Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1801–1918
This article cites its sources but does not provide page references . (October 2023 )
Leicester was a parliamentary borough in Leicestershire , which elected two members of parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons from 1295 until 1918, when it was split into three single-member divisions.
History
Leicester sent burgesses to Parliament for the first time in 1295. Originally both Members were chosen by the whole 'commons' of the borough until at least 1407, when Thomas Denton and John Tonge were stated to have been chosen 'per totam communitatem tocius burgi'. At some unknown date before the middle of the 15th century, however, the 'commons', lost power within the borough and were restricted to the election of just one of the Members, the other being chosen by the mayor and 24 jurats (or aldermen). This situation was reversed by the middle of the sixteenth century.
Although most Members were citizens, usually officials, of the borough there was considerable influence and involvement by the two leading families, the Hastings and the Greys during the 16th and 17th centuries.
The constituency was abolished in 1918 and replaced by Leicester East, Leicester South and Leicester West.
Members of Parliament
1295–1640
Parliament
First member
Second member
1294
Ralph Norman
Robert de Scarnford
1299
Robert Knythtecote
Roger de Glenne
?1299
Richard Donnington
Roger de Glenne
1301
Ralph Tewe
1304
Richard Soning
Nicholas de Glenne
1306
Ralph Norman
Henry de Carleton
1307
William Lyndrych
William le Palmer
1308
Henry Erdington
Richard Eggbaston
1310
William Lyndrych
Peter de Kent
1311
William Lyndrych
Robert de Leicester
1312
William Clowne
Richard Leverych
?1312
Robert Hereward
Nicholas Mercer
1313
Roger de Glenne
John Stocton
1314
William de Benham
Simon de Lyndrych
?1314
Roger Pickering
William le Palmer
1318
Thomas Fox
William le Palmer, jnr
?1318
Henry Palmer
John Derby
1321
Geoffrey de Staunton
John Derby
1322
Ralph Burton
Walter Busseby
1326
William Reddington
William Jolly
1327
John FitzHenry of Leicester
John Geryn
1328
Richard Claver
John Leverich
1328
Richard Claver
John Geryn
1328
Rad de Seccheville
Robert de Waltham
1329
John de Glenne
Willim Petlyng
1330
Richard de Bonyngton
Robert de Gryndon or
William Wareyn
1330
John de Leverych
Thomas Dawbenny
1332
Henry Merlins
Richard de Donnington
1332
William de Cloune
Richard Leverich
1333
John Leverych
John FitzHenry or
John de Garthorp
1334
Richard Foxton
Richard Clerk
1334
John Leverich
Robert de Foston
1336
John Leverych
John Querndon
?1336
William Rodington
William le Palmer
1337
Richard de Donnington
Richard Leycester
1337
Richard de Donnington
John Martyn
1338
Richard de Donnington
John Querndon
1338
Richard de Donnington
John Turvey
?1338
William Palmer
Thomas Fox
?1338
John Harding
Robert Bonyng
1339
William Warryn
Thomas Fitz Robert
1339
William Leverich
Richard de Walcote
1340
Nicholas Radding
William Fitz Richard
?1340
Richard Walcote
William Brad
?1340
Ralph Burton
John Blake
1341
John le Clerk
William Donnington
1343
Walter Busseby
William Reddington
1346
Richard Walcot
William Dunstable
1347
Richard Beby
Allan Sutton
1348
John Recenour
William Wakefield
1350
William Dunstable
Thomas Beby
1351
William Dunstable
Thomas Beby
1354
John Martin
John de Hodynges
1355
Thomas Beby
1357
John de Petlyng
Thomas de Crom.
1360
Thomas Beby
Roger Belgrave
?1360
Roger Knyghton
Thomas Beby
1362
Richard Knyghton
William Burton
1363
John Peterburgh
Roger Kilby
1365
William Tabb
John Stafford
1368
Walter Lynd
Roger de Belgrave
1369
William Burton
William atte Greene
1371
William Taillard
Richard de Knyghton
1372
William atte Greene
Roger Beby
1373
John Stafford
John Peterburgh
1375
Henry de Petlyng
Henry de Clipstone
1377
William Huntedon
John Stafford
?1377
William Humberstone
William de Thornton
1378
John Chapman
Andrew Glasewright
1379
John de Stafford
William Ferrour
1380
John Sherote
Richard Boyes
1381
Stephen Chambre
Robert Norton
1382
John Stafford
Thomas Wakefield
?1382
Roger Belgrave
Richard Braunston
1383
Geoffrey Clerk
John Fode
1386
Geoffrey Clerk
William Morton
1388 (Feb)
Geoffrey Clerk
William Morton
1388 (Sep)
Geoffrey Clerk
John Cook
1390 (Jan)
?Geoffrey Clerk
1390 (Nov)
1391
Geoffrey Clerk
Henry Beeby
1393
Thomas Wakefield
John Houghton
1394
?Geoffrey Clerk
Henry Beeby
1395
Robert Skillington
Henry Beeby
1397 (Jan)
Thomas Wakefield
Roger Humberston
1397 (Sep)
Thomas Bailly
Richard Falconer
1399
William Bispham
John Church
1401
John London
Peter Clerk
1402
1404 (Jan)
1404 (Oct)
1406
John Donyngton
Roger Goldsmith
1407
Thomas Denton
John Tonge
1410
Robert Evington
John Church
1411
Robert Evington
Ralph Brasier
1413 (Feb)
1413 (May)
John Hewet
John Church
1414 (Apr)
Ralph Brasier
Thomas Denton
1414 (Nov)
Henry Forster
Robert Evington
1415
1416 (Mar)
1416 (Oct)
1417
1419
Henry Forster
Ralph Brasier
1420
John Pykwell
John Church
1421 (May)
Ralph Brasier
John Church
1421 (Dec)
Henry Forster
John Nightingale
1423
Ralph Brasier
1426
Ralph Brasier
1432
Ralph Brasier
1455–1456
Thomas Dalton
1510–1515
No names known
1523
William Bolt
Roger Wigston
1529
Thomas Brokesby
Robert Harward
1536
?
1539
John Beaumont
William Wigston
1542
Robert Burdett
?John Beaumont
1545
Edward Hastings
John Throckmorton
1547
George Swillington
Ralph Skinner
1553 (Mar)
George Swillington
Robert Cotton
1553 (Oct)
William Faunt
Thomas Farnham
1554 (Apr)
Francis Farnham
Thomas Jenkinson
1554 (Nov)
Francis Farnham
Hugh Aston
1555
Francis Farnham
?
1558
Robert Breham
Maurice Tyttell
1559 (Jan)
John Hastings
Robert Breham
1562–1563
Robert Breham
Rubert Brokesby
1571
Thomas Cave
Stephen Hales
1572 (Apr)
Robert Breham
John Stanford I
1584 (Nov)
Henry Skipwith
Thomas Johnson
1586 (Oct)
Henry Skipwith
Thomas Johnson
1588 (Oct)
John Chippendale
Robert Heyrick
1593
John Stanford I
James Clarke
1597 (Sep)
George Parkins
John Stanford II
1601 (Oct)
George Belgrave
William Herrick
1604
William Skipwith , died 1610 and replaced by Henry Rich )
Henry Beaumont
1614
Henry Rich
Sir Francis Leigh
1621–1622
Sir Richard Moryson
Sir William Herrick
1624
Sir Humphrey May
William Ive
1625
Thomas Jermyn
Sir Humphrey May , sat for Lancaster and repl. by Sir George Hastings )
1626
Sir Humphrey May
Sir George Hastings
1628
Sir Humphrey May
Sir John Stanhope
1629–1640
No parliaments summoned
1640–1918
Notes
^ The election of 1847 was declared void on petition and a by-election was held
Election results
Elections in the 1830s
Duckworth resigned after being appointed as Master of the Court of Chancery.
Elections in the 1840s
The election was declared void on petition on 1 June 1848, due to bribery by Walmsley and Gardner's agents, causing a by-election.
Elections in the 1850s
Gardner's death caused a by-election.
Elections in the 1860s
Noble's death caused a by-election.
Biggs resigned, causing a by-election.
Elections in the 1870s
Elections in the 1880s
Taylor resigned, causing a by-election.
Elections in the 1890s
Both Picton and Whitehead resigned. The House of Commons passed separate resolutions for two by-elections, and two separate election writs were issued to Leicester Corporation . However, Israel Hart , the mayor of Leicester , decided to economise by holding a single by-election for both vacancies. In 1895, a select committee of the Commons reported that this procedure was incorrect, but that since it was adopted in good faith and without objection from any of the candidates, the result would be allowed to stand.
Walter Hazell
Joseph Burgess
Elections in the 1900s
Henry Broadhurst
MacDonald
Thomasson
Elections in the 1910s
Gordon Hewart
Notes and References
Notes
^ a b Calculated from half of 1906 result
References
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