# Cardiff (UK Parliament constituency)

Cardiff was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Cardiff in South Wales which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1542 until it was abolished for the 1918 general election.

## Boundaries

Under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542, most Welsh shire towns returned one MP, including Cardiff as the shire town of Glamorgan; however, other ancient boroughs in the shire contributed to the expense of the borough MP and in return gained a share in the vote. In the case of Cardiff, the relevant "contributory boroughs" were Llantrisant and Cowbridge, and until 1832 also Swansea, Loughor, Neath, Aberavon, and Kenfig. Elections were often held at Bridgend, which was not a contributory borough but was conveniently central in Glamorgan. The Reform Act 1832 separated the contributory boroughs other than Llantrisant and Cowbridge into the new Swansea District of Boroughs. As proposed in 1830, the reform bill would have added Llandaff, Aberdare, and Merthyr Tydfil as Cardiff contributory boroughs, but in the event Merthyr and Aberdare became a separate borough while Llandaff remained part of Glamorgan county constituency, which gained a second seat. The Parliamentary Boundaries Act 1832 extended the boundary of the Cardiff District of Boroughs constituency to include those parts of the Cardiff parishes of St Mary's and St. John outside the old borough boundary. The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 extended the parliamentary boundary to Cardiff's enlarged municipal borough boundary.

## Members of Parliament
### MPs 1542–1645

| Parliament | Member |
| 1542 | John Bassett |
| 1545 | Unknown |
| 1547 | John Cock, sat for Calne, repl. by Sir Philip Hoby |
| 1553 (Mar) | ?David Evans |
| 1553 (Oct) | David Evans |
| 1554 (Apr) | David Evans |
| 1554 (Nov) | William Colchester |
| 1555 | William Herbert |
| 1558 | Lleisan Pryce |
| 1559 | David Evans |
| 1562–3 | Henry Lewes |
| 1571 | Henry Morgan |
| 1572 | David Roberts |
| 1584 | Nicholas Herbert |
| 1586 | George Lewis |
| 1588 | Gabriel Lewys |
| 1593 | David Roberts |
| 1597 | Nicholas Hawkins |
| 1601 | William Lewis |
| 1604 | Matthew Davies |
| 1614 | Matthew Davies |
| 1621 | William Herbert |
| 1624 | William Price |
| 1625 | William Price |
| 1626 | William Price |
| 1628 | Lewis Morgan |
| 1629–1640 | No Parliaments summoned |
| 1640 | William Herbert killed at Battle of Edgehill 1642 |
| 1642–1645 | Not represented |

### MPs 1645–1832

| Year | Year | Member | Party |
| | 1645 | Algernon Sidney | |
| | 1653 | Not represented in Barebones Parliament | |
| | 1654 | John Price | |
| | 1656 | John Price | |
| | 1659 | John Price | |
| | 1660 | Bussy Mansell Double return, Herbert Evans disallowed | |
| | 1661 | Sir Richard Lloyd Elected to sit for Radnorshire | |
| | 1661 | William Bassett Election voided by Parliament on petition | |
| | 1661 | Robert Thomas | |
| | 1679 Feb | Robert Thomas | |
| | 1679 Sep | Robert Thomas | |
| | 1681 | Bussy Mansell | |
| | 1685 | Francis Gwyn | |
| | 1689 | Thomas Mansel | Tory |
| | 1698 | Sir Edward Stradling, Bt | |
| | 1701 | Thomas Mansel | |
| | 1706 | Sir John Aubrey, Bt | |
| | 1710 | Sir Edward Stradling, Bt | |
| | 1722 | Edward Stradling | |
| | 1727 | Bussy Mansel | Tory |
| | 1734 | Herbert Windsor | |
| | 1739 | Herbert Mackworth | |
| | 1741 | Herbert Mackworth | |
| | 1747 | Herbert Mackworth | |
| | 1754 | Herbert Mackworth | |
| | 1761 | Herbert Mackworth | |
| | 1766 | Herbert Mackworth | |
| | 1768 | Herbert Mackworth | |
| | 1774 | Herbert Mackworth | |
| | 1780 | Sir Herbert Mackworth | |
| | 1784 | Sir Herbert Mackworth | |
| | 1790 | Lord Mount Stuart | Tory |
| | 1794 | Lord Evelyn Stuart | Tory |
| | 1802 | Lord William Stuart | Tory |
| | 1814 | Lord Evelyn Stuart | Tory |
| | 1818 | Lord Patrick Crichton-Stuart | |
| | 1820 | Wyndham Lewis | Tory |
| | 1826 | Lord Patrick Crichton-Stuart | Whig |
| 1832 | 1832 | Franchise extended under Reform Act 1832 | Franchise extended under Reform Act 1832 |

### MPs 1832–1918

| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| | 1832 | John Iltyd Nicholl | Conservative |
| | 1852 | Walter Coffin | Radical |
| | 1857 | James Crichton-Stuart | Whig |
| | 1859 | James Crichton-Stuart | Liberal |
| | 1880 | Sir Edward Reed | Liberal |
| | 1895 | James Mackenzie Maclean | Unionist |
| | 1900 | Sir Edward Reed | Liberal |
| | 1904 | Sir Edward Reed | Liberal Unionist |
| | 1906 | Ivor Guest | Liberal |
| | 1910 (Jan) | D. A. Thomas | Liberal |
| | 1910 (Dec) | Lord Ninian Crichton-Stuart | Unionist |
| | 1915 by-election | Sir James Cory, 1st Baronet | Conservative |
| 1918 | 1918 | constituency abolished: see Cardiff Central, Cardiff East and Cardiff South | constituency abolished: see Cardiff Central, Cardiff East and Cardiff South |

## Election results
### Elections in the 1830s

General Election 1830: Cardiff Boroughs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Patrick Crichton-Stuart | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General Election 1831: Cardiff Boroughs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Patrick Crichton-Stuart | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General Election 1832: Cardiff Boroughs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | John Iltyd Nicholl | 342 | 64.2 |
| | Whig | Patrick Crichton-Stuart | 191 | 35.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 151 | 28.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 533 | 77.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 687 | |
| | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig |
General Election 1835: Cardiff Boroughs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | John Iltyd Nicholl | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 672 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Nicholl was appointed as a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, causing a by-election.
By-election, 20 March 1835: Cardiff Boroughs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | John Iltyd Nicholl | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General Election 1837: Cardiff Boroughs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | John Iltyd Nicholl | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 635 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1840s

General Election 1841: Cardiff Boroughs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Iltyd Nicholl | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 765 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Nicholl was appointed Judge Advocate General of the Armed Forces, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 17 September 1841: Cardiff Boroughs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Iltyd Nicholl | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General Election 1847: Cardiff Boroughs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Iltyd Nicholl | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 797 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1850s

General Election 1852: Cardiff Boroughs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Radical | Walter Coffin | 490 | 51.4 | New |
| | Conservative | John Iltyd Nicholl | 464 | 48.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 26 | 2.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 954 | 98.6 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,072 | | |
| | Radical gain from Conservative | Radical gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1857: Cardiff Boroughs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | James Crichton-Stuart | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,640 | | |
| | Whig gain from Radical | Whig gain from Radical | Whig gain from Radical | Whig gain from Radical | Whig gain from Radical |
General election 1859: Cardiff Boroughs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | James Crichton-Stuart | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,793 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Cardiff Boroughs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | James Crichton-Stuart | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,072 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1868: Cardiff Boroughs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | James Crichton-Stuart | 2,501 | 54.9 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Hardinge Giffard | 2,055 | 45.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 446 | 9.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,556 | 84.6 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,388 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Cardiff Boroughs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | James Crichton-Stuart | 2,780 | 50.1 | −4.8 |
| | Conservative | Hardinge Giffard | 2,771 | 49.9 | +4.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9 | 0.2 | −9.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,551 | 83.4 | −1.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,656 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −4.8 | |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Cardiff Boroughs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Edward Reed | 3,831 | 53.1 | +3.0 |
| | Conservative | Arthur Guest | 3,383 | 46.9 | −3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 448 | 6.2 | +6.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,214 | 86.4 | +3.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,350 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +3.0 | |
General election 1885: Cardiff Boroughs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Edward Reed | 5,569 | 50.6 | −2.5 |
| | Conservative | Henry Harben (businessman) | 5,429 | 49.4 | +2.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 140 | 1.2 | −5.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,998 | 87.3 | +0.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,605 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −2.5 | |
Reed was appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 27 Feb 1886: Cardiff Boroughs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Edward Reed | 5,708 | 54.1 | +3.5 |
| | Conservative | John Dillwyn-Llewelyn | 4,845 | 45.9 | −3.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 863 | 8.2 | +7.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,553 | 83.7 | −3.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,605 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +3.5 | |
General election 1886: Cardiff Boroughs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Edward Reed | 5,307 | 51.7 | +1.1 |
| | Liberal Unionist | Henry Brand | 4,965 | 48.3 | −1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 342 | 3.4 | +2.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,272 | 81.5 | −5.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,605 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +1.1 | |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Cardiff Boroughs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Edward Reed | 7,226 | 52.5 | +0.8 |
| | Liberal Unionist | Sir John Gunn | 6,540 | 47.5 | −0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 686 | 5.0 | +1.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,766 | 81.5 | 0.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 16,886 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +0.8 | |
General election 1895: Cardiff Boroughs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Mackenzie Maclean | 8,386 | 52.6 | +5.1 |
| | Liberal | Edward Reed | 7,562 | 47.4 | −5.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 824 | 5.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 15,948 | 82.4 | +0.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 19,358 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +5.1 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Cardiff Boroughs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Edward Reed | 9,342 | 52.2 | +4.8 |
| | Conservative | Joseph Lawrence | 8,541 | 47.8 | −4.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 801 | 4.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 17,883 | 80.0 | −2.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 22,361 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +4.8 | |
General election 1906: Cardiff Boroughs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Ivor Guest | 12,434 | 56.9 | +4.7 |
| | Conservative | James Fortescue-Flannery | 9,429 | 43.1 | −4.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,005 | 13.8 | +9.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,863 | 80.8 | +0.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 27,057 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +4.7 | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Cardiff Boroughs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | D. A. Thomas | 13,207 | 53.1 | −3.8 |
| | Conservative | Ninian Crichton-Stuart | 11,652 | 46.9 | +3.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,555 | 6.2 | −7.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 24,859 | 86.5 | +5.7 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | -3.8 | |
General election December 1910: Cardiff Boroughs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ninian Crichton-Stuart | 12,181 | 50.6 | +3.7 |
| | Liberal | Clarendon Hyde | 11,882 | 49.4 | −3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 299 | 1.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 24,068 | 83.8 | −2.7 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +3.7 | |
1915 Cardiff by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | James Cory | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold |