# Enfield (UK Parliament constituency)

Enfield was a constituency for the House of Commons of the UK Parliament from 1885 until 1950. The area sloping to the River Lea in the east was in the far north of Middlesex centred on the town of Enfield. The area formed part of the London conurbation and was much reduced over the course of its existence, in 1918 and then insignificantly in 1945 due to suburbanisation and urbanisation. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP).

## History

The constituency was created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 for the 1885 general election, and abolished for the 1950 general election. It was then replaced by the new Enfield East and Enfield West constituencies.

## Boundaries

1885–1918: The parishes of Edmonton, Enfield, Friern Barnet, Monken Hadley, and South Mimms. These reflected ancient parishes and the smallest in the non-metropolitan county, Monken Hadley was a small rectangle in the south-centre of the seat. Friern Barnet formed a projection in the south-west running north-west reflecting the eccentric shape of this part of the county border. The latter adjoined Barnet in Hertfordshire as much of the rest did and joined the parishes of Hornsey and Finchley to the south.
1918–1950: The Urban District of Enfield, and the Rural District of South Mimms. The Representation of the People Act 1918 redrew constituencies throughout Great Britain and Ireland, and defined them in terms of the new urban and rural districts introduced by the Local Government Act 1894. Of the areas transferred to other constituencies in this redistribution, Edmonton became a separate constituency, while Friern Barnet was transferred to the new Finchley seat. A "Wood Green" seat was devised which took the Southgate southern parts of Enfield and western extreme of Edmonton parish.
^ Note a: Renamed as Potters Bar Urban District in 1934.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| | 1885 | William Pleydell-Bouverie | Conservative |
| | 1889 by-election | Henry Bowles | Conservative |
| | 1906 | James Branch | Liberal |
| | 1910 | John Pretyman Newman | Conservative |
| | 1918 | Henry Bowles | Conservative |
| | 1922 | Thomas Fermor-Hesketh | Conservative |
| | 1923 | William Henderson | Labour |
| | 1924 | Reginald Applin | Conservative |
| | 1929 | William Henderson | Labour |
| | 1931 | Reginald Applin | Conservative |
| | 1935 | Bartle Bull | Conservative |
| | 1945 | Ernest Davies | Labour |
| 1950 | 1950 | constituency abolished: see Enfield East and Enfield West | constituency abolished: see Enfield East and Enfield West |

## Elections
### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1885: Enfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Pleydell-Bouverie | 3,644 | 57.6 | |
| | Liberal | John Kempster | 2,684 | 42.4 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 960 | 15.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,328 | 73.4 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,621 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
General election 1886: Enfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Pleydell-Bouverie | 3,287 | 75.5 | +17.9 |
| | Liberal | John Treeve Edgcombe | 1,067 | 24.5 | −17.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,220 | 51.0 | +35.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,354 | 50.5 | −22.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,621 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +17.9 | |
Pleydell-Bouverie was appointed Treasurer of the Household, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 12 Aug 1886: Enfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Pleydell-Bouverie | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Pleydell-Bouverie was elevated to the peerage, becoming Earl of Radnor, causing a by-election.
By-election, 30 Mar 1889: Enfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Henry Bowles | 5,124 | 58.7 | −16.8 |
| | Liberal | William Henry Fairbairns | 3,612 | 41.3 | +16.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,512 | 17.4 | −33.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,636 | 79.5 | +29.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,993 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −16.8 | |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Enfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Henry Bowles | 5,491 | 60.0 | −15.5 |
| | Liberal | Albert Stephen Hatchett-Jones | 3,660 | 40.0 | +15.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,831 | 20.0 | −31.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,151 | 72.2 | +21.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,674 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −15.5 | |
General election 1895: Enfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Henry Bowles | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Enfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Henry Bowles | 6,923 | 65.5 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Charles Stewart Crole | 3,655 | 34.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,268 | 31.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,578 | 62.1 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 17,044 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1906: Enfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | James Branch | 9,790 | 56.1 | +21.6 |
| | Conservative | Henry Bowles | 7,674 | 43.9 | −21.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,116 | 12.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 17,464 | 74.7 | +12.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 23,386 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +21.6 | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Enfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Pretyman Newman | 12,625 | 52.6 | +8.7 |
| | Liberal | James Branch | 11,383 | 47.4 | −8.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,242 | 5.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 24,008 | 84.0 | +9.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 28,571 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +8.7 | |
General election December 1910: Enfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Pretyman Newman | 11,495 | 52.1 | −0.5 |
| | Liberal | James Branch | 10,559 | 47.9 | +0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 936 | 4.2 | −1.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 22,054 | 77.2 | −6.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 28,571 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −0.5 | |
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: John Pretyman Newman
* Liberal: John McEwan
General election 1918: Enfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | Unionist | Henry Bowles | 8,290 | 50.4 | −1.7 |
| | Labour | William E. Hill | 6,176 | 37.5 | New |
| | Liberal | Janet McEwan | 1,987 | 12.1 | −35.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,114 | 12.9 | +8.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 16,453 | 54.8 | −22.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 30,031 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | +17.1 | |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: Enfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Thomas Fermor-Hesketh | 11,725 | 54.4 | +4.0 |
| | Labour | George Lathan | 9,820 | 45.6 | +8.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,905 | 8.8 | −4.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,545 | 71.8 | +17.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 29,992 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −2.1 | |
General election 1923: Enfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | William Henderson | 11,050 | 52.8 | +7.2 |
| | Unionist | Thomas Fermor-Hesketh | 9,888 | 47.2 | −7.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,162 | 5.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 20,938 | 68.5 | −3.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 30,580 | | |
| | Labour gain from Unionist | Labour gain from Unionist | Swing | +7.2 | |
General election 1924: Enfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Reginald Applin | 13,886 | 54.0 | +6.8 |
| | Labour | William Henderson | 11,807 | 46.0 | −6.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,079 | 8.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 25,693 | 81.8 | +13.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 31,396 | | |
| | Unionist gain from Labour | Unionist gain from Labour | Swing | +6.8 | |
General election 1929: Enfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | William Henderson | 14,427 | 43.3 | −2.7 |
| | Unionist | Reginald Applin | 14,169 | 42.5 | −11.5 |
| | Liberal | Charles Herbert Durrad-Lang | 4,736 | 14.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 258 | 0.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 33,332 | 78.5 | −3.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 42,481 | | |
| | Labour gain from Unionist | Labour gain from Unionist | Swing | +4.4 | |

### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Enfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Reginald Applin | 24,532 | 64.3 | +21.8 |
| | Labour | William Mellor | 13,646 | 35.7 | −7.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,886 | 28.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,178 | 79.2 | +0.7 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
General election 1935: Enfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Bartle Bull | 24,046 | 56.5 | −7.8 |
| | Labour | William Mellor | 18,543 | 43.5 | +7.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,503 | 13.0 | −15.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,589 | 73.2 | −6.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -7.8 | |
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 and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected;
* Conservative: Bartle Bull
* Labour: Ernest Davies

### Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Enfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ernest Davies | 32,625 | 52.1 | +8.6 |
| | Conservative | Bartle Bull | 20,935 | 33.4 | −23.1 |
| | Liberal | John Patrick Cyril Danny | 9,104 | 14.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,690 | 18.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 62,664 | 74.4 | +1.2 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +15.8 | |