# Plymouth (UK Parliament constituency)

Plymouth was a parliamentary borough in Devon, which elected two members of parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons in 1298 and again from 1442 until 1918, when the borough was merged with the neighbouring Devonport and the combined area divided into three single-member constituencies.

## History
### In the unreformed Parliament (to 1832)

Plymouth first sent MPs to the Parliament of 1298, but after that the right lapsed until being restored in 1442, after which it returned two members to each parliament. The borough originally consisted of the parish of Plymouth in Devon; in 1641, the parish was divided into two, St Charles and St Andrew, and both remained in the borough. (This included most of the town as it existed in mediaeval and early modern times, but only a fraction of the city as it exists today). Plymouth was a major port, both naval and commercial, and unlike many of the boroughs of the unreformed Parliament fully merited its status both for its importance and its population. (It was one of the few boroughs that retained both its members in the short-lived reform of the electoral system during the Commonwealth.) By the time of the Great Reform Act 1832, the population of the borough was a little over 31,000, but the whole conurbation including the two nearby towns of Devonport and Stonehouse, had about 75,000 inhabitants.
Until 1660, the right to vote in Plymouth was restricted to the corporation. In that year, the House of Commons determined that the right was vested in the "Mayor and Commonalty", but the term "commonalty" was ambiguous and in 1740 it was held to mean only the freemen of the town rather than all the freeholders, a much more restrictive franchise. This amounted to only about 200 voters in the 18th and early 19th century, and the highest number actually recorded as voting was 177. Since the corporation was responsible for electing its own successors and also controlled the admission of freemen, it was easy for any interest having once gained control of the borough to retain it. Because of the importance of the naval dockyard to the town's prosperity, Plymouth fell under the influence of the government very early, and from at least the late 17th century was regarded as a safe constituency where ministers could nominate both members with little likelihood of serious opposition.
The members so nominated almost invariably included a distinguished naval officer, or instead on occasions a high official of the Admiralty (who, of course, could bring valuable patronage to Plymouth). When the Admiralty nominated only one member, the other was often the choice of the governor of the garrison, though at the turn of the 19th century the Prince Regent (who was recorder of the borough) was generally allowed to pick both members.
Nevertheless, government control of the borough did not entirely preclude an influential role for local aristocratic or landed families, not least because somebody had to manage the government's patronage and decide how it should be exercised. Around 1700, the Trelawny family considered themselves "patrons" of Plymouth (which, together with their pocket boroughs of East Looe and West Looe in Cornwall, gave them control of six seats in Parliament). Charles Trelawny, who was Governor of Plymouth from 1696 to 1712, had power of nomination to both seats throughout this period, sitting himself as MP and choosing his brother for the other seat on one occasion.
Many of Plymouth's MPs, naval or otherwise, justified the borough's confidence in them by bringing patronage to the town. Namier and Brooke quote a letter from the First Lord of the Admiralty, Lord Sandwich, to the Plymouth MP Viscount Barrington, rebuking him for the extent of the continual requests he was making on their behalf; but many of these requests, it is clear, were nevertheless being met.

### After the Reform Act (1832–1918)

The Great Reform Act left the borough of Plymouth unaltered, but its nature was affected radically. One change was the franchise reform, giving more than 1,400 of the inhabitants the vote. (Many of these, however, would have been able to vote for the county constituency of Devon before the Reform Act, since 40 shilling freeholders could vote for the county even if their property was within the borough boundaries.)
The second change was the creation of a new borough for the neighbouring town of Devonport, which included both Devonport and Stonehouse. These two towns, though outside the boundaries of Plymouth borough, had been influential on its politics, but now had two MPs of their own. As a result, the naval influence on Plymouth was somewhat reduced after 1832, though the importance of the dockyards to the economic interests of the constituency remained. In 1901, 7.9% of Plymouth's population were in defence-related occupations and a further 1.6% in boat or ship manufacture; but in Devonport the figures were 29.9% and 1.6% respectively.
Once governments could no longer easily abuse their powers of patronage to secure their seats in such constituencies, the naval connection could be a hindrance rather than a help: Sir Edward Clarke, Conservative MP for Plymouth in the latter years of the 19th century, had considerable difficulty securing re-election in 1892 because of local criticism of the Conservative government's Admiralty policy on payment for shipwrights. Nevertheless, the naval aspect was probably normally helpful to the Conservative vote at this period: by the early 20th century, Plymouth was one of England's most densely populated cities, and also had a high non-conformist population, which would normally have suggested a safe Liberal seat, but in fact the two parties polled fairly equally and Conservatives were elected more often than not.

### Abolition

In 1914, the areas covered by the separate Plymouth and Devonport constituencies had been combined into a single county borough of Plymouth for local government purposes, and under the parliamentary boundary changes which came into effect at the general election of 1918 both two-member boroughs were abolished and the area of the county borough divided into single-member constituencies. The city's population was now adjudged to entitle it only to three MPs in place of the four it had had previously, and the new constituencies were called Plymouth, Devonport, Plymouth, Drake and Plymouth, Sutton. Of these, the Devonport division was very similar to the old Devonport borough, while the former Plymouth borough was split between the Drake and Sutton divisions.

## Members of Parliament
### MPs 1442–1640

| Parliament | First member | Second member |
| 1510 | Henry Strete | John Bryan |
| 1512 | Robert Bowring | ... Legh |
| 1515 | John Orenge | ? |
| 1523 | ? |
| 1529 | Thomas Vowell | John Pollard |
| 1536 | John Pollard | ? |
| 1539 | James Horsewell | William Hawkins |
| 1542 | George Ferrers | James Horsewell |
| 1545 | Thomas Sternhold | George Ferrers |
| 1547 | John Prideaux | William Hawkins |
| 1553 (Mar) | George Ferrers | Roger Buttockshide |
| 1553 (Oct) | Roger Buttockshide | William Hawkins |
| 1554 (Apr) | John Malet | Richard Hooper |
| 1554 (Nov) | Sir Thomas Knyvet | Roger Buttockshide |
| 1555 | Thomas Carew | John Young |
| 1558 | Humphrey Specote | Nicholas Slanning |
| 1558/9 | Sir Arthur Champernown | Nicholas Slanning |
| 1562/3 | Henry Champernown | William Peryam |
| 1571 | Sir Humphrey Gilbert | John Hawkins |
| 1572 | John Hawkins | Edmund Tremayne |
| 1584 | Henry Bromley | Christopher Harris |
| 1586 | Henry Bromley | Hugh Vaughan |
| 1588 | Miles Sandys | Reginald Nicholas |
| 1593 | Sir Francis Drake | Robert Basset (1573–1641) of Heanton Punchardon |
| 1597 | Warwick Hele | William Stallenge |
| 1601 | William Stallenge | James Bagg |
| 1604–1611 | Sir Richard Hawkins | James Bagg |
| 1614 | William Strode | Thomas Sherville |
| 1621–1622 | John Glanville | Thomas Sherville |
| 1624 | John Glanville | Thomas Sherville |
| 1625 | John Glanville | Thomas Sherville |
| 1626 | John Glanville | Thomas Sherville |
| 1628–1629 | John Glanville | Thomas Sherville |
| 1629–1640 | No Parliaments summoned | No Parliaments summoned |

### MPs 1640–1918

| Year | | First member | First party | | Second member | Second party |
| April 1640 | | Robert Trelawney | | | John Waddon | |
| November 1640 | | Robert Trelawney | Royalist | | John Waddon | Parliamentarian |
| 1642 | | Sir John Yonge | Parliamentarian | | John Waddon | Parliamentarian |
| December 1648 | Yonge and Waddon excluded in Pride's Purge – both seats vacant | Yonge and Waddon excluded in Pride's Purge – both seats vacant | Yonge and Waddon excluded in Pride's Purge – both seats vacant | Yonge and Waddon excluded in Pride's Purge – both seats vacant | Yonge and Waddon excluded in Pride's Purge – both seats vacant | Yonge and Waddon excluded in Pride's Purge – both seats vacant |
| 1653 | Plymouth was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament | Plymouth was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament | Plymouth was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament | Plymouth was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament | Plymouth was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament | Plymouth was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament |
| 1654 | | Christopher Silly | | | William Yeo | |
| 1656 | | John Maynard | | | Timothy Alsop | |
| January 1659 | | Christopher Silly | | | Timothy Alsop | |
| May 1659 | Plymouth was not represented in the restored Rump | Plymouth was not represented in the restored Rump | Plymouth was not represented in the restored Rump | Plymouth was not represented in the restored Rump | Plymouth was not represented in the restored Rump | Plymouth was not represented in the restored Rump |
| April 1660 | | John Maynard | | | Edmund Fowell | |
| June 1660 | | Sir William Morice | | | Samuel Trelawny | |
| 1666 | | Sir William Morice | | | Sir Gilbert Talbot | |
| 1677 | | John Sparke | | | Sir Gilbert Talbot | |
| 1679 | | John Sparke | | | Sir John Maynard | |
| 1680 | | Sir William Jones | | | Sir John Maynard | |
| 1685 | | Bernard Granville | | | The Earl of Ranelagh | |
| January 1689 | | Sir John Maynard | | | Arthur Herbert | |
| July 1689 | | Sir John Maynard | | | John Granville | |
| 1690 | | John Trelawny | | | John Granville | |
| 1695 | | George Parker | | | John Granville | |
| 1698 | | Major General Charles Trelawny | | | Sir John Rogers | |
| 1701 | | Major General Charles Trelawny | | | Brigadier Henry Trelawny | |
| 1702 | | Major General Charles Trelawny | | | John Woolcombe | |
| 1705 | | Major General Charles Trelawny | | | Rear Admiral Sir George Byng | |
| 1713 | | Sir John Rogers | | | Rear Admiral Sir George Byng | |
| 1721 | | Sir John Rogers | | | Hon. Pattee Byng | |
| 1722 | | William Chetwynd | | | Hon. Pattee Byng | |
| 1727 | | Arthur Stert | Whig | | George Treby | Whig |
| 1728 | | Arthur Stert | Whig | | Robert Byng | Whig |
| 1739 | | Arthur Stert | Whig | | John Rogers | |
| January 1740 | | Arthur Stert | Whig | | Captain Charles Vanbrugh | |
| November 1740 | | Arthur Stert | Whig | | Lord Henry Beauclerk | Whig |
| 1741 | | Arthur Stert | Whig | | Admiral Lord Vere Beauclerk | |
| 1750 | | Arthur Stert | Whig | | Captain Charles Saunders | |
| 1754 | | The Viscount Barrington | | | Samuel Dicker | |
| 1760 | | The Viscount Barrington | | | Vice Admiral George Pocock | |
| 1768 | | The Viscount Barrington | | | Admiral Sir Francis Holburne | |
| 1771 | | The Viscount Barrington | | | Admiral Sir Charles Hardy | |
| 1778 | | Viscount Lewisham | | | Admiral Sir Charles Hardy | |
| 1780 | | Vice Admiral George Darby | | | Sir Frederick Rogers | |
| 1784 | | Captain John Macbride | | | Captain Robert Fanshawe | |
| 1790 | | Captain John Macbride | | | Captain Alan Gardner | |
| 1790 | | Sir Frederick Rogers | | | Captain Alan Gardner | |
| 1796 | | Sir Frederick Rogers | | | William Elford | |
| 1797 | | Francis Glanville | | | William Elford | |
| 1802 | | Philip Langmead | | | William Elford | |
| March 1806 | | Thomas Tyrwhitt | | | William Elford | |
| November 1806 | | Thomas Tyrwhitt | | | Admiral Sir Charles Pole | |
| 1812 | | Colonel Benjamin Bloomfield | | | Admiral Sir Charles Pole | |
| February 1818 | | Sir William Congreve | Tory | | Admiral Sir Charles Pole | |
| June 1818 | | Sir William Congreve | Tory | | Sir Thomas Byam Martin | Whig |
| 1828 | | Sir George Cockburn | Tory | | Sir Thomas Byam Martin | Whig |
| 1832 | | John Collier | Whig | | Thomas Bewes | Whig |
| 1841 | | Thomas Gill | Whig | | Viscount Ebrington | Whig |
| 1847 | | Roundell Palmer | Peelite | | Viscount Ebrington | Whig |
| 1852 | | Charles John Mare | Conservative | | (Sir) Robert Collier | Whig |
| 1853 | | Roundell Palmer | Peelite | | (Sir) Robert Collier | Whig |
| 1857 | | James White | Whig | | (Sir) Robert Collier | Whig |
| 1859 | | Viscount Valletort | Conservative | | (Sir) Robert Collier | Liberal |
| 1861 | | Walter Morrison | Liberal | | (Sir) Robert Collier | Liberal |
| 1871 | | Walter Morrison | Liberal | | Sir Edward Bates | Conservative |
| 1874 | | Sampson Lloyd | Conservative | | Sir Edward Bates | Conservative |
| April 1880 | | Peter Stewart Macliver | Liberal | | Sir Edward Bates | Conservative |
| July 1880 | | Peter Stewart Macliver | Liberal | | (Sir) Edward Clarke, QC | Conservative |
| 1885 | | Sir Edward Bates | Conservative | | (Sir) Edward Clarke, QC | Conservative |
| 1892 | | Sir William Pearce | Conservative | | (Sir) Edward Clarke, QC | Conservative |
| 1895 | | Charles Harrison | Liberal | | (Sir) Edward Clarke, QC | Conservative |
| 1898 | | Sigismund Mendl | Liberal | | (Sir) Edward Clarke, QC | Conservative |
| February 1900 | | Sigismund Mendl | Liberal | | Hon. Ivor Guest | Conservative |
| October 1900 | | Henry Duke | Conservative | | Hon. Ivor Guest | Conservative |
| April 1904 | | Henry Duke | Conservative | | Hon. Ivor Guest | Liberal |
| 1906 | | Thomas Dobson | Liberal | | Charles Mallet | Liberal |
| January 1910 | | Aneurin Williams | Liberal | | Charles Mallet | Liberal |
| December 1910 | | Waldorf Astor | Conservative | | Arthur Benn | Conservative |
| 1918 | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished |

## Elections
### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Plymouth :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Whig | Thomas Byam Martin | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Tory | George Cockburn | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
| Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
General election 1831: Plymouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Thomas Byam Martin | 101 | 39.6 |
| | Tory | George Cockburn | 91 | 35.7 |
| | Whig | George Elliot | 63 | 24.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 146 | 76.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 192 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10 | 3.9 |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 28 | 11.0 |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
General election 1832: Plymouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Thomas Bewes | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig | John Collier (MP) | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,415 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
| | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory |
General election 1835: Plymouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | John Collier (MP) | 720 | 34.7 |
| | Whig | Thomas Bewes | 687 | 33.1 |
| | Conservative | George Cockburn | 667 | 32.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20 | 0.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,290 | 82.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,571 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1837: Plymouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | John Collier (MP) | 780 | 30.4 | −4.3 |
| | Whig | Thomas Bewes | 772 | 30.1 | −3.0 |
| | Conservative | George Cockburn | 551 | 21.4 | +5.3 |
| | Conservative | Price Blackwood | 466 | 18.1 | +2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 221 | 8.7 | +7.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,309 | 72.3 | −9.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,811 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | −4.0 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | −3.3 | |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Plymouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Thomas Gill | 821 | 38.0 | +7.6 |
| | Whig | Hugh Fortescue | 787 | 36.4 | +6.3 |
| | Conservative | John Johnson | 552 | 25.6 | −13.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 235 | 10.8 | +2.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,256 (est) | 66.0 (est) | c. −6.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,903 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | +7.3 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | +6.6 | |
Fortescue was appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 11 July 1846: Plymouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Hugh Fortescue | 716 | 79.2 | +4.8 |
| | Chartist | Henry Vincent | 188 | 20.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 528 | 58.4 | +47.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 904 | 46.5 | −19.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,903 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1847: Plymouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Hugh Fortescue | 921 | 36.4 | −38.0 |
| | Peelite | Roundell Palmer | 837 | 33.1 | +7.5 |
| | Chartist | Charles Calmady | 769 | 30.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,682 (est) | 77.4 (est) | +8.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,174 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 84 | 3.3 | −7.5 |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | −22.8 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 68 | 2.7 | N/A |
| | Peelite gain from Whig | Peelite gain from Whig | Swing | +22.8 | |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Plymouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles John Mare | 1,036 | 31.2 | −1.9 |
| | Whig | Robert Collier | 1,004 | 30.3 | +12.1 |
| | Whig | George Thomas Braine | 906 | 27.3 | +9.1 |
| | Radical | Bickham Escott | 372 | 11.2 | −19.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,659 (est) | 66.8 (est) | −10.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,482 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 32 | 0.9 | N/A |
| | Conservative gain from Peelite | Conservative gain from Peelite | Swing | −6.3 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 98 | 3.0 | −0.3 |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | +10.9 | |
Mare's election was declared void on petition due to bribery and corruption, causing a by-election.
By-election, 2 June 1853: Plymouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Peelite | Roundell Palmer | 944 | 51.9 | +20.7 |
| | Whig | George Thomas Braine | 876 | 48.1 | −9.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 68 | 3.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,820 | 72.6 | +5.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,508 | | |
| | Peelite gain from Conservative | Peelite gain from Conservative | Swing | +15.1 | |
General election 1857: Plymouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Robert Collier | 1,167 | 40.3 | +10.0 |
| | Whig | James White | 1,106 | 38.2 | +10.9 |
| | Conservative | John Hardy | 622 | 21.5 | −9.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 484 | 16.7 | +13.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,759 (est) | 67.5 (est) | +0.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,604 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | +7.4 | |
| | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Swing | +7.9 | |
General election 1859: Plymouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Edgcumbe | 1,153 | 36.0 | +14.5 |
| | Liberal | Robert Collier | 1,086 | 33.9 | −6.4 |
| | Liberal | James White | 964 | 30.1 | −8.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 67 | 2.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,178 (est) | 80.5 (est) | +13.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,706 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +14.5 | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −6.8 | |

### Elections in the 1860s

Edgcumbe succeeded to the peerage, becoming 4th Earl of Mount Edgcumbe and causing a by-election.
By-election, 31 October 1861: Plymouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Walter Morrison | 1,179 | 54.5 | −9.5 |
| | Conservative | William Addington | 984 | 45.5 | +9.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 195 | 9.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,163 | 77.8 | −2.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,781 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | −9.5 | |
Collier was appointed Solicitor General for England and Wales, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 17 October 1863: Plymouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Collier | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1865: Plymouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Collier | 1,299 | 35.5 | +1.6 |
| | Liberal | Walter Morrison | 1,218 | 33.2 | +3.1 |
| | Conservative | Richard Stuart Lane | 1,147 | 31.3 | −4.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 71 | 1.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,406 (est) | 81.7 (est) | +1.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,944 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +2.0 | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +2.7 | |
General election 1868: Plymouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Collier | 2,086 | 36.9 | +1.4 |
| | Liberal | Walter Morrison | 2,065 | 36.5 | +3.3 |
| | Conservative | Richard Stuart Lane | 1,506 | 26.6 | −4.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 559 | 9.9 | +8.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,582 (est) | 74.0 (est) | −7.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,840 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +1.9 | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +2.8 | |
Collier was appointed Attorney General for England and Wales, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 21 December 1868: Plymouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Collier | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1870s

Collier was appointed Recorder of Bristol, causing a by-election.
By-election, 15 Aug 1870: Plymouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Collier | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
Collier resigned after being appointed a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, causing a by-election.
By-election, 22 Nov 1871: Plymouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Bates | 1,753 | 53.7 | +27.1 |
| | Liberal | Alfred Rooker | 1,511 | 46.3 | −27.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 242 | 7.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,264 | 69.9 | −4.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,671 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +27.1 | |
General election 1874: Plymouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Bates | 2,045 | 27.4 | +14.1 |
| | Conservative | Sampson Lloyd | 2,000 | 26.8 | +13.5 |
| | Liberal | Sir George Young, 3rd Baronet | 1,714 | 23.0 | −13.9 |
| | Liberal | Walter Morrison | 1,700 | 22.8 | −13.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 286 | 3.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,730 (est) | 78.9 (est) | +4.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,728 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +14.0 | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +13.7 | |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Plymouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Bates | 2,442 | 25.3 | −2.1 |
| | Liberal | Peter Stewart Macliver | 2,406 | 25.0 | +2.2 |
| | Liberal | Sir George Young, 3rd Baronet | 2,402 | 24.9 | +1.9 |
| | Conservative | Sampson Lloyd | 2,384 | 24.7 | −2.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,817 (est) | 86.8 (est) | +7.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,552 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 36 | 0.3 | −3.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −2.0 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 18 | 0.3 | N/A |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +2.2 | |
Bates was removed upon petition, causing a by-election.
By-election, 10 Jul 1880: Plymouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Clarke | 2,449 | 51.5 | +2.5 |
| | Liberal | Sir George Young, 3rd Baronet | 2,305 | 48.5 | −2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 144 | 3.0 | +2.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,754 | 85.6 | −1.2 (est) |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,552 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +2.6 | |
General election 1885: Plymouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Bates | 4,354 | 26.0 | +0.7 |
| | Conservative | Edward Clarke | 4,240 | 25.4 | +0.7 |
| | Liberal | Peter Stewart Macliver | 4,132 | 24.8 | −0.2 |
| | Liberal | Reginald Brett | 3,968 | 23.8 | −1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 108 | 0.6 | +0.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,389 | 82.8 | −4.0 (est) |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,130 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.5 | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +1.0 | |
General election 1886: Plymouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Clarke | 4,137 | 28.2 | +2.8 |
| | Conservative | Edward Bates | 4,133 | 28.1 | +2.1 |
| | Liberal | Thomas English Stephens | 3,255 | 22.1 | −2.7 |
| | Liberal | Edward Strachey | 3,175 | 21.6 | −2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 878 | 6.0 | +5.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,400 (est) | 73.1 | −9.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,130 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +2.8 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +2.2 | |
Clarke was appointed Solicitor General for England and Wales, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 11 Aug 1886: Plymouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Clarke | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Plymouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Clarke | 5,081 | 25.5 | −2.7 |
| | Conservative | William Pearce | 5,081 | 25.5 | −2.6 |
| | Liberal | Charles Harrison | 4,921 | 24.6 | +2.5 |
| | Liberal | George Lidgett | 4,861 | 24.4 | +2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 160 | 0.9 | −5.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,086 | 81.1 | +8.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,431 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −2.6 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −2.7 | |
General election 1895: Plymouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Clarke | 5,575 | 25.6 | +0.1 |
| | Liberal | Charles Harrison | 5,482 | 25.1 | +0.5 |
| | Conservative | Evelyn Hubbard | 5,456 | 25.0 | −0.5 |
| | Liberal | Sigismund Mendl | 5,298 | 24.3 | −0.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,006 | 81.8 | +0.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 13,460 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 277 | 1.3 | +0.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.2 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 26 | 0.1 | N/A |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | −0.5 | |
Harrison's death caused a by-election.
1898 Plymouth by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Sigismund Mendl | 5,966 | 50.7 | +1.3 |
| | Conservative | Ivor Guest | 5,802 | 49.3 | −1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 164 | 1.4 | +1.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,768 | 89.0 | +7.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 13,223 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +1.3 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

1900 Plymouth by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ivor Guest | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1900: Plymouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Henry Duke | 6,009 | 26.4 | +0.8 |
| | Conservative | Ivor Guest | 6,005 | 26.4 | +1.4 |
| | Liberal | Sigismund Mendl | 5,460 | 24.0 | −1.1 |
| | Liberal | Henry de Rosenbach Walker | 5,264 | 23.2 | −1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 545 | 2.4 | +1.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 22,738 | 84.8 | +3.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 13,566 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.0 | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +1.3 | |
General election 1906: Plymouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Thomas Dobson | 9,021 | 29.4 | +5.4 |
| | Liberal | Charles Mallet | 8,914 | 29.0 | +5.8 |
| | Conservative | Henry Duke | 6,547 | 21.3 | −5.1 |
| | Conservative | HG Smith | 6,234 | 20.3 | −6.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,367 | 7.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 30,716 | 85.3 | +0.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 18,196 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +5.3 | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +6.0 | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Plymouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Charles Mallet | 8,091 | 25.8 | −3.2 |
| | Liberal | Aneurin Williams | 7,961 | 25.5 | −3.9 |
| | Conservative | Waldorf Astor | 7,650 | 24.5 | +3.2 |
| | Conservative | Mortimer Durand | 7,556 | 24.2 | +3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 311 | 1.0 | −6.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 31,258 | 87.9 | +2.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 18,085 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −3.2 | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −3.9 | |
General election December 1910: Plymouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Waldorf Astor | 8,113 | 26.4 | +1.9 |
| | Conservative | Arthur Benn | 7,942 | 25.9 | +1.7 |
| | Liberal | Charles Mallet | 7,379 | 24.0 | −1.8 |
| | Liberal | Aneurin Williams | 7,260 | 23.7 | −1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 563 | 1.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 30,694 | 85.5 | −2.4 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +1.8 | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +1.8 | |
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: Waldorf Astor, Arthur Benn
* Liberal: Thomas Dobson, JH McCawley Ryan