Coventry was a
borough constituency which was represented in the
House of Commons of England and its successors, the
House of Commons of Great Britain and the
House of Commons of the United Kingdom.
Centred on the City of
Coventry
Coventry ( or ) is a city in the West Midlands, England. It is on the River Sherbourne. Coventry has been a large settlement for centuries, although it was not founded and given its city status until the Middle Ages. The city is governed b ...
in
Warwickshire
Warwickshire (; abbreviated Warks) is a county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, and the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare at Stratford-upon-Av ...
, it returned two
Members of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
(MPs) from 1295 until the
Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 (48 & 49 Vict., c. 23) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was a piece of electoral reform legislation that redistributed the seats in the House of Commons, introducing the concept of equal ...
, when its representation was reduced to one. The Coventry constituency was abolished for the
1945 general election
The following elections occurred in the year 1945.
Africa
* 1945 South-West African legislative election
Asia
* 1945 Indian general election
Australia
* 1945 Fremantle by-election
Europe
* 1945 Albanian parliamentary election
* 1945 Bulgarian ...
, when it was split into two new constituencies:
Coventry East
Coventry East was a parliamentary constituency in the city of Coventry in the West Midlands. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.
...
and
Coventry West.
Elections were held using the
bloc vote system when electing two MPs (until 1885), and then
first-past-the-post
In a first-past-the-post electoral system (FPTP or FPP), formally called single-member plurality voting (SMP) when used in single-member districts or informally choose-one voting in contrast to ranked voting, or score voting, voters cast thei ...
to elect one MP thereafter.
Boundaries
From 1885 to 1918 the constituency consisted of the city of
Coventry
Coventry ( or ) is a city in the West Midlands, England. It is on the River Sherbourne. Coventry has been a large settlement for centuries, although it was not founded and given its city status until the Middle Ages. The city is governed b ...
and the parish of Stoke.
[Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886] From 1918 until the constituency disappeared in 1945, it consisted of the County Borough of Coventry.
History
In the eighteenth century Coventry was, despite its size, known as a corrupt borough.
Members of Parliament
MPs before 1660
MPs 1660–1885
MPs 1885–1945
Election results
Elections in the 1830s
Ellice was appointed
Secretary at War
The Secretary at War was a political position in the English and later British government, with some responsibility over the administration and organization of the Army, but not over military policy. The Secretary at War ran the War Office. Afte ...
, requiring a by-election.
Elections in the 1840s
Elections in the 1850s
Turner resigned after being appointed
Vice-Chancellor of the High Court, causing a by-election.
Geach's death caused a by-election.
* Phillimore retired from the contest two hours into polling.
Elections in the 1860s
Ellice's death caused a by-election.
Paxton's death caused a by-election.
Treherne's death caused a by-election.
The by-election was declared void on petition due to bribery by Jackson's agent.
Elections in the 1870s
Elections in the 1880s
Jackson resigned after being appointed a judge on the
Queen's Bench Division of the High Court of Justice, causing a by-election.
Eaton was elevated to the peerage, becoming Lord Cheylesmore, causing a by-election.
Elections in the 1890s
Elections in the 1900s
Elections in the 1910s
Mason had opposed the war and was replaced as Liberal candidate by Mansel who supported the Coalition Government. Bannington was the candidate of the
.
[British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig]
Elections in the 1920s
Elections in the 1930s
References & Notes
References
*Robert Beatson, ''A Chronological Register of Both Houses of Parliament'' (London: Longman, Hurst, Res & Orme, 1807
*
* F W S Craig, "British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885" (2nd edition, Aldershot: Parliamentary Research Services, 1989)
* Lewis Namier & John Brooke, ''The History of Parliament: The House of Commons 1754-1790'' (London: HMSO, 1964)
* "The Constitutional Yearbook, 1913" (London: National Unionist Association, 1913)
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Coventry (Uk Parliament Constituency)
Parliamentary constituencies in Coventry
Parliamentary constituencies in Warwickshire (historic)
Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 1298
1470 establishments in England
Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom disestablished in 1945
Parliamentary constituencies in the West Midlands (county) (historic)