King's Lynn was a constituency in Norfolk represented continually in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1298 until it was abolished for the February 1974 general election.
The Parliamentary Borough of King's Lynn, which was known as Lynn or Bishop's Lynn prior to 1537, returned two Members of Parliament until 1885, when its representation was reduced to one member by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885. It was abolished as a Borough under the Representation of the People Act 1918 and was reconstituted as a Division of the Parliamentary County of Norfolk (from 1950, a County Constituency), absorbing the bulk of the abolished North Western Division. It was abolished for the February 1974 general election, being replaced by the re-established constituency of North West Norfolk.
Sir Robert Walpole, the first Prime Minister, was an MP for the constituency for almost the entirety of his parliamentary career, from 1702 to 1742.
1918–1950: The Borough of King's Lynn, the Urban Districts of New Hunstanton and Walsoken, the Rural Districts of Docking, Freebridge Lynn, King's Lynn, and Marshland (except the parishes of Outwell and Upwell), and in the Rural District of Downham the parishes of Wiggenhall St Germans, Wiggenhall St Mary the Virgin, Wiggenhall St Mary Magdalen, and Wiggenhall St Peter.[1]
1950–1974: The Municipal Borough of King's Lynn, the Urban District of New Hunstanton, and the Rural Districts of Docking, Freebridge Lynn, and Marshland.[2]
Minor changes to the boundary with South West Norfolk to align with boundaries of local authorities, which had been rationalised. Also marginal changes to county boundaries with Isle of Ely and Parts of Holland.
Elections in the 1830s
General election 1830: King's Lynn (2 seats) [11][17]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Tory | George Bentinck | 78 | 49.1 | |
| Tory | John Walpole | 73 | 45.9 | |
| Whig | William ffolkes | 8 | 5.0 | |
Majority | 65 | 40.9 | |
---|
Turnout | c. 80 | c. 20.0 | |
---|
Registered electors | c. 400 | | |
---|
| Tory hold | Swing | | |
---|
| Tory hold | Swing | | |
---|
General election 1831: King's Lynn (2 seats) [11][17]Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
---|
| Tory | George Bentinck | Unopposed |
---|
| Whig | William Lennox | Unopposed |
---|
Registered electors | c. 400 | |
---|
| Tory hold |
| Whig gain from Tory |
General election 1832: King's Lynn (2 seats) [11][18]Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
---|
| Tory | George Bentinck | Unopposed |
---|
| Whig | William Lennox | Unopposed |
---|
Registered electors | 836 | |
---|
| Tory hold |
| Whig hold |
General election 1835: King's Lynn (2 seats) [11][18]Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
---|
| Conservative | George Bentinck | 531 | 44.8 |
| Conservative | Stratford Canning | 416 | 35.1 |
| Radical | John Scott Lillie | 238 | 20.1 |
Majority | 178 | 15.0 |
---|
Turnout | 674 | 77.9 |
---|
Registered electors | 865 | |
---|
| Conservative hold |
| Conservative gain from Whig |
General election 1837: King's Lynn (2 seats) [11][18]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Conservative | George Bentinck | 468 | 38.4 | −6.4 |
| Conservative | Stratford Canning | 382 | 31.3 | −3.8 |
| Whig | George Keppel | 369 | 30.3 | N/A |
Majority | 13 | 1.0 | −14.0 |
---|
Turnout | 756 | 85.4 | +7.5 |
---|
Registered electors | 885 | | |
---|
| Conservative hold | Swing | −6.4 | |
---|
| Conservative hold | Swing | −3.8 | |
---|
Elections in the 1840s
General election 1841: King's Lynn (2 seats) [18]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Conservative | Stratford Canning | Unopposed |
---|
| Conservative | George Bentinck | Unopposed |
---|
Registered electors | 1,144 | | |
---|
| Conservative hold |
| Conservative hold |
Canning resigned after being appointed the United Kingdom's ambassador to Turkey, causing a by-election.
By-election, 10 February 1842: King's Lynn (2 seats) [18]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Conservative | Robert Jocelyn | Unopposed |
---|
| Conservative hold |
General election 1847: King's Lynn (2 seats) [18]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Conservative | George Bentinck | Unopposed |
---|
| Peelite | Robert Jocelyn | Unopposed |
---|
Registered electors | 1,157 | | |
---|
| Conservative hold |
| Peelite gain from Conservative |
Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck's death caused a by-election.
By-election, 22 December 1848: King's Lynn [18]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Conservative | Edward Stanley | Unopposed |
---|
| Conservative hold |
Elections in the 1850s
General election 1852: King's Lynn (2 seats) [18]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Peelite | Robert Jocelyn | 641 | 40.3 | N/A |
| Conservative | Edward Stanley | 559 | 35.2 | N/A |
| Radical | Robert Pashley[13][19][20] | 390 | 24.5 | New |
Majority | 169 | 10.7 | N/A |
---|
Turnout | 990 (est) | 84.2 (est) | N/A |
---|
Registered electors | 1,176 | | |
---|
| Peelite hold | Swing | N/A | |
---|
| Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
---|
Jocelyn's death caused a by-election.
By-election, 16 September 1854: King's Lynn [18]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Whig | John Henry Gurney | Unopposed |
---|
| Whig gain from Peelite |
General election 1857: King's Lynn (2 seats) [18]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Conservative | Edward Stanley | Unopposed |
---|
| Whig | John Henry Gurney | Unopposed |
---|
Registered electors | 1,055 | | |
---|
| Conservative hold |
| Whig gain from Peelite |
Stanley was appointed Secretary of State for the Colonies, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 4 March 1858: King's Lynn [18]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Conservative | Edward Stanley | Unopposed |
---|
| Conservative hold |
Stanley was appointed President of the Board of Control for the Affairs of India, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 5 June 1858: King's Lynn [18]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Conservative | Edward Stanley | Unopposed |
---|
| Conservative hold |
General election 1859: King's Lynn (2 seats) [18]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Conservative | Edward Stanley | Unopposed |
---|
| Liberal | John Henry Gurney | Unopposed |
---|
Registered electors | 1,019 | | |
---|
| Conservative hold |
| Liberal hold |
Elections in the 1860s
General election 1865: King's Lynn (2 seats) [18]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Conservative | Edward Stanley | 445 | 37.6 | N/A |
| Liberal | Thomas Buxton | 401 | 33.8 | N/A |
| Conservative | Frederick Walpole[21] | 339 | 28.6 | N/A |
Turnout | 793 (est) | 93.1 (est) | N/A |
---|
Registered electors | 852 | | |
---|
Majority | 44 | 3.8 | N/A |
---|
| Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
---|
Majority | 62 | 5.2 | N/A |
---|
| Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
---|
Stanley was appointed Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 11 July 1866: King's Lynn (1 seat) [18]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Conservative | Edward Stanley | Unopposed |
---|
| Conservative hold |
General election 1868: King's Lynn (2 seats) [18]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Conservative | Edward Stanley | 1,265 | 37.2 | −0.4 |
| Conservative | Robert Bourke | 1,125 | 33.1 | +4.5 |
| Liberal | Thomas Buxton | 1,012 | 29.7 | −4.1 |
Majority | 113 | 3.4 | −0.4 |
---|
Turnout | 2,207 (est) | 87.8 (est) | −5.3 |
---|
Registered electors | 2,514 | | |
---|
| Conservative hold | Swing | +0.8 | |
---|
| Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +3.3 | |
---|
Stanley succeed to the peerage, becoming 15th Earl of Derby and causing a by-election.
By-election, 9 December 1869: King's Lynn (1 seat) [18]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Conservative | Claud Hamilton | 1,051 | 50.5 | −15.8 |
| Liberal | Richard Young[22] | 1,032 | 49.5 | +15.8 |
Majority | 19 | 1.0 | −2.4 |
---|
Turnout | 2,083 | 82.9 (est) | −4.9 |
---|
Registered electors | 2,514 | | |
---|
| Conservative hold | Swing | −15.7 | |
---|
Elections in the 1870s
General election 1874: King's Lynn (2 seats) [18]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Conservative | Robert Bourke | 1,163 | 28.0 | −5.1 |
| Conservative | Claud Hamilton | 1,093 | 26.3 | −10.9 |
| Liberal | William ffolkes | 999 | 24.1 | +9.2 |
| Liberal | Edmond Wodehouse[23] | 895 | 21.6 | +6.7 |
Majority | 94 | 2.2 | −1.2 |
---|
Turnout | 2,075 (est) | 84.7 (est) | −3.1 |
---|
Registered electors | 2,450 | | |
---|
| Conservative hold | Swing | −7.2 | |
---|
| Conservative hold | Swing | −8.8 | |
---|
Elections in the 1880s
General election 1880: King's Lynn (2 seats) [18]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Liberal | William ffolkes | 1,286 | 26.3 | +2.2 |
| Conservative | Robert Bourke | 1,257 | 25.7 | −2.3 |
| Conservative | Claud Hamilton | 1,192 | 24.4 | −1.9 |
| Liberal | Frank Lockwood | 1,151 | 23.6 | +2.0 |
Turnout | 2,443 (est) | 87.9 (est) | +3.2 |
---|
Registered electors | 2,779 | | |
---|
Majority | 29 | 0.6 | N/A |
---|
| Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +2.1 | |
---|
Majority | 105 | 1.3 | −0.9 |
---|
| Conservative hold | Swing | −2.2 | |
---|
- representation reduced to one member
General election 1885: King's Lynn [24]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Conservative | Robert Bourke | 1,472 | 53.1 | +3.0 |
| Liberal | William ffolkes | 1,302 | 46.9 | −3.0 |
Majority | 170 | 6.2 | +4.1 |
---|
Turnout | 2,774 | 89.7 | +1.8 (est) |
---|
Registered electors | 3,094 | | |
---|
| Conservative hold | Swing | +3.0 | |
---|
General election 1886: King's Lynn [24]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Conservative | Robert Bourke | 1,417 | 55.3 | +2.2 |
| Liberal | John Briscoe | 1,146 | 44.7 | -2.2 |
Majority | 271 | 10.6 | +4.4 |
---|
Turnout | 2,563 | 82.8 | -6.9 |
---|
Registered electors | 3,094 | | |
---|
| Conservative hold | Swing | +2.2 | |
---|
Bourke's resignation on appointment as Governor of Madras caused a by-election.
By-election, 25 Aug 1886: King's Lynn [24]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Conservative | Weston Jarvis | 1,423 | 54.9 | −0.4 |
| Liberal | James Harris Sanders[25] | 1,168 | 45.1 | +0.4 |
Majority | 255 | 9.8 | −0.8 |
---|
Turnout | 2,591 | 83.7 | +0.9 |
---|
Registered electors | 3,094 | | |
---|
| Conservative hold | Swing | −0.4 | |
---|
Elections in the 1890s
General election 1892: King's Lynn [24]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Conservative | Thomas Gibson Bowles | 1,319 | 50.2 | −5.1 |
| Liberal | Thomas R. Kemp | 1,308 | 49.8 | +5.1 |
Majority | 11 | 0.4 | −10.2 |
---|
Turnout | 2,627 | 88.5 | +5.7 |
---|
Registered electors | 2,970 | | |
---|
| Conservative hold | Swing | −5.1 | |
---|
General election 1895: King's Lynn [24]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Conservative | Thomas Gibson Bowles | 1,395 | 51.3 | +1.1 |
| Liberal | Hubert Beaumont | 1,326 | 48.7 | -1.1 |
Majority | 69 | 2.6 | +2.2 |
---|
Turnout | 2,721 | 91.3 | +2.8 |
---|
Registered electors | 2,979 | | |
---|
| Conservative hold | Swing | +1.1 | |
---|
Elections in the 1900s
General election 1900: King's Lynn [24]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Conservative | Thomas Gibson Bowles | 1,499 | 52.9 | +1.6 |
| Liberal | Handel Booth | 1,332 | 47.1 | −1.6 |
Majority | 167 | 5.8 | +3.2 |
---|
Turnout | 2,831 | 88.2 | −3.1 |
---|
Registered electors | 3,209 | | |
---|
| Conservative hold | Swing | +1.6 | |
---|
General election 1906: King's Lynn [24]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Liberal | Carlyon Bellairs | 1,506 | 43.8 | −3.3 |
| Ind. Conservative | Thomas Gibson Bowles | 1,164 | 33.8 | New |
| Conservative | Alan Burgoyne | 772 | 22.4 | −30.5 |
Majority | 342 | 10.0 | N/A |
---|
Turnout | 3,442 | 93.2 | +5.0 |
---|
Registered electors | 3,692 | | |
---|
| Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +13.6 | |
---|
Elections in the 1910s
General election January 1910: King's Lynn [26][27]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Liberal | Thomas Gibson Bowles | 1,900 | 53.7 | +9.9 |
| Conservative | Edward Cadogan | 1,638 | 46.3 | +23.9 |
Majority | 262 | 7.4 | −2.6 |
---|
Turnout | 3,538 | 94.2 | +1.0 |
---|
Registered electors | 3,755 | | |
---|
| Liberal hold | Swing | −7.0 | |
---|
General election December 1910: King's Lynn [26][27]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Conservative | Holcombe Ingleby | 1,765 | 51.4 | +5.1 |
| Liberal | Thomas Gibson Bowles | 1,668 | 48.6 | −5.1 |
Majority | 97 | 2.8 | N/A |
---|
Turnout | 3,433 | 91.4 | −2.8 |
---|
Registered electors | 3,755 | | |
---|
| Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +5.1 | |
---|
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 from 1914 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;
- Unionist: Holcombe Ingleby
- Liberal:
General election 1918: King's Lynn Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
C | Unionist | Neville Jodrell | 10,146 | 50.9 | −0.5 |
| Labour | Robert Barrie Walker | 9,780 | 49.1 | New |
Majority | 366 | 1.8 | −1.0 |
---|
Turnout | 19,926 | 59.7 | −31.7 |
---|
Registered electors | 33,349 | | |
---|
| Unionist hold | Swing | N/A | |
---|
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. |
Elections in the 1920s
General election 1922: King's Lynn Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Unionist | Neville Jodrell | 9,862 | 37.2 | −13.7 |
| Labour | Robert Barrie Walker | 8,683 | 32.7 | −16.4 |
| Liberal | Graham Woodwark | 7,970 | 30.1 | New |
Majority | 1,179 | 4.5 | +2.7 |
---|
Turnout | 26,515 | 75.5 | +15.8 |
---|
Registered electors | 35,131 | | |
---|
| Unionist hold | Swing | +1.4 | |
---|
General election 1923: King's Lynn Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Liberal | Graham Woodwark | 9,943 | 38.7 | +8.6 |
| Unionist | Neville Jodrell | 9,266 | 36.1 | −1.1 |
| Labour | John Stevenson | 6,488 | 25.2 | −6.5 |
Majority | 677 | 2.6 | N/A |
---|
Turnout | 25,697 | 71.9 | −3.6 |
---|
Registered electors | 35,754 | | |
---|
| Liberal gain from Unionist | Swing | +4.9 | |
---|
General election 1924: King's Lynn Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Unionist | Maurice Roche | 11,710 | 41.6 | +5.5 |
| Liberal | Graham Woodwark | 9,184 | 32.6 | −6.1 |
| Labour | John Stevenson | 7,280 | 25.8 | +0.6 |
Majority | 2,526 | 9.0 | N/A |
---|
Turnout | 28,714 | 77.6 | +5.7 |
---|
Registered electors | 36,289 | | |
---|
| Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | +5.8 | |
---|
General election 1929: King's Lynn Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Unionist | Maurice Roche | 14,501 | 40.7 | −0.9 |
| Liberal | William Bertram Mitford | 10,806 | 30.3 | −2.3 |
| Labour | John Maynard | 10,356 | 29.0 | +3.2 |
Majority | 3,695 | 10.4 | +1.4 |
---|
Turnout | 35,663 | 79.1 | +1.5 |
---|
Registered electors | 45,103 | | |
---|
| Unionist hold | Swing | +0.7 | |
---|
Elections in the 1930s
General election 1931: King's Lynn Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Conservative | Maurice Roche | 23,687 | 70.2 | +29.5 |
| Labour | David Freeman | 10,054 | 29.8 | -0.2 |
Majority | 13,633 | 40.4 | +30.0 |
---|
Turnout | 33,741 | 72.6 | -6.5 |
---|
| Conservative hold | Swing | | |
---|
General election 1935: King's Lynn Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Conservative | Somerset Maxwell | 17,492 | 50.0 | -20.2 |
| Labour | F Emerson | 12,062 | 34.5 | +4.7 |
| Liberal | Frank Ongley Darvall | 5,418 | 15.5 | New |
Majority | 5,430 | 15.5 | -24.9 |
---|
Turnout | 34,972 | 71.7 | -0.9 |
---|
| Conservative hold | Swing | | |
---|
Elections in the 1940s
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 from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;
- Conservative: Somerset Maxwell
- Labour: Frederick Wise
- Liberal: Robert Hugh Kerkham
- British Union: A E Ilett
1943 King's Lynn by-electionParty | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Conservative | Edmund Roche | 10,696 | 54.2 | +4.2 |
| Independent Labour | Frederick Wise | 9,027 | 45.8 | New |
Majority | 1,669 | 8.4 | −7.1 |
---|
Turnout | 9,723 | 39.8 | −31.9 |
---|
| Conservative hold | Swing | | |
---|
General election 1945: King's Lynn Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Labour | Frederick Wise | 18,202 | 48.7 | +14.2 |
| Conservative | Donald McCullough | 14,928 | 39.9 | -10.1 |
| Liberal | Alexander Peckover Doyle Penrose | 3,796 | 10.2 | -5.3 |
| Independent | Geoffrey Bowles | 444 | 1.2 | New |
Majority | 3,274 | 8.8 | N/A |
---|
Turnout | 37,370 | 73.3 | +1.6 |
---|
| Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
---|
Elections in the 1950s
General election 1950: King's Lynn [28]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Labour | Frederick Wise | 19,399 | 45.33 | -3.37 |
| Conservative | Ronald Scott-Miller | 19,129 | 44.70 | +4.80 |
| Liberal | Richard Arden Winch | 4,266 | 9.97 | -0.23 |
Majority | 270 | 0.63 | -8.17 |
---|
Turnout | 42,794 | 83.84 | +10.54 |
---|
Registered electors | 51,043 | | |
---|
| Labour hold | Swing | -4.09 | |
---|
General election 1951: King's Lynn [29]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Conservative | Ronald Scott-Miller | 21,954 | 51.09 | +6.39 |
| Labour | Frederick Wise | 21,017 | 48.91 | +3.58 |
Majority | 937 | 2.18 | N/A |
---|
Turnout | 42,791 | 82.77 | -1.07 |
---|
Registered electors | 51,914 | | |
---|
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +1.41 | |
---|
General election 1955: King's Lynn [30]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Conservative | Ronald Scott-Miller | 20,949 | 51.65 | +0.56 |
| Labour | Hugh Lawson | 19,611 | 48.35 | -0.56 |
Majority | 1,338 | 3.30 | +1.12 |
---|
Turnout | 40,560 | 78.20 | -4.57 |
---|
Registered electors | 51,867 | | |
---|
| Conservative hold | Swing | +0.56 | |
---|
General election 1959: King's Lynn [31]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Conservative | Denys Bullard | 21,671 | 52.12 | +0.47 |
| Labour | Colin Jackson | 19,906 | 47.88 | -0.47 |
Majority | 1,765 | 4.24 | +0.94 |
---|
Turnout | 41,577 | 79.76 | +1.56 |
---|
Registered electors | 52,125 | | |
---|
| Conservative hold | Swing | +0.47 | |
---|
Elections in the 1960s
General election 1964: King's Lynn [32]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Labour | Derek Page | 21,460 | 50.12 | +2.24 |
| Conservative | Denys Bullard | 21,356 | 49.88 | -2.24 |
Majority | 104 | 0.24 | N/A |
---|
Turnout | 42,816 | 80.50 | +0.74 |
---|
Registered electors | 53,186 | | |
---|
| Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +2.24 | |
---|
General election 1966: King's Lynn [33]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Labour | Derek Page | 23,324 | 52.26 | +2.14 |
| Conservative | Denys Bullard | 21,305 | 47.74 | -2.14 |
Majority | 2,019 | 4.52 | +4.28 |
---|
Turnout | 44,629 | 82.90 | +2.40 |
---|
Registered electors | 53,832 | | |
---|
| Labour hold | Swing | +2.14 | |
---|
Elections in the 1970s
General election 1970: King's Lynn [34]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|
| Conservative | Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler | 23,822 | 50.03 | +2.29 |
| Labour | Derek Page | 23,789 | 49.97 | -2.29 |
Majority | 33 | 0.06 | N/A |
---|
Turnout | 47,611 | 78.23 | -4.67 |
---|
Registered electors | 60.857 | | |
---|
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +2.29 | |
---|