# East Somerset (UK Parliament constituency)

East Somerset was the name of a parliamentary constituency in Somerset, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom between 1832 and 1918.
From 1832 to 1885, it returned two Members of Parliament (MPs), elected by the bloc vote system of election. From 1885 to 1918, a different constituency of the same name returned one MP, elected by the first past the post voting system.

## Boundaries

1832–1868: The Hundreds or Liberties of Bath Forum, Bempstone, Brent and Wrington, Bruton, Catsash, Chew and Chewton, Norton Ferris, Frome, Glaston Twelve Hides, Hampton and Claverton, Horethorne, Keynsham, Kilmersdon, Mells and Leigh, Portbury, Wellow, Wells Forum, Whitstone, Winterstoke, and Witham Friary, and the parts of the Hundred of Hartcliffe with Bedminster excluded from the limits of the City of Bristol.
1885–1918: The Sessional Divisions of Somerton and Wincanton, and part of the Sessional Divisions of Shepton Mallet and Wells.

## History
### 1832–1868

The constituency, formally called The Eastern Division of Somerset, was created for the 1832 general election, when the former Somerset constituency was divided into new East and West divisions. It also absorbed the voters from the abolished borough of Milborne Port. The constituency might have been better described as North-Eastern Somerset, since its limits stopped well short of the southern extremities of the county. It surrounded the cities of Bath and Wells (although both were boroughs electing MPs in their own right, freeholders within these boroughs who met the property-owning qualifications for the county franchise could vote in East Somerset as well, as could those in Frome); other towns in the division were Glastonbury, Burnham-on-Sea, Clevedon, Keynsham, Midsomer Norton, Portishead, Radstock, Shepton Mallet, Somerton and Weston-super-Mare.

### 1868–1885

The Second Reform Act brought about significant boundary changes, which came into effect at the 1868 general election, as Somerset was given a third county constituency. The southern end of East Somerset (including Glastonbury, Radstock, Shepton Mallet and Somerton as well as the area round Frome and Wells) was moved into the new Mid Somerset division. The revised East Somerset constituency was now defined as consisting of the Long Ashton, Axbridge, Keynsham, Temple Cloud and Weston Petty Sessional Divisions.

### 1885–1918

At the 1885 general election, there were further radical boundary changes, Somerset's three two-member county divisions together with one abolished borough being reorganised into seven single-member county constituencies. One of these took the name of Eastern Somerset, but this included none of the voters from the 1867-85 East Somerset constituency, who were divided between the new Frome, Northern Somerset and Wells divisions.
The new Eastern division was carved out of the previous Mid Somerset division, with Shepton Mallet being its largest town; it also included Somerton, Street and Wincanton. This was a predominantly rural constituency, though with some industry in the towns (notably brewing and bootmaking), and a strong Nonconformist religious tradition. It would probably have been a safe Liberal seat, but when its sitting Liberal MP joined the Liberal Unionists when the party split in 1886, he had no difficulty holding his seat until he retired.

### Abolition

The constituency was abolished for the 1918 general election, when Somerset's number of county members was reduced by one. It was mostly replaced by the revised Wells county constituency, but the town of Somerton was transferred to Yeovil.

## Members of Parliament
### MPs 1832–1885

| Election | 1st Member | 1st Member | 1st Party | 2nd Member | 2nd Member | 2nd Party |
| 1832 | | William Gore-Langton | Whig | | William Papwell Brigstocke | Whig |
| Feb. 1834 by-election | | William Gore-Langton | Whig | | William Miles$^1$ | Tory |
| Dec. 1834 | | William Gore-Langton | Whig | | William Miles$^1$ | Conservative |
| 1847 by-election | | William Pinney | Whig | | William Miles$^1$ | Conservative |
| 1852 | | William Knatchbull | Conservative | | William Miles$^1$ | Conservative |
| 1865 | | Ralph Neville-Grenville | Conservative | | Richard Paget | Conservative |
| 1868 | | Ralph Shuttleworth Allen | Conservative | | Richard Bright | Conservative |
| 1878 by-election | | Ralph Shuttleworth Allen | Conservative | | Sir Philip Miles, Bt | Conservative |
| 1879 by-election | | Lord Brooke | Conservative | | Sir Philip Miles, Bt | Conservative |
| 1885 | Redistribution of Seats Act: Name transferred to a different constituency, electing only one member | Redistribution of Seats Act: Name transferred to a different constituency, electing only one member | Redistribution of Seats Act: Name transferred to a different constituency, electing only one member | Redistribution of Seats Act: Name transferred to a different constituency, electing only one member | Redistribution of Seats Act: Name transferred to a different constituency, electing only one member | Redistribution of Seats Act: Name transferred to a different constituency, electing only one member |
Notes $^1$ Miles was created a Baronet in 1859.

### MPs 1885–1918

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1885 | Henry Hobhouse | Liberal |
| 1886 | Henry Hobhouse | Liberal Unionist |
| 1906 | John Thompson | Liberal |
| 1910 | Ernest Jardine | Liberal Unionist |
| 1912 | Ernest Jardine | Conservative |
| 1918 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |

## Election results
### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1832: East Somerset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | William Gore-Langton | 4,249 | 35.8 |
| | Whig | William Papwell Brigstock | 4,003 | 33.8 |
| | Tory | William Miles | 3,603 | 30.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 400 | 3.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,694 | 85.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,996 | |
| | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) |
| | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) |
Brigstock's death caused a by-election.
By-election, 3 February 1834: East Somerset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | William Miles | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig |
General election 1835: East Somerset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | William Gore-Langton | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | William Miles | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,107 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
| | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig |
General election 1837: East Somerset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | William Gore-Langton | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | William Miles | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,561 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: East Somerset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Miles | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig | William Gore-Langton | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,759 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
Gore-Langton's death caused a by-election.
By-election, 10 April 1847: East Somerset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | William Pinney | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1847: East Somerset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Miles | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig | William Pinney | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,655 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: East Somerset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Miles | 4,643 | 38.9 | N/A |
| | Conservative | William Knatchbull | 4,309 | 36.1 | N/A |
| | Whig | Arthur Elton | 2,984 | 25.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,325 | 11.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,460 (est) | 73.6 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,140 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig |
General election 1857: East Somerset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Knatchbull | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | William Miles | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,592 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1859: East Somerset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Knatchbull | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | William Miles | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,644 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: East Somerset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Richard Paget | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Ralph Neville-Grenville | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,867 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1868: East Somerset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ralph Shuttleworth Allen | 3,887 | 29.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Richard Bright | 3,848 | 29.4 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Arthur Hayter | 2,704 | 20.6 | New |
| | Liberal | William Pinney | 2,656 | 20.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,144 | 8.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,548 (est) | 74.4 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,795 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: East Somerset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ralph Shuttleworth Allen | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Richard Bright | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,435 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Bright's death caused a by-election.
By-election, 20 Mar 1878: East Somerset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Philip Miles | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Allen resigned, causing a by-election.
By-election, 19 Mar 1879: East Somerset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Francis Greville | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: East Somerset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Francis Greville | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Philip Miles | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,360 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1885: East Somerset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Henry Hobhouse | 4,732 | 59.1 | New |
| | Conservative | Henry Hoare | 3,280 | 40.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,452 | 18.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,012 | 85.7 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,344 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative |
General election 1886: East Somerset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | Henry Hobhouse | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: East Somerset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | Henry Hobhouse | 4,330 | 54.8 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Charles Morley | 3,575 | 45.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 755 | 9.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,905 | 85.8 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,208 | | |
| | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold |
General election 1895: East Somerset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | Henry Hobhouse | 4,408 | 56.9 | +2.1 |
| | Liberal | John Swinburne-Hanham | 3,334 | 43.1 | −2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,074 | 13.8 | +4.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,742 | 83.5 | −2.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,268 | | |
| | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Swing | +2.1 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: East Somerset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | Henry Hobhouse | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold |
General election 1906: East Somerset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Thompson | 4,553 | 53.9 | New |
| | Liberal Unionist | Bertram Falle | 3,890 | 46.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 663 | 7.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,443 | 86.9 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,717 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist | Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist | Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist | Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist | Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: East Somerset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | Ernest Jardine | 4,997 | 55.7 | +9.6 |
| | Liberal | John Thompson | 3,970 | 44.3 | −9.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,027 | 11.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,967 | | |
| | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | +9.6 | |
General election December 1910: East Somerset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | Ernest Jardine | 4,748 | 55.1 | −0.6 |
| | Liberal | John Thompson | 3,875 | 44.9 | +0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 873 | 10.2 | −1.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,623 | | |
| | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Swing | -0.6 | |
General Election 1914–15:
Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;
* Unionist: Ernest Jardine
* Liberal: John Thompson