# Penryn and Falmouth (UK Parliament constituency)

Penryn and Falmouth was the name of a constituency in Cornwall, England, UK, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 until 1950. From 1832 to 1918 it was a parliamentary borough, initially returning two Members of Parliament (MPs), elected by the bloc vote system.
Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, its representation was reduced to one member, elected by the first past the post system. In 1918 the borough was abolished and the name was transferred to a county constituency electing one MP.

## Boundaries

1918–1950: The Municipal Boroughs of Falmouth, Penryn, and Truro, the Urban District of St Austell, the Rural District of St Austell except the civil parishes of St Sampson and Tywardreath, the Rural District of East Kerrier except the civil parishes of Constantine, Mabe, and Perranarworthal, and the Rural District of Truro except the civil parishes of Kea, Kenwyn Rural, Perranzabuloe, St Agnes, St Allen, and Tregavethan.

## History

The constituency was created by the Reform Act 1832 (the "Great Reform Act") as a replacement for the Penryn constituency, which had become a notoriously rotten borough. The new borough consisted of Penryn, Falmouth and parts of Budock and St Gluvias parishes, giving it a mostly urban population of nearly 12,000, of whom 875 were registered to vote at its first election in 1832.
Initially Penryn and Falmouth elected two MPs, but this was reduced to one in 1885. It was one of the smallest constituencies in England for the next thirty years. At this period its voters were politically unpredictable; though generally among the more Conservative Cornish constituencies, they were influenced by personal factors and often swung against the national tide of opinion. Falmouth, which had a stronger non-conformist presence, was the more Liberal part of the constituency in the late 19th century, but was thought to become more Conservative as it developed its economy as a destination seaside resort.
In 1918 the borough was abolished, but the Penryn and Falmouth name was applied to the county constituency in which the two towns were placed. This was a much more extensive constituency, covering the whole of south central Cornwall, including the towns of Truro and St Austell as well a long stretch of coastline. The constituency had a more industrial character (a sixth of the population were engaged in tin mining); the area suffered badly from unemployment in the 1930s, and in 1935 the Labour Party came within 3,031 votes of winning what would have been their first seat in Cornwall.
The constituency was abolished for the 1950 general election, most of its area being moved into the Truro constituency. Penryn and Falmouth were assigned to the new Falmouth and Camborne division.

## Members of Parliament
### Penryn & Falmouth borough 1832–1885

| Election | 1st Member | 1st Member | 1st Party | 2nd Member | 2nd Member | 2nd Party |
| 1832 | | Sir Robert Rolfe | Whig | | Lord Tullamore | Tory |
| 1834 | | Sir Robert Rolfe | Whig | | Lord Tullamore | Conservative |
| 1835 | | Sir Robert Rolfe | Whig | | James William Freshfield | Conservative |
| 1840 | | Edward John Hutchins | Whig | | James William Freshfield | Conservative |
| 1841 | | John Vivian | Whig | | James Hanway Plumridge | Whig |
| 1847 | | Howel Gwyn | Conservative | | Francis Mowatt | Radical |
| 1852 | | Howel Gwyn | Conservative | | James William Freshfield | Conservative |
| 1857 | | Thomas Baring | Whig | | Samuel Gurney | Ind. Whig |
| 1859 | | Thomas Baring | Liberal | | Samuel Gurney | Ind. Liberal |
| 1866 | | Jervoise Smith | Liberal | | Samuel Gurney | Ind. Liberal |
| 1868 | | Robert Fowler | Conservative | | Edward Eastwick | Conservative |
| 1874 | | David James Jenkins | Liberal | | Henry Thomas Cole | Liberal |
| 1880 | | David James Jenkins | Liberal | | Reginald Brett | Liberal |
| 1885 | Representation reduced to one member | Representation reduced to one member | Representation reduced to one member | Representation reduced to one member | Representation reduced to one member | Representation reduced to one member |

### Penryn & Falmouth borough 1885–1918

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1885 | David James Jenkins | Liberal |
| 1886 | William George Cavendish-Bentinck | Conservative |
| 1895 | Frederick John Horniman | Liberal |
| 1906 | Sir John Barker | Liberal |
| 1910 | Charles Sydney Goldman | Unionist |
| 1918 | Borough abolished; name transferred to county division | Borough abolished; name transferred to county division |

### Penryn & Falmouth division of Cornwall 1918–1950

| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| | 1918 | Sir Edward Nicholl | Coalition Conservative |
| | 1922 | Capt Denis Shipwright | Conservative |
| | 1923 | Sir Courtenay Mansel | Liberal |
| | 1924 | George Pilcher | Conservative |
| | 1929 | Sir Tudor Walters | Liberal |
| | 1931 | Maurice Petherick | Conservative |
| | 1945 | Evelyn King | Labour |
| 1950 | 1950 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |

## Elections
### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1832: Penryn and Falmouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Y Robert Rolfe | 490 | 36.6 |
| | Tory | Y Charles Bury | 428 | 32.0 |
| | Tory | James William Freshfield | 338 | 25.2 |
| | Tory | Charles Stewart | 83 | 6.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 717 | 81.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 875 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 62 | 4.6 |
| | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 90 | 6.8 |
| | Tory win (new seat) | Tory win (new seat) | Tory win (new seat) | Tory win (new seat) |
General election 1835: Penryn and Falmouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Y James William Freshfield | 464 | 36.1 | +10.9 |
| | Whig | Y Robert Rolfe | 424 | 33.0 | −3.6 |
| | Conservative | Charles Bury | 397 | 30.9 | −1.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 736 | 90.8 | +8.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 811 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 40 | 3.1 | −3.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +6.4 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 27 | 2.1 | −2.5 |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | −4.3 | |
Rolfe was appointed Solicitor General for England and Wales, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 28 April 1835: Penryn and Falmouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Y Robert Rolfe | 348 | 51.6 | +18.6 |
| | Conservative | Charles Bury | 326 | 48.4 | −18.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 22 | 3.2 | +1.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 674 | 83.1 | −7.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 811 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | +18.6 | |
General election 1837: Penryn and Falmouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Y Robert Rolfe | 523 | 39.6 | +23.1 |
| | Conservative | Y James William Freshfield | 434 | 32.9 | −34.1 |
| | Whig | James Hanway Plumridge | 363 | 27.5 | +11.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 761 | 85.7 | −5.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 888 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 89 | 6.7 | +4.6 |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | +20.1 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 71 | 5.4 | +2.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −34.1 | |

### Elections in the 1840s

Rolfe resigned after being appointed a Judge of the Court of the Exchequer, causing a by-election.
By-election, 23 January 1840: Penryn and Falmouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Y Edward John Hutchins | 462 | 66.0 | −1.1 |
| | Conservative | William Carne | 238 | 34.0 | +1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 224 | 32.0 | +25.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 700 | 79.1 | −6.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 885 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | −1.1 | |
General election 1841: Penryn and Falmouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Y John Vivian | 462 | 30.5 | −9.1 |
| | Whig | Y James Hanway Plumridge | 432 | 28.5 | +1.0 |
| | Conservative | Howel Gwyn | 381 | 25.1 | +8.7 |
| | Conservative | Edward John Sartoris | 240 | 15.8 | −0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 51 | 3.4 | −3.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 768 | 86.9 | +1.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 884 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | −6.6 | |
| | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Swing | −1.5 | |
General election 1847: Penryn and Falmouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Y Howel Gwyn | 548 | 54.2 | +29.1 |
| | Radical | Y Francis Mowatt | 377 | 37.3 | −21.7 |
| | Conservative | Peter Borthwick | 87 | 8.6 | −7.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 506 (est) | 58.6 (est) | −28.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 884 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 171 | 16.9 | N/A |
| | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Swing | +20.0 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 290 | 28.7 | N/A |
| | Radical gain from Whig | Radical gain from Whig | Swing | −21.8 | |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Penryn and Falmouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Y Howel Gwyn | 464 | 37.5 | −16.7 |
| | Conservative | Y James William Freshfield | 435 | 35.1 | +26.5 |
| | Whig | Thomas Baring | 339 | 27.4 | −9.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 96 | 7.7 | −9.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 789 (est) | 87.0 (est) | +28.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 906 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −5.9 | |
| | Conservative gain from Radical | Conservative gain from Radical | Swing | +15.7 | |
General election 1857: Penryn and Falmouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Y Thomas Baring | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Independent Whig | Y Samuel Gurney | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 856 | | |
| | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative |
| | Ind. Whig gain from Conservative | Ind. Whig gain from Conservative | Ind. Whig gain from Conservative | Ind. Whig gain from Conservative | Ind. Whig gain from Conservative |
Baring was appointed a Civil Lord of the Admiralty, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 27 May 1857: Penryn and Falmouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Y Thomas Baring | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1859: Penryn and Falmouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Y Thomas Baring | 389 | 30.2 | N/A |
| | Independent Liberal | Y Samuel Gurney | 373 | 29.0 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Howel Gwyn | 324 | 25.2 | New |
| | Conservative | John Fitzgerald Leslie Foster | 200 | 15.6 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 643 (est) | 77.4 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 856 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16 | 1.2 | N/A |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 49 | 3.8 | N/A |
| | Independent Liberal hold | Independent Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Penryn and Falmouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Y Thomas Baring | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Independent Liberal | Y Samuel Gurney | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 837 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
| | Independent Liberal hold | Independent Liberal hold | Independent Liberal hold | Independent Liberal hold | Independent Liberal hold |
Baring succeeded to the peerage, becoming Lord Northbrook and causing a by-election.
By-election, 15 October 1866: Penryn and Falmouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Y Jervoise Smith | 376 | 54.6 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Robert Fowler | 313 | 45.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 63 | 9.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 689 | 82.3 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 837 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1868: Penryn and Falmouth (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Y Robert Fowler | 732 | 27.9 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Y Edward Eastwick | 683 | 26.0 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Jervoise Smith | 611 | 23.3 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Kirkman Hodgson | 597 | 22.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 72 | 2.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,312 (est) | 72.5 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,808 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent Liberal | Conservative gain from Independent Liberal | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Penryn and Falmouth (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Y David James Jenkins | 851 | 28.1 | +4.8 |
| | Liberal | Y Henry Thomas Cole | 784 | 25.9 | +3.1 |
| | Conservative | Robert Fowler | 743 | 24.6 | −3.7 |
| | Conservative | Edward Eastwick | 646 | 21.4 | −4.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 41 | 1.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,512 | 81.3 | −8.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,860 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Penryn and Falmouth (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Y David James Jenkins | 1,176 | 30.2 | +2.1 |
| | Liberal | Y Reginald Brett | 1,071 | 27.5 | +1.6 |
| | Conservative | Julius Vogel | 882 | 22.7 | −1.9 |
| | Conservative | John D. Mayne | 765 | 19.6 | −1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 189 | 4.8 | +3.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,947 (est) | 88.4 (est) | +7.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,202 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +2.0 | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +1.7 | |
General election 1885: Penryn and Falmouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | David James Jenkins | 1,170 | 52.3 | −5.4 |
| | Conservative | William Cavendish-Bentinck | 1,069 | 47.7 | +5.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 101 | 4.6 | −0.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,239 | 87.4 | −1.0 (est) |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,562 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −5.4 | |
General election 1886: Penryn and Falmouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Cavendish-Bentinck | 1,089 | 52.2 | +4.5 |
| | Liberal | David James Jenkins | 998 | 47.8 | −4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 91 | 4.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,087 | 81.5 | −5.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,562 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +4.5 | |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Penryn and Falmouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Cavendish-Bentinck | 1,218 | 58.1 | +5.9 |
| | Liberal | Arthur Serena | 880 | 41.9 | −5.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 338 | 16.2 | +11.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,098 | 81.3 | −0.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,580 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +5.9 | |
General election 1895: Penryn and Falmouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Frederick John Horniman | 1,150 | 51.1 | +9.2 |
| | Conservative | William Cavendish-Bentinck | 1,101 | 48.9 | −9.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 49 | 2.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,251 | 86.0 | +4.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,616 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +9.2 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Penryn and Falmouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Frederick John Horniman | 1,184 | 50.4 | −0.7 |
| | Conservative | Nathaniel Louis Cohen | 1,164 | 49.6 | +0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20 | 0.8 | −1.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,348 | 85.2 | −0.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,756 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −0.7 | |
General election 1906: Penryn and Falmouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Barker | 1,345 | 51.9 | +1.5 |
| | Conservative | D B Hall | 1,248 | 48.1 | −1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 97 | 3.8 | +3.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,593 | 88.6 | +3.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,926 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +1.5 | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Penryn and Falmouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Sydney Goldman | 1,593 | 53.0 | +4.9 |
| | Liberal | John Barker | 1,412 | 47.0 | −4.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 181 | 6.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,005 | 93.5 | +4.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,215 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +4.9 | |
General election December 1910: Penryn and Falmouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Sydney Goldman | 1,585 | 55.1 | +2.1 |
| | Liberal | Walter Burt | 1,291 | 44.9 | −2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 294 | 10.2 | +4.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,876 | 89.5 | −4.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,215 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +2.1 | |
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: Charles Sydney Goldman
* Liberal:
General election 1918: Penryn and Falmouth, :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | Unionist | Edward Nicholl | 10,050 | 50.6 | −4.5 |
| | Liberal | Arthur Carkeek (businessman) | 9,815 | 49.4 | +4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 235 | 1.2 | −9.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 19,865 | 56.6 | −32.9 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −4.5 | |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: Penryn and Falmouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Denis Shipwright | 11,566 | 42.7 | −7.9 |
| | Liberal | Courtenay Mansel | 8,879 | 32.8 | −16.6 |
| | Labour | Joseph Harris | 4,482 | 16.6 | New |
| | National Liberal | George Hay Morgan | 2,129 | 7.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,687 | 9.9 | +8.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 27,056 | 72.5 | +15.9 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | +4.3 | |
General election 1923: Penryn and Falmouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Courtenay Mansel | 17,015 | 62.0 | +23.2 |
| | Unionist | Denis Shipwright | 10,429 | 38.0 | −4.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,586 | 24.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 27,444 | 73.0 | +0.5 |
| | Liberal gain from Unionist | Liberal gain from Unionist | Swing | +17.0 | |
General election 1924: Penryn and Falmouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | George Pilcher | 12,485 | 43.3 | +5.3 |
| | Liberal | Courtenay Mansel | 9,913 | 34.3 | −27.7 |
| | Labour | Frederick Jesse Hopkins | 6,462 | 22.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,572 | 9.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 22,398 | 74.7 | +1.7 |
| | Unionist gain from Liberal | Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | +16.5 | |
General election 1929: Penryn and Falmouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Tudor Walters | 14,274 | 37.0 | +2.7 |
| | Unionist | Maurice Petherick | 13,136 | 34.1 | −9.2 |
| | Labour | Frederick Jesse Hopkins | 11,166 | 28.9 | +6.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,138 | 2.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,576 | 78.4 | +3.7 |
| | Liberal gain from Unionist | Liberal gain from Unionist | Swing | +6.0 | |

### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Penryn and Falmouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Maurice Petherick | 16,388 | 40.5 | +6.4 |
| | Liberal | Ernest Simon | 14,006 | 34.6 | −2.4 |
| | Labour | A.L.Rowse | 10,098 | 24.9 | −4.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,382 | 5.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,492 | 79.8 | +1.4 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +4.4 | |
General election 1935: Penryn and Falmouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Maurice Petherick | 16,136 | 39.6 | −0.9 |
| | Labour | A.L.Rowse | 13,105 | 32.1 | +7.2 |
| | Liberal | Ronald Wilberforce Allen | 11,527 | 28.3 | −6.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,031 | 7.5 | +1.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,778 | 77.6 | −2.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -4.0 | |
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: Maurice Petherick
* Labour: A.L.Rowse

### Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Penryn and Falmouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Evelyn King | 17,962 | 43.8 | +11.7 |
| | Conservative | Maurice Petherick | 15,169 | 36.9 | −2.7 |
| | Liberal | Percy Harris | 7,917 | 19.3 | −9.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,793 | 6.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,048 | 73.0 | −4.6 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |