# Sudbury (UK Parliament constituency)

Sudbury was a parliamentary constituency which was represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

## History

A parliamentary borough consisting of the town of Sudbury in Suffolk, the constituency elected two Members of Parliament (MPs) by the bloc vote system of election to the House of Commons of England from 1559 to 1707, then to the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 until it was disenfranchised for corruption in 1844, after which it was absorbed into the Western Division of Suffolk. It was probably enfranchised through lobbying from Ambrose Cave the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster who had interests in the area and could influence the choice of MPs. Sudbury had in the 18th century been seen as a particularly expensive seat but not under the influence of any patron and in the 1761 general election Horace Walpole the cousin of the outgoing MP, Thomas Walpole, had claimed that Sudbury had openly advertised itself for sale with the new MP, John Henniker having to spend £5,500 from the Duke of Newcastle's funds. but not under the influence of any patron The Sudbury election of 1835, which Charles Dickens reported for the Morning Chronicle, is thought by many experts to be the inspiration for the famous Eatanswill election in his novel Pickwick Papers.
The seat was re-established as one of five single-member county divisions of the Parliamentary County of Suffolk by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 for the 1885 general election, electing one MP by the first past the post voting system. It was abolished for the 1950 general election.

## Boundaries and boundary changes
### 1885–1918

* The part of the Municipal Borough of Sudbury in the county of Suffolk;
* The Sessional Divisions of Boxford, Cosford, Melford, and Risbridge; and
* Parts of the Sessional Divisions of Newmarket, and Thingoe and Thedwestry.
The county division was formed from part of the abolished Western Division and included the towns of Sudbury, Hadleigh and Haverhill.

### 1918–1950

* The Municipal Borough of Sudbury;
* The Urban Districts of Glemsford, Hadleigh, and Haverhill;
* The Rural Districts of Clare, Cosford, and Melford; and
* Parts of the Rural Districts of Moulton and Thingoe.
Marginal changes to boundaries.
On abolition, western and northern parts, including Haverhill, transferred to Bury St Edmunds. Central, southern and western parts, including Sudbury and Hadleigh, formed part of the new county constituency of Sudbury and Woodbridge.

## Members of Parliament
### MPs 1559–1640

| Parliament | First member | Second member |
| 1559 | Clement Throckmorton | Henry Fortescue |
| 1563 | John Heigham | Thomas Andrews |
| 1571 | John Hunt | John Gurdon |
| 1572 | Richard Eden | Martin Cole |
| 1584 | Edward Waldegrave | Henry Blagge |
| 1586 | Henry Blagge | Geoffrey Rusham |
| 1588 | Thomas Eden | Thomas Jermyn |
| 1593 | William Fortescue | Dudley Fortescue |
| 1597 | George Waldegrave | John Clapham |
| 1601 | Philip Gawdy | Edward Glascock |
| 1604–1611 | Sir Thomas Beckingham | Thomas Eden, jnr |
| 1614 | Robert Crane | Henry Binge |
| 1621 | Edward Osborne | Brampton Gurdon |
| 1624 | Robert Crane | Sir William Pooley |
| 1625 | Sir Nathaniel Barnardiston | Robert Crane |
| 1626 | Sir Nathaniel Barnardiston | Thomas Smith |
| 1628 | Sir Robert Crane | Sir William Pooley |
| 1629–1640 | No Parliaments summoned |

### MPs 1640–1844

| Year | First member | First member | First party | Second member | Second member | Second party |
| April 1640 | | Sir Robert Crane | Parliamentarian | | Richard Pepys | |
| November 1640 | | Sir Robert Crane | Parliamentarian | | (Sir) Simonds d'Ewes | Parliamentarian |
| February 1643 | Crane died – seat left vacant | Crane died – seat left vacant | Crane died – seat left vacant | | | | (Sir) Simonds d'Ewes | Parliamentarian |
| 1645 | | Brampton Gurdon | Parliamentarian | | (Sir) Simonds d'Ewes | Parliamentarian |
| December 1648 | | Brampton Gurdon | Parliamentarian | D'Ewes ceased sitting after Pride's Purge | D'Ewes ceased sitting after Pride's Purge | D'Ewes ceased sitting after Pride's Purge |
| 1653 | Sudbury was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament | Sudbury was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament | Sudbury was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament | Sudbury was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament | Sudbury was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament | Sudbury was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament |
| 1654 | | John Fothergill | | Sudbury had only one seat in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Sudbury had only one seat in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Sudbury had only one seat in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate |
| 1656 | | John Fothergill | | Sudbury had only one seat in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Sudbury had only one seat in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Sudbury had only one seat in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate |
| January 1659 | | John Fothergill | | | Samuel Hassel | |
| 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 | | John Gurdon | Parliamentarian | | Joseph Brand | |
| 1661 | | Thomas Waldegrave | | | Isaac Appleton | |
| 1662 | | Thomas Waldegrave | | | Sir Robert Cordell | |
| 1677 | | Sir Gervase Elwes | Whig | | Sir Robert Cordell | |
| February 1679 | | Gervase Elwes | | | Sir Robert Cordell | |
| September 1679 | | Gervase Elwes | | | Sir Gervase Elwes | Whig |
| 1685 | | Sir John Cordell | Tory | | Sir George Wenyeve | Tory |
| 1689 | | Sir John Poley | Tory | | Philip Gurdon | Whig |
| February 1690 | | John Robinson | Whig | | Philip Gurdon | Whig |
| October 1690 | | John Robinson | Whig | | Sir Thomas Barnardiston | Whig |
| 1698 | | Samuel Kekewich | | | Sir Thomas Barnardiston | Whig |
| 1699 | | Samuel Kekewich | | | John Gurdon | Tory |
| 1700 | | Sir Gervase Elwes | Whig | | John Gurdon | Tory |
| January 1701 | | Sir Gervase Elwes | Whig | | Sir John Cordell | Tory |
| December 1701 | | Sir Gervase Elwes | Whig | | Joseph Haskin Stiles | Whig |
| 1703 | | Sir Gervase Elwes | Whig | | George Dashwood | Tory |
| 1705 | | Sir Gervase Elwes | Whig | | Philip Skippon | Whig |
| 1706 | | Sir Hervey Elwes | Whig | | Philip Skippon | Whig |
| 1710 | | John Mead | Tory | | Lieutenant-General Robert Echlin | Tory |
| 1713 | | Sir Hervey Elwes | Whig | | Lieutenant-General Robert Echlin | Tory |
| 1715 | | Sir Hervey Elwes | Whig | | Thomas Western | |
| 1722 | | John Knight | Whig | | Colonel William Windham | |
| 1727 | | John Knight | Whig | | Carteret Leathes | |
| January 1734 | | Richard Jackson | | | Carteret Leathes | |
| April 1734 | | Richard Price | | | Edward Stephenson | |
| 1741 | | Thomas Fonnereau | | | Carteret Leathes | |
| 1747 | | Thomas Fonnereau | | | Richard Rigby | Whig |
| 1754 | | Thomas Fonnereau | | | Thomas Walpole | |
| 1761 | | Thomas Fonnereau | | | John Henniker | |
| 1768 | | (Sir) Patrick Blake | | | (Sir) Walden Hanmer | |
| 1774 | | Thomas Fonnereau | | | Philip Champion Crespigny | Whig |
| 1775 | | Sir Patrick Blake, Bt | | | Sir Walden Hanmer | |
| 1780 | | Sir Patrick Blake, Bt | | | Philip Champion Crespigny | Whig |
| 1781 | | Sir Patrick Blake, Bt | | | Sir James Marriott | |
| 1784 | | William Smith | Whig | | John Langston | |
| 1790 | | John Hippisley | Whig | | Thomas Champion Crespigny | |
| 1796 | | William Smith | Whig | | Sir James Marriott | |
| 1802 | | Sir John Hippisley | Whig | | John Pytches | Whig |
| 1807 | | Sir John Hippisley | Whig | | Emanuel Felix Agar | Tory |
| 1812 | | Sir John Hippisley | Whig | | Charles Wyatt | Tory |
| 1818 | | William Heygate | Tory | | John Broadhurst | Whig |
| 1820 | | William Heygate | Tory | | Charles Augustus Tulk | Whig |
| 1826 | | John Wilks | Whig | | Bethel Walrond | Whig |
| 1828 | | John Norman Macleod | Tory | | Bethel Walrond | Whig |
| 1830 | | Sir John Walsh | Tory | | Bethel Walrond | Whig |
| 1831 | | Sir John Walsh | Tory | | Digby Cayley Wrangham | Tory |
| 1832 | | Sir John Walsh | Tory | | Michael Angelo Taylor | Whig |
| Jul. 1834 | | Sir John Walsh | Tory | | Sir Edward Barnes | Tory |
| Dec. 1834 | | Sir John Walsh | Conservative | | Sir Edward Barnes | Conservative |
| 1835 | | John Bagshaw | Whig | | Benjamin Smith | Whig |
| July 1837 | | Sir James Hamilton | Conservative | | Sir Edward Barnes | Conservative |
| December 1837 | | Joseph Bailey | Conservative | | Sir Edward Barnes | Conservative |
| 1838 | | Joseph Bailey | Conservative | | Sir John Walsh | Conservative |
| 1840 | | Joseph Bailey | Conservative | | George Tomline | Conservative |
| 1841 | | Frederick Villiers Meynell | Whig | | David Ochterlony Dyce Sombre | Whig |
| 29 July 1844 | Constituency disfranchised for corruption and incorporated into Western Suffolk | Constituency disfranchised for corruption and incorporated into Western Suffolk | Constituency disfranchised for corruption and incorporated into Western Suffolk | Constituency disfranchised for corruption and incorporated into Western Suffolk | Constituency disfranchised for corruption and incorporated into Western Suffolk | Constituency disfranchised for corruption and incorporated into Western Suffolk |

### MPs 1885–1950

| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| | 1885 | Sir William Quilter | Liberal |
| | 1886 | Sir William Quilter | Liberal Unionist |
| | 1906 | William Heaton-Armstrong | Liberal |
| | 1910 (January) | Sir Cuthbert Quilter | Conservative |
| | 1918 | Stephen Howard | Coalition Liberal |
| | 1922 | Herbert Mercer | Conservative |
| | 1923 | Frederick Loverseed | Liberal |
| | 1924 | Henry Walter Burton | Conservative |
| | 1945 | Roland Hamilton | Labour |
| 1950 | 1950 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |

## Elections
### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Sudbury :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Whig | Bethel Walrond | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Tory | John Walsh | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
| Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig |
General election 1831: Sudbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | John Walsh | 544 | 46.0 |
| | Tory | Digby Cayley Wrangham | 400 | 33.8 |
| | Whig | William Windham | 239 | 20.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 161 | 13.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 656 | c. 65.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | c. 1,000 | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
| | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig |
General election 1832: Sudbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Michael Angelo Taylor | 263 | 33.0 | +22.9 |
| | Tory | John Walsh | 253 | 31.8 | −14.2 |
| | Tory | Digby Cayley Wrangham | 234 | 29.4 | −4.4 |
| | Whig | John Bagshaw | 46 | 5.8 | −4.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 474 | 93.1 | c. +27.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 509 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 29 | 3.6 | N/A |
| | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory | Swing | +16.1 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 19 | 2.4 | −11.2 |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Swing | −12.8 | |
Taylor's death caused a by-election.
By-election, 25 July 1834: Sudbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | Edward Barnes | 264 | 50.1 | −11.1 |
| | Whig | John Bagshaw | 263 | 49.9 | +11.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1 | 0.2 | −2.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 527 | 96.3 | +3.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 547 | | |
| | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig | Swing | −11.1 | |
* Both candidates received the same number of votes, but the mayor's vote was added in favour of Barnes
General election 1835: Sudbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | John Bagshaw | 285 | 28.4 | −4.6 |
| | Whig | Benjamin Smith | 251 | 25.0 | +19.2 |
| | Conservative | Edward Barnes | 241 | 24.0 | −7.8 |
| | Conservative | Stephens Lyne-Stephens | 227 | 22.6 | −6.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10 | 1.0 | −2.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 527 | 95.1 | +2.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 554 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | +1.4 | |
| | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Swing | +13.3 | |
General election 1837: Sudbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Barnes | 372 | 42.1 | +18.1 |
| | Conservative | Sir James Hamilton, 2nd Baronet, of Woodbrook | 342 | 38.7 | +16.1 |
| | Whig | William Abel Smith | 151 | 17.1 | −11.3 |
| | Whig | Sir Thomas Edward Michell Turton, 2nd Baronet | 19 | 2.1 | −22.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 191 | 21.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 502 | 83.8 | −11.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 599 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Swing | +17.6 | |
| | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Swing | +16.6 | |
Hamilton's resignation caused a by-election.
By-election, 12 December 1837: Sudbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Joseph Bailey | 303 | 54.3 | −26.5 |
| | Whig | James Morrison | 255 | 45.7 | +26.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 48 | 8.6 | −13.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 558 | 92.7 | +8.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 602 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −26.5 | |
Barnes' death caused a by-election.
By-election, 27 March 1838: Sudbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Walsh | 293 | 52.4 | −28.4 |
| | Whig | John Bagshaw | 266 | 47.6 | +28.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 27 | 4.8 | −16.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 559 | 92.9 | +9.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 602 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −28.4 | |

### Elections in the 1840s

Walsh resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds in order to contest a by-election at Radnorshire, causing a by-election.
By-election, 5 June 1840: Sudbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Tomline | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1841: Sudbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Frederick Villiers Meynell | 284 | 25.5 | +8.4 |
| | Whig | David Ochterlony Dyce Sombre | 281 | 25.2 | +23.1 |
| | Conservative | David Jones | 274 | 24.6 | −17.5 |
| | Conservative | Charles Taylor | 274 | 24.6 | −14.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7 | 0.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 557 | 92.4 | +8.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 603 | | |
| | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Swing | +12.1 | |
| | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Swing | +19.5 | |
After an election petition was lodged, a Royal Commission found proof of extensive bribery and the writ was suspended in 1844. The constituency was absorbed into West Suffolk.

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1885: Sudbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Cuthbert Quilter | 4,913 | 58.7 | |
| | Conservative | Thomas Weller Poley | 3,461 | 41.3 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,452 | 17.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,374 | 79.6 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,522 | | |
| | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) |
General election 1886: Sudbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | Cuthbert Quilter | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Sudbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | Cuthbert Quilter | 5,111 | 63.8 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Arthur Graeme Ogilvie | 2,905 | 36.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,206 | 27.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,016 | 75.4 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,638 | | |
| | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1895: Sudbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | Cuthbert Quilter | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Sudbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | Cuthbert Quilter | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold |
General election 1906: Sudbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | William Heaton-Armstrong | 4,201 | 50.8 | New |
| | Liberal Unionist | Cuthbert Quilter | 4,065 | 49.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 136 | 1.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,266 | 81.7 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,121 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist | Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Sudbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Cuthbert Quilter | 5,026 | 55.9 | +6.7 |
| | Liberal | Francis Hirst | 3,958 | 44.1 | −6.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,068 | 11.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,984 | 89.5 | +7.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,036 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +6.7 | |
General election December 1910: Sudbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Cuthbert Quilter | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
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: Cuthbert Quilter
* Liberal: Stephen Howard
General election 1918: Sudbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Stephen Howard | 6,656 | 52.1 | New |
| C | Unionist | Richard George Proby | 5,746 | 44.9 | N/A |
| | Labour | Joseph Rouse Hicks* | 390 | 3.0 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 910 | 7.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,792 | 48.4 | N/A |
| | Liberal gain from Unionist | Liberal gain from Unionist | Swing | N/A | |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||
    * some records describe Hicks as an 'Agriculture' candidate

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: Sudbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Herbert Mercer | 7,298 | 47.0 | +2.1 |
| | National Liberal | Stephen Howard | 5,410 | 34.9 | −17.2 |
| | Liberal | Ernest William Tanner | 2,813 | 18.1 | −34.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,888 | 12.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 15,521 | 59.3 | +10.9 |
| | Unionist gain from Liberal | Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | | |
General election 1923: Sudbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Frederick Loverseed | 8,813 | 52.0 | * −1.0 |
| | Unionist | Herbert Mercer | 8,148 | 48.0 | +1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 665 | 4.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 16,961 | 63.8 | +4.5 |
| | Liberal gain from Unionist | Liberal gain from Unionist | Swing | -1.0 | |
* compared to combined 1922 Liberal vote.
General election 1924: Sudbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Henry Burton | 10,579 | 53.6 | +5.6 |
| | Liberal | Frederick Loverseed | 9,168 | 46.4 | −5.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,411 | 7.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 19,747 | 73.3 | +9.5 |
| | Unionist gain from Liberal | Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | +5.6 | |
General election 1929: Sudbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Henry Burton | 9,715 | 40.2 | −13.4 |
| | Liberal | Alan Sainsbury | 8,309 | 34.4 | −12.0 |
| | Labour | W. Jack Shingfield | 6,147 | 25.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,406 | 5.8 | −1.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 24,171 | 75.9 | +2.6 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | -0.7 | |

### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Sudbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Henry Burton | 13,500 | 55.3 | +15.1 |
| | Liberal | Alan Sainsbury | 10,929 | 44.7 | +10.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,571 | 10.6 | +4.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 24,429 | 76.7 | +0.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +2.4 | |
General election 1935: Sudbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Henry Burton | 11,700 | 49.3 | −6.0 |
| | Liberal | Alan Sainsbury | 8,344 | 35.2 | −9.5 |
| | Labour | Horace Denton | 3,670 | 15.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,356 | 14.1 | +3.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 23,714 | 74.4 | −2.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.7 | |

### Elections in the 1940s

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 from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;
* Conservative: Henry Burton
* Liberal: Frederic Sellers
* Labour: Roland Hamilton
General election 1945: Sudbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Roland Hamilton | 9,906 | 40.3 | +24.8 |
| | Conservative | Henry Burton | 9,659 | 39.2 | −10.1 |
| | Liberal | Margaret Hitchcock | 5,045 | 20.5 | −14.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 247 | 1.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 24,610 | 69.5 | −4.9 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |