# Abingdon (UK Parliament constituency)

Abingdon was a parliamentary constituency in England, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of England until 1707, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) from 1558 until 1983, making it one of the few English constituencies in the unreformed House of Commons to elect only one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

## History

Abingdon was one of three English parliamentary boroughs enfranchised by Queen Mary I as anomalous single-member constituencies, and held its first Parliamentary election in 1558. The borough consisted of part of two parishes in the market town of Abingdon, then the county town of Berkshire. The right to vote was exercised by all inhabitant householders paying scot and lot and not receiving alms; the highest recorded number of votes to be cast before 1832 was 253, at the general election of 1806.
Abingdon's voters seem always to have maintained their independence, and the constituency never came under the influence of a "patron" who assumed the right to choose the MP. Nevertheless, this did not always guarantee a pure election, and Porritt records that Abingdon offers the earliest case he was able to trace of a candidate trying to bribe voters with the promise of official office, later one of the most widespread abuses in English elections. In 1698, the defeated candidate, William Hucks, petitioned against the election of Sir Simon Harcourt, but during the hearing of the case it emerged that Hucks had promised that should he be elected an MP he would be made a Commissioner of the Excise, in which case he would use that power to appoint several of the voters to well-paid excise posts. The petition was dismissed and Hucks was committed to the custody of the sergeant-at-arms. (But ten years later, defeated again by Harcourt at the election of 1708, Hucks petitioned once more, on grounds of intimidation and other illegal practices, and this time Harcourt was ejected from his seat and Hucks declared to have been duly elected. Harcourt complained that the decision was a partisan one – which would have been by no means unusual at the period – "insisting to the last that he was the legal member, by a clear majority, by the most fair estimation".)
In 1831, the population of the borough was approximately 5,300, and contained 1,192 houses. This was sufficient for Abingdon to retain its MP under the Great Reform Act. (Indeed, it would have been big enough to retain two MPs had it had them, but there was no question of its representation being increased.) Its boundaries were unaltered, and under the reformed franchise 300 of the residents were qualified to vote.
In 1885 the borough constituency was abolished and the town was moved into a new county, The Northern or Abingdon Division of Berkshire. This constituency consisted of the northern part of the historic county, and as well as Abingdon included the towns of Wantage and Wallingford; it was predominantly agricultural at first, although its character changed during the 20th century with the growth of light industry round Abingdon, and it was generally a safe Conservative seat. This constituency survived essentially intact, with only minor boundary changes, until the 1983 general election, by which time it was simply called Abingdon County Constituency.
Abingdon was abolished in 1983 after changes in administrative boundaries resulting from the Local Government Act 1972 moved most of the northern part of the historic county of Berkshire, including Abingdon, into the county of Oxfordshire.

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

* The petty sessional divisions of Abingdon, Faringdon, Wallingford, and Wantage;
* The municipal borough of Wallingford; and
* The parts of the municipal boroughs of Abingdon and Oxford in Berkshire.

### 1918–1950

* The rural district of Abingdon (the civil parishes of Abingdon St Helen Without, Appleford, Appleton-with-Eaton, Besselsleigh, Cumnor, Draycot Moor, Drayton, Frilford, Fyfield, Garford, Kingston Bagpuize, Lyford, Marcham, Milton, North Hinksey, Radley, South Hinksey, Steventon, Sunningwell, Sutton Courtenay, Sutton Wick, Tubney, Wootton, and Wytham);
* The rural district of Wallingford (the civil parishes of Aston Tirrold, Aston Upthorpe, Brightwell-cum-Sotwell, Cholsey, Didcot, East Hagbourne, Little Wittenham, Long Wittenham, Moulsford, North Moreton, South Moreton, and West Hagbourne);
* The rural district of Wantage (the civil parishes of Aldworth, Ardington, Beedon, Blewbury, Brightwalton, Catmore, Chaddleworth, Childrey, Chilton, Compton, Denchworth, East Challow, East Hanney, East Hendred, East Ilsley, Farnborough, Fawley, Goosey, Grove, Hampstead Norris, Harwell, Hermitage, Letcombe Bassett, Letcombe Regis, Lockinge, Peasemore, Sparshlt, Upton, West Challow, West Hanney and West Hendred, and West Ilsley);
* The part of the rural district of Bradfield which consisted of the civil parishes of Ashampstead, Basildon, Frilsham, Streatley, and Yattendon;
* The part of the rural district of Faringdon which was within the administrative county of Berkshire (the civil parishes of Ashbury, Baulking, Bourton, Buckland, Buscot, Charney Bassett, Coleshill, Compton Beauchamp, Eaton Hastings, Fernham, Great Coxwell, Great Faringdon, Hatford, Hinton Waldrist, Kingston Lisle, Little Coxwell, Littleworth, Longcot, Longworth, Pusey, Shellingford, Stanford in the Vale, Uffington, Watchfield, and Woolstone);
* The municipal boroughs of Abingdon and Wallingford; and
* The urban district of Wantage.
The constituency's boundaries were adjusted slightly by the Representation of the People Act 1918, gaining a small part of the Newbury Division. It was redefined in terms of the administrative county of Berkshire and the county districts created by the Local Government Acts of 1888 and 1894.

### 1950–1974

* The boroughs of Abingdon and Wallingford;
* The urban district of Wantage; and
* The rural districts of Abingdon, Faringdon, Wallingford and Wantage.
Under the Representation of the People Act 1948, Abingdon was altered marginally, with the part of the rural district of Bradfield being transferred to Newbury.

### 1974–1983

As above. The constituency was not altered by the Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order of 1970, but was slightly amended prior to the February 1974 general election to take account of changes to local government boundaries.
As a result of the constituency boundary changes introduced at the 1983 general election, the Abingdon constituency was divided; most of its electors were placed in the new Wantage constituency and a significant minority including electors in the town of Abingdon were placed in the Oxford West and Abingdon constituency. A small part to the south of the constituency had been retained within Berkshire and this area was transferred to Newbury.

## Members of Parliament
### 1558–1640

| Parliament | Member |
| Parliament of 1558 | Oliver Hyde |
| Parliament of 1559 | Robert Byng |
| Parliament of 1563–1567 | Oliver Hyde (Died during the Parliament) Anthony Forster (Elected 1566) |
| Parliament of 1571 | Anthony Forster |
| Parliament of 1572–1583 | Anthony Forster (Died during the Parliament) Richard Beake (Elected 1572) |
| Parliament of 1584–1585 | Hon. Edward Norreys |
| Parliament of 1586–1587 | Griffith Lloyd, chose to sit for Cardiganshire, replaced by Miles Sandys |
| Parliament of 1588–1589 | Hon. Sir Edward Norreys |
| Parliament of 1593 | William Braunche |
| Parliament of 1597–1598 | Francis Little |
| Parliament of 1601 | Robert Ryche |
| Parliament of 1604–1611 | Sir Richard Lovelace |
| Addled Parliament (1614) | Sir Robert Knollys |
| Parliament of 1621–1622 | Robert Hyde |
| Happy Parliament (1624–1625) | Sir Robert Knollys |
| Useless Parliament (1625) | Sir Robert Knollys |
| Parliament of 1625–1626 | Sir Robert Knollys |
| Parliament of 1628–1629 | Sir John Stonhouse, 2nd Bt. |
| No Parliament summoned 1629–1640 ||

### 1640–1885

| Election | Member | Party |
| April 1640 | Sir George Stonhouse, 3rd Baronet | Royalist |
| January 1644 | Stonhouse disabled to sit – seat vacant | Stonhouse disabled to sit – seat vacant |
| 1645 | John Ball (Died 1648) | |
| 1649 | Henry Neville | |
| 1653 | Abingdon was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament | Abingdon was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament |
| 1654 | Thomas Holt | |
| 1656 | Thomas Holt | |
| January 1659 | Sir John Lenthall | |
| May 1659 | Henry Neville | |
| April 1660 | Sir George Stonhouse, 3rd Baronet | |
| 1675 | Sir John Stonhouse, 2nd Bt | |
| January 1689 | Thomas Medlycott | |
| May 1689 | John Southby | |
| January 1690 | Sir John Stonhouse, 2nd Bt | |
| February 1690 | Sir Simon Harcourt | Tory |
| 1705 | Grey Neville | Whig |
| 1708 | Sir Simon Harcourt | Tory |
| 1709 | William Hucks | Whig |
| October 1710 | Sir Simon Harcourt | Tory |
| December 1710 | James Jennings | Tory |
| 1713 | Hon. Simon Harcourt | |
| 1715 | James Jennings | Tory |
| 1722 | Robert Hucks | Whig |
| 1741 | John Wright | |
| 1747 | John Morton | Tory |
| 1770 | Nathaniel Bayly | Whig |
| 1774 | John Mayor | Tory |
| 1782 | Henry Howorth | |
| 1783 | Edward Loveden Loveden | Whig |
| 1796 | Thomas Metcalfe | Tory |
| 1807 | George Knapp | Whig |
| 1809 | Henry Bowyer | |
| 1811 | Sir George Bowyer, 6th Bt | Whig |
| 1818 | John Maberly | Whig |
| 1832 | Thomas Duffield | Tory |
| 1834 | Thomas Duffield | Conservative |
| 1844 by-election | Sir Frederick Thesiger | Conservative |
| July 1852 by-election | James Caulfeild | Whig |
| December 1852 | Montagu Bertie | Whig |
| 1854 by-election | Joseph Haythorne Reed | Whig |
| 1857 | John Thomas Norris | Radical |
| 1859 | John Thomas Norris | Liberal |
| 1865 | Hon. Charles Lindsay | Conservative |
| 1874 | John Creemer Clarke | Liberal |
| 1885 | Parliamentary borough abolished | Parliamentary borough abolished |

### MPs 1885–1983

After the abolition of the parliamentary borough of Abingdon, a new county division of Berkshire was created.
| Election | Member | Party |
| 1885 | Philip Wroughton | Conservative |
| 1895 | Archie Loyd | Conservative |
| 1906 | Edward Strauss | Liberal |
| 1910 (Jan) | Harold Henderson | Conservative |
| 1916 by-election | Archie Loyd | Conservative |
| 1918 | John Tyson Wigan | Coalition Conservative |
| 1921 by-election | Arthur Loyd | Coalition Conservative |
| 1922 | Arthur Loyd | Conservative |
| 1923 | Edward Lessing | Liberal |
| 1924 | Sir Ralph Glyn, 1st Bt. | Conservative |
| 1953 by-election | Airey Neave | Conservative |
| 1979 | Thomas Benyon | Conservative |
| 1983 | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished |

## Elections

Sources 1754–1784: Namier and Brooke; (parties) Stooks Smith. Positive swing is from Whig to Tory. Sources 1885–1900: House of Commons 1901.
1754 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | John Morton | 133 | 57.08 | N/A |
| | Non Partisan | Henry Thrale | 100 | 42.92 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 33 | 14.16 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 233 | N/A | N/A |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Swing | N/A | |
1761 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | John Morton | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Swing | N/A | |
* Seat vacated on appointment of Morton as Chief Justice of Chester
By-Election 1762: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | John Morton | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Swing | N/A | |
1768 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | John Morton | 126 | 50.40 | N/A |
| | Whig | Nathaniel Bayly | 124 | 49.60 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2 | 0.80 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 250 | N/A | N/A |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Swing | N/A | |
* On petition Nathaniel Bayly seated in place of John Morton, 8 February 1770
1774 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | John Mayor | 146 | 55.73 | +5.33 |
| | Whig | Thomas Wooldridge | 116 | 44.27 | −5.33 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 30 | 11.46 | +10.66 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 262 | N/A | N/A |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Swing | +5.33 | |
* Tory hold from previous general election; Tory gain from Whig, from change on petition.
* Election declared void, 6 March 1775
By-Election 1775: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | John Mayor | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Swing | N/A | |
1780 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | John Mayor | 137 | 71.35 | +15.62 |
| | Whig | Thomas Wooldridge | 55 | 28.65 | −15.62 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 82 | 42.70 | +31.24 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 192 | N/A | N/A |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Swing | +15.62 | |
* Change is calculated from the previous general election.
* Resignation of Mayor.
By-Election 1782: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Non Partisan | Henry Howorth | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan gain from Tory | Nonpartisan gain from Tory | Swing | N/A | |
* Death of Howorth
By-Election 1783: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Edward Loveden | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Whig gain from Nonpartisan | Whig gain from Nonpartisan | Swing | N/A | |
1784 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Edward Loveden | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1830s

1830 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | John Maberly | 159 | 62.8 | N/A |
| | Tory | Ebenezer Maitland | 94 | 37.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 65 | 25.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 253 | | N/A |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |
1831 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | John Maberly | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
1832 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | Thomas Duffield | 157 | 78.1 | New |
| | Whig | William Leader Maberly | 43 | 21.4 | N/A |
| | Whig | Thomas Bowles | 1 | 0.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 114 | 56.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 201 | 67.0 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 300 | | |
| | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig |
1835 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Thomas Duffield | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 292 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
1837 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Thomas Duffield | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 306 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1840s

1841 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Thomas Duffield | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 321 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Duffield resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, causing a by-election.
By-election 1844: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Frederic Thesiger | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Thesiger was appointed Attorney General for England and Wales, requiring a by-election.
By-election 1845: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Frederic Thesiger | 156 | 55.3 | N/A |
| | Whig | James Caulfeild | 126 | 44.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 30 | 10.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 282 | 89.5 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 315 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
1847 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Frederic Thesiger | 153 | 50.3 | N/A |
| | Whig | James Caulfeild | 151 | 49.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2 | 0.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 304 | 89.7 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 339 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1850s

Thesiger was appointed Attorney General for England and Wales, requiring a by-election.
By-election 1852: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Frederic Thesiger | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
1852 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | James Caulfeild | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 312 | | |
| | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative |
Caulfeild's death caused a by-election.
By-election 1852: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Montague Bertie | 153 | 54.3 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Daniel Higford Davall Burr | 129 | 45.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 24 | 8.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 282 | 90.4 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 312 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |
Bertie succeeded to the peerage, becoming 6th Earl of Abingdon and causing a by-election.
By-election 1854: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Joseph Haythorne Reed | 125 | 51.7 | −2.6 |
| | Radical | John Thomas Norris | 117 | 48.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8 | 3.4 | −5.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 242 | 62.2 | −28.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 389 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |
1857 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Radical | John Thomas Norris | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 323 | | |
| | Radical gain from Whig | Radical gain from Whig | Radical gain from Whig | Radical gain from Whig | Radical gain from Whig |
1859 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Thomas Norris | 144 | 54.8 | N/A |
| | Conservative | John Godfrey Bellingham Hudson | 119 | 45.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 25 | 9.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 263 | 82.2 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 320 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1860s

1865 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Lindsay | 137 | 54.2 | +9.0 |
| | Liberal | John Thomas Norris | 116 | 45.8 | −9.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 21 | 8.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 253 | 83.2 | +1.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 304 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | | |
Lindsay was appointed a Groom in Waiting to Queen Victoria, requiring a by-election.
By-election 1866: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Lindsay | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
1868 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Lindsay | 397 | 55.1 | +0.9 |
| | Liberal | Godfrey Lushington | 324 | 44.9 | −0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 73 | 10.2 | +1.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 721 | 90.0 | +6.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 801 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.9 | |

### Elections in the 1870s

1874 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Creemer Clarke | 439 | 56.9 | +12.0 |
| | Conservative | Charles Lindsay | 333 | 43.1 | −12.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 106 | 13.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 772 | 89.8 | −0.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 860 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +12.0 | |

### Elections in the 1880s

1880 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Creemer Clarke | 428 | 52.6 | −4.3 |
| | Conservative | Alban Gibbs | 386 | 47.4 | +4.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 42 | 5.2 | −8.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 814 | 91.5 | +1.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 890 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −4.3 | |
1885 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Philip Wroughton | 4,245 | 58.7 | +11.3 |
| | Liberal | Robert Purvis | 2,986 | 41.3 | −11.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,259 | 17.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,231 | 82.3 | −9.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,791 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +11.3 | |
1886 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Philip Wroughton | 3,899 | 67.1 | +8.4 |
| | Liberal | Edward Colston Keevil | 1,910 | 32.9 | −8.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,989 | 34.2 | +16.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,809 | 66.1 | −16.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,791 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +8.4 | |

### Elections in the 1890s

1892 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Philip Wroughton | 3,565 | 52.4 | −14.7 |
| | Liberal | Charles Alfred Pryce | 3,239 | 47.6 | +14.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 326 | 4.8 | −29.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,804 | 79.3 | +13.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,585 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −14.7 | |
1895 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Archie Loyd | 4,064 | 57.4 | +5.0 |
| | Liberal | Charles Alfred Pryce | 3,019 | 42.6 | −5.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,045 | 14.8 | +10.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,083 | 82.2 | +2.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,615 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +5.0 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

1900 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Archie Loyd | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,698 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
1906 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Edward Strauss | 3,943 | 51.1 | New |
| | Conservative | Harold Henderson | 3,767 | 48.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 176 | 2.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,710 | 86.9 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,875 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1910s

January 1910 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Harold Henderson | 4,829 | 56.1 | +7.2 |
| | Liberal | Edward Strauss | 3,776 | 43.9 | −7.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,053 | 12.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,605 | 93.0 | +6.1 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +7.2 | |
December 1910 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Harold Henderson | 4,677 | 58.4 | +2.3 |
| | Liberal | Morton Harcourt Sands | 3,328 | 41.6 | −2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,349 | 16.8 | +4.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,005 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +2.3 | |
1918 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | Unionist | John Tyson Wigan | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||

### Elections in the 1920s

1921 Abingdon by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | Unionist | Arthur Loyd | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||
1922 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Arthur Loyd | 10,507 | 51.3 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Edward Lessing | 9,967 | 48.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 540 | 2.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 20,474 | 77.1 | N/A |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | N/A | |
1923 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Edward Lessing | 10,932 | 50.6 | +1.9 |
| | Unionist | Ralph Glyn | 10,678 | 49.4 | −1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 254 | 1.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,610 | 79.5 | +2.4 |
| | Liberal gain from Unionist | Liberal gain from Unionist | Swing | +1.9 | |
1924 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Ralph Glyn | 13,117 | 56.4 | +7.0 |
| | Liberal | Edward Lessing | 8,805 | 37.8 | −12.8 |
| | Labour | D F Brundril | 1,355 | 5.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,312 | 18.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 23,277 | 82.9 | +3.4 |
| | Unionist gain from Liberal | Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | | |
1929 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Ralph Glyn | 14,094 | 47.4 | −9.0 |
| | Liberal | Edward Lessing | 11,896 | 40.1 | +2.3 |
| | Labour | Arthur Reade | 3,712 | 12.5 | +6.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,198 | 7.3 | −11.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 25,990 | 80.8 | −2.1 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −5.7 | |

### Elections in the 1930s

1931 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ralph Glyn | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
1935 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ralph Glyn | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1940s

A General election was due to take place before the end of 1940, but was postponed due to the Second World War. By 1939, the following candidates had been selected to contest this constituency;
* Conservative: Ralph Glyn
* Liberal: A D Macdonald MC
* Labour: Frank W Bourne
1945 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ralph Glyn | 16,968 | 44.6 | N/A |
| | Labour | Dale Hope Parkinson | 11,980 | 31.5 | New |
| | Liberal | John Henry Charles Miller | 7,031 | 18.5 | New |
| | Communist | John Clement Dix Dunman | 1,668 | 4.4 | New |
| | Independent | Sir Charles Arland Maitland Freake, 4th Baronet | 419 | 1.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,988 | 13.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,066 | 64.1 | N/A |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1950s

1950 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Ralph Glyn | 20,595 | 46.45 |
| | Labour | Robert Jarrett McCullagh | 16,733 | 37.74 |
| | Liberal | Eric Digby Tempest Vane | 6,612 | 14.91 |
| | Communist | John Clement Dix Dunman | 396 | 0.89 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,862 | 8.71 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,336 | 82.10 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
1951 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Ralph Glyn | 24,774 | 55.47 |
| | Labour | John EG Curthoys | 19,891 | 44.53 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,883 | 10.94 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,665 | 79.96 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
1953 Abingdon by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Airey Neave | 22,986 | 53.24 | −2.23 |
| | Labour | Ted Castle | 17,126 | 39.67 | −4.86 |
| | Liberal | George Allen | 3,060 | 7.09 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,860 | 13.57 | +2.64 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,172 | 75.9 | −4.06 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.3 | |
1955 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Airey Neave | 25,613 | 50.00 | |
| | Labour | Margaret Reid | 16,979 | 33.15 | |
| | Liberal | George Allen | 8,634 | 16.85 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,634 | 16.85 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,226 | 87.59 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
1959 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Airey Neave | 27,943 | 54.19 |
| | Labour | Philip Picard | 16,971 | 32.91 |
| | Liberal | Verdun Isabel Perl | 6,651 | 12.90 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,972 | 21.28 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,565 | 80.77 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### Elections in the 1960s

1964 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Airey Neave | 26,707 | 47.98 |
| | Labour | Frederick J Riddell | 20,334 | 36.53 |
| | Liberal | Verdun Isabel Perl | 8,627 | 15.50 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,373 | 11.45 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 55,668 | 80.56 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
1966 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Airey Neave | 27,749 | 46.3 | −1.7 |
| | Labour | Alan H.S. Matterson | 24,447 | 40.8 | +4.3 |
| | Liberal | Denis H.V. Case | 7,703 | 12.9 | −2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,302 | 5.5 | −5.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 59,899 | 82.5 | +1.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.0 | |

### Elections in the 1970s

1970 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Airey Neave | 36,209 | 54.4 | +8.1 |
| | Labour | Norman H. Price | 23,136 | 34.8 | −6.0 |
| | Liberal | S.R. Caradoc Evans | 7,198 | 10.8 | −2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,073 | 19.6 | +14.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 66,543 | 77.6 | −4.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
February 1974 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Airey Neave | 34,771 | 46.8 | −7.6 |
| | Labour | D.E.H. Moriarty | 21,028 | 28.3 | −6.5 |
| | Liberal | Michael Patrick Fogarty | 18,458 | 24.9 | +14.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,743 | 18.5 | −1.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 74,257 | 83.0 | +5.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
October 1974 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Airey Neave | 31,956 | 46.6 | −0.2 |
| | Labour | D.E.H. Moriarty | 21,319 | 31.1 | +2.8 |
| | Liberal | Michael Patrick Fogarty | 15,239 | 22.2 | −2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,637 | 15.5 | −3.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 68,514 | 75.8 | −7.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
1979 general election: Abingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Thomas Benyon | 41,211 | 53.8 | +7.2 |
| | Labour | Andrew Popper | 18,920 | 24.7 | −6.4 |
| | Liberal | Ian Blair | 16,164 | 21.1 | −1.1 |
| | Independent | R. Pinder | 381 | 0.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 22,291 | 29.1 | +13.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 76,676 | 79.5 | +3.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |