# Woodstock (UK Parliament constituency)

Woodstock, sometimes called New Woodstock, was a parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom named after the town of Woodstock in the county of Oxfordshire.

## History

The Parliamentary Borough comprised the town of Woodstock and (from 1832) the surrounding countryside and villages. It elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of England from its re-enfranchisement in 1553 until 1707, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801. Under the Great Reform Act 1832, the representation of the borough was reduced to one member.
Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, the borough was abolished and was reconstituted as the Mid or Woodstock Division of Oxfordshire when the three-member Parliamentary County of Oxfordshire was divided into the three single-member constituencies of Banbury, Woodstock and Henley. It comprised the middle part of Oxfordshire, including Witney and Bicester as well as the abolished borough.
The constituency was abolished under the Representation of the People Act 1918. The western half, including Witney and Woodstock, was added to the Banbury Division and the eastern half, including Bicester, to the Henley Division.

## Boundaries
### 1885–1918

* The Municipal Borough of Woodstock;
* The Sessional Divisions of Bampton East, Bampton West, Ploughley, and Wooton South; and
* Part of the Sessional Division of Bullingdon.
Only non-resident freeholders of the Parliamentary Borough of Oxford (which included the Municipal Borough thereof) were entitled to vote.

## Members of Parliament
### 1553–1640

| Parliament | First member | Second member |
| 1553 (Oct) | William Cooke | Sir Ralph Chamberlain |
| 1554 (Apr) | Sir Ralph Chamberlain | William Johnson |
| 1554 (Nov) | Anthony Restwold | George Chamberlain |
| 1571 | Thomas Peniston | Martin Johnson |
| 1572 | George Whiton | Martin Johnson |
| 1584 | Lawrence Tanfield | Henry Unton |
| 1586 | Lawrence Tanfield | Francis Stonor |
| 1588 | Lawrence Tanfield | John Lee |
| 1593 | Lawrence Tanfield | John Lee |
| 1597 | Lawrence Tanfield | John Lee |
| 1601 | Lawrence Tanfield | William Scott |
| 1604 | Sir Richard Lee | Thomas Spencer |
| 1609 | Sir James Whitelocke | Thomas Spencer |
| 1614 | Sir James Whitelocke | Sir Philip Cary |
| 1621 | Sir James Whitelocke | Sir Philip Cary |
| 1624 | Sir Philip Cary | William Lenthall |
| 1625 | Sir Philip Cary | Sir Gerard Fleetwood |
| 1626 | Edward Tavernor | Sir Gerard Fleetwood |
| 1628 | Edward Tavernor | Sir Miles Fleetwood |
| 1629–1640 | No Parliaments summoned | No Parliaments summoned |

### 1640–1832

| Year | | First member | First party | | Second member | Second party |
| April 1640 | | William Lenthall | Parliamentarian | | William Fleetwood | |
| November 1640 | | William Lenthall | Parliamentarian | | Hon. William Herbert | Royalist |
| December 1640 | | William Lenthall | Parliamentarian | | Sir Robert Pye | Parliamentarian |
| December 1648 | | William Lenthall | Parliamentarian | Pye excluded in Pride's Purge – seat vacant | Pye excluded in Pride's Purge – seat vacant | Pye excluded in Pride's Purge – seat vacant |
| 1653 | Woodstock was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament | Woodstock was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament | Woodstock was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament | Woodstock was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament | Woodstock was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament | Woodstock was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament |
| 1654 | | Lieutenant General Charles Fleetwood | | Woodstock had only one seat in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Woodstock had only one seat in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Woodstock had only one seat in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate |
| 1656 | | Major General William Packer | | Woodstock had only one seat in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Woodstock had only one seat in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Woodstock had only one seat in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate |
| January 1659 | | Sir Jerome Sankey | | | Miles Fleetwood | |
| May 1659 | | William Lenthall | | One seat vacant | One seat vacant | One seat vacant |
| April 1660 | | Sir Thomas Spencer | | | Edward Atkyns | |
| 1661 | | Sir Thomas Spencer | | | Sir William Fleetwood | |
| 1674 | | Sir Thomas Spencer | | | Thomas Howard | |
| 1679 | | Sir Littleton Osbaldeston | | | Nicholas Bayntun | |
| 1681 | | Henry Bertie | | | Nicholas Bayntun | |
| 1685 | | Richard Bertie | | | Sir Littleton Osbaldeston | |
| 1689 | | Sir Thomas Littleton | | | Sir John D'Oyly | |
| 1690 | | Sir Thomas Littleton | | | Thomas Wheate | |
| 1695 | | Sir Thomas Littleton | | | James Bertie | |
| 1702 | | Sir William Glynne | | | James Bertie | |
| 1705 | | Lieutenant General William Cadogan | Whig | | Hon. Charles Bertie | |
| 1708 | | Lieutenant General William Cadogan | Whig | | Sir Thomas Wheate | |
| 1716 | | William Clayton | | | Sir Thomas Wheate | |
| 1721 | | William Clayton | | | Charles Crisp | |
| 1722 | | Samuel Trotman | | | Sir Thomas Wheate | |
| 1727 | | Samuel Trotman | | | Marquess of Blandford | Whig |
| 1732 | | Samuel Trotman | | | Hon. John Spencer | |
| 1734 | | James Dawkins | | | Hon. John Spencer | |
| 1746 | | James Dawkins | | | Hon. John Trevor, KC | |
| 1747 | | John Bateman | | | Hon. John Trevor, KC | |
| 1753 | | John Bateman | | | Anthony Keck | |
| 1767 | | John Bateman | | | Hon. William Gordon | |
| 1768 | | Lord Robert Spencer | | | Hon. William Gordon | |
| 1771 | | John Skynner | | | Hon. William Gordon | |
| 1774 | | John Skynner | | | William Eden | |
| 1777 | | Viscount Parker | Tory | | William Eden | |
| 1784 | | Sir Henry Dashwood | Tory | | Francis Burton | |
| 1790 | | Sir Henry Dashwood | Tory | | Lord Henry Spencer | |
| 1795 | | Sir Henry Dashwood | Tory | | The Lord Lavington | |
| 1799 | | Sir Henry Dashwood | Tory | | Charles Moore | |
| 1802 | | Sir Henry Dashwood | Tory | | Charles Abbot | Speaker |
| 1806 | | Sir Henry Dashwood | Tory | | Hon. William Eden | |
| 1810 | | Sir Henry Dashwood | Tory | | Hon. George Eden | Whig |
| 1812 | | Sir Henry Dashwood | Tory | | William Thornton | |
| 1813 | | Sir Henry Dashwood | Tory | | Hon. George Eden | Whig |
| 1814 | | Sir Henry Dashwood | Tory | | William Thornton | |
| 1818 | | Sir Henry Dashwood | Tory | | Lord Robert Spencer | |
| 1820 | | John Gladstone | Tory | | James Langston | Whig |
| 1826 | | Marquess of Blandford | Tory | | Lord Ashley | Tory |
| 1830 | | Marquess of Blandford | Tory | | Lord Charles Spencer-Churchill | Tory |
| 1831 | | Viscount Stormont | Tory | | Lord Charles Spencer-Churchill | Tory |
| 1832 | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished |

### 1832–1918

| Year | | Member | Party |
| 1832 | | George Spencer-Churchill, Marquess of Blandford | Conservative |
| 1835 | | Lord Charles Spencer-Churchill | Conservative |
| 1837 | | Henry Peyton | Conservative |
| 1838 | | George Spencer-Churchill, Marquess of Blandford | Conservative |
| 1840 | | Frederic Thesiger | Conservative |
| 1844 | | John Spencer-Churchill, Marquess of Blandford | Conservative |
| May 1845 | | John Loftus, Viscount Loftus | Conservative |
| December 1845 | | Lord Alfred Spencer-Churchill | Conservative |
| 1847 | | John Spencer-Churchill, Marquess of Blandford | Conservative |
| 1857 | | Lord Alfred Spencer-Churchill | Conservative |
| 1865 | | Henry Barnett | Conservative |
| 1874 | | Lord Randolph Churchill | Conservative |
| 1885 | | Francis William Maclean | Liberal |
| 1886 | | Francis William Maclean | Liberal Unionist |
| 1891 | | George Herbert Morrell | Conservative |
| 1892 | | Godfrey Benson | Liberal |
| 1895 | | George Herbert Morrell | Conservative |
| 1906 | | Ernest Bennett | Liberal |
| January 1910 | | Alfred Hamersley | Conservative |
| 1918 | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished |

## Elections
### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Woodstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | Charles Spencer-Churchill | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Tory | George Spencer-Churchill | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | c. 200 | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
General election 1831: Woodstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | Charles Spencer-Churchill | 81 | 46.8 |
| | Tory | William Murray | 74 | 42.8 |
| | Whig | James Silk Buckingham | 12 | 6.9 |
| | Whig | Charles Richardson | 6 | 3.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 62 | 35.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | c. 87 | c. 43.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | c. 200 | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
* Buckingham and Richardson each received 138 householder votes, but these were declared ineligible
General election 1832: Woodstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | George Spencer-Churchill | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 317 | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
General election 1835: Woodstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Charles Spencer-Churchill | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 306 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1837: Woodstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Henry Peyton | 126 | 51.9 |
| | Whig | Charles Spencer-Churchill | 117 | 48.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9 | 3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 243 | 73.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 330 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Peyton resigned, causing a by-election.
By-election, 11 May 1838: Woodstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Spencer-Churchill | 160 | 50.8 | −1.1 |
| | Whig | Henry John Spencer-Churchill | 155 | 49.2 | +1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5 | 1.6 | −2.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 315 | 81.8 | +8.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 385 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −1.1 | |

### Elections in the 1840s

Spencer-Churchill succeeded to the peerage, becoming 6th Duke of Marlborough and causing a by-election.
By-election, 20 March 1840: Woodstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Frederic Thesiger | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1841: Woodstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Frederic Thesiger | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 356 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Thesiger was appointed Solicitor-General for England and Wales and decided to contest Abingdon, causing a by-election.
By-election, 22 April 1844: Woodstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Spencer-Churchill | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Spencer-Churchill resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, causing a by-election.
By-election, 1 May 1845: Woodstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Loftus | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Loftus succeeded to the peerage, becoming 3rd Marquess of Ely and causing a by-election.
By-election, 18 December 1845: Woodstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alfred Spencer-Churchill | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1847: Woodstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Spencer-Churchill | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 404 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Woodstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Spencer-Churchill | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 347 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1857: Woodstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Spencer-Churchill | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 336 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Spencer-Churchill succeeded to the peerage, becoming 7th Duke of Marlborough and causing a by-election.
By-election, 24 July 1857: Woodstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alfred Spencer-Churchill | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1859: Woodstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alfred Spencer-Churchill | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 310 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Woodstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Henry Barnett | 143 | 54.6 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Mitchell Henry | 119 | 45.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 24 | 9.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 262 | 91.6 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 286 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1868: Woodstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Henry Barnett | 502 | 51.1 | −3.5 |
| | Liberal | George Charles Brodrick | 481 | 48.9 | +3.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 21 | 2.2 | −7.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 983 | 87.2 | −4.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,127 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −3.5 | |

### Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Woodstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Randolph Churchill | 569 | 58.5 | +7.4 |
| | Liberal | George Charles Brodrick | 404 | 41.5 | −7.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 165 | 17.0 | +14.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 973 | 90.8 | +3.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,071 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +7.4 | |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Woodstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Randolph Churchill | 512 | 53.1 | −5.4 |
| | Liberal | William Hall | 452 | 46.9 | +5.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 60 | 6.2 | −10.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 964 | 90.9 | +0.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,060 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −5.4 | |
Churchill was appointed Secretary of State for India, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 6 July 1885: Woodstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Randolph Churchill | 532 | 56.8 | +3.7 |
| | Liberal | Corrie Grant | 405 | 43.2 | −3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 127 | 13.6 | +7.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 937 | 86.4 | −4.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,084 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.7 | |
General election 1885: Woodstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Francis William Maclean | 4,327 | 51.1 | +4.2 |
| | Conservative | Arthur Annesley | 4,138 | 48.9 | −4.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 189 | 2.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,465 | 84.5 | −6.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,012 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +4.2 | |
General election 1886: Woodstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | Francis William Maclean | 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

Maclean resigned after being appointed a Master in Lunacy.
By-election, 21 Apr 1891: Woodstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Herbert Morrell | 4,448 | 54.2 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Godfrey Benson | 3,760 | 45.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 688 | 8.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,208 | 84.4 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,725 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1892: Woodstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Godfrey Benson | 4,278 | 50.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | George Herbert Morrell | 4,167 | 49.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 111 | 1.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,445 | 86.6 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,756 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist | Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1895: Woodstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Herbert Morrell | 4,669 | 55.5 | +6.2 |
| | Liberal | Godfrey Benson | 3,740 | 44.5 | −6.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 929 | 11.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,409 | 86.1 | −0.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,767 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +6.2 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Woodstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Herbert Morrell | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1906: Woodstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Ernest Bennett | 4,585 | 52.5 | New |
| | Conservative | George Herbert Morrell | 4,144 | 47.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 441 | 5.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,729 | 87.4 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,985 | | |
| | 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: Woodstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alfred Hamersley | 5,098 | 53.8 | +6.3 |
| | Liberal | Ernest Bennett | 4,378 | 46.2 | −6.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 720 | 7.6 | 12.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,476 | 90.0 | +2.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,525 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +6.3 | |
General election December 1910: Woodstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alfred Hamersley | 4,773 | 52.1 | −1.7 |
| | Liberal | Ernest Bennett | 4,381 | 47.9 | +1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 392 | 4.2 | −3.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,154 | 87.0 | −3.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,525 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -1.7 | |
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: Henderson
* Liberal: