# London University (UK Parliament constituency)

London University was a university constituency electing one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, from 1868 to 1950.

## Boundaries, electorate and history

This university constituency was created by the Reform Act 1867. The first election took place during the 1868 United Kingdom general election. The constituency returned one Member of Parliament, using the first past the post electoral system.
The constituency was not a physical area. Its electorate consisted of the graduates of the University of London. Before 1918 only male graduates qualified. From 1918 all graduates qualified, including women over thirty (reduced to twenty one when universal adult suffrage on equal terms was introduced before the 1929 United Kingdom general election).
The constituency was almost abolished in 1918. The original proposal of the Speaker's Conference, which considered electoral reform before the Representation of the People Act 1918 was enacted, was to combine all the English and Welsh universities except for Oxford and Cambridge into a three-member constituency. However, during consideration of the legislation it was agreed that London University should continue to return one member. The University of Wales was also given its own seat. The other universities, which were still to be combined, had their proposed representation reduced to two members.
All the university constituencies were abolished in 1950, by the Representation of the People Act 1948.

## Members of Parliament

This is a list of people who have represented this university in the Parliament of the United Kingdom between 1868 and 1950.
| Year | Member | Party |
| 1868 | Rt Hon. Robert Lowe $^1$ | Liberal |
| 1880 | Sir John Lubbock $^2$ | Liberal |
| 1886 | Sir John Lubbock $^2$ | Liberal Unionist |
| 1900 | Sir Michael Foster | Liberal Unionist |
| 1903 | Sir Michael Foster | Liberal |
| 1906 | Philip Magnus | Liberal Unionist |
| 1912 | Philip Magnus | Unionist |
| 1918 | Philip Magnus | Coalition Unionist |
| 1922 | Sir Sydney Russell-Wells $^3$ | Unionist |
| 1924 | Sir Ernest Graham-Little $^4$ | Independent |
| 1931 | Sir Ernest Graham-Little $^4$ | National Independent |
| 1950 | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished |
Notes:-
* $^1$ Lowe was elevated to the peerage as The 1st Viscount Sherbrooke.
* $^2$ Lubbock was elevated to the peerage as The 1st Baron Avebury.
* $^3$ Russell-Wells died on 14 July 1924 – the seat was vacant at dissolution.
* $^4$ Graham-Little, as an Independent MP, supported the National Governments in office from 1931 until the formation of the wartime coalition in 1940. He also supported Winston Churchill's caretaker government in 1945 and his proposed continuation in office if he had won the 1945 election. Graham-Little is therefore classified as a National Independent MP from 1931.

## Elections

General elections, from 1918 when most constituencies polled on the same day, were on different polling days from territorial constituencies. The polls for university constituencies were open for five days.
Coalition Conservative is considered to be equivalent to Conservative, as is National Independent equivalent to Independent.

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1868: London University :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Lowe | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,160 | | |
| | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) |
Lowe was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer in Gladstone's government.
By-election, 21 December 1868: London University :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Lowe | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: London University :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Lowe | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,485 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: London University :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Lowe | 1,014 | 65.5 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Arthur Charles | 535 | 34.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 479 | 31.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,549 | 79.6 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,947 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
Lowe was elevated to the peerage as the 1st Viscount Sherbrooke, causing a by-election.
By-election 3 June 1880: London University :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Lubbock | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1885: London University :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Lubbock | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
Lubbock joined the breakaway Liberal Unionist Party in 1886.
General election 1886: London University :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | John Lubbock | 1,314 | 71.8 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Frederic Harrison | 516 | 28.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 798 | 43.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,830 | 71.0 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,579 | | |
| | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |
This was a gain for the Liberal Unionist Party, but a hold for Lubbock personally.

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: London University :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | John Lubbock | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold |
General election 1895: London University :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | John Lubbock | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold |

### Elections in the 1900s

Lubbock was elevated to the peerage as the 1st Baron Avebury, triggering a by-election.
1900 London University by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | Michael Foster | 1,271 | 46.8 | N/A |
| | Liberal | William Job Collins | 863 | 31.7 | New |
| | Independent Liberal Unionist | Edward Henry Busk | 586 | 21.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 408 | 15.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,720 | 61.8 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,403 | | |
| | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1900: London University :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | Michael Foster | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold |
General election 1906: London University :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | Philip Magnus | 1,840 | 50.3 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Michael Foster | 1,816 | 49.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 24 | 0.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,656 | 70.1 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,212 | | |
| | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: London University :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | Philip Magnus | 2,625 | 57.65 | +7.32 |
| | Liberal | Joseph West Ridgeway | 1,928 | 42.35 | −7.32 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 697 | 15.30 | +14.64 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,553 | 75.01 | +4.86 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,070 | | |
| | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Swing | +7.32 | |
General election December 1910: London University :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | Philip Magnus | 2,579 | 58.14 | +0.49 |
| | Liberal | Victor Horsley | 1,857 | 41.86 | −0.49 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 722 | 16.28 | +0.98 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,436 | 73.08 | −1.93 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,070 | | |
| | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Swing | +0.49 | |
The Liberal Unionist Party merged with the Conservative Party in 1912, but its former members continued to be known collectively as the Unionist Party. (They are not to be confused with the contemporary Unionist Party in Scotland, which also later merged with the Conservatives.)
General election 1918: London University :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | Unionist | Philip Magnus | 2,810 | 41.56 | −16.58 |
| | Labour | Sidney Webb | 2,141 | 31.67 | New |
| | Teachers | Annesley Somerville | 885 | 13.09 | New |
| | Independent | Wilmot Herringham | 715 | 10.58 | New |
| | Ind. Unionist | Charles Louis Nordon | 210 | 3.11 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 669 | 9.89 | −6.39 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,761 | 69.01 | −4.07 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,797 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | N/A | |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: London University :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Sydney Russell-Wells | 3,833 | 51.52 | +9.96 |
| | Liberal | Albert Pollard | 2,180 | 29.30 | New |
| | Labour | H. G. Wells | 1,427 | 19.18 | −12.49 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,653 | 22.22 | +12.33 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,440 | 67.64 | −1.37 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,000 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | | |
General election 1923: London University :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Sydney Russell-Wells | 4,037 | 50.15 | −1.37 |
| | Liberal | Albert Pollard | 2,593 | 32.21 | +2.91 |
| | Labour | H. G. Wells | 1,420 | 17.64 | −1.54 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,444 | 17.94 | −4.28 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,050 | 71.28 | +3.64 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,293 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −2.14 | |
General election 1924: London University :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Ernest Graham-Little | 3,202 | 37.06 | +37.06 |
| | Unionist | John Bradford | 2,813 | 32.55 | −17.60 |
| | Liberal | Albert Pollard | 1,539 | 17.81 | −14.40 |
| | Labour | Frank George Bushnell | 1,087 | 12.58 | −5.06 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 389 | 4.51 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,641 | 72.03 | +0.75 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,997 | | |
| | Independent gain from Unionist | Independent gain from Unionist | Swing | | |
General election 1929: London University :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Ernest Graham-Little | 5,869 | 53.5 | +16.4 |
| | Liberal | Walter Layton | 2,923 | 26.6 | +8.8 |
| | Unionist | Sir John William Gilbert | 2,179 | 19.9 | −12.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,946 | 26.9 | +22.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,971 | 70.5 | −1.5 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: London University :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National | Ernest Graham-Little | 8,461 | 72.97 | +19.47 |
| | Ind. Nationalist | Archibald Church | 3,134 | 27.03 | +27.03 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,327 | 45.94 | +19.09 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,595 | 70.27 | −0.25 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 16,501 | | |
| | National hold | National hold | Swing | | |
General election 1935: London University :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National | Ernest Graham-Little | 8,958 | 69.57 | −3.40 |
| | Labour | Norman Angell | 3,918 | 30.43 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,040 | 39.14 | −6.80 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,876 | 71.74 | +1.47 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 17,949 | | |
| | National hold | National hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: London University :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National | Ernest Graham-Little | 7,618 | 50.49 | −19.08 |
| | Independent Progressive | Mary Stocks | 7,469 | 49.51 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 149 | 0.98 | −38.16 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 15,087 | 63.00 | −8.74 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 23,948 | | |
| | National hold | National hold | Swing | | |