Constituency profile
The seat covers Guildford itself and a more rural area within theHistory
From the first Commons in theEarly political history
The seat elected between 1868 and 2001Modern political history
Successive elections in 2001 and 2005 sawBoundaries
1885–1918: The Boroughs of Guildford and Godalming, the Sessional Division of Farnham, and part of the Sessional Division of Guildford. 1918–1950: The Boroughs of Guildford and Godalming, the Urban District of Haslemere, the Rural District of Hambledon, and the Rural District of Guildford except the civil parish of Pirbright. 1950–1983: The Borough of Guildford, in the Rural District of Guildford the parishes of Artington, Compton, Puttenham, Shackleford, Shalford, Wanborough, and Worplesdon, and in the Rural District of Hambledon the parishes of Alfold, Bramley, Busbridge, Cranleigh, Dunsfold, Ewhurst, Hambledon, Hascombe, and Wonersh. 1983–1997: The Borough of Guildford wards of Christchurch, Friary and St Nicolas, Holy Trinity, Merrow and Burpham, Onslow, Pilgrims, Shalford, Stoke, Stoughton, Tongham, Westborough, and Worplesdon, and the District of Waverley wards of Blackheath and Wonersh, Bramley, Cranleigh East, Cranleigh West, Ewhurst, and Shamley Green. 1997–2010: As above less Tongham ward. 2010–present: The Borough of Guildford wards of Burpham, Christchurch, Friary and St Nicolas, Holy Trinity, Merrow, Onslow, Pilgrims, Shalford, Stoke, Stoughton, Westborough, and Worplesdon, and the Borough of Waverley wards of Alfold, Blackheath and Wonersh, Cranleigh East, Cranleigh Rural and Ellens Green, Cranleigh West, Ewhurst, and Shamley Green and Cranleigh North. The seat, at greatest limits from 1885 to 1918, still comprises Guildford and nearby parts of Surrey.Members of Parliament
MPs 1295–1640
MPs 1640–1868
''prior to 1868 the constituency was jointly represented by two MPs''MPs since 1868
Elections
Elections in the 2010s
Elections in the 2000s
Elections in the 1990s
This constituency underwent boundary changes between the 1992 and 1997 general elections and thus change in share of vote is based on a notional calculation.Elections in the 1980s
Elections in the 1970s
Elections in the 1960s
Elections in the 1950s
Boundaries were redrawn in time for the 1950 general election. From 1918 to 1950 the three parts of western Surrey are set out at the 1918 results below. The next change saw an additional seat duty carved out, to be Woking. As a result, Guildford, now oversized, shrank considerably in area and population. To the south the areas of Godalming, Elstead, Thursley, Whitley, Haslemere and Chiddingford were added to the Farnham seat. To the east Send, Ripley, Wisley, Ockham, St Martha, Albury, Shere, Clandon and Horsley were added to Dorking. These boundaries centred on the town of Guildford plus an area southwards towards Cranleigh, became, with small changes in later reviews, form the basic shape for Guildford until present.Elections in the 1940s
Elections in the 1930s
Elections in the 1920s
Elections in the 1910s
From 1885 to 1918 the west part of Surrey had been represented by two seats - in the north the seat of Chertsey, in the south that of Guildford. Boundaries were redrawn for proper apportionment in time for the 1918 general election such that the same area saw three seats - Farnham in the west, Chertsey in the north east and Guildford in the south east. As a result, the seat lost the areas of Ash, Normandy, Seale, Frensham and Farnham, towards its west, but to the east gained the areas of Merrow, Send, Ripley, Ockham, Wisley, Clandon and Horsley from Chertsey.Elections in the 1900s
Elections in the 1890s
Elections in the 1880s
Constituency boundaries were redrawn in time for the 1885 general election. From 1868 to 1885 the west part of Surrey had been represented by two constituencies, one known as Guildford (which consisted of the town centre of Guildford and little else) and one constituency known as Surrey Western, which comprised the rest of that part of the county of Surrey. The Guildford constituency was both geographically and in size of electorate significantly smaller than the Surrey Western constituency. The 1885 to 1918 constituency boundaries saw the area of west Surrey divided into two constituencies more equal in size of population and land area. The north part of west Surrey was given the constituency name Chertsey, the south part Guildford.Elections in the 1870s
Elections in the 1860s
Constituency boundaries were redrawn in time for the 1868 election. Prior to the 1868 general election, the constituency of Guildford was represented by two Members of Parliament. That was reduced to one from 1868 onwards. The 1868 to 1885 constituency known as Guildford was geographically limited to an area around the current centre of Guildford town. This is in marked contrast to the various post-1885 versions of the constituency known as Guildford all of which have had a much greater geographical area. The 1868 constituency was, at its maximum, little over one mile east to west, and just over one mile north to south. (Most of the area which is in the modern constituency of Guildford would in 1868 have been part of the Surrey Western Constituency, rather than the Guildford Constituency.) The 17 December 1866 by-election was caused by Bovill resigning as an MP following his appointment to judicial office, namelyElections in the 1850s
Party designations for many candidates during the 1830s, 1840s and 1850s can be problematic as party ties were not as strong as those that developed, in Britain, in the late 19th century. Therefore, for the 1830s to 1850s election results, listed below, the term Liberal includes Whigs and Radicals; and the term Conservative includes Tories and Peelites, unless otherwise specified. The 22 October 1858 by-election was caused by RD Mangles resigning as an MP following his appointment as Member of the Council of India.Elections in the 1840s
Elections in the 1830s
Constituency boundaries were redrawn in time for the 1832 general election.See http://vision.port.ac.uk/maps/sheet/bc_reports_1868/Guildford_1868 for 1832 constituency boundaries.See also
* List of parliamentary constituencies in SurreyNotes
References
Sources