# Ravensbourne (UK Parliament constituency)

Ravensbourne was a borough constituency in the London Borough of Bromley in south London. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom by the first-past-the-post system. It existed from the February 1974 general election until it was abolished for the 1997 general election.

## History

This was a safe Conservative seat held by Sir John Hunt for the entire period of its existence.
The constituency shared boundaries with the Ravensbourne electoral division for election of councillors to the Greater London Council at elections in 1973, 1977 and 1981.

## Boundaries

1974–1983: The London Borough of Bromley wards of Bromley Common, Keston and Hayes, Martin's Hill and Town, West Wickham North, and West Wickham South.
1983–1997: The London Borough of Bromley wards of Biggin Hill, Bromley Common and Keston, Darwin, Hayes, Martins Hill and Town, West Wickham North, and West Wickham South.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| | Feb 1974 | Sir John Hunt | Conservative |
| | 1997 | constituency abolished: see Bromley and Chislehurst, Beckenham & Orpington | constituency abolished: see Bromley and Chislehurst, Beckenham & Orpington |

## Elections
### Elections in the 1970s

1970 notional result :
| Party | Party | Vote | % |
| | Conservative | 20,500 | 59.6 |
| | Liberal | 7,100 | 20.6 |
| | Labour | 6,800 | 19.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 34,400 | 69.1 |
| Electorate | Electorate | 49,795 |
General election February 1974: Ravensbourne :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Hunt | 20,420 | 51.5 | –8.1 |
| | Liberal | David Crowe | 11,523 | 29.0 | +8.4 |
| | Labour | Michael Hession | 6,943 | 17.5 | –2.3 |
| | National Front | Geoffrey Parker | 786 | 2.0 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,897 | 22.4 | –16.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,673 | 82.5 | +13.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 48,089 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | –8.3 | |
General election October 1974: Ravensbourne :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Hunt | 18,318 | 51.0 | –0.5 |
| | Liberal | David Crowe | 9,813 | 27.3 | –1.7 |
| | Labour | Christopher Howes | 7,204 | 20.1 | +2.5 |
| | National Front | I Stevens | 574 | 1.6 | –0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,505 | 23.7 | +1.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,910 | 74.0 | –8.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.6 | |
General election 1979: Ravensbourne :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Hunt | 22,501 | 60.9 | +9.9 |
| | Liberal | William Shipley | 7,111 | 19.3 | –8.1 |
| | Labour | John R Holbrook | 6,848 | 18.5 | –1.5 |
| | National Front | Stephen Greene | 478 | 1.3 | –0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,390 | 41.7 | +18.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 36,938 | 77.6 | +3.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 47,601 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +9.0 | |
1979 notional result :
| Party | Party | Vote | % |
| | Conservative | 27,761 | 61.0 |
| | Liberal | 9,455 | 20.8 |
| | Labour | 7,696 | 16.9 |
| | Others | 579 | 1.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 45,491 | |
| Electorate | Electorate | |

### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1983: Ravensbourne :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Hunt | 27,143 | 63.0 | +2.0 |
| | Liberal | Catharine Boston | 11,631 | 27.0 | +6.2 |
| | Labour | John R Holbrook | 4,037 | 9.4 | –7.5 |
| | BNP | AT Shotton | 242 | 0.6 | –0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,512 | 36.0 | –4.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,055 | 73.2 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 58,811 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | –2.1 | |
General election 1987: Ravensbourne :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Hunt | 28,295 | 63.0 | –0.1 |
| | Liberal | Gareth Campbell | 11,376 | 25.3 | –1.7 |
| | Labour | Michael D'Arcy | 5,087 | 11.3 | +1.9 |
| | BNP | Alfred Waite | 184 | 0.4 | −0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16,919 | 37.7 | +1.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,939 | 75.7 | +2.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 59,365 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.8 | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1992: Ravensbourne :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Hunt | 29,506 | 63.4 | +0.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul JH Booth | 9,792 | 21.1 | −4.3 |
| | Labour | Ernest W Dyer | 6,182 | 13.3 | +2.0 |
| | Green | IJ Mouland | 617 | 1.3 | New |
| | Liberal | P White | 318 | 0.7 | New |
| | Natural Law | JW Shepheard | 105 | 0.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 19,714 | 42.4 | +4.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,520 | 81.2 | +5.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 57,259 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +2.4 | |