City of London

Boundaries and boundary changes

This borough constituency (or 'parliamentary borough/burgh') consisted of the City of London, which is at the very centre of Greater London. The only change by the Parliamentary Boundaries Act 1832 was to include The Temple.

Bounded south by the Thames, the City adjoins Westminster westward, enfranchised in 1545. In other directions a web of tiny liberties and parishes of diverse size adjoined from medieval times until the 20th century. Most of the population of Middlesex was beyond the city's boundaries. From the 17th century three of four new 'divisions' of Ossulstone Hundred adjoined the city reflecting their relative density – Holborn division and Finsbury division to the north and Tower division to the north-east and the east, all enfranchised in 1832.

London is first known to have been enfranchised and represented in Parliament in 1298. Because it was the most important city in England it received four seats in Parliament instead of the normal two for a constituency. Previous to 1298 from the middle of that century, the intermittent first parliaments, the area's households, officially, could turn to their Middlesex "two knights of the shire" – two members of the Commons – as to their interests in Parliament as the City formed part of the geographic county yet from early times wielded independent administration, its corporation.

The city was represented by four MPs until 1885, when this was cut to two, and in 1950 the constituency was abolished.

The City of London was originally a densely populated area. Before the Reform Act 1832 the composition of the City electorate was not as democratic as that of some other borough constituencies, such as neighbouring Westminster. The right of election was held by members of the Livery Companies. However the size and wealth of the community meant that it had more voters than most other borough constituencies. Namier and Brooke estimated the size of the City electorate, in the latter part of the 18th century, at about 7,000. Only Westminster had a larger size of electorate.

During the 19th and 20th centuries the metropolitan area of London expanded greatly. The resident population of the City fell. People moved to the new definitively urban expansion and suburbs; businesses moved in. However the City authorities did not want to extend their jurisdiction beyond the traditional "square mile" so the constituency was left unchanged as its resident population fell. By 1900 almost all electors in the City qualified through Livery Company membership and lived outside of the city. The business voters were a type of plural voter which when abolished by the Representation of the People Act 1948 meant the City became immediately under-sized in electorate, akin to the least-worst examples of pre-1832 "rotten and pocket boroughs".

Members of Parliament 1707–1950

See City of London (elections to the Parliament of England) for citizens known to have represented the City in Parliament before 1707

Parliaments of Great Britain 1707–1800

Note:-

(a) Expelled

Elections

In multi-member elections the bloc voting system was used. Voters could cast a vote for one to four (or up to two in two-member elections 1885–1950) candidates, as they chose. The leading candidates with the largest number of votes were elected. In 1868 the limited vote was introduced, which restricted an individual elector to using one, two or three votes, in elections to fill four seats.

In by-elections, to fill a single-seat, the first past the post system applied.

After 1832, when registration of voters was introduced, a turnout figure is given for contested elections. In multi-member elections, when the exact number of participating voters is unknown, this is calculated by dividing the number of votes by four (to 1868), three (1868–1885) and two thereafter. To the extent that electors did not use all their votes this will be an underestimate of turnout.

Where a party had more than one candidate in one or both of a pair of successive elections change is calculated for each individual candidate, otherwise change is based on the party vote.

Candidates for whom no party has been identified are classified as non-partisan. The candidate might have been associated with a party or faction in Parliament or consider himself to belong to a particular political tradition. Political parties before the 19th century were not as cohesive or organised as they later became. Contemporary commentators (even the reputed leaders of parties or factions) in the 18th century did not necessarily agree who the party supporters were. The traditional parties, which had arisen in the late 17th century, became increasingly irrelevant to politics in the 18th century (particularly after 1760), although for some contests in some constituencies party labels were still used. It was only towards the end of the century that party labels began to acquire some meaning again, although this process was by no means complete for several more generations.

Sources: The results are based on the History of Parliament Trust's volumes on the House of Commons in various periods from 1715 to 1820, Stooks Smith from 1820 until 1832 and Craig from 1832. Where Stooks Smith gives additional information this is indicated in a note. See references below for further details of these sources.

Parliament of Great Britain election results 1713–1800

Elections in the 1710s

6,787 voted. The losing candidates demanded a scrutiny, which did not change the result. (Source: Copy of the pollbook)

Elections in the 1720s

After a scrutiny the members returned were unchanged and vote totals were amended to Lockwood 4,025; Barnard 3,840; Godfrey 3,723; Child 3,575; Heysham 3,441; Parsons 3,393.

Death of Godfrey 10 November 1724

After a scrutiny the members returned were unchanged and vote totals were amended to Eyles 3,539; Barnard 3,514; Perry 3,396; Parsons 3,255; Thompson 3,244; Lockwood 2,977; Hopkins 2,921; Williams 2,914.

Elections in the 1730s

Note (1734): Poll 7 days (Source: Stooks Smith)

Elections in the 1740s

Note (1741): Poll 7 days (Source: Stooks Smith)

Death of Godschall 26 June 1742

Elections in the 1750s

Note (1754): Poll 7 days, 5,931 voted (Source: Stooks Smith)

Death of Bethell 1 November 1758

Elections in the 1760s

Note (1761): Poll 7 days (Source: Stooks Smith)

Elections in the 1770s

Death of Beckford 21 June 1770

Death of Ladbroke 31 October 1773

Elections in the 1780s

Death of Kirkman 19 September 1780

Death of Hayley 30 August 1781

Death of Bull 10 January 1784

Note (1784 be): Poll 3 days (Source: Stooks Smith)

Note (1784): Poll 7 days. Mr Pitt was returned on the show of hands, but retired before the poll. (Source: Stooks Smith)

Elections in the 1790s

Note (1790): Poll 7 days (Source: Stooks Smith)

Appointment of Watson as Commissary General

Note (1793): Mr Newnham was a candidate, but declined to go to the poll. (Source: Stooks Smith)

Death of Sawbridge 21 February 1795

Note (1795): Poll 3 days (Source: Stooks Smith)

Note (1796): Poll 7 days (Source: Stooks Smith)

Parliament of the United Kingdom election results (4 seats) 1801–1885

Elections in the 1800s

Note (1802): Poll 7 days (Source: Stooks Smith)

Note (1806): Poll 3 days (Source: Stooks Smith)

Note (1807): Mr Hankey died on the afternoon of the first day's polling. All the candidates voted for him. (Source: Stooks Smith)

Elections in the 1810s

Note (1812): Mr Hunter, the Lord Mayor of the City of London, retired before the poll. (Source: Stooks Smith)

Resignation of Combe

Note (1818): Poll 7 days, 7,978 voted. (Source: Stooks Smith)

Elections in the 1820s

Note (1820): Poll 7 days (Source: Stooks Smith)

Note (1826): Poll 7 days. 8,639 voted. Alderman Garrett was proposed without his consent. (Source: Stooks Smith)

Elections in the 1830s

Death of Waithman 6 February 1833

Resignation of Key by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds

Elections in the 1840s

Death of Wood 25 September 1843

Appointment of Russell as Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury

Note (1847): De Rothschild and Payne were classified as Reformer candidates. (Source: Stooks Smith)

Resignation of de Rothschild to seek re-election after rejection of the Jewish Disabilities Bill

Note (1849): De Rothschild was classified as a Reformer candidate. (Source: Stooks Smith)

Death of Pattison June 1849

Elections in the 1850s

Appointment of Russell as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs

Appointment of Russell as Lord President of the Council

Appointment of Russell as Secretary of State for the Colonies

Resignation of de Rothschild to seek re-election after rejection of the Jewish Disabilities Bill

Appointment of Russell as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs

Elections in the 1860s

Creation of Russell as the 1st Earl Russell

Death of Wood 17 May 1863

Appointment of Goschen as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

In 1868 the limited vote was introduced, which restricted an individual elector to using one, two or three votes, in elections of the City of London's four MPs.

Note (1868): Craig refers to R.N. de Rothschild, but Stenton confirms the candidate was L.N. de Rothschild

Appointment of Goschen as President of the Poor Law Board

Death of Bell 9 February 1869

Elections in the 1870s

The limited vote was in use, which restricted an individual elector to using one, two or three votes, in elections of the City of London's four MPs.

Note (1874): Craig refers to R.N. de Rothschild, but Stenton confirms the candidate was L.N. de Rothschild

Elections in the 1880s

Reduction of constituency to two seats, in the 1885 redistribution

Parliament of the United Kingdom election results (2 seats) 1885–1950

Elections in the 1880s

Fowler was elevated to the peerage, becoming Lord Addington, requiring a by-election.

Elections in the 1890s

Baring's death caused a by-election.

Fowler's death caused a by-election.