# Kingston-upon-Thames (UK Parliament constituency)

Kingston or Kingston-upon-Thames was a parliamentary constituency which covered the emerging southwest, outer London suburb of Kingston upon Thames (until 1965 in Surrey) and which existed between 1885 and 1997 and returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. The Conservative candidate won each election during its 112-year existence.

## History

The seated was created for the 1885 general election as a county division called Kingston equivalent to the northwest corner of the former two-seat Mid Surrey division. It became a borough constituency for the present purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer at the 1918 general election, when it was formally renamed Kingston-upon-Thames.
It was abolished for the 1997 general election. Its territory was then divided between the new constituencies of Kingston and Surbiton and Richmond Park.
The constituency's most high-profile MP was the Conservative Norman Lamont, who was Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1990 to 1993.

## Boundaries

1950–1955: The boroughs of Kingston upon Thames, and Surbiton.
1955–1983: The boroughs of Kingston upon Thames, and Malden and Coombe.
1983–1997: The London Borough of Kingston upon Thames wards of Burlington, Cambridge, Canbury, Coombe, Grove, Hill, Malden, Manor, Norbiton, Norbiton Park, St James, and Tudor.
The seat since 1950 omitted all southern wards of Kingston upon Thames. These fell into the 1950-established seat of Surbiton, which replicated its own borough that merged with Kingston's borough in 1965.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Member | Party | Senior Frontbench positions |
| 1885 | Sir John Ellis | Conservative | none |
| 1892 | Sir Richard Temple | Conservative | none |
| 1895 | Thomas Skewes-Cox | Conservative | none |
| 1906 | George Cave | Conservative | Home Secretary (1916-1919) Later Lord (High) Chancellor |
| 1918 | John Campbell | Unionist | none |
| 1922 | Sir Frederick Penny | Unionist | none |
| 1937 b-e | Sir Percy Royds | Conservative | none |
| 1945 | John Boyd-Carpenter | Conservative | Chief Secretary to the Treasury (1962-1964) |
| 1972 b-e | Norman Lamont | Conservative | Chief Secretary to the Treasury (1989-1990) Chancellor of the Exchequer (1990-1993) |
| 1997 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |

## Elections
### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1885: Kingston-upon-Thames :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Whittaker Ellis | 4,915 | 60.5 | |
| | Liberal | Charles Duncan Hodgson | 3,206 | 39.5 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,709 | 21.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,121 | 73.1 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,102 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
General election 1886: Kingston-upon-Thames :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Whittaker Ellis | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Kingston-upon-Thames :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Richard Temple | 5,100 | 53.9 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Charles Duncan Hodgson | 4,357 | 46.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 743 | 7.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,457 | 73.7 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,825 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1895: Kingston-upon-Thames :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Thomas Skewes-Cox | 5,745 | 61.5 | +7.6 |
| | Liberal | Charles Burt | 3,600 | 38.5 | −7.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,145 | 23.0 | +15.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,345 | 68.6 | −5.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 13,631 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +7.6 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Kingston-upon-Thames :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Thomas Skewes-Cox | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1906: Kingston-upon-Thames :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Cave | 7,656 | 53.6 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Robert Whyte | 6,637 | 46.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,019 | 7.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,293 | 82.8 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 17,270 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Kingston-upon-Thames :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Cave | 10,918 | 65.3 | +11.7 |
| | Liberal | Albert George Holzapfel | 5,814 | 34.7 | −11.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,104 | 30.6 | +23.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 16,732 | 85.2 | +2.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 19,647 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +11.7 | |
General election December 1910: Kingston-upon-Thames :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Cave | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
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: George Cave
* Liberal:
By-election, 1915: Kingston-upon-Thames :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | George Cave | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold |
General election 1918: Kingston upon Thames :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | Unionist | John Campbell | 13,596 | 73.8 | N/A |
| | Labour | Thomas Henry Dumper | 2,502 | 13.6 | New |
| | Liberal | Arnold Ellis Ely | 2,325 | 12.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,094 | 60.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 18,423 | 51.7 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 35,656 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | N/A | |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: Kingston upon Thames :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | George Penny | 15,136 | 66.7 | −7.1 |
| | Independent Labour | * Harry Day | 7,563 | 33.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,573 | 33.4 | −36.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 22,699 | 59.3 | +7.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 38,265 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −7.1 | |
* Day was supported by the local Labour and Liberal parties.
General election 1923: Kingston upon Thames :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | George Penny | 12,968 | 61.6 | −5.1 |
| | Liberal | William Freeman | 8,095 | 38.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,873 | 23.2 | −10.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,063 | 53.9 | −5.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 39,044 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −5.1 | |
General election 1924: Kingston upon Thames :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | George Penny | 19,933 | 70.2 | +8.6 |
| | Labour | Arthur Balfour Bishop | 5,640 | 19.8 | New |
| | Liberal | William Freeman | 2,850 | 10.0 | −28.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,293 | 50.4 | +27.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 28,423 | 71.3 | +17.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 39,868 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | +18.5 | |
General election 1929: Kingston upon Thames :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | George Penny | 20,911 | 54.1 | −16.1 |
| | Labour | John William Fawcett | 8,903 | 23.1 | +3.3 |
| | Liberal | Frank John Powell | 8,796 | 22.8 | +12.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,008 | 31.0 | −19.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,610 | 68.9 | −2.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 56,004 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −9.7 | |

### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Kingston upon Thames :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Penny | 35,925 | 82.5 | +28.4 |
| | Labour | John William Fawcett | 7,613 | 17.5 | −5.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 28,312 | 65.0 | +34.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,538 | 69.2 | +0.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1935: Kingston upon Thames :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Penny | 32,953 | 67.5 | −15.0 |
| | Labour | George Henry Loman | 10,014 | 20.5 | +3.0 |
| | Liberal | Frank John Powell | 5,832 | 12.0 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 22,939 | 47.0 | −18.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,799 | 65.5 | −3.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
1937 Kingston-upon-Thames by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Percy Royds | 19,887 | 66.6 | −0.9 |
| | Labour | George Henry Loman | 9,972 | 33.4 | +12.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,915 | 33.2 | −13.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 29,859 | 38.1 | −27.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
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: Percy Royds
* Labour: Dennis Gordon
* Liberal: Henry Cecil Banting

### Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Kingston upon Thames :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Boyd-Carpenter | 37,085 | 56.5 | −10.1 |
| | Labour | George Elvin | 28,516 | 43.5 | +10.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,569 | 13.0 | −20.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 65,601 | 74.0 | +35.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1950: Kingston upon Thames :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Boyd-Carpenter | 36,886 | 58.98 | |
| | Labour | Nora M Johns | 21,229 | 33.94 | |
| | Liberal | Donald George Maskrey | 4,429 | 7.08 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,657 | 25.04 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 62,544 | 85.24 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1951: Kingston upon Thames :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | John Boyd-Carpenter | 38,516 | 63.52 |
| | Labour | Ray Hesketh | 22,117 | 36.48 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16,399 | 27.04 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 60,633 | 81.14 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
General election 1955: Kingston upon Thames :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | John Boyd-Carpenter | 31,069 | 65.86 |
| | Labour | George Henry Loman | 16,104 | 34.14 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,965 | 31.72 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,173 | 76.38 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
General election 1959: Kingston upon Thames :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | John Boyd-Carpenter | 31,649 | 67.26 |
| | Labour | Tom Braddock | 15,408 | 32.74 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16,241 | 34.52 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,057 | 77.91 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1964: Kingston upon Thames :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | John Boyd-Carpenter | 23,973 | 52.79 |
| | Labour | Tom Braddock | 13,611 | 29.97 |
| | Liberal | Stanley Rundle | 7,827 | 17.24 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,362 | 22.82 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,411 | 77.12 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
General election 1966: Kingston upon Thames :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | John Boyd-Carpenter | 22,781 | 51.29 |
| | Labour | James Stewart Cook | 14,915 | 33.58 |
| | Liberal | Michael F Burns | 6,722 | 15.13 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,866 | 17.71 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,418 | 76.97 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: Kingston-Upon Thames :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | John Boyd-Carpenter | 23,426 | 56.67 |
| | Labour | Robin H Crockett | 13,090 | 31.67 |
| | Liberal | Stephen J. Wells | 4,822 | 11.66 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,336 | 25.00 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,338 | 69.13 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
1972 Kingston-upon-Thames by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Norman Lamont | 16,679 | 52.32 | −4.35 |
| | Labour | Anthony Judge | 9,892 | 31.03 | −0.64 |
| | Liberal | Stephen J. Wells | 3,601 | 11.30 | −0.36 |
| | Anti-Common Market Conservative | Edgar Scruby | 1,705 | 5.35 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,787 | 21.29 | −3.71 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 31,877 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election February 1974: Kingston upon Thames :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Norman Lamont | 23,006 | 48.57 |
| | Liberal | Stephen J. Wells | 12,699 | 28.81 |
| | Labour | Chris Mullin | 11,369 | 24.00 |
| | Anti-Common Market Conservative | M.J. Christie | 288 | 0.61 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,307 | 21.76 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,362 | 80.53 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
General election October 1974: Kingston upon Thames :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Norman Lamont | 20,680 | 48.63 |
| | Labour | A. Quick | 12,266 | 28.84 |
| | Liberal | Stephen J. Wells | 9,580 | 22.53 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,414 | 19.79 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,526 | 71.77 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
General election 1979: Kingston upon Thames :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Norman Lamont | 24,944 | 57.85 |
| | Labour | John A. Torode | 11,400 | 26.44 |
| | Liberal | Declan Terry | 6,771 | 15.70 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,544 | 31.41 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,115 | 74.89 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1983: Kingston upon Thames :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Norman Lamont | 22,094 | 54.1 | |
| | Liberal | Roger Hayes | 13,222 | 32.4 | |
| | Labour | Peter J. Smith | 4,977 | 12.2 | |
| | Ecology | Alexandra Presant-Collins | 290 | 0.7 | New |
| | Loony Society | Peter Dodd | 259 | 0.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,872 | 21.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,842 | 71.9 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1987: Kingston upon Thames :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Norman Lamont | 24,198 | 56.2 | +2.1 |
| | Liberal | Roger Hayes | 13,012 | 30.2 | −2.2 |
| | Labour | Robert Markless | 5,676 | 13.2 | +1.0 |
| | CPWSML | Jack Baker | 175 | 0.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,186 | 26.0 | +4.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,061 | 78.5 | +6.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +2.2 | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1992: Kingston upon Thames :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Norman Lamont | 20,675 | 51.6 | −4.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Derek Osbourne | 10,522 | 26.3 | −3.9 |
| | Labour | Robert Markless | 7,748 | 19.3 | +6.1 |
| | Liberal | Adrian Amer | 771 | 1.9 | New |
| | Monster Raving Loony | David Beaupré | 212 | 0.5 | New |
| | Natural Law | Graham Woollcoombe | 81 | 0.2 | New |
| | Anti-Federalist League | Anthony Scholefield | 42 | 0.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,153 | 25.3 | −0.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,051 | 78.4 | −0.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −0.3 | |