# Cirencester (UK Parliament constituency)

Cirencester was a parliamentary constituency in Gloucestershire. From 1571 until 1885, it was a parliamentary borough, which returned two Member of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1868, and one member between 1868 and 1885. In 1885 the borough was abolished but the name was transferred to the county constituency in which it stood; this constituency was abolished for the 1918 general election.

## History

The town sent Members to Parliament on at least one occasion during the 14th century and again in 1547. Cirencester borough as established in 1571 consisted of part of the parish of Cirencester, a market town in the east of Gloucestershire. In 1831, the population of the borough was 4,420, and the town contained 917 houses.
The right to vote was exercised by all resident householders of the borough who were not receiving alms, an unusually liberal franchise for the period in any but the smallest towns, which meant that there were about 500 qualified voters. This arose from the chance that a dispute over the franchise arose in 1624, and the House of Commons had to decide whether only the freeholders could vote or if the right should extend to all the householders. The 1620s was a rare period when the Commons as a matter of policy tended to decide for the broadest interpretation in franchise disputes (all 15 cases brought before them in that decade were resolved in favour of the solution which enfranchised most voters), and consequently in Cirencester the householders acquired the right of which they were never subsequently deprived (and which was later confirmed at another disputed election in 1724). Another election petition, in 1709, turned on whether the inhabitants of the Abbey, Emery and Sperringate Lane sections of the town were included within the borough; the Commons ruled that they were, but they were excluded again after yet another disputed election in 1792.
Despite Cirencester's relatively large electorate, the local landowners (or "patrons") were able to exert a very substantial influence over the elections, and it could probably be fairly described as a pocket borough. From at least the start of the 18th century, the Bathurst family were Lords of the Manor and had a share of the patronage, almost invariably filling one of the seats themselves and occasionally nominating the other MP as well. The Master family, whose influence predated that of the Bathursts, were able to command the second seat for long periods. In the 18th century, both the Bathursts and the Masters were Tories. Nevertheless, there were signs that the townspeople could show independence on occasion: in 1754, when the head of the Masters was a child and the Bathursts tried to take both seats, Cirencester shocked its Tory patrons by electing a local Whig nobleman instead.
The Reform Act 1832 extended the borough's boundaries slightly to include the whole of the parish, increasing the population to 5,420; but even with the revised franchise this gave Cirencester only 604 electors. The reform apparently did little to democratise the borough, for Bathursts and Masters continued to be elected almost continually throughout its existence. As subsequent Reform Acts raised the barrier for representation, Cirencester lost one of its two MPs in 1868 and had its boundaries further extended to take in the adjoining parish of Stratton; but, still too small, the borough was abolished altogether in 1885.
However, the name was transferred to the county constituency in which the town was placed, formally called The Eastern (or Cirencester) Division of Gloucestershire. This was a substantially-sized constituency fairly similar in its boundaries to the modern Cotswold District Council, with a strong rural element but including a number of small towns apart from Cirencester - Chipping Campden, Fairford, Moreton-in-Marsh, Tetbury and Stow-on-the-Wold among them. In character it proved more Liberal than Cirencester borough had done, though this may have been as much from the dilution of the Bathurst influence as from political factors - consequently instead of being a safe Conservative seat it was generally a knife-edge marginal. Arthur Winterbotham, the Liberal who had won the constituency by 700 votes at its first election, in 1885, was re-elected unopposed when he became a Liberal Unionist in 1886, but when he switched back to the Liberals at the next general election his majority fell to 153. Winterbotham died later the same year, and the by-election was decided in favour of the Conservative candidate, Colonel Thomas Chester-Master, by just 3 votes; but his defeated opponent petitioned against the result and after further scrutiny of the ballots the result was revised and declared to be tied. It was impossible at this stage to give a casting vote to the returning officer (the usual solution to a tied election at that period), so the election had to be run again.
The constituency was abolished in 1918, being split between the new Cirencester and Tewkesbury and Stroud constituencies.

## Boundaries

1885–1918: The Sessional Divisions of Chipping Campden, Cirencester, Fairford, Moreton-in-Marsh, Northleach, Stow-on-the-Wold, and Tetbury.

## Members of Parliament
### MPs 1547

| Year | First member | Second member |
| 1547 | John Eston | George Ferrers |

### Borough constituency (1571–1885)
#### MPs 1571–1640

| Year | First member | Second member |
| 1571 | Gabriel Blike | Thomas Poole |
| 1572 | Thomas Poole | Thomas Strange |
| 1584 | Thomas Poole (jun) | William Estcourt |
| 1586 | George Master | William Bridges, sat for Gloucestershire and was replaced by Charles Danvers |
| 1589 | Charles Danvers | George Master |
| 1593 | Oliver St John | Henry Ferrers |
| 1597 | Henry Poole | James Wroughton |
| 1601 | Richard Browne | Richard George |
| 1604–1611 | Arnold Oldsworth | Richard Martin, sat for Christchurch and was replaced by Edward Jones, who died and was replaced by Sir Anthony Manie |
| 1614 | Sir Anthony Manie | Robert Strange |
| 1621–1622 | Sir Thomas Roe | Thomas Nicholas |
| 1624 | Henry Poole | Sir William Master |
| 1625 | Sir Miles Sandys | Henry Poole |
| 1626 | Sir Neville Poole | John George |
| 1628–1629 | Sir Giles Estcourt | John George |

#### MPs 1640–1868

| Year | | First member | First party | | Second member | Second party |
| April 1640 | | Henry Poole | | | John George | |
| November 1640 | | Sir Theobald Gorges | Royalist | | John George | Royalist |
| January 1644 | Gorges and George disabled from sitting - both seats vacant | Gorges and George disabled from sitting - both seats vacant | Gorges and George disabled from sitting - both seats vacant | Gorges and George disabled from sitting - both seats vacant | Gorges and George disabled from sitting - both seats vacant | Gorges and George disabled from sitting - both seats vacant |
| February 1648 | | Sir Thomas Fairfax | | | Nathaniel Rich | |
| December 1648 | Fairfax not recorded as sitting after Pride's Purge | Fairfax not recorded as sitting after Pride's Purge | Fairfax not recorded as sitting after Pride's Purge | | | | Nathaniel Rich |
| 1653 | Cirencester was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament | Cirencester was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament | Cirencester was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament | Cirencester was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament | Cirencester was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament | Cirencester was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament |
| 1654 | | John Stone | | Cirencester had only one seat in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Cirencester had only one seat in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Cirencester had only one seat in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate |
| 1656 | | John Stone | | Cirencester had only one seat in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Cirencester had only one seat in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Cirencester had only one seat in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate |
| January 1659 | | John Stone | | | Richard Southby | |
| May 1659 | | Nathaniel Rich | | One seat vacant | One seat vacant | One seat vacant |
| April 1660 | | Thomas Master | | | Henry Powle | |
| 1661 | | The Earl of Newburgh | | | John George | |
| 1671 | | Henry Powle | | | John George | |
| 1679 | | Henry Powle | | | Sir Robert Atkyns | |
| 1685 | | Thomas Master | | | Charles Levingston | |
| 1689 | | Thomas Master | | | John Grubham Howe | |
| March 1690 | | Richard Howe | | | Henry Powle | |
| November 1690 | | Richard Howe | | | John Grubham Howe | |
| 1698 | | Henry Ireton | | | Charles Coxe | |
| January 1701 | | James Thynne | | | Charles Coxe | |
| December 1701 | | William Master | | | Charles Coxe | |
| 1705 | | Allen Bathurst | | | Henry Ireton | |
| 1708 | | Allen Bathurst | | | Charles Coxe | |
| 1712 | | Thomas Master | Tory | | Charles Coxe | |
| 1713 | | Thomas Master | Tory | | Benjamin Bathurst | Tory |
| 1727 | | Thomas Master | Tory | | Peter Bathurst | Tory |
| 1734 | | Thomas Master | Tory | | William Wodehouse | |
| 1735 | | Thomas Master | Tory | | Henry Bathurst | Tory |
| 1747 | | Thomas Master | Tory | | Henry Bathurst | Tory |
| 1749 | | John Coxe | | | Henry Bathurst | Tory |
| 1754 | | Hon. Benjamin Bathurst | Tory | | Hon. John Dawnay | Whig |
| 1761 | | James Whitshed | Tory | | Hon. John Dawnay | Whig |
| 1768 | | James Whitshed | Tory | | Estcourt Cresswell | |
| 1774 | | James Whitshed | Tory | | Samuel Blackwell | |
| 1783 | | Henry Bathurst | Tory | | Samuel Blackwell | |
| 1784 | | Henry Bathurst | Tory | | Samuel Blackwell | Whig |
| 1785 | | Henry Bathurst | Tory | | Richard Master | Tory |
| 1792 | | Henry Bathurst | Tory | | (Sir) Robert Preston | Tory |
| 1795 | | Michael Hicks-Beach | Tory | | (Sir) Robert Preston | Tory |
| 1806 | | Michael Hicks-Beach | Tory | | Joseph Cripps | Tory |
| 1812 | | Michael Hicks-Beach | Tory | | Henry Bathurst | Tory |
| 1818 | | Joseph Cripps | Tory | | Henry Bathurst | Tory |
| 1834 | | Joseph Cripps | Conservative | | Lord Edward Somerset | Conservative |
| 1837 | | Joseph Cripps | Conservative | | Thomas Chester-Master I | Conservative |
| 1841 | | William Cripps | Conservative | | Thomas Chester-Master I | Conservative |
| 1844 | | William Cripps | Conservative | | George Child-Villiers | Conservative |
| 1848 | | Joseph Mullings | Conservative | | George Child-Villiers | Conservative |
| 1852 | | Joseph Mullings | Conservative | | Hon. Ashley Ponsonby | Whig |
| 1857 | | Joseph Mullings | Conservative | | Allen Bathurst | Conservative |
| 1859 | | Hon. Ashley Ponsonby | Liberal | | Allen Bathurst | Conservative |
| 1865 | | Hon. Ralph Dutton | Conservative | | Allen Bathurst | Conservative |
| 1868 | Representation reduced to one member | Representation reduced to one member | Representation reduced to one member | Representation reduced to one member | Representation reduced to one member | Representation reduced to one member |

#### MPs 1868–1885

| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| | 1868 | Allen Bathurst, later Earl Bathurst | Conservative |
| | 1878 by-election | Thomas Chester-Master II | Conservative |
| 1885 | 1885 | Borough abolished - name transferred to county division | Borough abolished - name transferred to county division |

### County constituency (1885–1918)

| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| | 1885 | Arthur Winterbotham | Liberal |
| | 1886 | Arthur Winterbotham | Liberal Unionist |
| | 1892 | Arthur Winterbotham | Liberal |
| | 1892 by-election | Thomas Chester-Master | Conservative |
| | 1893 by-election | Harry Levy-Lawson | Liberal |
| | 1895 | Hon. Benjamin Bathurst | Conservative |
| | 1906 | Walter Essex | Liberal |
| | 1910 | Hon. Benjamin Bathurst | Conservative |
| 1918 | 1918 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |

## Elections
### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Cirencester (2 seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Tory | Henry Bathurst | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Tory | Joseph Cripps | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
| Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
General election 1831: Cirencester (2 seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Tory | Henry Bathurst | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Tory | Joseph Cripps | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
| Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
General election 1832: Cirencester (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | Henry Bathurst | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Tory | Joseph Cripps | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 604 | | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
By-election, 6 August 1834: Cirencester :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | Edward Somerset | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
* Caused by Henry Bathurst's succession to the Peerage, becoming 4th Earl Bathurst
General election 1835: Cirencester (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Joseph Cripps | 494 | 49.9 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Edward Somerset | 405 | 40.9 | N/A |
| | Whig | Thomas Denman Whatley | 91 | 9.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 314 | 31.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 498 | 81.0 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 615 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1837: Cirencester (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Joseph Cripps | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Thomas Chester-Master | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 585 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Cirencester (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Cripps | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Thomas Chester-Master | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 552 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Chester-Master resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, causing a by-election
By-election, 2 August 1844: Cirencester :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Child Villiers | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Cripps was appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 14 August 1845: Cirencester :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Cripps | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1847: Cirencester (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Cripps | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | George Child Villiers | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 485 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Cripps' death caused a by-election.
By-election, 24 May 1848: Cirencester :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Joseph Mullings | 262 | 66.8 | N/A |
| | Whig | Charles Ponsonby | 130 | 33.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 132 | 33.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 392 | 82.0 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 478 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Cirencester (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Joseph Mullings | 235 | 35.2 | N/A |
| | Whig | Ashley Ponsonby | 218 | 32.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | George Child Villiers | 214 | 32.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 334 (est) | 76.8 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 434 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17 | 2.5 | N/A |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4 | 0.6 | N/A |
| | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative |
General election 1857: Cirencester (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Allen Bathurst | 307 | 44.2 | +12.1 |
| | Conservative | Joseph Mullings | 200 | 28.8 | −6.4 |
| | Whig | Ashley Ponsonby | 188 | 27.1 | −5.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12 | 1.7 | −0.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 348 (est) | 82.2 (est) | +5.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 423 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +7.5 | |
| | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Swing | −1.8 | |
General election 1859: Cirencester (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Allen Bathurst | 273 | 42.3 | −1.9 |
| | Liberal | Ashley Ponsonby | 190 | 29.5 | +2.4 |
| | Conservative | Brent Follett | 182 | 28.2 | −0.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 323 (est) | 76.6 (est) | −5.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 421 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 83 | 12.8 | +11.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −1.6 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8 | 1.3 | N/A |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +2.5 | |

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Cirencester (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Allen Bathurst | 296 | 42.9 | +0.6 |
| | Conservative | Ralph Dutton | 222 | 32.2 | +4.0 |
| | Liberal | Julian Goldsmid | 172 | 24.9 | −4.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 74 | 10.7 | −2.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 431 (est) | 92.9 (est) | +16.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 464 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.5 | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +3.2 | |
Seat reduced to one member
General election 1868: Cirencester :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Allen Bathurst | 629 | 68.9 | −6.2 |
| | Liberal | Frederick Inderwick | 284 | 31.1 | +6.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 345 | 37.8 | +27.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 913 | 84.9 | −8.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,076 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −6.2 | |

### Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Cirencester :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Allen Bathurst | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,101 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
* Bathurst succeeded to the peerage, becoming Earl Bathurst.
By-election, 13 Mar 1878: Cirencester :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Thomas Chester-Master | 698 | 66.8 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Ashley Ponsonby | 347 | 33.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 351 | 33.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,045 | 92.6 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,128 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Cirencester :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Thomas Chester-Master | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,145 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1885: Cirencester :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Arthur Winterbotham | 4,782 | 54.2 | New |
| | Conservative | John Dorington | 4,037 | 45.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 745 | 8.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,819 | 86.8 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,157 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative |
General election 1886: Cirencester :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | Arthur Winterbotham | 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: Cirencester :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Arthur Winterbotham | 4,207 | 50.9 | New |
| | Conservative | Thomas Chester-Master | 4,054 | 49.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 153 | 1.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,261 | 81.8 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,095 | | 0.0 |
| | 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 |
1892 Cirencester by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Thomas Chester-Master | 4,275 | 50.0 | −0.9 |
| | Liberal | Harry Levy-Lawson | 4,275 | 50.0 | +0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 0 | 0.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,550 | 84.7 | +2.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,095 | | 0.0 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +0.9 | |
* Chester-Master was originally declared the victor by 3 votes, but on petition and after scrutiny, the votes were declared equal and a new election was held.
1893 Cirencester by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Harry Levy-Lawson | 4,687 | 51.3 | +0.4 |
| | Conservative | Thomas Chester-Master | 4,445 | 48.7 | −0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 242 | 2.6 | +0.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,132 | 90.9 | +9.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,048 | | −0.5 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +0.4 | |
General election 1895: Cirencester :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Benjamin Bathurst | 4,509 | 51.2 | +2.1 |
| | Liberal | Harry Levy-Lawson | 4,294 | 48.8 | −2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 215 | 2.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,803 | 89.6 | +7.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,825 | | −2.2 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +2.1 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Cirencester :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Benjamin Bathurst | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1906: Cirencester :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Walter Essex | 4,517 | 53.0 | New |
| | Conservative | Benjamin Bathurst | 4,011 | 47.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 506 | 6.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,528 | 88.2 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,673 | | N/A |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Cirencester :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Benjamin Bathurst | 5,091 | 55.3 | +8.3 |
| | Liberal | Walter Essex | 4,108 | 44.7 | −8.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 983 | 10.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,199 | 92.6 | +4.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,934 | | +2.7 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +8.3 | |
General election December 1910: Cirencester :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Benjamin Bathurst | 4,788 | 54.4 | −0.9 |
| | Liberal | Gilbert Beyfus | 4,007 | 45.6 | +0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 781 | 8.8 | −1.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,795 | 88.5 | −4.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,934 | | 0.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −4.1 | |
1915 Prospective Election - Cirencester :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Frederick W B Cripps | | | − |
| | Liberal | Cyril Winterbotham | | | |