# Westminster (UK Parliament constituency)

Westminster was a parliamentary constituency in the Parliament of England to 1707, the Parliament of Great Britain 1707–1800 and the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801. It returned two members to 1885 and one thereafter.
The constituency was first known to have been represented in Parliament in 1545 and continued to exist until the redistribution of seats in 1918. The constituency's most famous former representatives are John Stuart Mill and Charles James Fox. The most analogous contemporary constituency is Cities of London and Westminster.

## Boundaries and boundary changes

1885-1918: The Westminster district, and Close of Collegiate Church of St. Peter.
The constituency was formed in 1545 from part of the county constituency of Middlesex and returned two members of parliament until 1885.
The City of Westminster is a district of Inner London. Its southern boundary is on the north bank of the River Thames. It is today combined with Marylebone to the north. It is west of the diminutive City of London, fixed with four MPs in 1298, and the north part of Lambeth, created a broad constituency in 1832. It is south-west of Holborn and St. Pancras which in 1832 were both placed in a wider seat named Finsbury and to the east of Kensington and Chelsea which were dealt with similarly in a seat named Chelsea.
In the 1885 redistribution of seats the constituency (virtually identical to the Metropolitan Borough of Westminster which was created in 1900) was divided into three single-member seats. The south-eastern part, including the traditional heart of Westminster and such important centres of power as the Houses of Parliament and the seat of government in Whitehall, continued to be a constituency called Westminster. By official definition the areas retained were "the Westminster district and Close of the Collegiate Church of St Peter"; a seat named Strand was created in the north-east and a seat, St George's, Hanover Square, in the west.
In the 1918 redistribution the three seats were cut to two: Westminster St George's in the west and Westminster Abbey in the east, the latter wholly containing and slightly larger than the 1885–1918 Westminster seat (except for its Knightsbridge exclave which lay some way off in the west).

## History

The Westminster constituency represented the centre of British government and had a large electorate so that it was independent of the control of a patron. Before the Reform Act 1832 the right to vote was held by the male inhabitants paying scot and lot (a kind of local property tax). The franchise was the largest of any borough in the kingdom, and only the county constituency of Yorkshire had more voters. Sedgwick estimated the electorate at about 8,000 in the first half of the eighteenth century. Namier and Brooke estimated that there were about 12,000 voters later in the century. The large size of the electorate made contested elections immensely expensive.
In the sixteenth century the Church officials associated with Westminster Abbey had a large influence in the area, but as the community became bigger that became less important. The Court (or His Majesty's Treasury) had some legitimate influence (by the standards of the age), because of the royal residences and government offices in the borough. The use of public funds to bribe the electorate was not unknown, during close elections (see the comments about the cost of the 1780 and 1784 contests below). Local landowners who were prepared to stir up ill-will by threatening to evict or raise the rents of tenants voting the wrong way, could also affect the result.
Unlawful means were sometimes used to make sure that the right candidates were elected. In 1722 the election of two Tories was declared void because of rioting which prevented some Whigs voting. In 1741 a Whig returning officer called upon the assistance of some troops to close the poll before the Tory candidates could catch up to the Whig votes.
The House of Commons declared the 1741 election void with the ringing resolution that "the presence of a regular body of armed soldiers at an election of members to sit in Parliament, is a high infringement of the liberties of the subject, a manifest violation of the freedom of election and an open defiance of the laws and constitution of this kingdom".
By the eighteenth century it was normal for the members to be Irish peers, the sons of peers or baronets, as it was thought appropriate for them to be of high social standing so as to be worthy to represent the seat.
The Treasury spent the enormous sums of more than £8,000 in 1780 and £9,000 in 1784, in unsuccessful attempts to defeat the opposition Whig leader Charles James Fox. So expensive were these contests that for the next general election in 1790, the government and opposition leaders reached a formal agreement for each to have one member returned unopposed. However, in the event a second Whig candidate did appear, but the Tory (the famous Admiral Lord Hood) and Fox were re-elected without too much difficulty.
The last MP for this constituency, William Burdett-Coutts, was connected with a family prominent in City of Westminster politics since the eighteenth century. He himself was born in the United States in 1851, his grandparents on both sides having been British subjects. After he married Baroness Burdett-Coutts in 1881 he changed his surname from Bartlett to Burdett-Coutts. He represented the area from 1885 until 1918 and continued to sit for the Abbey division until his death in 1921.

## Lists of Members of Parliament

The English civil year started on 25 March until 1752 (Scotland having changed to 1 January in 1600). The years used in this article have been converted to the new style where necessary. Old style dates would be a year earlier than the new style for days between 1 January and 24 March. No attempt has been made to compensate for the eleven days which did not occur in September 1752 in both England and Scotland as well as other British controlled territories (when the day after 2 September was 14 September), so as to bring the British Empire fully in line with the Gregorian calendar.

### Members of Parliament 1545–1660

Some of the members elected during this period have been identified. The year first given is for the initial meeting of the Parliament, with the month added where there was more than one Parliament in the year. If a second year is given this is a date of dissolution. Early Parliaments sometimes only existed for a few days or weeks, so dissolutions in the same year as the first meeting are not recorded in this list If a specific date of election is known this is recorded in italic brackets. The Roman numerals in brackets, following some names, are those used to distinguish different politicians of the same name in 'The House of Commons' 1509–1558 and 1558–1603.
| Year | First member | Second member |
| 1545–1547 | Robert Smallwood | John Russell (II) |
| 1547–1552 | (Sir) George Blagge, died and repl.Jan 1552 by Robert Nowell | John Rede (I) |
| 1553 (Mar) | (Sir) Robert Southwell | Arthur Stourton |
| 1553 (Oct) | (Sir) Robert Southwell | William Gyes |
| 1554 (April) | William Gyes | Richard Hodges |
| 1554 (Nov)-1555 | William Jennings | William Gyes |
| 1555 | Arthur Stourton | Richard Hodges |
| 1558 | Nicholas Newdigate | John Best |
| 1559 (elected 7 January 1559) | Richard Hodges | John Best |
| 1563–1567 (elected 1562/3) | Robert Nowell | William Bowyer (II) |
| 1571 | Sir William Cordell | William Staunton |
| 1572–1583 | Thomas Wilbraham, died and repl. 1576 by John Osborne | John Dodington |
| 1584–1585 | Hon. Robert Cecil | Thomas Knyvett |
| 1586–1587 | Hon. Robert Cecil | Thomas Knyvett |
| 1589 (elected 20 December 1588) | Thomas Knyvett | Peter Osborne |
| 1593 | Richard Cecil | Thomas Cole |
| 1597–1598 (elected 27 September 1597) | Thomas Knyvett | Thomas Cole died and repl. January 1598 by Anthony Mildmay |
| 1601 (elected 26 September 1601) | Thomas Knyvett | William Cooke (II) |
| 1604 | Sir Thomas Knyvett | Sir Walter Cope |
| 1614 | Sir Humphrey May | Edmund Doubleday |
| 1621 | Sir Edward Villiers | Edmund Doubleday (died before taking his seat and replaced by William Mann) |
| 1624 | Sir Edward Villiers | William Mann |
| 1625 | Sir Edward Villiers | William Mann |
| 1626 | Sir Robert Pye | Peter Heywood |
| 1628 | Joseph Bradshaw | Thomas Morice |
| Apr 1640 | Sir John Glynne | William Bell |
| Nov 1640 | Sir John Glynne | William Bell |
| Glynne disabled 7 September 1647 but restored 7 June 1648 Glynne and Bell both possibly secluded in Pride's Purge Westminster unrepresented in the Rump and Barebones Parliament |||
| 1654 | Thomas Latham | Thomas Falconbridge |
| 1656 | Colonel Edward Grosvenor | Edward Cary |
| 1659 | Edward Grosvenor | Richard Sherwyn |

### Members of Parliament 1660–1918

| Election | First Member | First Member | First Party | Second Member | Second Member | Second Party |
| 1660 | | Gilbert Gerard | Non-partisan | | Thomas Clarges | Non-partisan |
| 1661 | | Philip Warwick | Non-partisan | | Richard Everard | Non-partisan |
| Feb. 1679 | | Stephen Fox | Non-partisan | | William Pulteney | Non-partisan |
| Sep. 1679 | | Francis Wythens | Non-partisan | | William Pulteney | Non-partisan |
| 1680 | | William Waller | Non-partisan | | William Pulteney | Non-partisan |
| Mar. 1685 | | Charles Bonython | Tory | | Michael Arnold | Tory |
| Nov. 1685 | Parliament prorogued | Parliament prorogued | Parliament prorogued | Parliament prorogued | Parliament prorogued | Parliament prorogued |
| 1689 | | William Pulteney | Whig | | Philip Howard | Whig |
| 1690 | | William Pulteney | Whig | | Walter Clarges | Tory |
| 1691 | | Stephen Fox | Non-partisan | | Walter Clarges | Tory |
| 1695 | | Stephen Fox | Non-partisan | | Charles Montagu | Non-partisan |
| 1698 | | James Vernon | Non-partisan | | Charles Montagu | Non-partisan |
| Jan. 1701 | | James Vernon | Non-partisan | | Thomas Crosse | Tory |
| Dec. 1701 | | James Vernon | Non-partisan | | Henry Colt | Non-partisan |
| 1702 | | Walter Clarges | Tory | | Thomas Crosse | Tory |
| 1702 | | Henry Boyle | Non-partisan | | Henry Colt | Non-partisan |
| 1708 | | Henry Boyle | Non-partisan | | Thomas Medlycott | Non-partisan |
| 1710 | | Thomas Crosse | Tory | | Thomas Medlycott | Non-partisan |
| 1715 | | Thomas Crosse | Tory | | Edward Wortley Montagu | Whig |
| Mar. 1722 | | Archibald Hutcheson | Tory | | John Cotton | Tory |
| Dec. 1722 | | Charles Montagu | Whig | | George Carpenter | Whig |
| 1727 | | Charles Cavendish | Whig | | William Clayton | Whig |
| 1734 | | Charles Wager | Whig | | William Clayton | Whig |
| 1741 | | John Perceval | Tory | | Charles Edwin | Tory |
| 1747 | | Granville Leveson-Gower | Whig | | Peter Warren | Whig |
| 1752 | | Granville Leveson-Gower | Whig | Seat vacant | Seat vacant | Seat vacant |
| 1753 | | Granville Leveson-Gower | Whig | | Edward Cornwallis | Whig |
| 1754 | | John Crosse | Non-partisan | | Edward Cornwallis | Whig |
| 1761 | | William Pulteney | Non-partisan | | Edward Cornwallis | Whig |
| 1762 | | William Pulteney | Non-partisan | | Edwin Sandys | Non-partisan |
| 1763 | | Hugh Percy | Non-partisan | | Edwin Sandys | Non-partisan |
| 1770 | | Hugh Percy | Non-partisan | | Robert Bernard | Non-partisan |
| 1774 | | Hugh Percy | Non-partisan | | Thomas Pelham-Clinton | Non-partisan |
| 1776 | | Charles Stanhope | Non-partisan | | Thomas Pelham-Clinton | Non-partisan |
| 1779 | | George Capel-Coningsby | Non-partisan | | Thomas Pelham-Clinton | Non-partisan |
| 1780 | | George Brydges Rodney | Whig | | Charles James Fox | Whig |
| 1782 | | Cecil Wray | Whig | | Charles James Fox | Whig |
| 1784 | | Samuel Hood | Tory | | Charles James Fox | Whig |
| 1788 | | John Townshend | Whig | | Charles James Fox | Whig |
| 1790 | | Samuel Hood | Tory | | Charles James Fox | Whig |
| 1796 | | Alan Gardner | Tory | | Charles James Fox | Whig |
| Oct. 1806 | | Alan Gardner | Tory | | Hugh Percy | Whig |
| Nov. 1806 | | Samuel Hood | Tory | | Richard Brinsley Sheridan | Whig |
| 1807 | | Francis Burdett | Radical | | Thomas Cochrane | Whig |
| Jul. 1818 | | Francis Burdett | Radical | | Samuel Romilly | Whig |
| Nov. 1818 | | Francis Burdett | Radical | Seat vacant | Seat vacant | Seat vacant |
| 1819 | | Francis Burdett | Radical | | George Lamb | Tory |
| 1820 | | Francis Burdett | Radical | | John Hobhouse | Radical |
| 1833 | | Francis Burdett | Radical | | De Lacy Evans | Radical |
| May. 1837 | | Francis Burdett | Conservative | | De Lacy Evans | Radical |
| Jul. 1837 | | John Temple Leader | Radical | | De Lacy Evans | Radical |
| 1841 | | John Temple Leader | Radical | | Henry John Rous | Conservative |
| 1846 | | John Temple Leader | Radical | | De Lacy Evans | Radical |
| 1847 | | Charles Lushington | Whig | | De Lacy Evans | Radical |
| 1852 | | John Shelley | Whig | | De Lacy Evans | Radical |
| 1859 | | John Shelley | Liberal | | De Lacy Evans | Liberal |
| 1865 | | Robert Grosvenor | Liberal | | John Stuart Mill | Liberal |
| 1868 | | Robert Grosvenor | Liberal | | William Henry Smith | Conservative |
| 1874 | | Charles Russell | Conservative | | William Henry Smith | Conservative |
| 1882 | | Algernon Percy | Conservative | | William Henry Smith | Conservative |
| 1885 | | William Burdett-Coutts | Conservative | Seat reduced to one member | Seat reduced to one member | Seat reduced to one member |
| 1918 | Seat abolished | Seat abolished | Seat abolished | Seat abolished | Seat abolished | Seat abolished |

## Fictional Member of Parliament

Westminster was the constituency of fraudulent businessman Augustus Melmotte, who gained election as a Conservative, in Anthony Trollope's satirical novel, The Way We Live Now (published 1875).

## Elections
### General notes

In multi-member elections the bloc voting system was used. Voters could cast a vote for one or two candidates, as they chose. The leading candidates with the largest number of votes were elected.
In by-elections and all elections after 1885, to fill a single seat, the first past the post system applied.
After 1832, when registration of voters was introduced, a turnout figure is given for contested elections. In two-member elections, when the exact number of participating voters is unknown, this is calculated by dividing the number of votes by two. To the extent that electors did not use both their votes this will be an underestimate of turnout.
Where a party had more than one candidate in one or both of a pair of successive elections change is calculated for each individual candidate, otherwise change is based on the party vote. Change figures at by-elections are from the preceding general election or the last intervening by-election. Change figures at general elections are from the last general election.
Candidates for whom no party has been identified are classified as Non Partisan. The candidate might have been associated with a party or faction in Parliament or consider himself to belong to a particular political tradition. Political parties before the nineteenth century were not as cohesive or organised as they later became. Contemporary commentators (even the reputed leaders of parties or factions) in the eighteenth century did not necessarily agree who the party supporters were. The traditional parties, which had arisen in the late seventeenth century, became increasingly irrelevant to politics in the eighteenth century (particularly after 1760), although for some contests in some constituencies party labels were still used. It was only towards the end of the century that party labels began to acquire some meaning again, although this process was by no means complete for several more generations.
Sources: The results for elections before 1790 were taken from the History of Parliament Trust publications on the House of Commons. The results from 1790 until the 1832 general election are based on Stooks Smith and from 1832 onwards on Craig. Where Stooks Smith gives additional information to the other sources this is indicated in a note.

### Dates of Westminster general and by-elections 1660–1918

| -2 Apr 1660 GE -- Apr 1661 GE 27 Feb 1679 GE 19 Sep 1679 GE 15 Nov 1680 BE 10 Feb 1681 GE 23 Mar 1685 GE 21 Jan 1689 GE 13 Mar 1690 GE -9 Nov 1691 BE 29 Oct 1695 GE 22 Jul 1698 GE 21 Jan 1701 GE -9 Dec 1701 GE -6 Aug 1702 GE 30 May 1705 GE -7 Jul 1708 GE -9 Oct 1710 GE -- --- 1713 GE 24 Jan 1715 GE 27 Mar 1722 GE (1) -3 Dec 1722 BE | 15 Aug 1727 GE 22 Apr 1734 GE -8 May 1741 GE (1) 31 Dec 1741 BE -1 Jul 1747 GE 15 May 1750 BE 16 Jan 1753 BE 20 Apr 1754 GE 25 Mar 1761 GE 27 Apr 1762 BE 15 Mar 1763 BE 16 Mar 1768 GE 30 Apr 1770 BE 26 Oct 1774 GE 17 Dec 1776 BE 20 Apr 1779 BE 10 Oct 1780 GE -3 Apr 1782 BE 12 Jun 1782 BE -7 Apr 1783 BE 17 May 1784 GE -4 Aug 1788 BE | -2 Jul 1790 GE 13 Jun 1796 GE 15 Jul 1802 GE 13 Feb 1806 BE -7 Oct 1806 BE 19 Nov 1806 GE 23 May 1807 GE -8 Oct 1812 GE -5 Jul 1814 (2) 16 Jul 1814 BE -4 Jul 1818 GE -3 Mar 1819 BE 25 Mar 1820 GE -- --- 1826 GE -- --- 1830 GE -- --- 1831 GE -- Feb 1832 BE -- --- 1832 GE -4 Apr 1833 BE 11 May 1833 BE -- --- 1835 GE 12 May 1837 BE 27 Jul 1837 GE | -1 Jul 1841 GE 19 Feb 1846 BE 30 Jul 1847 GE -9 Jul 1852 GE -- --- 1857 GE -- --- 1859 GE 12 Jul 1865 GE 18 Nov 1868 GE -7 Feb 1874 GE 11 Aug 1877 BE -- --- 1880 GE 10 Feb 1882 BE 29 Jun 1885 BE 26 Nov 1885 GE -- --- 1886 GE -- --- 1892 GE -- --- 1895 GE -- --- 1900 GE -- --- 1906 GE -- Jan 1910 GE -- Dec 1910 GE |
Notes:
* (1) Election declared void
* (2) Date of expulsion from the House of Lord Cochrane

### Election results (Parliament of England) 1660–1690

General Election 2 April 1660: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Nonpartisan | Gilbert Gerard | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan | Thomas Clarges | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
General election c. April 1661: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Nonpartisan | Philip Warwick | Elected | N/A | N/A |
| Nonpartisan | Richard Everard | Elected | N/A | N/A |
| Nonpartisan | Thomas Clarges | Defeated | N/A | N/A |
| Nonpartisan | Thomas Elliot | Defeated | N/A | N/A |
* Note (1661): Vote totals unavailable
General Election 27 February 1679: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Nonpartisan | Stephen Fox | Elected | N/A | N/A |
| Nonpartisan | William Pulteney | Elected | N/A | N/A |
| Nonpartisan | Philip Matthews | Defeated | N/A | N/A |
| Nonpartisan | William Waller | Defeated | N/A | N/A |
* Note (February 1679): Vote totals unavailable
General Election 19 September 1679: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Nonpartisan | William Pulteney | Elected | N/A | N/A |
| Nonpartisan | Francis Wythens | Elected | N/A | N/A |
| Nonpartisan | William Waller | Defeated | N/A | N/A |
| Nonpartisan | John Cutler | Defeated | N/A | N/A |
| Nonpartisan | Philip Matthews | Defeated | N/A | N/A |
* Note (September 1679): Vote totals unavailable
* On petition Wythens was unseated and William Waller seated on 15 November 1680
General election 10 February 1681: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Nonpartisan | William Pulteney | Elected | N/A | N/A |
| Nonpartisan | William Waller | Elected | N/A | N/A |
| Nonpartisan | Richard Tufton | Defeated | N/A | N/A |
* Note (1681): Vote totals unavailable
General election 23 March 1685: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Tory | Charles Bonython | Elected | N/A | N/A |
| Tory | Michael Arnold | Elected | N/A | N/A |
| Whig | Gilbert Gerard | Defeated | N/A | N/A |
| Whig | William Dolbern | Defeated | N/A | N/A |
* Note (1685): Vote totals unavailable. The candidate in this election is not the Gilbert Gerard elected in 1660, nor is he the Gilbert Gerard who was knight of the shire for Middlesex earlier in the century.
General election 21 January 1689: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Whig | William Pulteney | Elected | N/A | N/A |
| Whig | Philip Howard | Elected | N/A | N/A |
| Tory | Roger Langley | Defeated | N/A | N/A |
| Tory | Charles Bonython | Defeated | N/A | N/A |
| Radical | Philip Matthews | Defeated | N/A | N/A |
| Tory | Walter Clarges | Defeated | N/A | N/A |
| Radical | James Dewey | Defeated | N/A | N/A |
* Note (1689): Vote totals unavailable. Matthews and Dewey are described by Henning as radical candidates, but should not be confused with the followers of John Wilkes in the late eighteenth century or the radicals of the nineteenth century.

### Election results (Parliament of Great Britain) 1715–1800

General election 24 January 1715: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Edward Wortley-Montagu | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Tory | Thomas Crosse | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
General Election 27 March 1722: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Tory | Archibald Hutcheson | 4,024 | 32.7 | N/A |
| Tory | John Cotton | 3,853 | 31.4 | N/A |
| Whig | William Lowndes | 2,215 | 18.0 | N/A |
| Whig | Thomas Crosse | 2,197 | 17.9 | N/A |
* Robert Molesworth (W) was proposed but withdrew before the poll.
* Election declared void 6 November 1722.
By-Election 3 December 1722: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Whig | Charles Montagu | 4,835 | 30.9 | +30.9 |
| Whig | George Carpenter | 4,515 | 28.8 | +28.8 |
| Tory | John Cotton | 3,485 | 22.3 | −9.1 |
| Tory | Thomas Clarges | 2,827 | 18.1 | +18.1 |
General election 15 August 1727: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Charles Cavendish | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Whig | William Clayton | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
General election 22 April 1734: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Charles Wager | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Whig | William Clayton | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
* Clayton created an Irish peer as 1st Baron Sundon 2 June 1735
General election 8 May 1741: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Whig | Charles Wager | 3,686 | 27.0 | N/A |
| Whig | William Clayton | 3,533 | 25.8 | N/A |
| Tory | Edward Vernon | 3,290 | 24.1 | New |
| Tory | Charles Edwin | 3,161 | 23.1 | New |
* Election declared void 22 December 1741.
By-Election 31 December 1741: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | John Perceval | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Tory | Charles Edwin | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
General election 1 July 1747: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Whig | Granville Leveson-Gower, Viscount Trentham | 2,873 | 42.3 | N/A |
| Whig | Peter Warren | 2,858 | 42.1 | N/A |
| Tory | Thomas Clarges | 544 | 8.0 | N/A |
| Tory | Thomas Dyke | 514 | 7.6 | N/A |
* Trentham appointed a Lord of the Admiralty
By-Election 15 May 1750: Westminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Granville Leveson-Gower, Viscount Trentham | 4,811 | 50.8 | +8.5 |
| | Tory | George Vandeput | 4,654 | 49.2 | +49.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 157 | 1.6 | N/A |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |
* After a scrutiny the member returned was unchanged and vote totals were amended to Trentham 4,103; Vandeput 3,933.
* It was during the vote scrutiny, that it was noted that John London was a "Blackamoor" thereby recording the earliest known vote by a black person in Great Britain.
* Death of Warren 29 July 1752
By-Election 16 January 1753: Westminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Edward Cornwallis | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 20 April 1754: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Nonpartisan | Edward Cornwallis | 3,385 | 48.1 | N/A |
| Nonpartisan | John Crosse | 3,184 | 45.2 | N/A |
| Nonpartisan | James Oglethorpe | 261 | 3.7 | N/A |
| Nonpartisan | Charles Sackville | 209 | 3.0 | N/A |
General election 25 March 1761: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Nonpartisan | Edward Cornwallis | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan | William Pulteney | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
* Cornwallis appointed Governor of Gibraltar
By-Election 27 April 1762: Westminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Nonpartisan | Edwin Sandys | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan hold | Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A | |
* Death of Pulteney 11 February 1763
By-Election 15 March 1763: Westminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Nonpartisan | Hugh Percy | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan hold | Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A | |
* Lord Warkworth became known by the courtesy title of Earl Percy from 1766, when his father was advanced in the peerage from Earl to Duke of Northumberland
General election 16 March 1768: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Nonpartisan | Edwin Sandys | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan | Hugh Percy | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
* Succession of Sandys as 2nd Baron Sandys 21 April 1770
By-Election 30 April 1770: Westminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Nonpartisan | Robert Bernard | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan hold | Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 26 October 1774: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Government/Northite | Hugh Percy | 4,994 | 33.8 | N/A |
| Government/Northite | Thomas Pelham-Clinton | 4,774 | 32.3 | N/A |
| Radical | Hervey Redmond Morres | 2,531 | 17.1 | N/A |
| Radical | Charles Stanhope | 2,342 | 15.9 | N/A |
| Nonpartisan | Humphrey Cotes | 130 | 0.9 | N/A |
* Succession of Percy to his mother's title, as 3rd Baron Percy on 5 December 1776
By-Election 17 December 1776: Westminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Nonpartisan | Charles Stanhope | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan hold | Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A | |
* Succession of Petersham as 3rd Earl of Harrington 1 April 1779
By-Election 20 April 1779: Westminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Nonpartisan | George Capell-Coningsby | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan hold | Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A | |
* Pelham-Clinton was known by the courtesy title of Earl of Lincoln, following the death of his brother in 1779
General election 10 October 1780: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Whig | George Brydges Rodney | 4,994 | 35.6 | +35.6 |
| Whig | Charles James Fox | 4,878 | 34.8 | +34.8 |
| Tory | Thomas Pelham-Clinton | 4,157 | 29.6 | −2.7 |
* Note: (1780): Poll 21 days; 9,136 voted; party labels. (Source: Stooks Smith)
* Appointment of Fox as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs 27 March 1782
By-Election 3 April 1782: Westminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Charles James Fox | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |
* Creation of Rodney as 1st Baron Rodney 19 June 1782
By-Election 12 June 1782: Westminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Cecil Wray | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |
* Appointment of Fox as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs 2 April 1783
By-Election 7 April 1783: Westminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Charles James Fox | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 17 May 1784: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Tory | Samuel Hood | 6,588 | 35.4 | +35.4 |
| Whig | Charles James Fox | 6,126 | 32.9 | −1.9 |
| Whig | Cecil Wray | 5,895 | 31.7 | +31.7 |
* Note (1784): Poll 40 days; 12,301 voted. After a scrutiny the members returned were unchanged and vote totals were amended to the figures as above. Original votes Hood 6,694; Fox 6,234; Wray 5,998. (Source: Stooks Smith)
* Hood and Fox were declared elected 4 March 1785
* Appointment of Hood as a Commissioner of the Admiralty 16 July 1788
By-Election 4 August 1788: Westminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | John Townshend | 6,392 | 53.4 | +53.4 |
| | Tory | Samuel Hood | 5,569 | 46.6 | +11.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 823 | 6.9 | N/A |
| | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory | Swing | N/A | |
* Note (1788): Poll 15 days. (Source: Stooks Smith)
General election 2 July 1790: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Whig | Charles James Fox | 3,516 | 41.8 | +8.9 |
| Tory | Samuel Hood | 3,217 | 38.2 | +2.8 |
| Whig | John Horne Tooke | 1,679 | 20.0 | +20.0 |
* Note (1790): Poll 15 days. Mr Tooke proposed himself. (Source: Stooks Smith)
General election 13 June 1796: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Whig | Charles James Fox | 5,160 | 40.3 | −1.5 |
| Tory | Alan Gardner | 4,814 | 37.6 | −0.6 |
| Whig | John Horne Tooke | 2,819 | 22.0 | +2.1 |
* Expulsion of Fox from the Privy Council 9 May 1798
* Creation of Gardner as an Irish peer, 1st Baron Gardner 29 December 1800

### Election results (Parliament of the United Kingdom)

General election 15 July 1802: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Charles James Fox | 2,671 | 39.3 | −1.0 |
| | Tory | Alan Gardner | 2,431 | 35.8 | −1.9 |
| | Radical | John Graham (Westminster candidate) | 1,693 | 24.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,124 | 10.9 | −4.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,795 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Swing | | |
* Note (1802): Poll 9 days. (Source: Stooks Smith)
* Appointment of Fox as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs 7 February 1806
By-Election 13 February 1806: Westminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Charles James Fox | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
* Death of Fox 13 September 1806
By-Election 7 October 1806: Westminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Hugh Percy | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 19 November 1806: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | Samuel Hood | 5,478 | 37.2 | +1.4 |
| | Whig | Richard Brinsley Sheridan | 4,758 | 32.3 | −7.0 |
| | Radical | James Paull | 4,481 | 30.5 | +5.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 277 | 1.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,717 | | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Swing | | |
| | Whig gain from Radical | Whig gain from Radical | Swing | | |
* Note (1806): Poll 15 days; 10,277 voted. (Source: Stooks Smith)
General election 23 May 1807: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Francis Burdett | 5,134 | 37.0 | +37.0 |
| | Whig | Thomas Cochrane | 3,708 | 26.8 | +26.8 |
| | Whig | Richard Brinsley Sheridan | 2,615 | 18.9 | −13.5 |
| | Tory | John Elliot (Westminster candidate) | 2,137 | 15.4 | −21.8 |
| | Radical | James Paull | 269 | 1.9 | −28.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 93 | 11.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,594 | | |
| | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory | Swing | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | | |
* Note (1807): Poll 15 days; 8,622 voted. (Source: Stooks Smith)
General election 8 October 1812: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Francis Burdett | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Whig | Thomas Cochrane | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
* Expulsion of Cochrane from the House of Commons, after being convicted of conspiracy, 5 July 1814
By-Election 16 July 1814: Westminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Thomas Cochrane | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 4 July 1818: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Samuel Romilly | 5,339 | 34.3 | N/A |
| | Whig | Francis Burdett | 5,238 | 33.7 | N/A |
| | Tory | Murray Maxwell | 4,808 | 30.9 | New |
| | Radical | Henry Hunt | 84 | 0.5 | N/A |
| | Whig | Douglas Kinnaird | 65 | 0.4 | N/A |
| | Radical | John Cartwright | 23 | 0.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 430 | 2.8 | −8.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 15,557 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | | |
* Note (1818): Poll 15 days; 10,277 voted. (Source: Stooks Smith)
* Death of Romilly 2 November 1818
By-Election 3 March 1819: Westminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | George Lamb | 4,465 | 53.38 | +22.47 |
| | Whig | John Hobhouse | 3,861 | 46.2 | +46.2 |
| | Radical | John Cartwright | 38 | 0.5 | +0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 604 | 7.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,364 | | |
| | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig | Swing | | |
* Note (1819): Poll 15 days. (Source: Stooks Smith)
General election 25 March 1820: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Francis Burdett | 5,327 | 36.4 | +2.7 |
| | Whig | John Hobhouse | 4,882 | 33.3 | +33.3 |
| | Tory | George Lamb | 4,436 | 30.3 | −0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 446 | 3.0 | +0.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,645 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | | |
* Note (1820): Poll 15 days; 9,280 voted. (Source: Stooks Smith)
General election 1826: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Francis Burdett | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Whig | John Hobhouse | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
General election 1830: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Radical | Francis Burdett | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Radical | John Hobhouse | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold |
| Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold |
General election 1831: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Radical | Francis Burdett | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Radical | John Hobhouse | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold |
| Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold |
* Appointment of Hobhouse as Secretary at War
By-election, February 1832: Westminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Radical | John Hobhouse | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold |
General election 1832: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Radical | Francis Burdett | 3,248 | 43.1 | N/A |
| | Radical | John Hobhouse | 3,214 | 42.6 | N/A |
| | Radical | De Lacy Evans | 1,076 | 14.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,138 | 28.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,453 | 38.5 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,576 | | |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Swing | N/A | |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Swing | N/A | |
* Appointment of Hobhouse as Chief Secretary for Ireland
By-election, 4 April 1833: Westminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Radical | John Hobhouse | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold |
* Resignation of Hobhouse, by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, after he left the Ministry in opposition to the House and Window taxes.
By-election, 11 May 1833: Westminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Radical | De Lacy Evans | 2,027 | 44.1 | +29.8 |
| | Radical | John Hobhouse | 1,835 | 39.9 | −2.7 |
| | Tory | Bickham Escott | 738 | 16.0 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,097 | 23.8 | −4.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,600 | 39.7 | +1.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,576 | | |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1835: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Radical | Francis Burdett | 2,747 | 40.0 | −3.1 |
| | Radical | De Lacy Evans | 2,588 | 37.7 | +23.4 |
| | Conservative | Thomas John Cochrane | 1,528 | 22.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,060 | 15.4 | −12.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,254 | 32.1 | −6.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 13,268 | | |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Swing | N/A | |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Swing | N/A | |
* Resignation of Burdett to seek re-election on changing parties.
By-election, 12 May 1837: Westminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Francis Burdett | 3,567 | 53.9 | +31.6 |
| | Radical | John Temple Leader | 3,052 | 46.1 | −31.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 515 | 7.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,619 | 43.4 | +11.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 15,262 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Radical | Conservative gain from Radical | Swing | +31.6 | |
General election 27 July 1837: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Radical | John Temple Leader | 3,793 | 37.5 | −2.5 |
| | Radical | De Lacy Evans | 3,715 | 36.7 | −1.0 |
| | Conservative | George Murray | 2,620 | 25.9 | +3.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,095 | 10.8 | −4.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,350 | 41.6 | +9.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 15,262 | | |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Swing | −2.2 | |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Swing | −1.4 | |
General election 1 July 1841: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Henry John Rous | 3,338 | 33.8 | +7.9 |
| | Radical | John Temple Leader | 3,281 | 33.2 | −4.3 |
| | Radical | De Lacy Evans | 3,258 | 33.0 | −3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 57 | 0.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,596 | 47.9 | +6.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 13,767 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Radical | Conservative gain from Radical | Swing | +7.9 | |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Swing | −4.1 | |
* Appointment of Rous as a Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty
By-election, 19 February 1846: Westminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Radical | De Lacy Evans | 3,843 | 56.9 | −10.7 |
| | Conservative | Henry John Rous | 2,906 | 43.1 | +10.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 937 | 13.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,749 | 45.6 | −2.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 14,801 | | |
| | Radical gain from Conservative | Radical gain from Conservative | Swing | −10.7 | |
General election 30 July 1847: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Radical | De Lacy Evans | 3,139 | 29.1 | −38.5 |
| | Whig | Charles Lushington | 2,831 | 26.3 | N/A |
| | Whig | Charles Cochrane | 2,819 | 26.2 | N/A |
| | Conservative | William Montagu | 1,985 | 18.4 | −16.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,185 | 49.3 | +1.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 14,572 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 308 | 2.9 | N/A |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Swing | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 846 | 7.9 | N/A |
| | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
* Note (1847): 14,125 registered (Craig's figure above used for the turnout calculation); 7,185 voted. Evans was classified as a Radical, Lushington and Cochrane as Whigs and Rous as a Tory. (Source: Stooks Smith)
General election 9 July 1852: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | John Shelley | 4,199 | 32.2 | −20.3 |
| | Radical | De Lacy Evans | 3,756 | 28.8 | −0.3 |
| | Conservative | William Montagu | 3,373 | 25.9 | +7.5 |
| | Radical | William Coningham | 1,716 | 13.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,522 (est) | 43.8 (est) | −5.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 14,883 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 443 | 3.4 | −4.5 |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | −10.0 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 383 | 2.9 | — |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Swing | −3.9 | |
General election 1857: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Radical | De Lacy Evans | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig | John Shelley | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 13,182 | | |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1859: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | De Lacy Evans | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal | John Shelley | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 13,801 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 12 July 1865: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Grosvenor | 4,534 | 35.2 | N/A |
| | Liberal | John Stuart Mill | 4,525 | 35.1 | N/A |
| | Liberal-Conservative | William Henry Smith | 3,824 | 29.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 701 | 5.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,354 (est) | 66.6 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,546 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
* William Henry Smith described himself as a 'Liberal-Conservative' in support of Liberal prime minister Lord Palmerston.
General election 12 November 1868: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Henry Smith | 7,648 | 37.3 | +7.6 |
| | Liberal | Robert Grosvenor | 6,584 | 32.1 | −3.1 |
| | Liberal | John Stuart Mill | 6,284 | 30.6 | −4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,064 | 5.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,082 (est) | 74.6 (est) | +8.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 18,879 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +7.6 | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −3.5 | |
General election 7 February 1874: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Henry Smith | 9,371 | 35.7 | +17.0 |
| | Conservative | Charles Russell | 8,681 | 33.1 | +14.4 |
| | Liberal | Thomas Buxton | 4,749 | 18.1 | −14.0 |
| | Liberal | William Codrington | 3,435 | 13.1 | −17.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,932 | 15.0 | +9.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,118 (est) | 66.1 (est) | −8.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 19,845 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +16.4 | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +15.1 | |
* Appointment of Smith as First Lord of the Admiralty
By-election, 11 August 1877: Westminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Henry Smith | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1880: Westminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Henry Smith | 9,093 | 29.3 | −6.4 |
| | Conservative | Charles Russell | 8,930 | 28.8 | −4.3 |
| | Liberal | John Morley | 6,564 | 21.2 | +3.1 |
| | Liberal | Arthur Hobhouse | 6,443 | 20.8 | +7.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,366 | 7.6 | −7.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 15,515 (est) | 73.6 (est) | +7.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 21,081 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −4.8 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −6.0 | |
* Resignation of Russell
By-Election 10 February 1882: Westminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Algernon Percy | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
* Appointment of Smith as Secretary of State for War
By-Election 29 June 1885: Westminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Henry Smith | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
* Constituency reduced to one seat and boundaries changed in the redistribution of 1885

## Election results 1885–1918
### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1885: Westminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Burdett-Coutts | 3,991 | 69.7 | +11.6 |
| | Liberal | Edward Spencer Beesly | 1,736 | 30.3 | −11.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,255 | 39.4 | +31.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,727 | 74.7 | +1.1 (est) |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,670 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +11.7 | |
General election 1886: Westminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Burdett-Coutts | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Westminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Burdett-Coutts | 3,548 | 64.9 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Leif Jones | 1,916 | 35.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,632 | 29.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,464 | 68.5 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,971 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1895: Westminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Burdett-Coutts | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Westminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Burdett-Coutts | 2,715 | 86.1 | N/A |
| | Ind. Conservative | H.H. Montague-Smith | 439 | 13.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,276 | 72.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,154 | 42.8 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,367 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1906: Westminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Burdett-Coutts | 3,167 | 60.7 | −25.4 |
| | Liberal | Vere Hobart | 2,054 | 39.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,113 | 21.4 | −50.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,221 | 69.3 | +26.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,539 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Westminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Burdett-Coutts | 3,917 | 69.1 | +8.4 |
| | Liberal | Vere Hobart | 1,751 | 30.9 | −8.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,166 | 38.2 | +16.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,284 | 77.8 | +8.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +8.4 | |
General election December 1910: Westminster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Burdett-Coutts | 3,397 | 73.4 | +4.3 |
| | Liberal | Harry de Pass | 1,228 | 26.6 | −4.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,169 | 46.8 | +8.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,284 | 63.5 | −14.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +4.3 | |