Exeter (UK Parliament constituency)

Exeter /ˈɛksətər/ is a constituency[n 1] composed of the cathedral city and county town of Devon represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. [n 2] The constituency has had a history of representatives from 1900 of Conservative, Liberal Party, Independent and Labour representation.

Exeter
Borough constituency for the House of Commons
Boundary of Exeter in Devon
Location of Devon within England
County	Devon
Electorate	74,955 (December 2018)[1]
Major settlements	Exeter
Current constituency
Created	1295
Member of Parliament	Ben Bradshaw (Labour)
Number of members	1295–1885: Two 1885–present: One

Constituency profile

The constituency covers the majority of this affluent city, including the University and the Met Office which are significant employers.[2]

Boundaries

1918–1950: The County Borough of Exeter.

1950–1974: As prior but with redrawn boundaries.

1974–1983: As prior but with redrawn boundaries.

1983–2010: The City of Exeter.

2010–present: The City of Exeter wards of Alphington, Cowick, Duryard, Exwick, Heavitree, Mincinglake, Newtown, Pennsylvania, Pinhoe, Polsloe, Priory, St David's, St James, St Leonard's, St Thomas, and Whipton and Barton.

The constituency covers most of the city of Exeter in Devon. It covered the entire city from 1918 until 2010, when, under the Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which increased the number of seats in the county from 11 to 12, two wards of the City of Exeter (St Loyes and Topsham) were transferred to the neighbouring East Devon constituency.[3]

Members of Parliament

MPs 1295–1660

Parliament	First member	Second member
1351	John Prescott[4]
1353	John Prescott[4]
1365	John Prescott[4]
1368	John Prescott[4]
1386	John Grey	Richard Bosom[5]
1388 (Feb)	Peter Hadley	Thomas Raymond[5]
1388 (Sep)	Peter Hadley	Adam Creedy[5]
1390 (Jan)	Adam Golde	William Frye[5]
1390 (Nov)
1391	John Grey	William Frye[5]
1393	John Grey	Robert Cobbley[5]
1394	John Grey	Richard Bosom[5]
1395	John Grey	William Wilford[5]
1397 (Jan)	John Grey	William Wilford[5]
1397 (Sep)	William Frye	William Wilford[5]
1399	Roger Golde	Robert Cobbley[5]
1401	Adam Scut	John Coscombe[5]
1402	Roger Golde	William Morehay[5]
1404 (Jan)	William Wilford	Thomas Raymond[5]
1404 (Oct)	John Nywaman	John Lake[5]
1406	Roger Golde	William Dimmock[5]
1407	Nicholas Clerk	William Morehay[5]
1410	Richard Raymond	John Shaplegh I[5]
1411	William Wilford	John Lake[5]
1413 (Feb)	Thomas Eston	Peter Sturt[5]
1413 (May)	Richard Bosom	John Pollow[5]
1414 (Apr)	John Wilford	John Shaplegh II[5]
1414 (Nov)	Roger Golde	John Wilford[5]
1415	Richard Crese	John Pollow[5]
1416 (Mar)	Roger Golde	Robert Vessy[5]
1416 (Oct)	Roger Golde	John Pollow[5]
1417	John Shaplegh II	Thomas Cook[5]
1419	John Shaplegh II	John Pollow[5]
1420	John Shaplegh II	Richard Crese[5]
1421 (May)	John Cutler alias Carwithan	Roger Shillingford[5]
1421 (Dec)	John Shaplegh II	John Shillingford[5]
1510	Thomas Andrew	John Orenge[6]
1512	Richard Hewet	John Simon[6]
1515	Richard Hewet	John Simon[6]
1523	John Noseworthy	John Bridgeman[6]
1529	Henry Hamlin	John Blackaller, replaced 1534 by Robert Hooker alias Vowell[6]
1536	?
1539	John Hull	William Hurst[6]
1542	Thomas Spurway	William Hurst[6]
1543	Gilbert Kirk replaced Spurway and John Pasmore replaced Hurst[6]
1543	(substitution reversed) Thomas Spurway replaced Kirk, William Hurst replaced Pasmore[6]
1545	John Grenville	William Hurst[6]
1547	John Hull, died and replaced 1549 by Thomas Prestwood	Griffith Ameredith[6]
1553 (Mar)	Robert Weston	Richard Hart[6]
1553 (Oct)	John Ridgeway	Richard Hart[6]
1554 (Apr)	John Ridgeway	Richard Hart[6]
1554 (Nov)	John Grenville	John Petre[6]
1555	Sir John Pollard	Edmund Sture[6]
1558	John Grenville	Walter Staplehill[6]
1558/9	Sir John Pollard	Richard Prestwood[7]
1562/3	Thomas Williams, died and replaced 1566 by Sir Peter Carew	Geoffrey Tothill[7]
1571	Geoffrey Tothill	John Vowell alias Hooker[7]
1572	Geoffrey Tothill, died and replaced 1576 by Edward Ameredith	Simon Knight[7]
1584	Thomas Bruarton	Richard Prowse[7]
1586	Edward Drew	John Vowell alias Hooker[7]
1588	Edward Drew	John Peryam[7]
1593	John Hele	John Peryam[7]
1597	John Hele	William Martin[7]
1601	John Hele	John Howell[7]
1604	George Smith	John Prowse
1614	John Prowse	Thomas Martyn
1621–1622	John Prowse	Ignatius Jordain
1624	John Prowse	Nicholas Duck
1625	Ignatius Jordain	Nicholas Duck
1626	Ignatius Jordain	John Hayne
1628-1629	Ignatius Jordain	John Lynn
1629–1640	No Parliaments summoned
Apr 1640	Robert Walker	Simon Snow in place of Jacob Tucker
Nov 1640	Robert Walker disabled 1643	Simon Snow
1645	Simon Snow secluded in Pride's Purge	Samuel Clark
1648	Samuel Clark	(one seat only)
1653	Exeter not represented in the Barebones Parliament
1654	Thomas Bampfield	Thomas Gibbons
1656	Thomas Bampfield	Thomas Westlake
1659	Thomas Bampfield	Maj. Thomas Gibbon

MPs 1660–1885

Two members

Year		First member[8]	First party		Second member[8]	Second party
1660		John Maynard			Thomas Bampfield
1661		Sir James Smyth			Robert Walker
1673					Thomas Walker
1679		William Glyde			Malachi Pyne
1681		Sir Thomas Carew			Thomas Walker
1685		James Walker			Edward Seymour	Tory
Jan 1689		Sir Henry Pollexfen
Jun 1689		Christopher Bale
1695		Edward Seyward			Sir Joseph Tily
1698		Sir Edward Seymour	Tory		Sir Bartholomew Shower
1702					John Snell	Tory
Apr 1708		John Harris	Whig
May 1708					Nicholas Wood	Tory
1710		Sir Coplestone Bampfylde	Tory		John Snell	Tory
1713		John Rolle			Francis Drewe
1715		John Bampfylde
1722		John Rolle
1727		Samuel Molyneux
1728		John Belfield
1734		John King			Thomas Balle
1735		Sir Henry Northcote
1741					Humphrey Sydenham
1743		Sir Richard Bampfylde, Bt
1747		John Tuckfield
1754					John Rolle Walter
1767		William Spicer
1768		John Buller
1774		Sir Charles Bampfylde	Whig[9]
1776					John Baring
1790		James Buller
1796		Sir Charles Bampfylde	Whig[9]
1802					James Buller	Tory[9]
1812		William Courtenay	Tory[9]
1818					Robert Newman	Whig[9]
Feb 1826		Samuel Trehawke Kekewich	Tory[9]
Jun 1826					Lewis William Buck	Tory[9]
1830		James Wentworth Buller	Whig[9]
1832					Edward Divett	Radical[10][11]
1835		Sir William Webb Follett	Conservative[9]
1845		Sir John Duckworth, Bt	Conservative
1857		Richard Gard	Conservative
1864					Viscount Courtenay	Conservative
1865		John Coleridge	Liberal
1868					Edgar Alfred Bowring	Liberal
1873		Arthur Mills	Conservative
1874					John George Johnson	Conservative
1880		Edward Johnson	Liberal		Henry Northcote	Conservative
1885	representation reduced to one member

MPs since 1885

Election	Member[8]		Party
1885		Henry Northcote	Conservative
1899 by-election		Sir Edgar Vincent	Conservative
1906		Sir George Kekewich	Liberal
January 1910		Henry Duke	Conservative
December 1910[12]		Harold St Maur	Liberal
1911[12]		Henry Duke	Conservative
1918		Sir Robert Newman	Conservative
1929			Independent
1931		Arthur Reed	Conservative
1945		John Maude	Conservative
1951		Sir Rolf Dudley-Williams, Bt	Conservative
1966		Gwyneth Dunwoody	Labour
1970		Sir John Hannam	Conservative
1997		Ben Bradshaw	Labour

Elections

Exeter election results since 1900

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Exeter[13][14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Ben Bradshaw	29,882	53.2	−8.8
	Conservative	John Gray	19,479	34.7	+1.8
	Green	Joe Levy	4,838	8.6	+6.8
	Brexit Party	Leslie Willis	1,428	2.5	+2.5
	Independent	Daniel Page	306	0.5	+0.5
	UKIP	Duncan Odgers	259	0.5	+0.5
Majority			10,403	18.5	−10.6
Turnout			56,192	68.5	−3.2
	Labour hold		Swing	−5.8

General election 2017: Exeter[15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Ben Bradshaw	34,336	62.0	+15.6
	Conservative	James Taghdissian	18,219	32.9	−0.2
	Liberal Democrats	Vanessa Newcombe	1,562	2.8	−1.5
	Green	Joe Levy	1,027	1.9	−4.6
	Independent	Jonathan West	212	0.4	N/A
	Independent	Jonathan Bishop	67	0.1	N/A
Majority			16,117	29.1	+15.8
Turnout			55,423	71.7	+1.5
	Labour hold		Swing	+7.9

General election 2015: Exeter[16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Ben Bradshaw	25,062	46.4	+8.2
	Conservative	Dom Morris	17,879	33.1	+0.1
	UKIP	Keith Crawford	5,075	9.4	+5.7
	Green	Diana Moore	3,491	6.5	+4.9
	Liberal Democrats	Joel Mason	2,321	4.3	−16.2
	TUSC	Ed Potts	190	0.4	N/A
Majority			7,183	13.3	+8.1
Turnout			54,018	70.2	+2.5
	Labour hold		Swing	+4.0

General election 2010: Exeter[17][18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Ben Bradshaw	19,942	38.2	−4.0
	Conservative	Hannah Foster	17,221	33.0	+8.1
	Liberal Democrats	Graham Oakes	10,581	20.3	−0.7
	UKIP	Keith Crawford	1,930	3.7	+0.3
	Liberal	Chris Gale	1,108	2.1	−2.3
	Green	Paula Black	792	1.5	−2.3
	BNP	Robert Farmer	673	1.3	+1.3
Majority			2,721	5.2
Turnout			52,247	67.7	+3.4
	Labour hold		Swing	−6.0

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Exeter[19]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Ben Bradshaw	22,619	41.1	−8.7
	Conservative	Peter Cox	14,954	27.2	−0.2
	Liberal Democrats	Jon Underwood	11,340	20.6	+8.2
	Liberal	Margaret Danks	2,214	4.0	−0.9
	Green	Tim Brenan	1,896	3.4	+1.0
	UKIP	Mark Fitzgeorge-Parker	1,854	3.4	+1.3
	Independent	John Stuart	191	0.3	+0.3
Majority			7,665	13.9
Turnout			55,068	64.8	0.6
	Labour hold		Swing	−4.2

General election 2001: Exeter[20]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Ben Bradshaw	26,194	49.8	+2.3
	Conservative	Anne Jobson	14,435	27.4	−1.2
	Liberal Democrats	Richard Copus	6,512	12.4	−5.6
	Liberal	David Morrish	2,596	4.9	+1.6
	Green	Paul Edwards	1,240	2.4	+1.3
	UKIP	John Stuart	1,109	2.1	+1.1
	Socialist Alliance	Francis Choules	530	1.0	N/A
Majority			11,759	22.4	+3.4
Turnout			52,616	64.2	−13.7
	Labour hold		Swing	+1.7

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Exeter[21][22][23]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Ben Bradshaw	29,398	47.5	+11.8
	Conservative	Adrian Rogers	17,693	28.6	−13.5
	Liberal Democrats	Dennis Brewer	11,148	18.0	−1.1
	Liberal	David Morrish	2,062	3.3	+1.5
	Green	Paul Edwards	643	1.0	-0.2
	Independent	Corrine Haynes	638	1.0	N/A
	Independent	James Meakin	282	0.5	N/A
Majority			11,705	18.9
Turnout			61,864	78.2	−4.0
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+12.5

General election 1992: Exeter[24][25]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	John Hannam	25,543	41.1	−3.3
	Labour	John N. Lloyd	22,498	36.2	+13.7
	Liberal Democrats	Graham J. Oakes	12,059	19.4	−12.3
	Liberal	Alison C. Micklem	1,119	1.8	+1.8
	Green	Tim J.R. Brenan	764	1.2	+0.2
	Natural Law	Michael J. Turnbull	98	0.2	N/A
Majority			3,045	4.9	−7.7
Turnout			62,081	80.5	−0.1
	Conservative hold		Swing	−8.5

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Exeter[26]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	John Hannam	26,922	44.4	−2.1
	SDP	Mike Thomas	19,266	31.8	+2.5
	Labour	John Vincent	13,643	22.50	−0.3
	Green	Raymond Vail	597	1.0	−0.4
	L.A.P.P	Nigel Byles	209	0.3	N/A
Majority			7,656	12.63	−4.6
Turnout			60,637	80.6
	Conservative hold		Swing	−2.3

General election 1983: Exeter[27]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	John Hannam	26,660	46.52	−1.9
	SDP	Stuart Mennell	16,780	29.28	+13.68
	Labour	Richard Evans	13,088	22.84	−11.27
	Ecology	Peter Frings	779	1.36	−0.52
Majority			9,880	17.24
Turnout			57,307	78.03
	Conservative hold		Swing	-7.79

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Exeter

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	John Hannam	27,173	48.4	+7.7
	Labour	G.W. Hobbs	19,146	34.1	−2.3
	Liberal	H. Marsh	8,756	15.6	−7.3
	Ecology	Peter Frings	1,053	1.9
Majority			8,027	14.30
Turnout			56,128	81.55
	Conservative hold		Swing	+5.0

General election October 1974: Exeter

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	John Hannam	21,970	40.7	+0.6
	Labour	F Keith Taylor	19,622	36.4	+5.2
	Liberal	David John Morrish	12,342	22.9	−5.9
Majority			2,348	4.4
Turnout			53,934	80.3
	Conservative hold		Swing	-2.9

General election February 1974: Exeter

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	John Hannam	22,762	40.1	−5.7
	Labour	G. Powell	17,686	31.2	−9.6
	Liberal	David John Morrish	16,322	28.8	+15.2
Majority			5,076	8.9
Turnout			56,770	85.3
	Conservative hold		Swing	+7.7

General election 1970: Exeter

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	John Hannam	21,680	45.0	+4.2
	Labour	Gwyneth Dunwoody	20,409	42.4	−6.2
	Liberal	David John Morrish	6,672	13.6	+2.9
Majority			1,271	2.6
Turnout			48,761	81.1
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing	+5.2

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Exeter

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Gwyneth Dunwoody	22,199.[28]	48.6	+10.3
	Conservative	Rolf Dudley-Williams	18,613	40.8	−0.7
	Liberal	Ronald Cuthbert Thompson	4,869	10.7	−9.6
Majority			3,586	7.85
Turnout			45,681	83.63
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+5.49

General election 1964: Exeter

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Rolf Dudley-Williams	18,035	41.4	−7.2
	Labour	Gwyneth Dunwoody	16,673	38.3	+2.4
	Liberal	Ronald Cuthbert Thompson	8,815	20.3	+4.8
Majority			1,362	3.1	−9.6
Turnout			43,523	80.3
	Conservative hold		Swing	−4.8

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Exeter

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Rolf Dudley-Williams	21,579	48.66	−7.62
	Labour	Albert John Rogers	15,918	35.89	−7.83
	Liberal	Gordon Taylor	6,852	15.45	N/A
Majority			5,661	12.76	+0.21
Turnout			44,349	82.00
	Conservative hold		Swing	+0.10

General election 1955: Exeter

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Rolf Dudley-Williams	24,147	56.28	+5.48
	Labour	Leslie Merrion	18,759	43.72	+3.08
Majority			5,388	12.56	+2.40
Turnout			42,906	79.31
	Conservative hold		Swing	+1.20

General election 1951: Exeter

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Rolf Dudley-Williams	23,218	50.80	−2.72
	Labour	Edward Bishop	18,576	40.65	−5.83
	Liberal	Ellen E Tinkham	3,908	8.55	N/A
Majority			4,642	10.16	+3.11
Turnout			45,702	84.13
	Conservative hold		Swing	+1.56

General election 1950: Exeter

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	John Maude	24,339	53.52
	Labour	Tom Horabin	21,135	46.48
Majority			3,204	7.05
Turnout			45,474	86.00
	Conservative hold		Swing

Election in the 1940s

General election 1945: Exeter

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	John Maude	16,420	43.34	−17.44
	Labour	Reginald J Travess	15,245	40.24	+1.02
	Liberal	Freda Evelyn Griffith Morgan	6,220	16.42	+16.42
Majority			1,175	3.10
Turnout			37,885	74.46
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1930s

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 and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected;

• Conservative: Arthur Reed
• Labour: William Robert Robins[29]
• Liberal: Henry Gebhardt
• British Union: Rafe Temple Cotton

General election 1935: Exeter

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Arthur Reed	21,192	60.78	+5.59
	Labour	John Stafford Cripps	13,674	39.22	+17.65
Majority			7,518	21.56
Turnout			34,866	75.86
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1931: Exeter

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Arthur Reed	20,360	55.19	+32.49
	Liberal	Eleanor Acland	8,571	23.23	+23.23
	Labour	James Viner Delahaye	7,958	21.57	−6.23
Majority			11,789	31.96
Turnout			36,889	84.77
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1920s

General election 1929: Exeter[30]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Independent Unionist	Robert Newman	16,642	49.5	−8.0
	Labour	J. Lloyd Jones	9,361	27.8	+2.6
	Unionist	Geoffrey Dorling Roberts	7,622	22.7	n/a
Majority			7,281	21.7	−10.6
Turnout				81.9	−0.2
	Independent Unionist gain from Unionist		Swing	n/a

General election 1924: Exeter[30]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Unionist	Robert Newman	14,522	57.5	−10.2
	Labour	A J Penny	6,359	25.2	−7.1
	Liberal	Thomas Fairchild Day	4,359	17.3	n/a
Majority			8,163	32.3	−3.1
Turnout				82.1	+9.5
	Unionist hold		Swing	−1.5

General election 1923: Exeter [30]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Unionist	Robert Newman	14,908	67.7	+11.0
	Labour	Lothian Small	7,123	32.3	n/a
Majority			7,785	35.4	+22.0
Turnout				72.6	−13.0
	Unionist hold		Swing	n/a

Leonard Costello

General election 1922 : Exeter[30]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Unionist	Robert Newman	14,326	56.7	−2.0
	Liberal	Leonard Costello	10,920	43.3	+2.0
Majority				13.4	−4.0
Turnout				85.6	+17.4
	Unionist hold		Swing	−2.0

Election results 1885-1918

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1885: Exeter [31][32][33]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Henry Northcote	3,315	51.9	−10.9
	Liberal	Edward Johnson	3,074	48.1	+10.9
Majority			241	3.8	N/A
Turnout			6,389	91.8	+15.3 (est)
Registered electors			6,963
	Conservative win

General election 1886: Exeter [31][32]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Henry Northcote	3,222	52.8	+0.9
	Liberal	Edward Johnson	2,879	47.2	−0.9
Majority			343	5.6	+1.8
Turnout			6,101	87.6	−4.2
Registered electors			6,963
	Conservative hold		Swing	+0.9

Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Exeter [31][32]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Henry Northcote	3,884	53.8	+1.0
	Liberal	Albert Dunn	3,329	46.2	−1.0
Majority			555	7.6	+2.0
Turnout			7,213	90.5	+2.9
Registered electors			7,972
	Conservative hold		Swing	+1.0

General election 1895: Exeter [31][32][34]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Henry Northcote	3,857	53.4	−0.4
	Liberal	Adam Spencer Hogg	3,363	46.6	+0.4
Majority			494	6.8	−0.8
Turnout			7,220	88.1	−2.4
Registered electors			8,198
	Conservative hold		Swing	−0.4

1899 Exeter by-election [31][32][34]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Edgar Vincent	4,030	54.5	+0.7
	Liberal	Allan Bright	3,371	45.5	−0.7
Majority			659	9.0	+1.4
Turnout			7,401	86.1	−4.4
Registered electors			8,595
	Conservative hold		Swing	+0.7

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Exeter [31][32][34]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Edgar Vincent	4,001	54.1	+0.7
	Liberal	Allan Bright	3,388	45.9	−0.7
Majority			613	8.2	+1.4
Turnout			7,389	84.9	−3.2
Registered electors			8,708
	Conservative hold		Swing	+0.7

Kekewich

General election 1906: Exeter [31][32]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Liberal	George Kekewich	4,469	50.5	+4.6
	Conservative	Edgar Vincent	4,384	49.5	−4.6
Majority			85	1.0	N/A
Turnout			8,853	92.5	+7.6
Registered electors			9,567
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing	+4.6

Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Exeter [31][35]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Henry Duke	4,902	50.1	+0.6
	Liberal	Harold St. Maur	4,876	49.9	−0.6
Majority			26	0.2	N/A
Turnout			9,778	94.2	+1.7
Registered electors			10,383
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing	+0.6

St Maur

General election December 1910 Exeter[31]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Henry Duke	4,777	50.0	−0.1
	Liberal	Harold St. Maur	4,776	50.0	+0.1
Majority			1	0.0	−0.2
Turnout			9,553	92.0	−2.2
Registered electors			10,383
	Conservative hold		Swing	−0.1

Upon petition, this election was subject to a recount due to the closeness of the results. On the first count, St. Maur led with 4,786 votes to Duke's 4,782. On a second count, St. Maur again led with 4,782 votes to Duke's 4,778. Closer scrutiny led to the above count, allowing Duke to retain the seat.

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: Henry Duke
• Liberal:

Duke is appointed Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, prompting a by-election.

By-election, 1916 Exeter[31]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Unionist	Henry Duke	Unopposed
	Unionist hold

Duke is appointed Lord Justice of Appeal and resigns, prompting a by-election.

By-election, 1918 Exeter[31]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Unionist	Robert Newman	Unopposed
	Unionist hold

General election 1918 Exeter[30]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
C	Unionist	Robert Newman	12,524	58.7	+8.7
	Liberal	Leonard Costello	8,806	41.3	−8.7
Majority			3,718	17.4	+17.4
Turnout			21,330	68.2	−23.8
	Unionist hold		Swing	+8.7
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Election results 1868-1880

Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Exeter (2 seats)[36]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Edward Courtenay	Unopposed
	Liberal	John Coleridge	Unopposed
Registered electors			3,088
	Conservative hold
	Liberal hold

General election 1868: Exeter (2 seats)[36]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Liberal	John Coleridge	2,317	25.8	N/A
	Liberal	Edgar Alfred Bowring	2,247	25.0	N/A
	Conservative	John Burgess Karslake	2,218	24.7	N/A
	Conservative	Arthur Mills	2,206	24.5	N/A
Majority			29	0.3	N/A
Turnout			4,494 (est)	73.0 (est)	N/A
Registered electors			6,156
	Liberal hold		Swing
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing

Coleridge was appointed Solicitor General for England and Wales, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 21 December 1868: Exeter (1 seat)[36]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Liberal	John Coleridge	Unopposed
	Liberal hold

Elections in the 1870s

Coleridge resigned after being appointed Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas

By-election, 11 Dec 1873: Exeter (2 seats)[36]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Arthur Mills	2,346	53.7	+4.5
	Liberal	Edward Watkin[37]	2,025	46.3	−4.5
Majority			321	7.3	N/A
Turnout			4,371	70.4	−2.6
Registered electors			6,206
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing	+4.5

General election 1874: Exeter (2 seats)[36]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Arthur Mills	2,523	27.5	+3.0
	Conservative	John George Johnson	2,330	25.4	+0.7
	Liberal	Edgar Alfred Bowring	2,264	24.7	−0.3
	Liberal	Edward Johnson	2,053	22.4	−3.4
Majority			66	0.7	N/A
Turnout			4,585 (est)	72.4 (est)	−0.6
Registered electors			6,337
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing	+1.7
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing	+2.1

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Exeter (2 seats)[36]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Liberal	Edward Johnson	3,038	37.2	−9.9
	Conservative	Henry Northcote	2,590	31.7	+6.3
	Conservative	Arthur Mills	2,545	31.1	+3.6
Majority			448	5.5	N/A
Turnout			5,628 (est)	76.5 (est)	+4.1
Registered electors			7,361
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing	+5.6
	Conservative hold		Swing	+4.0

Election results 1832-1868

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1832: Exeter (2 seats)[36][9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Whig	James Wentworth Buller	1,615	43.4	+1.4
	Radical	Edward Divett	1,121	30.1	+7.5
	Tory	William Webb Follett	985	26.5	−6.1
Turnout			2,055	69.6	c. −0.4
Registered electors			2,952
Majority			494	13.3	+1.1
	Whig hold		Swing	+2.2
Majority			136	3.7	N/A
	Radical gain from Tory		Swing	+5.3

General election 1835: Exeter (2 seats)[36][9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	William Webb Follett	1,425	39.3	+12.8
	Radical	Edward Divett	1,176	32.4	+2.3
	Whig	James Wentworth Buller	1,029	28.3	−15.1
Turnout			2,242	69.2	−0.4
Registered electors			3,239
Majority			249	6.9	N/A
	Conservative gain from Whig		Swing	+10.2
Majority			147	4.0	+0.3
	Radical hold		Swing	+4.9

General election 1837: Exeter (2 seats)[36][9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	William Webb Follett	Unopposed
	Radical	Edward Divett	Unopposed
Registered electors			3,488
	Conservative hold
	Radical hold

Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Exeter (2 seats)[36][9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	William Webb Follett	1,302	36.0	N/A
	Radical	Edward Divett	1,192	33.0	N/A
	Conservative	Algernon Percy	1,119	31.0	N/A
Turnout			2,302	62.2	N/A
Registered electors			3,698
Majority			110	3.0	N/A
	Conservative hold		Swing	N/A
Majority			73	2.0	N/A
	Radical hold		Swing	N/A

Follett was appointed Solicitor General of England and Wales, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 13 September 1841: Exeter[36]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	William Webb Follett	Unopposed
	Conservative hold

Follett was appointed Attorney General of England and Wales, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 20 April 1844: Exeter[36]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	William Webb Follett	1,293	71.0	+4.0
	Whig	John Briggs[38]	529	29.0	−4.0
Majority			764	41.9	+38.9
Turnout			1,822	48.9	−13.3
Registered electors			3,728
	Conservative hold		Swing	+4.0

Follett's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 7 July 1845: Exeter[36]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	John Duckworth	1,258	68.1	+1.1
	Whig	John Briggs	588	31.9	−1.1
Majority			670	36.3	+33.3
Turnout			1,846	49.5	−12.7
Registered electors			3,728
	Conservative hold		Swing	+1.1

General election 1847: Exeter (2 seats)[36]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	John Duckworth	Unopposed
	Radical	Edward Divett	Unopposed
Registered electors			3,798
	Conservative hold
	Radical hold

Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Exeter (2 seats)[36]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	John Duckworth	1,210	34.5	N/A
	Radical	Edward Divett	1,191	33.9	N/A
	Conservative	George Buck[39]	1,111	31.6	N/A
Turnout			2,352 (est)	94.0 (est)	N/A
Registered electors			2,501
Majority			19	0.5	N/A
	Conservative hold		Swing	N/A
Majority			80	2.3	N/A
	Radical hold		Swing	N/A

General election 1857: Exeter (2 seats)[36]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Richard Gard	Unopposed
	Radical	Edward Divett	Unopposed
Registered electors			3,162
	Conservative hold
	Radical hold

General election 1859: Exeter (2 seats)[36]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Richard Gard	Unopposed
	Liberal	Edward Divett	Unopposed
Registered electors			3,216
	Conservative hold
	Liberal hold

Elections in the 1860s

Divett's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 4 August 1864: Exeter (1 seat)[36]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative	Edward Courtenay	1,096	50.6	N/A
	Liberal	John Coleridge	1,070	49.4	N/A
Majority			26	1.2	N/A
Turnout			2,166	84.5	N/A
Registered electors			2,564
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing	N/A

Elections before 1832

General election 1831: Exeter (2 seats)[9][40]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Whig	James Wentworth Buller	753	44.8
	Tory	Lewis William Buck	548	32.6
	Radical	Edward Divett	379	22.6
Turnout			910	c. 70.0
Registered electors			c. 1,300
Majority			205	12.2
	Whig hold
Majority			169	10.1
	Tory hold

General election 1830: Exeter (2 seats)[9][40]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Tory	Lewis William Buck	Unopposed
	Whig	James Wentworth Buller	Unopposed
	Tory hold
	Whig gain from Tory

See also

• List of Parliamentary constituencies in Devon

Notes and references

Notes

1. A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
2. As with all constituencies, Exeter elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.

References

1. "Electoral statistics for the UK - Office for National Statistics". 2018 Electorate Figures. Office for National Statistics. 1 December 2018. Archived from the original on 6 November 2010. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
2. UK Polling report https://ukpollingreport.co.uk/2015guide/exeter/
3. "Final recommendations for Parliamentary constituencies in the counties of Devon, Plymouth and Torbay". Boundary Commission for England. 24 November 2004. Archived from the original on 2 November 2009. Retrieved 25 April 2010.
4. "PRESCOTT, John (c.1327-1412), of Prescott, Rake and Exeter, Devon". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
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. "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
8. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "E" (part 2)
9. Stooks Smith, Henry. (1973) [1844-1850]. Craig, F. W. S. (ed.). The Parliaments of England (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. pp. 69–70. ISBN 0-900178-13-2.
10. Churton, Edward (1836). The Assembled Commons or Parliamentary Biographer: 1836. p. 72. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
11. Dod, Charles Roger; Dod, Robert Phipps (1847). Dod's Parliamentary Companion, Volume 15. Dod's Parliamentary Companion. p. 156. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
12. At the December 1910 election, Harold St Maur was declared the winner by 4 votes, and the same majority was recorded after a recount. However, an electoral petition was heard in April 1911, at which Henry Duke was declared the winner by 1 vote.
13. Street, John (14 November 2019). "Statement of persons nominated and notice of poll" (PDF). Exeter City Council. Acting Returning Officer.
14. "Exeter parliamentary constituency - Election 2019". BBC News. BBC. 13 December 2019.
15. "2017 general election candidates in Devon". Devon Live. 11 May 2017. Archived from the original on 11 May 2017. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
16. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
17. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
18. Bostock, Philip (20 April 2010). "Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll" (PDF). Acting Returning Officer, Exeter City Council. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
19. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
20. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
21. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
22. "Exeter: Constituency". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
23. Morgan, Bryn (29 March 2001). "General Election results, 1 May 1997" (PDF). Social & General Statistics Section, House of Commons Library. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 December 2008. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
24. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
25. "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
26. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
27. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
28. The Returning Officer gave Dunwoody 22,189 when announcing the result on the night. This was broadcast on the BBC election Night coverage
29. Report of the Annual Conference of the Labour Party, 1939
30. Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
31. British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, FWS Craig
32. The Liberal Year Book, 1907
33. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886
34. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
35. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
36. Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
37. "Exeter Representation". Western Times. 10 November 1873. pp. 3–4. Retrieved 29 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
38. "Derbyshire Courier". 20 April 1844. p. 2. Retrieved 5 November 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
39. "Exeter Election". Exeter and Plymouth Gazette. 10 July 1852. pp. 4, 7. Retrieved 7 May 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
40. Jenkins, Terry. "Exeter". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 13 April 2020.