Leicester was a parliamentary borough in

Leicestershire Leicestershire ( ; postal abbreviation Leics.) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East Midlands, England. The county borders Nottinghamshire to the north, Lincolnshire to the north-east, Rutland to the east, Northamptonshire t ...

, which elected two members of parliament (MPs) to the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...

from 1295 until 1918, when it was split into three single-member divisions.

History

Leicester sent burgesses to Parliament for the first time in 1295. Originally both Members were chosen by the whole 'commons' of the borough until at least 1407, when Thomas Denton and John Tonge were stated to have been chosen 'per totam communitatem tocius burgi'. At some unknown date before the middle of the 15th century, however, the 'commons', lost power within the borough and were restricted to the election of just one of the Members, the other being chosen by the mayor and 24 jurats (or aldermen). This situation was reversed by the middle of the sixteenth century. Although most Members were citizens, usually officials, of the borough there was considerable influence and involvement by the two leading families, the Hastings and the Greys during the 16th and 17th centuries. The constituency was abolished in 1918 and replaced by Leicester East, Leicester South and Leicester West.

Members of Parliament

1295–1640

1640–1918

Notes

Election results

Elections in the 1830s

Duckworth resigned after being appointed as Master of the Court of Chancery.

Elections in the 1840s

The election was declared void on petition on 1 June 1848, due to bribery by Walmsley and Gardner's agents, causing a by-election.

Elections in the 1850s

Gardner's death caused a by-election.

Elections in the 1860s

Noble's death caused a by-election. Biggs resigned, causing a by-election.

Elections in the 1870s

Elections in the 1880s

Taylor resigned, causing a by-election.

Elections in the 1890s

Both Picton and Whitehead resigned. The House of Commons passed separate

resolution Resolution(s) may refer to: Common meanings * Resolution (debate), the statement which is debated in policy debate * Resolution (law), a written motion adopted by a deliberative body * New Year's resolution, a commitment that an individual mak ...

s for two by-elections, and two separate

election writ A writ of election is a writ issued ordering the holding of an election. In Commonwealth countries writs are the usual mechanism by which general elections are called and are issued by the head of state or their representative. In the United S ...

s were issued to

Leicester Corporation Leicester City Council is a unitary authority responsible for local government in the city of Leicester, England. It consists of 54 councillors, representing 22 wards in the city, overseen by a directly elected mayor. It is currently contro ...

. However, Israel Hart, the

mayor of Leicester The mayor of Leicester is responsible for the executive function of Leicester City Council in England. The incumbent is Peter Soulsby of the Labour Party. Background In December 2010 the Labour controlled Leicester City Council approved pla ...

, decided to economise by holding a single by-election for both vacancies. In 1895, a select committee of the Commons reported that this procedure was incorrect, but that since it was adopted in good faith and without objection from any of the candidates, the result would be allowed to stand.

Elections in the 1900s

Elections in the 1910s

Notes and References

Notes References * D. Brunton &

D. H. Pennington Donald Henshaw Pennington (15 June 1919 – 28 December 2007) was a historian of 17th-century England. He taught at Manchester and Oxford universities, becoming a tutor at Balliol College, Oxford in 1965. Donald was born in Marple, Greater Manch ...

, ''Members of the Long Parliament'' (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1954) * * ''The Constitutional Year Book for 1913'' (London: National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations, 1913) * F W S Craig, ''British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885'' (2nd edition, Aldershot: Parliamentary Research Services, 1989) * J E Neale, ''The Elizabethan House of Commons'' (London: Jonathan Cape, 1949) * J Holladay Philbin, ''Parliamentary Representation 1832 – England and Wales'' (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1965) * {{DEFAULTSORT:Leicester (Uk Parliament Constituency) Parliamentary constituencies in Leicestershire (historic) Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 1295 Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom disestablished in 1918 History of Leicester Politics of Leicester