# Hastings (UK Parliament constituency)

Hastings was a parliamentary constituency in Sussex. It returned two Members of Parliament to the Parliament of England until 1707, Parliament of Great Britain before 1801 and the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until the 1885 general election, when its representation was reduced to one member. It was abolished for the 1983 general election, when it was partially replaced by the new Hastings and Rye constituency.

## Boundaries

1918–1950: The County Borough of Hastings.
1950–1955: The County Borough of Hastings, the Municipal Borough of Rye, and the Rural District of Battle (except the parishes of Burwash, Etchingham and Ticehurst).
1955–1983: The County Borough of Hastings.

## Members of Parliament
### MPs 1366–1640

| Parliament | First member | Second member |
| 1386 | John Clyvessend | Edward Martham |
| 1378 | John Salerne | |
| 1382 (May) | John Salerne |
| 1383 (Feb) | John Salerne |
| 1383 (Oct) | John Salerne |
| 1388 (Feb) | John Clyvessend | Edward Martham |
| 1388 (Sep) | Richard Bannok | John Scott |
| 1390 (Jan) | John Clyvessend | Richard Wybard |
| 1390 (Nov) | |
| 1391 | John Clyvessend | Richard Bannok |
| 1393 | John Scott | John Sharp |
| 1394 | |
| 1395 | Edward Martham | John Hokere |
| 1397 (Jan) | John Clyvessend | John Hokere |
| 1397 (Sep) | |
| 1399 | Edward Martham | Henry Mordant |
| 1401 | |
| 1402 | John Sharp | Robert Burgrove |
| 1404 (Jan) | |
| 1404 (Oct) | |
| 1406 | Henry Mordant | John Bexle |
| 1407 | Robert Burgrove | Thomas Wybard |
| 1410 | Edward Martham | John Harry |
| 1411 | |
| 1413 (Feb) | |
| 1413 (May) | Henry Mordant | Richard Huntingdon |
| 1414 (Apr) | |
| 1414 (Nov) | Jihn Sharp | Thomas Julyan |
| 1415 | |
| 1416 (Mar) | |
| 1416 (Oct) | |
| 1417 | John Lyvett | Richard Huntingdon |
| 1419 | Simon Lymbergh | John Martham |
| 1420 | Simon Lymbergh | William Courthope |
| 1421 (May) | John Parker | William Courthope |
| 1421 (Dec) | Richard Huntingdon | William Courthope |
| 1510 | No names known | No names known |
| 1512 | Robert Hall | Henry Benever |
| 1515 | ? |
| 1523 | Edmund Jacklin alias Bocher | Edmund Franke |
| 1529 | Richard Calveley | Thomas Shoyswell |
| by 1534 | John Durrant | John Taylor |
| 1536 | ?John Durrant | ?John Taylor |
| 1539 | ? |
| 1542 | John Franke | Richard Bishop |
| 1545 | ? |
| 1547 | Sir William Stafford | John Isted |
| 1553 (Mar) | John Isted | ? |
| 1553 (Oct) | Thomas Rhodes | John Peyton |
| 1554 (Apr) | John Franke | John Isted |
| 1554 (Nov) | Thomas Rhodes | John Peyton |
| 1555 | Thomas Rhodes | Roger Manwood |
| 1558 | Thomas Brett | Henry Tennant |
| 1559 | John Franke | James Hobson |
| 1562/3 | Sir William Damsell | Richard Lyffe |
| 1571 | Richard Lyffe | James Bryan |
| 1572 | Richard Lyffe | Thomas Lake |
| 1584 | Thomas Lake | Thomas Phillips |
| 1586 | Thomas Lake | Thomas Phillips |
| 1588/9 | Richard Lyffe | John Parker |
| 1593 | Richard Lyffe | Henry Apsley |
| 1597 | Richard Lyffe | Edmund Pelham |
| 1601 | Sir Thomas Shirley | Richard Lyffe |
| 1604–1611 | Richard Lyffe died and replaced by James Lasher | Sir George Carew ennobled and replaced 1605 by Sir Edward Hales |
| 1614 | Sir Edward Hales | James Lasher |
| 1621 | Samuel Moore | James Lasher |
| 1624 | Nicholas Eversfield | Samuel Moore |
| 1625 | Nicholas Eversfield | Sackville Crowe |
| 1626 | Sir Dudley Carleton replaced by Sir Thomas Parker | Nicholas Eversfield |
| 1628 | John Ashburnham | Nicholas Eversfield |

### MPs 1640–1885

| Election | 1st Member | 1st Member | 1st Party | 2nd Member | 2nd Member | 2nd Party |
| April 1640 | | Sir John Baker | | | Robert Reed | |
| November 1640 | | John Ashburnham | Royalist | | (Sir) Thomas Eversfield | Royalist |
| February 1644 | Ashburnham and Eversfield disabled from sitting – both seats vacant | Ashburnham and Eversfield disabled from sitting – both seats vacant | Ashburnham and Eversfield disabled from sitting – both seats vacant | Ashburnham and Eversfield disabled from sitting – both seats vacant | Ashburnham and Eversfield disabled from sitting – both seats vacant | Ashburnham and Eversfield disabled from sitting – both seats vacant |
| 1645 | | John Pelham | | | Roger Gratwick | |
| December 1648 | Pelham excluded in Pride's Purge – seat vacant | Pelham excluded in Pride's Purge – seat vacant | Pelham excluded in Pride's Purge – seat vacant | | | | Roger Gratwick |
| 1653 | Hastings was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament and the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Hastings was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament and the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Hastings was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament and the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Hastings was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament and the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Hastings was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament and the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Hastings was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament and the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate |
| January 1659 | | Samuel Gott | | | Nicholas Delves | |
| May 1659 | Not represented in the restored Rump | Not represented in the restored Rump | Not represented in the restored Rump | Not represented in the restored Rump | Not represented in the restored Rump | Not represented in the restored Rump |
| April 1660 | | Sir Denny Ashburnham | | | Nicholas Delves | |
| 1661 | | Sir Denny Ashburnham | | | Edmund Waller | |
| 1679 | | Sir Robert Parker | | | John Ashburnham | |
| 1681 | | Sir Robert Parker | | | Thomas Mun | |
| 1685 | | Sir Denny Ashburnham | | | John Ashburnham | |
| Jan 1689 | | Thomas Mun | | | John Ashburnham | |
| Aug 1689 | | Thomas Mun | | | John Beaumont | |
| 1690 | | Peter Gott | | | John Beaumont | |
| 1695 | | John Pulteney | | | Robert Austen | |
| 1698 | | John Pulteney | | | Peter Gott | |
| 1701 | | John Pulteney | | | John Mounsher | |
| 1702 | | John Pulteney | | | Hon. William Ashburnham | |
| Feb 1710 | | John Pulteney | | | John Ashburnham | Tory |
| Oct 1710 | | Sir William Ashburnham | | | Sir Joseph Martin | |
| 1713 | | Archibald Hutcheson | | | Sir Joseph Martin | |
| 1715 | | Archibald Hutcheson | | | Henry Pelham | |
| 1722 | | Archibald Hutcheson | | | Sir William Ashburnham | |
| 1727 | | Thomas Townshend | | | Sir William Ashburnham | |
| 1728 | | Thomas Pelham | | | Sir William Ashburnham | |
| 1741 | | James Pelham | | | Andrew Stone | Whig |
| 1761 | | Hon. James Brudenell | | | William Ashburnham | |
| 1768 | | Samuel Martin | | | William Ashburnham | |
| 1774 | | Henry Temple | | | Charles Jenkinson | |
| 1780 | | Henry Temple | | | John Ord | |
| 1784 | | John Dawes | | | John Stanley | Tory |
| 1790 | | Sir Richard Pepper Arden | Tory | | John Stanley | Tory |
| 1794 | | Robert Dundas | Tory | | John Stanley | Tory |
| 1796 | | Sir James Sanderson | Tory | | Nicholas Vansittart | Tory |
| 1798 | | William Sturges | Tory | | Nicholas Vansittart | Tory |
| 1802 | | Sylvester Douglas | Tory | | George Gunning | Tory |
| 1806 | | Sir John Nicholl | | | Sir William Fowle Middleton | Tory |
| 1807 | | George Canning | Tory | | Sir Abraham Hume | Tory |
| 1812 | | James Dawkins | Tory | | Sir Abraham Hume | Tory |
| 1818 | | James Dawkins | Tory | | George Peter Holford | Tory |
| 1820 | | James Dawkins | Tory | | William Scott | Tory |
| June 1826 | | Sir William Curtis, Bt. | Tory | | Sir Charles Wetherell | Tory |
| December 1826 | | Evelyn Denison | Whig | | James Lushington | Tory |
| 1827 | | Evelyn Denison | Whig | | Joseph Planta | Tory |
| 1830 | | Sir Henry Fane | Tory | | Joseph Planta | Tory |
| 1831 | | John Ashley Warre | Whig | | Frederick North | Whig |
| 1835 | | Howard Elphinstone | Radical | | Frederick North | Whig |
| 1837 | | Joseph Planta | Conservative | | Robert Hollond | Radical |
| 1844 | | Musgrave Brisco | Conservative | | Robert Hollond | Radical |
| 1852 | | Musgrave Brisco | Conservative | | Patrick Francis Robertson | Conservative |
| 1854 | | Frederick North | Whig | | Patrick Francis Robertson | Conservative |
| 1859 | | Frederick North | Liberal | | Lord Harry Vane | Liberal |
| 1864 | | Frederick North | Liberal | | Hon. George Waldegrave-Leslie | Liberal |
| 1865 | | Patrick Francis Robertson | Conservative | | Hon. George Waldegrave-Leslie | Liberal |
| 1868 | | Thomas Brassey | Liberal | | Frederick North | Liberal |
| 1869 | | Thomas Brassey | Liberal | | Ughtred Kay-Shuttleworth | Liberal |
| 1880 | | Thomas Brassey | Liberal | | Charles James Murray | Conservative |
| 1883 | | Thomas Brassey | Liberal | | Henry Bret Ince | Liberal |
| 1885 | Redistribution of Seats Act: representation reduced to one member | Redistribution of Seats Act: representation reduced to one member | Redistribution of Seats Act: representation reduced to one member | Redistribution of Seats Act: representation reduced to one member | Redistribution of Seats Act: representation reduced to one member | Redistribution of Seats Act: representation reduced to one member |

### MPs 1885–1983

| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| | 1885 | Thomas Brassey | Liberal |
| | 1886 | Wilson Noble | Conservative |
| | 1895 | William Lucas-Shadwell | Conservative |
| | 1900 | Freeman Freeman-Thomas | Liberal |
| | 1906 | Harvey du Cros | Conservative |
| | 1908 by-election | Sir Arthur du Cros | Conservative |
| | 1918 | Laurance Lyon | Coalition Conservative |
| | 1921 by-election | Lord Eustace Percy | Coalition Conservative |
| | 1937 by-election | Maurice Hely-Hutchinson | Conservative |
| | 1945 | Sir Neill Cooper-Key | Conservative |
| | 1970 | Kenneth Warren | Conservative |
| 1983 | 1983 | constituency abolished: see Hastings and Rye | constituency abolished: see Hastings and Rye |

## Elections
### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | Henry Fane | 17 | 4.1 |
| | Tory | Joseph Planta | 17 | 4.1 |
| | Whig | John Ashley Warre | 174 | 41.5 |
| | Whig | Robert Otway-Cave | 157 | 37.5 |
| | Whig | William Taddy | 54 | 12.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | −157 | −37.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | c. 210 | c. 840.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | c. 25 | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
The votes for Warre, Cave and Taddy were rejected by the mayor.
General election 1831: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | John Ashley Warre | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig | Frederick North | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | c. 25 | |
| | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory |
| | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory |
General election 1832: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Frederick North | 356 | 44.1 |
| | Whig | John Ashley Warre | 239 | 29.6 |
| | Radical | Howard Elphinstone | 212 | 26.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 27 | 3.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 472 | 82.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 574 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1835: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Frederick North | 374 | 38.1 | −35.6 |
| | Radical | Howard Elphinstone | 291 | 29.7 | +3.4 |
| | Conservative | Joseph Planta | 159 | 16.2 | New |
| | Conservative | Musgrave Brisco | 157 | 16.0 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 558 | 82.9 | +0.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 673 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 83 | 8.4 | +5.1 |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | −19.5 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 132 | 13.5 | N/A |
| | Radical gain from Whig | Radical gain from Whig | Swing | +19.5 | |
General election 1837: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Joseph Planta | 401 | 36.6 | +20.4 |
| | Radical | Robert Hollond | 382 | 34.9 | +5.2 |
| | Conservative | Musgrave Brisco | 312 | 28.5 | +12.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 776 | 84.0 | +1.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 924 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 19 | 1.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Swing | +8.9 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 70 | 6.4 | −7.1 |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Swing | −5.6 | |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Radical | Robert Hollond | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Joseph Planta | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 952 | | |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Planta resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, causing a by-election.
By-election, 30 March 1844: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Musgrave Brisco | 513 | 74.7 | N/A |
| | Radical | Robert Ross Rowan Moore | 174 | 25.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 339 | 49.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 687 | 79.9 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 860 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1847: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Radical | Robert Hollond | 423 | 27.0 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Musgrave Brisco | 407 | 26.0 | N/A |
| | Whig | John Ashley Warre | 387 | 24.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Patrick Francis Robertson | 348 | 22.2 | N/A |
| | Independent Liberal | William Downing Bruce | 0 | 0.0 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 783 (est) | 86.1 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 909 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16 | 1.0 | N/A |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Swing | N/A | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20 | 1.3 | N/A |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Patrick Francis Robertson | 501 | 27.1 | +4.9 |
| | Conservative | Musgrave Brisco | 487 | 26.3 | +0.3 |
| | Whig | John Ashley Warre | 477 | 25.8 | +1.1 |
| | Radical | John Locke | 386 | 20.9 | −6.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10 | 0.5 | −0.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 926 (est) | 84.9 (est) | −1.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,090 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +4.0 | |
| | Conservative gain from Radical | Conservative gain from Radical | Swing | +1.7 | |
Brisco resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, causing a by-election.
By-election, 10 May 1854: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Frederick North | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative |
General election 1857: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Frederick North | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Patrick Francis Robertson | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,199 | | |
| | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1859: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Frederick North | 613 | 33.5 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Harry Vane | 557 | 30.5 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Patrick Francis Robertson | 429 | 23.5 | N/A |
| | Conservative | William Drew Lucas-Shadwell | 230 | 12.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 128 | 7.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 915 (est) | 74.0 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,235 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1860s

Powlett succeeded to the peerage, becoming Duke of Cleveland, and causing a by-election.
By-election, 6 October 1864: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | George Waldegrave-Leslie | 645 | 51.1 | −12.9 |
| | Conservative | Patrick Francis Robertson | 616 | 48.9 | +12.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 29 | 2.2 | −4.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,261 | 78.2 | +4.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,613 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −12.9 | |
General election 1865: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | George Waldegrave-Leslie | 746 | 26.6 | −3.9 |
| | Conservative | Patrick Francis Robertson | 737 | 26.3 | +2.8 |
| | Liberal | Frederick North | 728 | 26.0 | −7.5 |
| | Conservative | John Eldon Gorst | 591 | 21.1 | +8.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,401 (est) | 74.9 (est) | +0.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,871 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9 | 0.3 | −6.7 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −4.8 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9 | 0.3 | N/A |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +4.3 | |
General election 1868: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Thomas Brassey | 1,508 | 31.5 | +4.9 |
| | Liberal | Frederick North | 1,446 | 30.2 | +4.2 |
| | Conservative | Somerset Gough-Calthorpe | 967 | 20.2 | −6.1 |
| | Conservative | Clement Arthur Thurston | 873 | 18.2 | −2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 479 | 10.0 | +9.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,397 (est) | 85.6 (est) | +10.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,801 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +3.9 | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +5.2 | |
North's death caused a by-election.
By-election, 18 November 1869: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Ughtred Kay-Shuttleworth | 1,218 | 52.9 | −8.8 |
| | Conservative | Patrick Francis Robertson | 1,084 | 47.1 | +8.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 134 | 5.8 | −4.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,302 | 82.2 | −3.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,801 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −8.8 | |

### Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Thomas Brassey | 1,721 | 31.8 | +0.3 |
| | Liberal | Ughtred Kay-Shuttleworth | 1,495 | 27.7 | −2.5 |
| | Conservative | Patrick Francis Robertson | 1,244 | 23.0 | +2.8 |
| | Conservative | Richard Nicholson | 945 | 17.5 | −0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 251 | 4.7 | −5.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,703 (est) | 87.7 (est) | +2.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,082 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +0.5 | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −2.7 | |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles James Murray | 1,873 | 34.6 | −5.9 |
| | Liberal | Thomas Brassey | 1,838 | 34.0 | +2.2 |
| | Liberal | Ughtred Kay-Shuttleworth | 1,702 | 31.4 | +3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 35 | 0.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,711 (est) | 95.0 (est) | +7.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,905 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | −3.3 | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +2.6 | |
Brassey was appointed a Civil Lord of the Admiralty, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 10 May 1880: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Thomas Brassey | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
Murray resigned, causing a by-election.
By-election, 2 July 1883: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Henry Bret Ince | 2,138 | 50.4 | −15.0 |
| | Conservative | John Henry Boyer Warner | 2,101 | 49.6 | +15.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 37 | 0.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,239 | 89.4 | −5.6 (est) |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,743 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
General election 1885: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Thomas Brassey | 2,712 | 51.5 | −13.9 |
| | Conservative | Wilson Noble | 2,550 | 48.5 | +13.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 162 | 3.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,262 | 92.8 | −2.2 (est) |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,672 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −13.9 | |
General election 1886: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Wilson Noble | 2,765 | 55.4 | +6.9 |
| | Liberal | Thomas Seymour Brand | 2,230 | 44.6 | −6.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 535 | 10.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,995 | 88.1 | −4.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,672 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +6.9 | |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Wilson Noble | 3,077 | 53.9 | −1.5 |
| | Liberal | Charles Hemphill | 2,628 | 46.1 | +1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 449 | 7.8 | −3.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,705 | 86.8 | −1.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,576 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.5 | |
General election 1895: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Lucas-Shadwell | 3,205 | 52.8 | −1.1 |
| | Liberal | Cecil Henry Blundell Ince | 2,863 | 47.2 | +1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 342 | 5.6 | −2.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,068 | 83.2 | −3.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,292 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -1.1 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Freeman Freeman-Thomas | 3,399 | 51.6 | +4.4 |
| | Conservative | Edward Boyle | 3,191 | 48.4 | −4.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 208 | 3.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,590 | 80.9 | −2.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,142 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +4.4 | |
General election 1906: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Harvey du Cros | 4,348 | 52.5 | +4.1 |
| | Liberal | Freeman Freeman-Thomas | 3,935 | 47.5 | −4.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 413 | 5.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,283 | 94.6 | +13.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,758 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +4.1 | |
1908 Hastings by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Arthur Du Cros | 4,495 | 56.4 | +3.9 |
| | Liberal | Robert Harcourt | 3,477 | 43.6 | −3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,018 | 12.8 | +7.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,972 | 91.6 | −3.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,707 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.9 | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Arthur Du Cros | 4,634 | 54.7 | +1.7 |
| | Liberal | Robert Tweedy-Smith | 3,833 | 45.3 | −1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 801 | 9.4 | −3.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,467 | 93.8 | +2.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -1.7 | |
General election December 1910: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Arthur Du Cros | 4,397 | 55.6 | +0.9 |
| | Liberal | Arthur Frederick William Johnson | 3,515 | 44.4 | −0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 882 | 11.2 | +1.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,912 | 87.6 | −6.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
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: Arthur Du Cros
* Liberal: Cecil Patrick Black
General election 1918: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | Unionist | Laurance Lyon | 11,210 | 75.9 | +20.3 |
| | Labour | Joseph George Butler | 3,556 | 24.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,654 | 51.8 | +40.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,766 | 59.2 | −28.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 24,958 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | | |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||

### Elections in the 1920s

1921 Hastings by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Coalition Unionist | Eustace Percy | 11,685 | 54.7 | −21.2 |
| | Labour | Richard Davies | 5,437 | 25.5 | +1.4 |
| | Liberal | Arthur Blackman | 4,240 | 19.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,248 | 29.2 | −22.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,362 | 78.0 | +18.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 27,386 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −11.3 | |
General election 1922: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Eustace Percy | 13,991 | 68.3 | −7.6 |
| | Labour | Richard Davies | 6,492 | 31.7 | +7.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,499 | 36.6 | −15.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 20,483 | 71.2 | +12.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 28,785 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −7.6 | |
1923 UK general election: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Eustace Percy | 11,914 | 52.6 | −15.7 |
| | Liberal | Maria Gordon | 5,876 | 25.9 | New |
| | Labour | Richard Davies | 4,859 | 21.5 | −10.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,038 | 26.7 | −9.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 22,649 | 76.4 | +5.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 29,662 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −2.8 | |
General election 1924: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Eustace Percy | 15,217 | 71.4 | +18.8 |
| | Labour | Muriel Matters | 6,082 | 28.6 | +7.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,135 | 42.8 | +16.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,299 | 70.5 | −5.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 30,195 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | +5.9 | |
General election 1929: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Eustace Percy | 15,928 | 52.3 | −19.1 |
| | Liberal | Thomas Austen Edwin Spearing | 8,004 | 26.3 | New |
| | Labour | Basil Noble | 6,516 | 21.4 | −7.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,924 | 26.0 | −16.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 30,448 | 73.4 | +2.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 41,503 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −6.0 | |

### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Eustace Percy | 22,640 | 70.3 | +18.0 |
| | Labour | Irene Goddard | 4,983 | 15.5 | −5.9 |
| | Liberal | Thomas Austen Edwin Spearing | 4,561 | 14.2 | −12.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17,657 | 54.8 | +28.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 32,184 | 73.8 | +0.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1935: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Eustace Percy | 20,905 | 69.0 | −1.3 |
| | Labour | William Wate Wood | 9,404 | 31.0 | +15.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,501 | 38.0 | −16.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 30,309 | 66.5 | −7.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
1937 Hastings by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Maurice Hely-Hutchinson | 18,428 | 62.1 | −6.9 |
| | Labour | William Wate Wood | 11,244 | 37.9 | +6.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,184 | 24.2 | −13.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 29,672 | 65.3 | −1.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
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: Maurice Hely-Hutchinson
* Labour: William Wate Wood

### Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Neill Cooper-Key | 14,105 | 51.8 | −17.2 |
| | Labour | Lewis Gassman | 10,580 | 38.8 | +7.8 |
| | Independent Progressive | Sydney Muller Parkman | 2,564 | 9.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,525 | 13.0 | −25.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 27,249 | 74.9 | +8.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1950: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Neill Cooper-Key | 30,035 | 52.92 | |
| | Labour | Lewis Cohen | 17,603 | 31.01 | |
| | Liberal | Peter Leslie Martin Hurd | 9,122 | 16.07 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,432 | 21.91 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 56,760 | 82.14 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1951: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Neill Cooper-Key | 34,495 | 63.74 |
| | Labour | Catherine Williamson | 19,621 | 36.26 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,874 | 27.48 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 54,116 | 77.36 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
General election 1955: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Neill Cooper-Key | 20,469 | 55.77 | |
| | Labour | Reginald George White | 11,933 | 32.51 | |
| | Liberal | John Montgomerie | 4,303 | 11.72 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,536 | 23.26 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 36,705 | 75.69 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1959: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Neill Cooper-Key | 22,458 | 62.32 |
| | Labour | James Paterson Bryant | 13,576 | 37.68 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,882 | 24.64 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 36,034 | 74.19 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1964: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Neill Cooper-Key | 16,902 | 44.55 | |
| | Labour | Harry Arthur Fountain | 11,324 | 29.85 | |
| | Liberal | Jeremy John Arnold | 9,716 | 25.61 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,578 | 14.70 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 37,942 | 76.34 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1966: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Neill Cooper-Key | 15,324 | 40.27 |
| | Labour | Cyril Bernard Kissen | 12,984 | 34.12 |
| | Liberal | Jeremy John Arnold | 9,744 | 25.61 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,340 | 6.15 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,052 | 76.41 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Kenneth Warren | 20,364 | 50.61 |
| | Labour | Cyril Bernard Kissen | 13,549 | 33.67 |
| | Liberal | Pamela Maud Shields | 6,324 | 15.72 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,815 | 16.94 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,507 | 72.77 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
General election February 1974: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Kenneth Warren | 20,075 | 44.85 |
| | Labour | Michael Foster | 12,992 | 29.02 |
| | Liberal | MG Cass | 11,690 | 26.12 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,083 | 15.83 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,757 | 79.06 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
General election October 1974: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Kenneth Warren | 18,337 | 44.93 |
| | Labour | Michael Foster | 13,685 | 33.53 |
| | Liberal | A Leggett | 8,793 | 21.54 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,652 | 11.40 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,815 | 71.58 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
General election 1979: Hastings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Kenneth Warren | 21,311 | 51.53 | |
| | Labour | Michael Foster | 12,392 | 29.96 | |
| | Liberal | A Leggett | 6,474 | 15.65 | |
| | Independent | GL McNally | 839 | 2.03 | New |
| | National Front | HJ Anderson | 344 | 0.83 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,919 | 21.56 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,360 | 71.68 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |