# East Kent (UK Parliament constituency)

East Kent (formally known as "Kent, Eastern") was a county constituency in Kent in South East England. It returned two Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.

## History

The constituency was created by the Reform Act 1832 for the 1832 general election, and abolished by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 for the 1885 general election.
All three two-member constituencies in Kent were abolished in 1885: East Kent, Mid Kent and West Kent. They were replaced by eight new single-member constituencies:
* Ashford
* Dartford
* Faversham
* Isle of Thanet
* Medway
* St Augustine's
* Sevenoaks
* Tunbridge

## Boundaries

1832–1885: The Lathes of St. Augustine and Shepway (including the Liberty of Romney Marsh), and the Upper Division of the Lathe of Scray.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | 1st Member | 1st Member | 1st Party | 2nd Member | 2nd Member | 2nd Party |
| 1832 | | John Pemberton Plumptre | Whig | | Sir Edward Knatchbull, Bt | Tory |
| 1834 | | John Pemberton Plumptre | Whig | | Sir Edward Knatchbull, Bt | Conservative |
| 1835 | | John Pemberton Plumptre | Conservative | | Sir Edward Knatchbull, Bt | Conservative |
| 1845 by-election | | John Pemberton Plumptre | Conservative | | William Deedes | Conservative |
| February 1852 by-election | | Sir Brook Bridges, Bt | Conservative | | William Deedes | Conservative |
| July 1852 | | Sir Edward Dering, Bt | Peelite | | William Deedes | Conservative |
| March 1857 | | Sir Edward Dering, Bt | Peelite | | Sir Brook Bridges, Bt | Conservative |
| December 1857 by-election | | William Deedes | Conservative | | Sir Brook Bridges, Bt | Conservative |
| 1863 by-election | | Sir Edward Dering, Bt | Liberal | | Sir Brook Bridges, Bt | Conservative |
| May 1868 by-election | | Sir Edward Dering, Bt | Liberal | | Edward Leigh Pemberton | Conservative |
| November 1868 | | Hon. George Milles | Conservative | | Edward Leigh Pemberton | Conservative |
| 1875 by-election | | Sir Wyndham Knatchbull, Bt | Conservative | | Edward Leigh Pemberton | Conservative |
| 1876 by-election | | William Deedes | Conservative | | Edward Leigh Pemberton | Conservative |
| 1880 | | Aretas Akers-Douglas | Conservative | | Edward Leigh Pemberton | Conservative |
| 1885 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished | constituency abolished | constituency abolished | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |
Notes
* ↑ Later Baron FitzWalter
* ↑ Later Earl Sondes
* ↑ Later Viscount Chilston

## Election results
### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1832: East Kent :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | John Pemberton Plumptre | 3,476 | 36.8 |
| | Tory | Edward Knatchbull | 3,344 | 35.4 |
| | Tory | William Richard Cosway | 2,627 | 27.8 |
| | Whig | William Percy Honeywood Courtenay | 4 | 0.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,144 | 87.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,026 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 132 | 1.4 |
| | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 717 | 7.6 |
| | Tory win (new seat) | Tory win (new seat) | Tory win (new seat) | Tory win (new seat) |
General election 1835: East Kent :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | John Pemberton Plumptre | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Edward Knatchbull | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,087 | |
| | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1837: East Kent :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Edward Knatchbull | 3,607 | 40.8 |
| | Conservative | John Pemberton Plumptre | 3,029 | 34.3 |
| | Whig | Thomas Rider | 2,205 | 24.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 824 | 9.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,478 | 87.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,293 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: East Kent :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Knatchbull | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | John Pemberton Plumptre | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,553 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Knatchbull was appointed Paymaster General, causing a by-election.
By-election, 20 September 1841: East Kent :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Knatchbull | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Knatchbull resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, causing a by-election.
By-election, 3 March 1845: East Kent :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Deedes | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1847: East Kent :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Deedes | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | John Pemberton Plumptre | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,323 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1850s

Plumptre resigned, causing a by-election.
By-election, 16 February 1852: East Kent :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Deedes | 2,480 | 52.0 | N/A |
| | Peelite | Edward Dering | 2,289 | 48.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 191 | 4.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,769 | 67.0 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,119 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1852: East Kent :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Peelite | Edward Dering | 3,063 | 36.9 | N/A |
| | Conservative | William Deedes | 2,879 | 34.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Brook Bridges | 2,356 | 28.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 707 | 8.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,149 (est) | 58.3 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,119 | | |
| | Peelite gain from Conservative | Peelite gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1857: East Kent :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Brook Bridges | 2,379 | 33.6 | +5.2 |
| | Peelite | Edward Dering | 2,358 | 33.3 | −3.6 |
| | Conservative | William Deedes | 2,216 | 31.3 | −3.4 |
| | Radical | E A Acheson | 127 | 1.8 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,540 (est) | 44.3 (est) | −14.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,000 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 21 | 0.3 | N/A |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.5 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 142 | 2.0 | −6.5 |
| | Peelite hold | Peelite hold | Swing | −2.3 | |
Dering resigned due to ill health, causing a by-election.
By-election, 10 December 1857: East Kent :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Deedes | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative gain from Peelite | Conservative gain from Peelite | Conservative gain from Peelite | Conservative gain from Peelite | Conservative gain from Peelite |
General election 1859: East Kent :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Brook Bridges | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | William Deedes | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,312 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative gain from Peelite | Conservative gain from Peelite | Conservative gain from Peelite | Conservative gain from Peelite | Conservative gain from Peelite |

### Elections in the 1860s

Deedes' death caused a by-election.
By-election, 5 January 1863: East Kent :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Edward Dering | 2,777 | 50.8 | New |
| | Conservative | Sir Norton Knatchbull, 10th Baronet | 2,690 | 49.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 87 | 1.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,467 | 77.1 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,092 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1865: East Kent :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Brook Bridges | 3,208 | 34.4 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Edward Dering | 3,195 | 34.3 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Sir Norton Knatchbull, 10th Baronet | 2,919 | 31.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,259 (est) | 75.9 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,250 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13 | 0.1 | N/A |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 276 | 3.0 | N/A |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |
Bridges was elevated to the peerage, becoming Lord FitzWalter and causing a by-election.
By-election, 2 May 1868: East Kent :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Leigh Pemberton | 3,606 | 53.7 | −12.0 |
| | Liberal | Henry Tufton | 3,109 | 46.3 | +12.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 497 | 7.4 | +7.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,715 | 81.4 | +5.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,250 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −12.0 | |
General election 1868: East Kent :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Leigh Pemberton | 5,231 | 26.7 | −7.7 |
| | Conservative | George Milles | 5,104 | 26.0 | −5.3 |
| | Liberal | Henry Tufton | 4,685 | 23.9 | +6.7 |
| | Liberal | Sir John Frederick Croft, 2nd Baronet | 4,579 | 23.4 | +6.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 419 | 2.1 | +2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 652 | 3.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,800 (est) | 74.8 (est) | −1.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 13,107 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −7.0 | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | −6.0 | |

### Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: East Kent :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Milles | 5,424 | 35.8 | +9.8 |
| | Conservative | Edward Leigh Pemberton | 5,405 | 35.7 | +9.0 |
| | Liberal | Henry Tufton | 4,308 | 28.5 | −18.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,097 | 7.2 | +5.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,723 (est) | 77.1 (est) | +2.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,605 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +9.9 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +9.5 | |
Milles succeeded to the peerage, becoming Lord Sondes.
By-election, 27 Jan 1875: East Kent :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Wyndham Knatchbull | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Knatchbull resigned, causing a by-election.
By-election, 26 July 1876: East Kent :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Deedes | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: East Kent :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Aretas Akers-Douglas | 5,541 | 34.7 | −1.1 |
| | Conservative | Edward Leigh Pemberton | 5,473 | 34.3 | −1.4 |
| | Liberal | Edmund Francis Davis | 4,959 | 31.0 | +2.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 514 | 3.3 | −3.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,500 (est) | 79.7 (est) | +2.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 13,169 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −1.2 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −1.3 | |