# Stockton-on-Tees (UK Parliament constituency)

Stockton-on-Tees is a former borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election from 1868 to 1983.

## History

The constituency was created as the parliamentary borough of Stockton by the Reform Act 1867, but was named as Stockton-on-Tees under the Boundary Act 1868. It included Thornaby-on-Tees until the redistribution of seats for the 1950 general election.
In 1966, the borough of Stockton was absorbed into the newly created County Borough of Teesside and at the next periodic review of parliamentary constituencies which came into effect for the February 1974 election, it was officially named as Teesside, Stockton. A further local government reorganisation which came into effect in April 1974 saw Stockton re-established as a borough within the new county of Cleveland and, at the next redistribution which did not come into effect until the 1983 election, the Stockton-on-Tees constituency was abolished. The majority of the electorate, including Stockton town centre, Norton and Billingham were included in the new Stockton North seat, with parts included in Stockton South.

## Boundaries
### 1868–1918

Under the Reform Act 1867, the proposed contents of the new parliamentary borough were defined as the municipal borough of Stockton, and the township of Thornaby. However, this was amended under the Boundary Act 1868, with the boundary being extended to include the whole of the parish of Stockton, part of the township of Linthorpe and most of the parish of Norton.
See map on Vision of Britain website.

### 1918–1950

The Boroughs of Stockton-on-Tees and Thornaby-on-Tees.
Minor changes. Boundaries aligned to those of the local authorities.

### 1950–1974

The Borough of Stockton-on-Tees.
Thornaby-on-Tees transferred to Middlesbrough West.

### 1974–1983 (Teesside, Stockton)

The County Borough of Teesside wards of Billingham East, Billingham West, Grangefield, Hartburn, Mile House, North End, Norton, Stockton South.
Billingham transferred from the abolished constituency of Sedgefield.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| | 1868 | Joseph Dodds | Liberal |
| | 1888 by-election | Sir Horace Davey | Liberal |
| | 1892 | Thomas Wrightson | Conservative |
| | 1895 | Jonathan Samuel | Liberal |
| | 1900 | Sir Robert Ropner | Conservative |
| | Jan. 1910 | Jonathan Samuel | Liberal |
| | 1917 by-election | Bertrand Watson | Liberal |
| | 1923 | Robert Strother Stewart | Liberal |
| | 1924 | Harold Macmillan | Conservative |
| | 1929 | Frederick Fox Riley | Labour |
| | 1931 | Harold Macmillan | Conservative |
| | 1945 | George Chetwynd | Labour |
| | 1962 by-election | Bill Rodgers | Labour |
| | 1981 | Bill Rodgers | SDP |
| 1983 | 1983 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |

## Elections
### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1868: Stockton-on-Tees :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Joseph Dodds | 2,476 | 74.1 | |
| | Conservative | Ernest McDonnell Vane-Tempest | 867 | 25.9 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,609 | 48.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,343 | 74.4 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,492 | | |
| | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) |

### Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Stockton-on-Tees :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Joseph Dodds | 3,223 | 69.3 | −4.8 |
| | Conservative | Francis Lyon Barrington | 1,425 | 30.7 | +4.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,798 | 38.6 | −9.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,648 | 78.0 | +3.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,961 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −4.8 | |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Stockton-on-Tees :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Joseph Dodds | 4,991 | 77.5 | +8.2 |
| | Conservative | William Digby Seymour | 1,452 | 22.5 | −8.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,539 | 55.0 | +16.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,443 | 77.3 | −0.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,333 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +8.2 | |
General election 1885: Stockton-on-Tees :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Joseph Dodds | 4,237 | 57.5 | −20.0 |
| | Conservative | Thomas Wrightson | 3,133 | 42.5 | +20.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,104 | 15.0 | −40.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,370 | 84.1 | +6.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,761 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −20.0 | |
General election 1886: Stockton-on-Tees :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Joseph Dodds | 3,822 | 57.5 | 0.0 |
| | Conservative | Thomas Wrightson | 2,820 | 42.5 | 0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,002 | 15.0 | 0.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,642 | 75.8 | −8.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,761 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | 0.0 | |
Dodds resigned, causing a by-election.
By-election, 21 Dec 1888: Stockton-on-Tees :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Horace Davey | 3,889 | 52.7 | −4.8 |
| | Conservative | Thomas Wrightson | 3,494 | 47.3 | +4.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 395 | 5.4 | −9.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,383 | 81.2 | +5.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,094 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −4.8 | |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Stockton-on-Tees :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Thomas Wrightson | 4,788 | 51.7 | +9.2 |
| | Liberal | Horace Davey | 4,477 | 48.3 | −9.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 311 | 3.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,265 | 88.9 | +13.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,422 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +9.2 | |
General election 1895: Stockton-on-Tees :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Jonathan Samuel | 4,786 | 52.6 | +4.3 |
| | Conservative | Thomas Wrightson | 4,314 | 47.4 | −4.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 472 | 5.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,100 | 88.7 | −0.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,256 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +4.3 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Stockton-on-Tees :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Ropner | 5,262 | 51.9 | +4.5 |
| | Liberal | Jonathan Samuel | 4,873 | 48.1 | −4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 389 | 3.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,135 | 89.6 | +0.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,308 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +4.5 | |
General election 1906: Stockton-on-Tees :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Ropner | 5,330 | 45.5 | −6.4 |
| | Liberal | Sigismund Mendl | 3,675 | 31.4 | −16.7 |
| | Labour Repr. Cmte. | F. H. Rose | 2,710 | 23.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,655 | 14.1 | +10.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,715 | 93.1 | +3.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,581 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +5.2 | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Stockton-on-Tees :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Jonathan Samuel | 6,026 | 55.1 | +23.7 |
| | Conservative | J. Stroyan | 4,913 | 44.9 | −0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,113 | 10.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,939 | 94.4 | +1.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,582 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +12.2 | |
General election December 1910: Stockton-on-Tees :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Jonathan Samuel | 5,510 | 53.2 | −1.9 |
| | Conservative | H.A. Richardson | 4,840 | 46.8 | +1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 670 | 6.4 | −3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,350 | 89.4 | −5.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,582 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −1.9 | |
By-election, 1917: Stockton-on-Tees :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Bertrand Watson | 7,641 | 92.8 | +39.6 |
| | Independent | E. Beckhouse | 596 | 7.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,045 | 85.6 | +79.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,237 | 59.3 | −30.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 13,882 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1918: Stockton-on-Tees :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | Liberal | Bertrand Watson | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: Stockton-on-Tees :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National Liberal | Bertrand Watson | 12,396 | 38.0 | N/A |
| | Labour | Frederick Fox Riley | 11,183 | 34.3 | New |
| | Liberal | Robert Strother Stewart | 9,041 | 27.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,213 | 3.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 32,620 | 85.9 | N/A |
| | National Liberal hold | National Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1923: Stockton-on-Tees :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Strother Stewart | 11,734 | 34.5 | +6.8 |
| | Unionist | Harold Macmillan | 11,661 | 34.3 | New |
| | Labour | Frederick Fox Riley | 10,619 | 31.2 | −3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 73 | 0.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,014 | 87.5 | +1.6 |
| | Liberal gain from National Liberal | Liberal gain from National Liberal | Swing | | |
General election 1924: Stockton-on-Tees :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Harold Macmillan | 15,163 | 42.0 | +7.7 |
| | Labour | Frederick Fox Riley | 11,948 | 33.1 | +1.9 |
| | Liberal | Robert Strother Stewart | 8,971 | 24.9 | −9.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,215 | 8.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 36,082 | 90.2 | +2.7 |
| | Unionist gain from Liberal | Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | | |
General election 1929: Stockton-on-Tees :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Frederick Fox Riley | 18,961 | 41.2 | +8.1 |
| | Unionist | Harold Macmillan | 16,572 | 36.1 | −5.9 |
| | Liberal | John Cecil Hayes | 10,407 | 22.7 | −2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,389 | 5.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,940 | 87.1 | −3.1 |
| | Labour gain from Unionist | Labour gain from Unionist | Swing | +7.0 | |

### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Stockton-on-Tees :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Harold Macmillan | 29,199 | 61.6 | +25.5 |
| | Labour | Frederick Fox Riley | 18,168 | 38.4 | −2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,031 | 23.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,367 | 88.4 | +1.3 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +14.1 | |
Communist Party candidate George Short submitted correct nomination papers but refused to submit the required deposit of £150, so his nomination was rejected.
General election 1935: Stockton-on-Tees :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Harold Macmillan | 23,285 | 48.9 | −12.7 |
| | Labour | Susan Lawrence | 19,217 | 40.3 | +1.9 |
| | Liberal | Gerald Leslie Tossell | 5,158 | 10.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,068 | 8.6 | −14.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,660 | 86.3 | −2.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -7.3 | |

### 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: Harold Macmillan
* Labour: J Erskine Harper
* Liberal: Gerald Tossell
General election 1945:Stockton-on-Tees :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | George Chetwynd | 27,128 | 55.1 | +14.8 |
| | Conservative | Harold Macmillan | 18,464 | 37.4 | −11.5 |
| | Liberal | Gordon Page Evans | 3,718 | 7.5 | −3.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,664 | 17.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,310 | 81.2 | −5.1 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +13.1 | |

### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1950: Stockton-on-Tees :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | George Chetwynd | 23,475 | 54.03 | −1.07 |
| | Conservative | Richard Anthony Lamb | 16,495 | 37.97 | +0.57 |
| | Liberal | Anthony Graeme Gamble | 3,475 | 8.00 | +0.50 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,980 | 16.07 | −1.63 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,445 | 89.44 | +8.24 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1951: Stockton-on-Tees :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | George Chetwynd | 24,558 | 55.73 | +1.70 |
| | Conservative | Henry Camden Ridge Laslett | 19,511 | 44.27 | +6.30 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,047 | 11.45 | −4.62 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,069 | 87.96 | −1.48 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1955: Stockton-on-Tees :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | George Chetwynd | 23,422 | 54.43 | −1.30 |
| | Conservative | Charles Longbottom | 19,607 | 45.57 | +1.30 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,815 | 8.87 | −2.58 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,029 | 83.77 | −4.19 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1959: Stockton-on-Tees :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | George Chetwynd | 23,961 | 53.67 | −0.76 |
| | Conservative | Gerald Coles | 20,684 | 46.33 | +0.76 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,277 | 7.34 | −1.53 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,645 | 83.88 | +0.11 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1960s

1962 Stockton-on-Tees by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Bill Rodgers | 19,694 | 45.2 | −8.47 |
| | Conservative | Gerald Coles | 12,112 | 27.8 | −18.53 |
| | Liberal | John Mulholland | 11,722 | 26.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,582 | 17.4 | +10.06 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,528 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1964: Stockton-on-Tees :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Bill Rodgers | 22,011 | 50.52 | |
| | Conservative | Ronald Bray | 15,424 | 35.40 | |
| | Liberal | John Mulholland | 6,130 | 14.07 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,587 | 15.12 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,565 | 81.79 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1966: Stockton-on-Tees :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Bill Rodgers | 24,248 | 59.68 | |
| | Conservative | Patrick Vaughan Radford | 15,547 | 38.38 | |
| | Communist | Ernest Jones | 710 | 1.75 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,701 | 21.30 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,505 | 77.38 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: Stockton-on-Tees :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Bill Rodgers | 22,283 | 54.87 |
| | Conservative | Patrick Vaughan Radford | 17,960 | 44.22 |
| | Communist | Ernest Jones | 369 | 0.91 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,323 | 10.65 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,612 | 73.09 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
General election February 1974: Stockton-on-Tees :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Bill Rodgers | 37,876 | 59.02 |
| | Conservative | Beryl Sloan | 25,505 | 39.74 |
| | Communist | Ernest Jones | 791 | 1.23 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,371 | 19.28 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 64,172 | 75.96 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
General election October 1974: Stockton-on-Tees :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Bill Rodgers | 32,962 | 55.77 | |
| | Conservative | Brian Mawhinney | 18,488 | 31.28 | |
| | Liberal | N. Long | 6,906 | 11.68 | New |
| | Independent | V. Fletcher | 750 | 1.27 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,474 | 24.49 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 59,106 | 69.11 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1979: Stockton-on-Tees :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Bill Rodgers | 34,917 | 53.10 | |
| | Conservative | Robert Jones | 23,790 | 36.18 | |
| | Liberal | S.E. Dunleavy | 6,074 | 9.24 | |
| | National Front | A. Bruce | 384 | 0.58 | New |
| | Independent | V. Fletcher | 343 | 0.52 | |
| | Communist | J. Smith | 243 | 0.37 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,127 | 16.92 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 65,751 | 73.71 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |