour	Wilfrid Edward Cave	18,242	47.31	-0.67
Majority			2,075	5.38
Turnout				78.62
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1951: Devizes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Christopher Hollis	20,319	52.02	+6.76
	Labour	Wilfrid Edward Cave	18,742	47.98	+5.8
Majority			1,577	4.04
Turnout				81.41
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1950: Devizes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Christopher Hollis	17,401	45.26	-1.74
	Labour	Wilfrid Edward Cave	16,216	42.18	+12.28
	Liberal	Richard William Thomas Aston	4,832	12.57	-10.53
Majority			1,185	3.08
Turnout				82.11
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Devizes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Christopher Hollis	12,796	47.0	-12.32
	Labour	Wilfrid Edward Cave	8,120	29.9	N/A
	Liberal	Frances Josephy	6,278	23.1	-17.58
Majority			4,676	17.1
Turnout				67.6
	Conservative hold		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;

• Conservative: Percy Hurd,
• Liberal: Frances Josephy

Elections in the 1930s

General election 1935: Devizes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Percy Hurd	14,438	59.32
	Liberal	Frances Josephy	9,903	40.68
Majority			4,535	18.63
Turnout				72.20
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1931: Devizes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Percy Hurd	16,702	66.27
	Liberal	Joseph William Molden	8,501	33.73
Majority			8,201	32.54
Turnout				76.20
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1920s

General election 1929: Devizes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Unionist	Percy Hurd	11,979	47.8	−13.1
	Liberal	Eric Macfadyen	10,728	42.7	+3.6
	Labour	R. P. Sheppard	2,391	9.5	N/A
Majority			1,251	5.1	−16.7
Turnout			25,098	77.5	+1.3
Registered electors			32,371
	Unionist hold		Swing	−8.4

General election 1924: Devizes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Unionist	Percy Hurd	12,157	60.9	+12.7
	Liberal	Eric Macfadyen	7,807	39.1	−12.7
Majority			4,350	21.8	N/A
Turnout			19,964	76.2	+6.7
Registered electors			26,195
	Unionist gain from Liberal		Swing	+12.7

General election 1923: Devizes [35]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Liberal	Eric Macfadyen	9,202	51.8	+11.1
	Unionist	Cory Bell	8,574	48.2	−11.1
Majority			628	3.6	N/A
Turnout			17,776	69.5	+4.6
Registered electors			25,588
	Liberal gain from Unionist		Swing	+11.1

Currie

General election 1922: Devizes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Unionist	Cory Bell	9,598	59.3	−4.5
	Liberal	Hilda Beatrice Currie	6,576	40.7	+4.5
Majority			3,020	18.6	−9.0
Turnout			16,174	64.9	+11.8
Registered electors			24,937
	Unionist hold		Swing	−4.5

Elections in the 1910s

General election 1918: Devizes[36]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
C	Unionist	Cory Bell	8,512	63.8	+9.2
	Liberal	James Currie	4,823	36.2	−9.2
Majority			3,689	27.6	+18.4
Turnout			13,335	53.1	−34.0
Registered electors			25,091
	Unionist hold		Swing	+9.2
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Election results 1885–1918

Elections in the 1880s

Long

General election 1885: Devizes [37][38][39]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Walter Long	3,849	50.6	−2.9
	Liberal	William Barber	3,752	49.4	+2.9
Majority			97	1.2	−5.8
Turnout			7,601	81.2	−10.1
Registered electors			9,357
	Conservative hold		Swing	−2.9

Philipps

General election 1886: Devizes [37][38]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Walter Long	4,123	63.2	+12.6
	Liberal	John Philipps	2,397	36.8	−12.6
Majority			1,726	26.4	+25.2
Turnout			6,520	69.7	−11.5
Registered electors			9,357
	Conservative hold		Swing	+12.6

Elections in the 1890s

Hobhouse

General election 1892: Devizes [37][38]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Liberal	Charles Hobhouse	3,896	50.9	+14.1
	Conservative	Walter Long	3,758	49.1	−14.1
Majority			138	1.8	N/A
Turnout			7,654	76.6	+6.9
Registered electors			9,987
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing	+14.1

Goulding

General election 1895: Devizes [37][38][40]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Edward Goulding	4,114	53.1	+4.0
	Liberal	Charles Hobhouse	3,637	46.9	-4.0
Majority			477	6.2	N/A
Turnout			7,751	84.7	+8.1
Registered electors			9,156
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing	+4.0

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Devizes [37][38][40]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Edward Goulding	3,738	54.6	+1.5
	Liberal	Francis Rogers	3,111	45.4	−1.5
Majority			627	9.2	+3.0
Turnout			6,849	77.8	−6.9
Registered electors			8,807
	Conservative hold		Swing	+1.5

General election 1906: Devizes [37][38]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Liberal	Francis Rogers	4,247	53.9	+8.5
	Conservative	Godfrey Dalrymple-White	3,633	46.1	-8.5
Majority			614	7.8	N/A
Turnout			7,880	87.7	+9.9
Registered electors			8,988
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing	+8.5

Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Devizes [37][41]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Basil Peto	4,709	55.7	+9.6
	Liberal	Francis Rogers	3,742	44.3	−9.6
Majority			967	11.4	N/A
Turnout			8,451	91.1	+3.4
Registered electors			9,277
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing	+9.6

Pocock

General election December 1910: Devizes [37][41]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Basil Peto	4,408	54.6	-1.1
	Liberal	Sidney Job Pocock	3,670	45.4	+1.1
Majority			738	9.2	-2.2
Turnout			8,078	87.1	−4.0
Registered electors			9,277
	Conservative hold		Swing	-1.1

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 the July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

• Unionist: Basil Peto
• Liberal: James Currie[42]

Election results 1868–1880

Elections in the 1860s

Seat reduced to one member

General election 1868: Devizes [43]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Thomas Bateson	385	52.0	−2.4
	Liberal	John Webb Probyn[44]	321	43.4	+43.4
	Conservative	Christopher Darby Griffith	34	4.6	−41.0
Majority			64	8.6	−37.0
Turnout			740	86.2	+39.8
Registered electors			858
	Conservative hold		Swing	−22.9

Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Devizes [43]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Thomas Bateson	396	52.0	+0.0
	Conservative	Christopher Darby Griffith	364	47.8	+43.2
	Ind. Conservative	Sidney Fitzroy Kelly Sloper[45]	2	0.3	N/A
Majority			32	4.2	−4.4
Turnout			762	84.5	−1.7
Registered electors			902
	Conservative hold		Swing	N/A

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Devizes [43]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Thomas Bateson	446	53.5	+1.5
	Liberal	Albert Meysey-Thompson[46]	388	46.5	N/A
Majority			58	7.0	+2.8
Turnout			834	91.3	+6.8
Registered electors			913
	Conservative hold		Swing	N/A

Election results 1832–1868

General election 1832: Devizes [43][8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Whig	Wadham Locke	216	45.4	N/A
	Whig	Montague Gore	166	34.9	N/A
	Tory	Philip Charles Durham	94	19.7	N/A
Majority			72	15.1	N/A
Turnout			276	87.6	N/A
Registered electors			315
	Whig gain from Tory		Swing	N/A
	Whig gain from Tory		Swing	N/A

Gore resigned after defecting to the Tories, causing a by-election.

By-election, 17 February 1834: Devizes [43][8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Tory	Philip Charles Durham	Unopposed
	Tory gain from Whig

General election 1835: Devizes [43][8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Whig	Wadham Locke	240	49.0	+3.6
	Conservative	Philip Charles Durham	154	31.4	+11.7
	Whig	Philip Pleydell-Bouverie	96	19.6	−15.3
Turnout			260	83.6	−4.0
Registered electors			311
Majority			86	17.6	+2.5
	Whig hold		Swing	−1.1
Majority			58	11.8	N/A
	Conservative gain from Whig		Swing	+11.7

Locke's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 25 November 1835: Devizes [43][8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	T. H. S. Bucknall-Estcourt	157	52.0	+20.6
	Whig	James Whitley Deans Dundas	145	48.0	−20.6
Majority			12	4.0	−7.8
Turnout			302	88.0	+4.4
Registered electors			343
	Conservative gain from Whig		Swing	+20.6

Durham resigned, causing a by-election.

By-election, 10 February 1836: Devizes [43][8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Whig	James Whitley Deans Dundas	Unopposed
	Whig gain from Conservative

General election 1837: Devizes [43][8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Whig	James Whitley Deans Dundas	Unopposed
	Conservative	T. H. S. Bucknall-Estcourt	Unopposed
Registered electors			341
	Whig hold
	Conservative hold

Dundas was appointed as Clerk of the Ordnance, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 26 March 1838: Devizes [43][8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Whig	James Whitley Deans Dundas	109	51.7	N/A
	Conservative	George Heneage Walker Heneage	102	48.3	N/A
Majority			7	3.3	N/A
Turnout			211	79.3	N/A
Registered electors			266
	Whig hold		Swing	N/A

• Following the by-election, Dundas was unseated due to bribery and Heneage was declared elected in his place[47]

Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Devizes [43][8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	George Heneage Walker Heneage	Unopposed
	Conservative	Thomas Sotheron	Unopposed
Registered electors			375
	Conservative hold
	Conservative gain from Whig

Sotheron resigned, by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, in order to contest a by-election at North Wiltshire, causing a by-election.

By-election, 7 February 1844: Devizes [43][8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	William Heald Ludlow Bruges	202	75.1	N/A
	Whig	Christopher Temple	67	24.9	N/A
Majority			135	50.2	N/A
Turnout			269	69.9	N/A
Registered electors			385
	Conservative hold		Swing	N/A

General election 1847: Devizes [43]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	George Heneage Walker Heneage	Unopposed
	Conservative	William Heald Ludlow Bruges	Unopposed
Registered electors			389
	Conservative hold
	Conservative hold

Bruges resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, causing a by-election.

By-election, 25 February 1848: Devizes [43]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	James Bucknall Bucknall Estcourt	Unopposed
	Conservative hold

Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Devizes [43]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	John Neilson Gladstone	Unopposed
	Conservative	George Heneage Walker Heneage	Unopposed
Registered electors			373
	Conservative hold
	Conservative hold

General election 1857: Devizes [43]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Peelite	Simon Watson Taylor	230	45.4	N/A
	Conservative	Christopher Darby Griffith	159	31.4	N/A
	Conservative	John Neilson Gladstone	118	23.3	N/A
Majority			71	14.0	N/A
Turnout			254 (est)	79.5 (est)	N/A
Registered electors			319
	Peelite gain from Conservative		Swing	N/A
	Conservative hold		Swing	N/A

General election 1859: Devizes [43]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	John Neilson Gladstone	171	35.2	+11.9
	Conservative	Christopher Darby Griffith	167	34.4	+3.0
	Liberal	Simon Watson Taylor	148	30.5	−14.9
Majority			19	3.9	N/A
Turnout			243 (est)	77.4 (est)	−2.1
Registered electors			314
	Conservative hold		Swing	+9.7
	Conservative gain from Peelite		Swing	+5.2

Elections in the 1860s

Gladstone's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 18 February 1863: Devizes [43]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	William Addington	170	64.4	−5.2
	Liberal	John Webb Probyn[44]	88	33.3	N/A
	Liberal	Israel Abrahams[48]	6	2.3	N/A
Majority			82	31.1	+27.2
Turnout			264	79.8	+2.4
Registered electors			331
	Conservative hold		Swing	N/A

Addington succeeded to the peerage, causing a by-election.

By-election, 18 April 1864: Devizes [43]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Thomas Bateson	Unopposed
	Conservative hold

General election 1865: Devizes [43]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Thomas Bateson	181	54.4	+19.2
	Conservative	Christopher Darby Griffith	152	45.6	+11.2
	Liberal	John Curling[49]	0	0.0	−30.5
Majority			152	45.6	+41.7
Turnout			167 (est)	46.4 (est)	−30.8
Registered electors			359
	Conservative hold		Swing	+17.2
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing	+13.2

• Curling retired before polling day.[50]

Election results before 1832

General election 1831: Devizes[8][51]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Tory	John Pearse	Unopposed
	Tory	George Watson-Taylor	Unopposed
Registered electors			c. 36
	Tory hold
	Tory hold

General election 1830: Devizes[8][51]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Tory	John Pearse
	Tory	George Watson-Taylor
	Tory	William Salmon
	Whig	Wadham Locke
Turnout			30	c. 83.3	N/A
Registered electors			c. 36
	Tory hold
	Tory hold

• Some sources, including the corporation minutes, do not list Locke or Salmon as candidates. However, they are included here as per Stooks Smith.[8]

See also

• List of Parliamentary constituencies in Wiltshire

External links

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

Notes and references

Notes

1. As with all constituencies, Devizes elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.

References

1. "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.
2. "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
3. "CHANDLER, Robert II, of Devizes, Wilts. | History of Parliament Online".
4. Cavill. The English Parliaments of Henry VII 1485–1504.
5. "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
6. "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
7. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "D" (part 2)
8. 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. 112–114.
9. Farrell, Stephen (2009). "Wiltshire". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
10. "Election Talk". The Spectator. 24 November 1836. p. 13. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
11. Roebuck, John Arthur (1835). Pamphlets for the people. [36 political pamphlets, written or ed. by J.A. Roebuck. Wanting the general title-leaves and lists of contents]. p. 11. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
12. Disraeli, Benjamin (1982). Gunn, John A. W.; Matthews, John P.; Schurman, Donald M.; Wiebe, Melvin G. (eds.). Benjamin Disraeli Letters: 1835–1837. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. p. 549. ISBN 9781442639546. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
13. "The State and Prospects of Toryism". Fraser's Magazine for Town and Country, Volume 9. James Fraser. 1834. p. 368. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
14. "Admiral Sir J. W. Deans Dundas GCB". The Gentleman's magazine, Volume 213. 1862. p. 782. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
15. Mosse, Richard Bartholomew (1838). The Parliamentary Guide: a concise history of the Members of both Houses, etc. p. 163. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
16. Churton, Edward (1838). The Assembled Commons or Parliamentary Biographer: 1838. p. 77. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
17. Dod, Charles Roger; Dod, Robert Phipps (1843). Dod's Parliamentary Companion, Volume 11. Dod's Parliamentary Companion. p. 147. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
18. "Election Intelligence". Taunton Courier, and Western Advertiser. 18 March 1857. p. 7. Retrieved 6 May 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
19. "Election Intelligence". Berkshire Chronicle. 14 March 1857. p. 5. Retrieved 6 May 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
20. "Tories select successor to Ancram". BBC News. 2 November 2009. Retrieved 3 September 2010.
21. "General Election 12 December 2019 - Wiltshire Council". www.wiltshire.gov.uk. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
22. "Parliamentary elections 2017". Wiltshire Council. Archived from the original on 12 May 2017. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
23. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
24. "Press release: Green Party announces new candidates for Chippenham and Devizes constituencies". Kennet and North Wiltshire Green Party. 8 February 2015. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
25. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
26. Kerr, Andrew (20 April 2010). "Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll" (PDF). Electoral Services. Wiltshire County Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 June 2011. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
27. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
28. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
29. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
30. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
31. "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
32. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
33. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
34. "1964 By Election Results". Archived from the original on 31 August 2009. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
35. British parliamentary election results, 1918–1949 by FWS Craig.
36. Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1922.
37. British Parliamentary Election Results 1885–1918, F. W. S. Craig.
38. The Liberal Year Book, 1907.
39. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886.
40. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901.
41. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916.
42. Western Daily Press 20 July 1914.
43. Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885 (e-book)|format= requires |url= (help) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
44. "Devizes Election". Devizes and Wiltshire Gazette. 19 November 1868. p. 3. Retrieved 7 February 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
45. "Devizes: The Election". Salisbury and Winchester Journal. 7 February 1874. p. 7. Retrieved 29 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
46. "This Evening's News". The Pall Mall Gazette. 8 March 1880. pp. 6–7. Retrieved 25 November 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
47. "The Coronation". Hampshire Advertiser. 2 June 1838. p. 3. Retrieved 6 May 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
48. "Devizes Election". Devizes and Wiltshire Gazette. 12 February 1863. p. 2. Retrieved 7 February 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
49. "Election Intelligence". Reading Mercury. 15 July 1865. p. 6. Retrieved 7 February 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
50. "Election Intelligence". Dorset County Chronicle. 20 July 1865. p. 12. Retrieved 7 February 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
51. Farrell, Stephen. "Devizes". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 11 April 2020.

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