# East Cornwall (UK Parliament constituency)

East Cornwall was a county constituency in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected two Members of Parliament (MPs) by the bloc vote system of election.

## Boundaries

In 1832 the county of Cornwall, in south west England, was split for parliamentary purposes into two county divisions. These were the East division (with a place of election at Bodmin) and West Cornwall (where voting took place at Truro). Each division returned two members to Parliament.
The parliamentary boroughs included in the East division, from 1832 to 1885 (whose non-resident 40 shilling freeholders voted in the county constituency), were Bodmin, Launceston and Liskeard.
1832–1885: The Hundreds of East, West, Lesnewth, Stratton, and Trigg, and in the hundred of Powder, the eastern division, i.e. the parishes of St Austell, St Blazey, St Dennis, St Ewe, Fowey, Gorran, Ladock, Lanlivery, Lostwithiel, Luxulyan, Mevagissey, St Mewan, St Michael Caerhays, Roche, St Sampson's, St Stephen-in-Brannel, and Tywardreath, and in the hundred of Pydar, the parishes of St Breock, Colan, St Columb Minor and St Columb Major, St Ervan, St Eval, St Issey, Lanhydrock, Lanivet, Mawgan, St Merryn, Padstow, Little Petherick, St Wenn, and Withiel.

## History

In 1885 this division was abolished, when the East and West Cornwall county divisions were replaced by six new single-member county constituencies. These were Bodmin (the South-Eastern division), Camborne (North-Western division), Launceston (North-Eastern division), St Austell (Mid division), St Ives (the Western division) and Truro. In addition the last remaining Cornish borough constituency was Penryn and Falmouth.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | First member | First party | Second member | Second party |
| 1832 | Sir William Molesworth, Bt | Radical | Sir William Salusbury-Trelawny, Bt | Whig |
| 1837 | Lord Eliot | Conservative | Sir Hussey Vivian, Bt | Whig |
| 1841 | Lord Eliot | Conservative | William Rashleigh | Conservative |
| 1845 by-election | William Pole-Carew | Conservative | William Rashleigh | Conservative |
| 1847 | William Pole-Carew | Conservative | Thomas Agar-Robartes | Whig |
| 1852 | Nicholas Kendall | Conservative | Thomas Agar-Robartes | Whig |
| 1859 | Nicholas Kendall | Conservative | Thomas Agar-Robartes | Liberal |
| 1868 | Sir John Salusbury-Trelawney, Bt | Liberal | Edward Brydges Willyams | Liberal |
| 1874 | Sir Colman Rashleigh, Bt | Liberal | John Tremayne | Conservative |
| 1880 | Hon. Thomas Agar-Robartes | Liberal | William Copeland Borlase | Liberal |
| 1882 by-election | Thomas Dyke Acland | Liberal | William Copeland Borlase | Liberal |
| 1885 | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished |

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

General election 1832: East Cornwall (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Radical | William Molesworth | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig | William Salusbury-Trelawny | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,462 | |
| | Radical win (new seat) | Radical win (new seat) | Radical win (new seat) | Radical win (new seat) |
| | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) |
General election 1835: East Cornwall (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Radical | William Molesworth | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig | William Salusbury-Trelawny | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,392 | |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1837: East Cornwall (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Edward Eliot | 2,430 | 34.8 |
| | Whig | Hussey Vivian | 2,294 | 32.9 |
| | Whig | William Salusbury-Trelawny | 2,250 | 32.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,648 | 85.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,469 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 136 | 1.9 |
| | Conservative gain from Radical | Conservative gain from Radical | Conservative gain from Radical | Conservative gain from Radical |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 44 | 0.6 |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: East Cornwall (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Eliot | 3,006 | 40.3 | +22.9 |
| | Conservative | William Rashleigh | 2,807 | 37.6 | +20.2 |
| | Radical | John Trelawny | 1,647 | 22.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,160 | 15.5 | +13.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,549 | 74.9 | −10.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,076 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +22.9 | |
| | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Swing | +20.2 | |
Eliot was appointed Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 22 September 1841: East Cornwall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Eliot | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Eliot was elevated to the peerage, becoming 3rd Earl of St Germans and causing a by-election.
By-election, 20 February 1845: East Cornwall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Pole-Carew | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1847: East Cornwall (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Pole-Carew | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig | Thomas Agar-Robartes | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,270 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: East Cornwall (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Thomas Agar-Robartes | 2,609 | 39.6 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Nicholas Kendall | 1,996 | 30.3 | N/A |
| | Conservative | William Pole-Carew | 1,979 | 30.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 613 | 9.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,597 (est) | 80.7 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,694 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1857: East Cornwall (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Thomas Agar-Robartes | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Nicholas Kendall | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,261 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1859: East Cornwall (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Thomas Agar-Robartes | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Nicholas Kendall | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,240 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Whig | Liberal gain from Whig | Liberal gain from Whig | Liberal gain from Whig | Liberal gain from Whig |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: East Cornwall (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Nicholas Kendall | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal | Thomas Agar-Robartes | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,781 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1868: East Cornwall (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Salusbury-Trelawny | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal | Edward Brydges Willyams | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,701 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative |

### Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: East Cornwall (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Colman Rashleigh | 3,395 | 26.6 | N/A |
| | Conservative | John Tremayne | 3,276 | 25.7 | New |
| | Conservative | William Pole-Carew | 3,099 | 24.3 | New |
| | Liberal | Reginald Kelly | 2,978 | 23.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,374 (est) | 71.0 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,982 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 296 | 2.3 | N/A |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 298 | 2.3 | N/A |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: East Cornwall (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Thomas Agar-Robartes | 4,018 | 30.1 | +3.5 |
| | Liberal | William Copeland Borlase | 3,883 | 29.1 | +5.7 |
| | Conservative | John Tremayne | 3,033 | 22.7 | −3.0 |
| | Conservative | Digby Collins | 2,403 | 18.0 | −6.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 850 | 6.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,669 (est) | 72.9 (est) | +1.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,150 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Robartes was elevated to the peerage, becoming Lord Robartes.
By-election, 3 Apr 1882: East Cornwall (1 seat) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Thomas Dyke Acland | 3,720 | 51.4 | −7.8 |
| | Conservative | John Tremayne | 3,520 | 48.6 | +7.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 200 | 2.8 | −3.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,240 | 76.3 | +3.4 (est) |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,484 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −7.9 | |
There were 86 spoiled papers, which was considered an unusually high number.