# South East Essex (UK Parliament constituency)

South East Essex was a parliamentary constituency in Essex in the East of England. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

## History

South East Essex (formally the South Eastern division of Essex in its first incarnation) was one of eight single-member divisions of Essex (later classified as county constituencies) created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, replacing the three two member divisions of East, South and West Essex.
The seat was reduced considerably in size under the Representation of the People Act 1918 and again in the interim redistribution carried out for the 1945 general election, before being abolished for the 1950 general election.
The constituency was re-established for the 1955 general election, and abolished again for the 1983 general election.

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

* The Sessional Divisions of Dengie, Orsett, and Rochford; and
* The civil parishes of Rainham and Wennington.
Formed primarily from the abolished South Division of Essex, together with the southern part of the abolished East Division (Dengie peninsular). See below for areas covered.

### 1918–1945

* The Urban Districts of Grays Thurrock, Shoeburyness, and Tilbury;
* The Rural Districts of Orsett and Rochford; and
* Part of the Rural District of Billericay.
Gained southernmost parts of Chelmsford Division of Essex, including Billericay. The area between River Crouch and River Blackwater (Dengie peninsular), including Burnham-on-Crouch, was transferred to Maldon and the westernmost area, including Rainham, to Romford. Parts comprising Southend-on-Sea County Borough created as a separate Parliamentary Borough.

### 1945–1950

* The Urban Districts of Benfleet, Billericay, Canvey Island, and Rayleigh;
* The Rural District of Rochford; and
* Part of the County Borough of Southend-on-Sea.
The House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act 1944 set up Boundaries Commissions to carry out periodic reviews of the distribution of parliamentary constituencies. It also authorised an initial review to subdivide abnormally large constituencies in time for the 1945 election. This was implemented by the Redistribution of Seats Order 1945 under which South East Essex was divided into two constituencies. As a consequence, the Urban District of Thurrock (created largely from amalgamating the Urban Districts of Grays Thurrock and Tilbury and the Rural District of Orsett) was formed as the new Thurrock Division of Essex. Other marginal changes resulting from changes to local authority boundaries.
Following the First Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies the seat was abolished. The bulk of the Division, comprising the Urban Districts of Benfleet, Billericay, Canvey Island and Rayleigh, formed the new County Constituency of Billericay. The Rural District of Rochford, and the parts of the County Borough of Southend-on-Sea (Shoeburyness), included in the new constituency of Southend East.

### 1955–1974

* The Urban Districts of Benfleet, Canvey Island, and Rayleigh; and
* The Rural District of Rochford.
Re-established as a County Constituency. Benfleet, Canvey Island and Rayleigh were transferred back from Billericay, and Rochford from Southend East.

### 1974–1983

* The Urban Districts of Benfleet, Canvey Island, and Rayleigh.
The Rural District of Rochford was now transferred to Maldon.
On abolition for the second time, Benfleet and Canvey Island (which now comprised the District of Castle Point) formed the new constituency of Castle Point. Rayleigh had been incorporated into the District of Rochford and was included in the new constituency of Rochford.

### Areas covered

| Area | 1885 | 1918 | 1945 | 1950 | 1955 | 1974 | 1983 |
| Dengie peninsular, Burnham-on-Crouch | South East Essex | Maldon (part) | Maldon (part) | Maldon (part) | Maldon (part) | Maldon (part) | South Colchester and Maldon (part) |
| Southend-on-Sea - West | South East Essex | Southend-on-Sea | Southend-on-Sea | Southend West | Southend West | Southend West | Southend West |
| - East | South East Essex | Southend-on-Sea | Southend-on-Sea | Southend East | Southend East | Southend East | Southend East |
| Shoeburyness | South East Essex | South East Essex | South East Essex | Southend East | Southend East | Southend East | Southend East |
| Rochford | South East Essex | South East Essex | South East Essex | Southend East | South East Essex | Maldon (part) | Rochford |
| Rayleigh | South East Essex | South East Essex | South East Essex | Billericay | South East Essex | South East Essex | Rochford |
| South Benfleet, Canvey Island | South East Essex | South East Essex | South East Essex | Billericay | South East Essex | South East Essex | Castle Point |
| Billericay, Wickford | Chelmsford (part) | South East Essex | South East Essex | Billericay | Billericay (part) | Basildon | Billericay |
| Basildon | Chelmsford (part) | South East Essex | South East Essex | Billericay | Billericay (part) | Basildon | Basildon |
| Tilbury, Grays, Orsett | South East Essex | South East Essex | Thurrock | Thurrock | Thurrock | Thurrock | Thurrock |
| Rainham | South East Essex | Romford (part) | Hornchurch (part) | Hornchurch (part) | Hornchurch (part) | Hornchurch (part) | Hornchurch (part) |

## Members of Parliament
### MPs 1885–1950

| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| 1885 | 1885 | constituency created (South Essex divided) | constituency created (South Essex divided) |
| | 1885 | William Makins | Conservative |
| | 1886 | Carne Rasch | Conservative |
| | 1900 | Edward Tufnell | Conservative |
| | 1906 | Rowland Whitehead | Liberal |
| | Jan. 1910 | John Kirkwood | Conservative |
| | 1912 by-election | Rupert Guinness | Unionist |
| | 1918 | Frank Hilder | Unionist |
| | 1923 | Philip Hoffman | Labour |
| | 1924 | Herbert Looker | Unionist |
| | 1929 | Jack Oldfield | Labour |
| | 1931 | Victor Raikes | Conservative |
| | 1945 | Ray Gunter | Labour |
| 1950 | 1950 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |

### MPs 1955–1983

| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| 1955 | 1955 | constituency re-established | constituency re-established |
| | 1955 | Bernard Braine | Conservative |
| 1983 | 1983 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |

## Elections
### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1885: South East Essex :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Makins | 3,707 | 51.4 | |
| | Liberal | William Wills | 3,500 | 48.6 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 207 | 2.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,207 | 76.9 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,367 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
General election 1886: South East Essex :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Carne Rasch | 3,758 | 56.3 | +4.9 |
| | Liberal | William Wills | 2,916 | 43.7 | −4.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 842 | 12.6 | +9.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,674 | 71.3 | −5.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,367 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +4.9 | |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: South East Essex :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Carne Rasch | 4,901 | 52.9 | −3.4 |
| | Liberal | Edmund Wright Brooks | 4,359 | 47.1 | +3.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 542 | 5.8 | −6.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,260 | 77.4 | +6.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,960 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −3.4 | |
General election 1895: South East Essex :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Carne Rasch | 5,460 | 60.8 | +7.9 |
| | Liberal | David Milne-Watson | 3,520 | 39.2 | −7.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,940 | 21.6 | +15.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,980 | 65.8 | −11.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 13,640 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +7.9 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: South East Essex :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Tufnell | 5,815 | 56.6 | −4.2 |
| | Liberal | Rowland Whitehead | 4,461 | 43.4 | +4.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,354 | 13.2 | −8.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,276 | 67.7 | +1.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 15,169 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −4.2 | |
General election 1906: South East Essex :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Rowland Whitehead | 9,230 | 56.3 | +12.9 |
| | Conservative | John Pretyman Newman | 7,170 | 43.7 | −12.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,060 | 12.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 16,400 | 79.6 | +11.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 20,591 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +12.9 | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: South East Essex :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Hendley Morrison Kirkwood | 11,199 | 54.7 | +11.0 |
| | Liberal | Rowland Whitehead | 9,288 | 45.3 | −11.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,911 | 9.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 20,487 | 83.1 | +3.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 24,645 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +11.0 | |
General election December 1910: South East Essex :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Hendley Morrison Kirkwood | 10,108 | 53.2 | −1.5 |
| | Liberal | John Henry Burrows | 8,891 | 46.8 | +1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,217 | 6.4 | −3.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 18,999 | 77.1 | −6.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 24,645 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −1.5 | |
1912 South East Essex by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Rupert Guinness | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist 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: Rupert Guinness
* Liberal:
General election 1918: South East Essex :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | Unionist | Frank Hilder | 11,703 | 63.6 | +10.4 |
| | Labour | Joe Cotter | 5,343 | 29.0 | New |
| | Liberal | Sydney Robinson | 1,372 | 7.4 | −39.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,360 | 34.6 | +28.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 18,418 | 50.9 | −26.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 36,213 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | +24.9 | |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: Essex South East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Frank Hilder | 13,522 | 54.1 | −9.5 |
| | Labour | Philip Hoffman | 11,459 | 45.9 | +16.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,063 | 8.2 | −26.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 24,981 | 58.9 | +8.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 42,406 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −13.2 | |
General election 1923: Essex South East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Philip Hoffman | 13,979 | 53.0 | +7.1 |
| | Unionist | Frank Hilder | 12,379 | 47.0 | −7.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,600 | 6.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 26,358 | 58.1 | −0.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 45,363 | | |
| | Labour gain from Unionist | Labour gain from Unionist | Swing | +7.1 | |
General election 1924: Essex South East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Herbert Looker | 19,731 | 58.8 | +11.8 |
| | Labour | Philip Hoffman | 13,820 | 41.2 | −11.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,911 | 17.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 33,551 | 69.3 | +11.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 48,412 | | |
| | Unionist gain from Labour | Unionist gain from Labour | Swing | +11.8 | |
General election 1929: Essex South East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jack Oldfield | 18,756 | 37.6 | −3.6 |
| | Unionist | Herbert Looker | 18,130 | 36.3 | −22.5 |
| | Liberal | George Thomas Veness | 13,030 | 26.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 626 | 1.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,916 | 65.3 | −4.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 76,466 | | |
| | Labour gain from Unionist | Labour gain from Unionist | Swing | +9.5 | |

### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Essex South East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Victor Raikes | 30,436 | 53.4 | +17.1 |
| | Labour | Jack Oldfield | 20,066 | 35.2 | −2.4 |
| | National Labour | Felix Greene | 6,539 | 11.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,370 | 18.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 57,041 | 66.8 | +1.5 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
General election 1935: Essex South East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Victor Raikes | 25,912 | 44.2 | −9.2 |
| | Labour | Jack Oldfield | 24,942 | 42.5 | +7.3 |
| | Liberal | Arthur Musgrove Mathews | 7,797 | 13.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 970 | 1.7 | −16.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 58,651 | 59.5 | −7.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Essex South East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ray Gunter | 25,581 | 53.8 | +11.3 |
| | Conservative | Aubrey Jones | 21,990 | 46.2 | +2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,591 | 7.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,571 | 65.8 | +6.3 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1955: Essex South East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Bernard Braine | 20,531 | 59.73 | |
| | Labour Co-op | Edward W Harby | 13,841 | 40.27 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,690 | 19.46 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,372 | 72.93 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 47,132 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
General election 1959: Essex South East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Bernard Braine | 28,124 | 60.99 | +1.26 |
| | Labour | Reginald M Fryer | 17,991 | 39.01 | −1.26 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,133 | 21.98 | +2.52 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,115 | 76.46 | +3.53 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 60,315 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.26 | |

### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1964: Essex South East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Bernard Braine | 33,494 | 56.98 | −4.01 |
| | Labour | Anthony Pearson-Clarke | 25,293 | 43.02 | +4.01 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,201 | 13.96 | −8.02 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 58,787 | 75.02 | −1.44 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 78,364 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −4.01 | |
General election 1966: Essex South East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Bernard Braine | 31,942 | 48.50 | −8.48 |
| | Labour | Derek W Edwards | 26,208 | 39.80 | −3.22 |
| | Liberal | Joyce Arram | 7,706 | 11.70 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,734 | 8.70 | −5.26 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 65,856 | 77.34 | +2.32 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 85.151 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −2.63 | |

### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: Essex South East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Bernard Braine | 41,589 | 57.70 | +9.20 |
| | Labour | Derek W Edwards | 23,684 | 32.86 | −6.94 |
| | Liberal | Christopher H Bohling | 6,811 | 9.45 | −2.25 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17,905 | 24.84 | +16.14 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 72,084 | 71.86 | −5.48 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 85,151 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +8.07 | |
General election February 1974: Essex South East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Bernard Braine | 28,644 | 46.26 | −11.44 |
| | Labour | David Bryn Jones | 19,379 | 31.30 | −1.56 |
| | Liberal | Frances Alexander | 13,891 | 22.44 | +12.99 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,265 | 14.96 | −13.88 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 61,914 | 82.09 | +10.23 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 75,394 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −4.94 | |
General election October 1974: Essex South East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Bernard Braine | 27,348 | 48.81 | +2.54 |
| | Labour | David Bryn Jones | 18,638 | 33.26 | +1.96 |
| | Liberal | Anthony Morris | 10,049 | 17.93 | −4.50 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,710 | 15.55 | +0.59 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 56,035 | 73.74 | −8.35 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 76,013 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.29 | |
General election 1979: Essex South East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Bernard Braine | 40,497 | 63.96 | +15.15 |
| | Labour | Nigel Smith | 15,965 | 25.21 | −8.05 |
| | Liberal | Frances Alexander | 6,858 | 10.83 | −7.10 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 24,532 | 38.75 | +23.20 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 63,320 | 76.89 | +3.15 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 82,350 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +11.60 | |