# Eye (UK Parliament constituency)

Eye was a parliamentary constituency, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, encompassing an area around the market town and civil parish of Eye, Suffolk.

## History

Eye was once the smallest borough in the country, its claim based on the 1205 Charter of King John. The Charter was renewed in 1408, then many more times by successive monarchs. However, in 1885, the Town Clerk of Hythe, 125 miles (201 km) south by land, proved that the original Charter belonged only to Hythe in Kent, the error having arisen from the similarity of their original Old English names, both building off a related root phrase (Hythe: landing place, Eye: land by water). The error was confirmed by archivists in the 1950s, but borough status was not discontinued until 1974 after government reorganization when Eye became a parish but retained a Town Council, a Mayor and the insignia.
From 1571 to 1707, the Parliamentary Borough of Eye elected two Members of Parliament (MPs) by the bloc vote system of election to the House of Commons of England, then from 1707 to 1800 to the House of Commons of Great Britain, and from 1801 to 1832 to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. By the mid eighteenth century it tended to be seen a pocket borough of Earl Cornwallis who could nominate the two MPs. The Reform Act 1832 reduced its representation to one MP, elected by the first past the post system. The parliamentary borough was abolished under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, and was reconstituted as one of five single-member county divisions of the Parliamentary County of Suffolk, becoming a county constituency from the 1950 general election.
This in turn was abolished for the 1983 general election when western areas, comprising the majority, became part of the new county constituency of Central Suffolk, with eastern areas forming part of the new county constituency of Suffolk Coastal.
The seat's main claim to fame was that it was the smallest town to have a parliamentary constituency named after it as the town of Eye had only approximately 1500 voters in 1981. It had been mostly a Liberal seat until 1951, after which it became a safe Conservative seat.

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

* The Municipal Borough of Eye;
* The Sessional Divisions of Framlingham, Hartismere, and Hoxne; and
* Part of the Sessional Division of Blything.
Formed from parts of the abolished Eastern and Western Divisions of Suffolk and incorporating the abolished Parliamentary Borough of Eye. Apart from Eye, the main town was Saxmundham.

### 1918–1950

* The Municipal Borough of Eye;
* The Urban Districts of Halesworth, Leiston-cum-Sizewell, Saxmundham, and Stowmarket;
* The Rural Districts of East Stow, Hartismere, and Hoxne; and
* Parts of the Rural Districts of Blything and Plomesgate.
Gained southernmost part of the Lowestoft Division, including Halesworth, and a small area to the east of the abolished Stowmarket Division, including the town of Stowmarket itself.

### 1950–1983

* The Municipal Boroughs of Aldeburgh and Eye;
* The Urban Districts of Leiston-cum-Sizewell, Saxmundham, and Stowmarket;
* The Rural Districts of Blyth, Gipping, and Hartismere: and
* The Rural District of Deben parishes of Blaxhall, Boulge, Bredfield, Burgh, Campsey Ash, Charsfield, Chillesford, Clopton, Cretingham, Dallinghoo, Dallinghoo Wield, Debach, Eyke, Gedgrave, Grundisburgh, Hoo, Iken, Letheringham, Monewden, Orford, Otley, Pettistree, Rendlesham, Sudbourne, Swilland, Tunstall, Ufford, Wantisden, Wickham Market, and Witnesham.
Extended southwards to gain Aldeburgh and mainly rural areas from the northern part of the abolished Woodbridge Division of East Suffolk. Area previously transferred from Lowestoft (including Halesworth) now returned.

## Members of Parliament
### Eye borough
#### MPs 1571–1660

| Parliament | First member | Second member |
| 1571 | Richard Bedell | Charles Cutler |
| 1572 | Charles Calthorpe | Charles Cutler |
| 1584 | Bassingbourne Gawdy | George Brooke |
| 1586 | Bartholomew Kemp | Thomas Bedingfield |
| 1588 | Edward Grimston | Sir Edmund Bacon |
| 1593 | Edward Honnyng, eldest son of William Honnyng | Philip Gawdy |
| 1597 | Anthony Gawdy | Edward Honnyng, eldest son of William Honnyng |
| 1601 | Edward Honnyng, eldest son of William Honnyng | Anthony Gawdy |
| 1604 | Edward Honnyng, eldest son of William Honnyng | Sir Henry Bockenham |
| 1610 | Sir John Kay | Sir Henry Bockenham |
| 1614 | Sir Robert Drury | Huntingdon Colby |
| 1621–1622 | Sir Roger North | Sir John Crompton |
| 1624 | Sir Henry Crofts | Francis Finch |
| 1625 | Francis Finch | Sir Roger North |
| 1626 | Francis Finch | Sir Roger North |
| 1628 | Francis Finch | Sir Roger North |
| 1629–1640 | No Parliaments summoned | No Parliaments summoned |
| 1640 (Apr) | Sir Frederick Cornwallis | Sir Roger North |
| 1640 (Nov) | Sir Frederick Cornwallis | Sir Roger North |
| 1645 | Morris Barrow | Sir Roger North |
| 1648 | ? |
| 1653 | Eye not represented in Barebones Parliament | Eye not represented in Barebones Parliament |
| 1654 | Eye not represented in 1st Protectorate Parliament | Eye not represented in 1st Protectorate Parliament |
| 1655 | Eye not represented in 2nd Protectorate Parliament | Eye not represented in 2nd Protectorate Parliament |
| 1659 | Edward Dendy | Joseph Blisset |

#### MPs 1660–1832

| Election | | First member | First party | | Second member | Second party |
| 1660 | | Charles Cornwallis | Court Party | | Sir George Reeve | Court Party |
| 1661 | | Charles Cornwallis, senior | | | Sir George Reeve | Court Party |
| 1675 | | Sir Robert Reeve | | | Sir George Reeve | Court Party |
| 1678 | | Sir Robert Reeve | | | Sir Charles Gawdy | Tory |
| 1679 | | Charles Fox | Tory | | George Walsh | |
| 1681 | | Sir Charles Gawdy | Tory | | Sir Robert Reeve | |
| 1685 | | Sir Charles Gawdy | Tory | | Sir John Rous | Tory |
| 1689 | | Thomas Knyvett | Tory | | Henry Poley | Tory |
| 1690 | | Thomas Davenant | | | Henry Poley | Tory |
| 1695 | | Thomas Davenant | | | Charles Cornwallis | Whig |
| 1697 | | Sir Joseph Jekyll | Whig | | Charles Cornwallis | Whig |
| 1698 | | Sir Joseph Jekyll | Whig | | Hon. Spencer Compton | Tory |
| 1701 | | Sir Joseph Jekyll | Whig | | Hon. Spencer Compton | Whig |
| 1710 | | Sir Joseph Jekyll | Whig | | Thomas Maynard | Whig |
| 1713 | | Edward Hopkins | Whig | | Thomas Maynard | Whig |
| 1715 | | Edward Hopkins | Whig | | Thomas Smith | Whig |
| March 1722 | | Edward Hopkins | Whig | | Hon. Spencer Compton | Whig |
| November 1722 | | Edward Hopkins | Whig | | James Cornwallis | Whig |
| 1727 | | Stephen Cornwallis | Whig | | John Cornwallis | Whig |
| 1743 | | Edward Cornwallis | Whig | | John Cornwallis | Whig |
| 1747 | | Edward Cornwallis | Whig | | Roger Townshend | Whig |
| 1748 | | Edward Cornwallis | Whig | | Nicholas Hardinge | |
| 1749 | | Courthorpe Clayton | | | Nicholas Hardinge | |
| 1758 | | Courthorpe Clayton | | | Henry Townshend | |
| 1760 | | Courthorpe Clayton | | | Viscount Brome | Whig |
| March 1761 | | Henry Cornwallis | | | Viscount Brome | Whig |
| December 1761 | | Henry Townshend | | | Viscount Brome | Whig |
| 1762 | | The Viscount Allen | | | Richard Burton | |
| 1768 | | The Viscount Allen | | | Hon. William Cornwallis | |
| 1770 | | Richard Burton Phillipson | | | Hon. William Cornwallis | |
| March 1774 | | Richard Burton Phillipson | | | Francis Osborne, Marquess of Carmarthen | Tory |
| October 1774 | | Richard Burton Phillipson | | | John St John | |
| 1780 | | Richard Burton Phillipson | | | Arnoldus Jones-Skelton | |
| 1782 | | Richard Burton Phillipson | | | Hon. William Cornwallis | |
| 1784 | | Richard Burton Phillipson | | | Peter Bathurst | Pittite |
| 1790 | | Richard Burton Phillipson | | | Hon. William Cornwallis | |
| 1792 | | Peter Bathurst | Pittite | | Hon. William Cornwallis | |
| 1795 | | Viscount Brome | Tory | | Hon. William Cornwallis | |
| 1796 | | Mark Singleton | | | Hon. William Cornwallis | |
| 1799 | | James Cornwallis | Tory | | Hon. William Cornwallis | |
| 1806 | | Marquess of Huntly | Tory | | Hon. William Cornwallis | |
| January 1807 | | Marquess of Huntly | Tory | | James Cornwallis | Tory |
| April 1807 | | Hon. Henry Wellesley | Tory | | James Cornwallis | Tory |
| May 1807 | | Hon. Henry Wellesley | Tory | | Mark Singleton | |
| 1809 | | Charles Arbuthnot | Tory | | Mark Singleton | |
| 1812 | | Sir William Garrow | Whig | | Mark Singleton | |
| 1817 | | Sir Robert Gifford | Tory | | Mark Singleton | |
| 1820 | | Sir Robert Gifford | Tory | | Sir Miles Nightingall | Tory |
| 1824 | | Sir Edward Kerrison, Bt | Tory | | Sir Miles Nightingall | Tory |
| 1829 | | Sir Edward Kerrison, Bt | Tory | | Sir Philip Sidney, Bt | Tory |
| 1831 | | Sir Edward Kerrison, Bt | Tory | | William Burge | Tory |
| 1832 | 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 |

#### MPs 1832–1885

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1832 | Sir Edward Kerrison, Bt | Tory |
| 1834 | Sir Edward Kerrison, Bt | Conservative |
| 1852 | Edward Kerrison | Conservative |
| 1866 by-election | Hon. George Barrington | Conservative |
| 1880 | Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett | Conservative |
| 1885 | Borough abolished – name transferred to county division | Borough abolished – name transferred to county division |

### Eye division of Suffolk
#### MPs 1885–1983

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1885 | Francis Seymour Stevenson | Liberal |
| 1906 by-election | Harold Pearson | Liberal |
| 1918 | Alexander Lyle-Samuel | Liberal |
| 1923 | The Lord Huntingfield | Conservative |
| 1929 | Edgar Granville | Liberal |
| 1931 | Edgar Granville | Liberal National |
| 1942 | Edgar Granville | Independent |
| 1945 | Edgar Granville | Liberal |
| 1951 | Sir Harwood Harrison | Conservative |
| 1979 | John Gummer | Conservative |
| 1983 | constituency abolished: see Suffolk Central | constituency abolished: see Suffolk Central |

## Elections
### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Eye :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Tory | Edward Kerrison | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Tory | Philip Sidney | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
| Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
Sidney resigned, causing a by-election.
By-election, 14 March 1831: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | William Burge | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
General election 1831: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | Edward Kerrison | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Tory | William Burge | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | c. 125 | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
General election 1832: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | Edward Kerrison | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 253 | | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
General election 1835: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Kerrison | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 282 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1837: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Kerrison | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 301 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Kerrison | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 342 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1847: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Kerrison | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 322 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Kerrison | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 356 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1857: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Kerrison | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 359 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1859: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Kerrison | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 342 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Kerrison | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 339 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Kerrison resigned in order to contest the 1866 by-election in East Suffolk.
By-election, 27 July 1866: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Barrington | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1868: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Barrington | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,198 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Barrington | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,163 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Barrington was appointed Vice-Chamberlain of the Household, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 19 Mar 1874: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Barrington | 656 | 63.0 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Charles Easton | 386 | 37.0 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 270 | 26.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,042 | 89.6 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,163 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett | 540 | 53.0 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Charles Easton | 478 | 47.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 62 | 6.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,018 | 94.2 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,081 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
Bartlett was appointed a Civil Lord of the Admiralty, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 2 Jul 1885: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett | 473 | 58.5 | +5.5 |
| | Liberal | Mervyn Lanark Hawkes | 336 | 41.5 | −5.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 137 | 17.0 | +11.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 809 | 82.3 | −11.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 983 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +5.5 | |
General election 1885: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Francis Seymour Stevenson | 5,356 | 61.5 | +14.5 |
| | Conservative | Benjamin Bridges Hunter Rodwell | 3,360 | 38.5 | −14.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,996 | 23.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,716 | 79.3 | −13.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,993 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +14.5 | |
General election 1886: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Francis Seymour Stevenson | 4,544 | 60.7 | −0.8 |
| | Liberal Unionist | James Colquhoun Revell Reade | 2,938 | 39.3 | +0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,606 | 21.4 | −1.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,482 | 68.1 | −11.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,993 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −0.8 | |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Francis Seymour Stevenson | 4,701 | 57.8 | −2.9 |
| | Conservative | Lionel Holland | 3,431 | 42.2 | +2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,270 | 15.6 | −5.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,132 | 78.8 | +10.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,321 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −2.9 | |
General election 1895: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Francis Seymour Stevenson | 4,437 | 55.2 | −2.6 |
| | Conservative | Frederick John Francis Wootton Isaacson | 3,603 | 44.8 | +2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 834 | 10.4 | −5.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,040 | 77.8 | −1.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,339 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −2.6 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Francis Seymour Stevenson | 4,664 | 61.3 | +6.1 |
| | Conservative | Henry Harben | 2,947 | 38.7 | −6.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,717 | 22.6 | +12.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,611 | 74.9 | −2.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,162 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +6.1 | |
General election 1906: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Francis Seymour Stevenson | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
1906 Eye by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Harold Pearson | 4,568 | 51.1 | N/A |
| | Conservative | James Graham | 4,371 | 48.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 197 | 2.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,939 | 87.9 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,166 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Harold Pearson | 4,991 | 52.0 | N/A |
| | Conservative | James Graham | 4,614 | 48.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 377 | 4.0 | +1.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,605 | 90.4 | +2.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,621 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +0.9 | |
General election December 1910: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Harold Pearson | 4,927 | 54.2 | +2.2 |
| | Liberal Unionist | George Borwick, 2nd Baron Borwick | 4,157 | 45.8 | −2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 770 | 8.4 | +4.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,084 | 85.5 | −4.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,621 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +2.2 | |
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 from 1914 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;
* Liberal: Harold Pearson
* Unionist:
General election 1918: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | Liberal | Alexander Lyle-Samuel | 10,072 | 61.3 | +7.1 |
| | Unionist | Frederick William French | 6,362 | 38.7 | −7.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,710 | 22.6 | +14.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 16,434 | 49.2 | −36.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 33,399 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +7.1 | |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Alexander Lyle-Samuel | 10,556 | 60.0 | −1.3 |
| | National Liberal | Gerald Howard | 7,025 | 40.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,531 | 20.0 | −2.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 17,581 | 54.0 | +4.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 32,579 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | | |
General election 1923: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | William Vanneck | 11,172 | 47.7 | New |
| | Liberal | Alexander Lyle-Samuel | 9,244 | 39.5 | −20.5 |
| | Labour | Charles Wye Kendall | 2,984 | 12.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,928 | 8.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 23,400 | 70.9 | +16.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 32,999 | | |
| | Unionist gain from Liberal | Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1924: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | William Vanneck | 13,450 | 53.3 | +5.6 |
| | Liberal | Thomas Bethell | 7,441 | 29.5 | −10.0 |
| | Labour | Charles Wye Kendall | 4,329 | 17.2 | +4.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,009 | 23.8 | +15.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 25,220 | 74.5 | +3.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 33,841 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | +7.8 | |
General election 1929: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Edgar Granville | 13,944 | 44.3 | +14.8 |
| | Unionist | Arthur Gilstrap Soames | 12,880 | 40.8 | −12.5 |
| | Labour | Owen Aves | 4,709 | 14.9 | −2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,064 | 3.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 31,533 | 78.2 | +3.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 40,340 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Unionist | Liberal gain from Unionist | Swing | +13.7 | |

### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National Liberal | Edgar Granville | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | National Liberal hold | National Liberal hold | National Liberal hold | National Liberal hold | National Liberal hold |
General election 1935: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National Liberal | Edgar Granville | 21,606 | 73.95 | N/A |
| | Labour | Harry Leonard Self | 7,613 | 26.05 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,993 | 47.90 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 29,219 | 70.69 | N/A |
| | National Liberal hold | National Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1940s

General Election 1939–40:
Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;
* Liberal: Edgar Granville
* Labour: Harry Leonard Self
* British Union: Ronald Noah Creasy
General election 1945: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Edgar Granville | 11,899 | 38.46 | |
| | Conservative | Algernon Malcolm Borthwick | 10,950 | 35.39 | |
| | Labour | B Collingson | 8,089 | 26.15 | +0.10 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 949 | 3.07 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 30,938 | 71.74 | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1950: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Edgar Granville | 17,755 | 37.27 | −1.19 |
| | Conservative | Harwood Harrison | 17,128 | 36.96 | +0.57 |
| | Labour | Leslie George Emsden | 12,474 | 26.19 | +0.04 |
| | Communist | Lee Chadwick | 271 | 0.58 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 627 | 0.31 | −2.76 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,628 | 83.8 | +12.1 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −0.88 | |
General election 1951: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Harwood Harrison | 19,791 | 40.61 | +4.65 |
| | Liberal | Edgar Granville | 17,602 | 36.12 | −1.15 |
| | Labour | Harold F Falconer | 11,340 | 23.27 | −2.92 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,189 | 4.49 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,733 | 83.28 | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | | |
General election 1955: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Harwood Harrison | 21,317 | 45.04 | +4.43 |
| | Labour | Edgar Granville | 20,428 | 43.16 | +19.89 |
| | Liberal | Inga-Stina Robson | 5,582 | 11.79 | −24.33 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 898 | 1.88 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,327 | 82.90 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1959: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Harwood Harrison | 22,333 | 47.12 | +2.08 |
| | Labour | Edgar Granville | 19,849 | 41.88 | −1.28 |
| | Liberal | Inga-Stina Robson | 5,215 | 11.00 | −0.79 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,484 | 5.24 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,397 | 84.04 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1964: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Harwood Harrison | 21,555 | 45.74 |
| | Labour | John Wilson Fear | 16,129 | 34.23 |
| | Liberal | Donald James Newby | 9,437 | 20.03 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,426 | 11.51 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,121 | 82.54 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
General election 1966: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Harwood Harrison | 21,044 | 44.65 |
| | Labour | Richard Wallis Speaight Pryke | 17,431 | 36.98 |
| | Liberal | Donald James Newby | 8,661 | 18.37 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,613 | 7.67 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,136 | 81.48 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Harwood Harrison | 26,099 | 52.41 |
| | Labour | Roy Ellison Manley | 17,735 | 35.62 |
| | Liberal | Ian Stanley Temple Senior | 5,962 | 11.97 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,364 | 16.79 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,796 | 78.12 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
General election February 1974: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Harwood Harrison | 23,486 | 43.61 | |
| | Liberal | Denys Robinson | 15,811 | 29.36 | |
| | Labour | Roy Ellison Manley | 13,937 | 25.88 | |
| | PEOPLE | Edward Goldsmith | 395 | 0.73 | New |
| | Independent Democratic Alliance | Albert William George Kingham | 220 | 0.41 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,675 | 14.25 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 53,849 | 82.64 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election October 1974: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Harwood Harrison | 22,387 | 44.01 |
| | Liberal | Denys Robinson | 14,530 | 28.57 |
| | Labour | Ranken Bushby | 13,948 | 27.42 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,857 | 15.44 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,865 | 77.41 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
General election 1979: Eye :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Gummer | 28,707 | 51.96 | |
| | Labour | Paul Koppel | 13,686 | 24.77 | |
| | Liberal | Peter Kemsley | 12,259 | 22.19 | |
| | Independent | JJ Flint | 324 | 0.59 | New |
| | Anti-Common Market Conservative | Norman Rogers | 268 | 0.49 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,021 | 27.19 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 55,244 | 79.10 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |