THE HOUSE OF COMMONS
CONSTITUENCIES BEGINNING WITH "W"
Last updated 13/06/2017 (20 Jul 2024)
Date Name Born Died Age
Dates in italics in the first column denote that the election held on that date was a by‑election or, in some instances, the date of a successful petition against a previous election result. Dates shown in normal type were general elections.
Dates in italics in the "Born" column indicate that the MP was baptised on that date; dates in italics in the "Died" column indicate that the MP was buried on that date.
WATERLOO (LANCASHIRE)
14 Dec 1918 Albert Buckley 10 Apr 1877 13 Nov 1965 88
6 Dec 1923 Harold Malcolm Bullock, later [1954] 1st baronet 10 Jul 1890 20 Jun 1966 75
CONSTITUENCY ABOLISHED 1950
WATFORD (HERTFORDSHIRE)
28 Nov 1885 Thomas Frederick Halsey, later [1920] 1st baronet 9 Dec 1839 12 Feb 1927 87
23 Jan 1906 Nathaniel Micklem 20 Nov 1853 19 Mar 1954 100
27 Jan 1910 Arnold Sandwith Ward 8 Nov 1876 1 Jan 1950 73
14 Dec 1918 Dennis Henry Herbert [kt 1929], later [1943] 1st Baron Hemingford 25 Feb 1869 10 Dec 1947 78
23 Feb 1943 William Helmore 1 Mar 1894 18 Jan 1964 69
26 Jul 1945 John Freeman 19 Feb 1915 20 Dec 2014 99
26 May 1955 Frederick William Farey‑Jones 21 May 1904 18 Feb 1974 69
15 Oct 1964 Raphael Herman Tuck 5 Apr 1910 1 Jul 1982 72
3 May 1979 William Armand Thomas Tristan Garel‑Jones, later [1997] Baron Garel‑Jones [L] 28 Feb 1941 23 Mar 2020 79
1 May 1997 Claire Margaret Ward 9 May 1972
6 May 2010 Richard Irwin Harrington, later [2022] Baron Harrington of Watford [L] 4 Nov 1957
12 Dec 2019 Dean Russell 8 May 1976
4 Jul 2024 Matthew Robert Turmaine
WAVENEY (SUFFOLK)
9 Jun 1983 James Michael Leathes Prior, later [1987] Baron Prior [L] 11 Oct 1927 12 Dec 2016 89
11 Jun 1987 David John Porter 16 Apr 1948
1 May 1997 Robert John Blizzard 31 May 1950 10 May 2022 71
6 May 2010 Peter James Guy Aldous 26 Aug 1961
CONSTITUENCY RENAMED "LOWESTOFT" 2024
WAVENEY VALLEY
4 Jul 2024 Adrian Philip Ramsay Aug 1981
WAVERTREE (LIVERPOOL)
14 Dec 1918 Nathan Raw 2 Aug 1866 28 Aug 1940 74
15 Nov 1922 Sir Harold Smith 18 Apr 1876 10 Sep 1924 48
6 Dec 1923 Hugh Reynolds Rathbone 4 Apr 1862 19 Jan 1940 77
29 Oct 1924 John Abraham Tinné 27 Nov 1877 22 Sep 1933 55
23 Jun 1931 Arthur Ronald Nall Nall‑Cain, later [1934] 2nd Baron Brocket 4 Aug 1904 24 Mar 1967 62
6 Feb 1935 Joseph Jackson Cleary [kt 1965] 26 Oct 1902 9 Feb 1993 90
14 Nov 1935 Peter Stapleton Shaw 6 Jul 1888 3 Aug 1953 65
26 Jul 1945 Henry Victor Alpin MacKinnon Raikes [kt 1953] 19 Jan 1901 18 Apr 1986 85
23 Feb 1950 John Dudley Robert Tarleton Tilney [kt 1973] 19 Dec 1907 26 Apr 1994 86
28 Feb 1974 Anthony David Steen 22 Jul 1939
CONSTITUENCY ABOLISHED 1983, BUT REVIVED 1997
1 May 1997 Jane Elizabeth Kennedy 4 May 1958
6 May 2010 Luciana Clare Berger 13 May 1981
12 Dec 2019 Paula Barker 9 May 1972
WEALD OF KENT
4 Jul 2024 Katie Jane Lotte Lam
WEALDEN (EAST SUSSEX)
9 Jun 1983 Sir Geoffrey Johnson-Smith 16 Apr 1924 11 Aug 2010 86
7 Jun 2001 Charles Hendry 6 May 1959
7 May 2015 Nusrat Munir Ul-Ghani 1 Sep 1972
CONSTITUENCY ABOLISHED 2024
WEAVER VALE (CHESHIRE)
1 May 1997 Michael Thomas Hall 20 Sep 1952
6 May 2010 Graham Thomas Evans, later [2022] Baron Evans of Rainow [L] 10 Nov 1963
8 Jun 2017 Michael Lee Amesbury 7 May 1969
CONSTITUENCY ABOLISHED 2024
WEDNESBURY (STAFFORDSHIRE)
18 Nov 1868 Alexander Brogden
For further information on the death of this MP, see the note at the foot of this page		 3 Nov 1825 26 Nov 1892 67
27 Nov 1885 Wilson Lloyd 3 Sep 1835 4 Sep 1908 73
6 Jul 1886 Philip James Stanhope, later [1906] 1st Baron Weardale
For further information on this MP, see the note at the foot of the page containing details of his peerage		 8 Dec 1847 1 Mar 1923 75
Jul 1892 Wilson Lloyd 3 Sep 1835 4 Sep 1908 73
16 Jul 1895 Walford Davis Green 24 Aug 1869 17 Nov 1941 72
16 Jan 1906 Clarendon Golding Hyde [kt 1910] 5 Feb 1858 24 Jun 1934 76
15 Jan 1910 John Norton Norton‑Griffiths [kt 1917], later [1922] 1st baronet
For further information on this MP, see the note attached to the page containing details of his baronetcy		 13 Jul 1871 27 Sep 1930 59
14 Dec 1918 Alfred Short 24 Nov 1882 24 Aug 1938 55
27 Oct 1931 William Humble Eric Ward, styled Viscount Ednam, later [1932] 3rd Earl of Dudley 30 Jan 1894 26 Dec 1969 75
26 Jul 1932 John William Banfield 1875 25 May 1945 69
26 Jul 1945 Stanley Norman Evans 1 Feb 1898 25 Jun 1970 72
28 Feb 1957 John Thomson Stonehouse 28 Jul 1925 15 Apr 1988 62
CONSTITUENCY ABOLISHED FEB 1974
WELLINGBOROUGH (NORTHAMPTONSHIRE)
14 Dec 1918 Walter Robert Smith 7 May 1872 25 Feb 1942 69
15 Nov 1922 Geoffrey Hithersay Shakespeare, later [1942] 1st baronet 23 Sep 1893 8 Sep 1980 86
6 Dec 1923 William George Cove 21 May 1888 15 Mar 1963 74
30 May 1929 George Dallas 6 Aug 1878 4 Jan 1961 82
27 Oct 1931 Archibald William Henry James [kt 1945] 28 Sep 1893 5 May 1980 86
26 Jul 1945 George Samuel Lindgren, later [1961] Baron Lindgren [L] 11 Nov 1900 8 Sep 1971 70
8 Oct 1959 Michael Aubrey Hamilton [kt 1983] 5 Jul 1918 3 Jul 2000 81
15 Oct 1964 Harry Howarth 3 Aug 1916 8 Aug 1969 53
4 Dec 1969 Peter Derek Fry [kt 1994] 26 May 1931 12 May 2015 83
1 May 1997 Paul David Stinchcombe 25 Apr 1962
5 May 2005 Peter William Bone [he was unseated as a result of a recall petition 19 Dec 2023] 19 Oct 1952
15 Feb 2024 Genevieve Victoria Kitchen 5 May 1995
CONSTITUENCY ABOLISHED 2024
WELLINGBOROUGH AND RUSHDEN
4 Jul 2024 Genevieve Victoria Kitchen 5 May 1995
WELLINGTON (SHROPSHIRE)
3 Dec 1885 Alexander Hargreaves Brown, later [1903] 1st baronet 11 Apr 1844 12 Mar 1922 77
24 Jan 1906 Charles Solomon Henry, later [1911] 1st baronet 28 Jan 1860 27 Dec 1919 59
CONSTITUENCY ABOLISHED 1918
WELLINGTON (SOMERSET)
2 Dec 1885 Sir Thomas Dyke Acland, 11th baronet 25 May 1809 29 May 1898 89
7 Jul 1886 Charles Isaac Elton 6 Dec 1839 23 Apr 1900 60
Jul 1892 Sir Alexander Fuller-Acland-Hood, 4th baronet, later [1911] 1st Baron St. Audries 26 Sep 1853 4 Jun 1917 63
21 Jul 1911 Dennis Fortescue Boles, later [1922] 1st baronet 6 Sep 1861 26 Jul 1935 74
CONSTITUENCY ABOLISHED 1918
WELLS (SOMERSET)
c Apr 1660 Thomas White c 1630 25 Aug 1670
Henry Bull 8 Oct 1630 28 Jan 1692 61
26 Mar 1661 Lord Richard Butler, later [1662] 1st Earl of Arran [I] and [1673] 1st Baron Butler of Weston 15 Jun 1639 25 Jan 1686 46
Sir Maurice Berkeley, 1st baronet, later [1668] 3rd Viscount Fitzhardinge 15 Jun 1628 13 Jun 1690 61
4 Nov 1673 John Hall 17 May 1632 1711 79
21 Feb 1679 Edward Berkeley [he was again returned at the Aug 1679 general election, but he was subsequently unseated on petition in favour of John Hall 27 Nov 1680] c 1644 1707
William Coward (to 1685) 19 Jul 1634 8 Apr 1705 70
27 Nov 1680 John Hall 17 May 1632 1711 79
20 Mar 1685 Thomas Wyndham c 1642 16 Dec 1689
Edward Berkeley (to 1701) c 1644 1707
17 Jan 1690 William Coward 19 Jul 1634 8 Apr 1705 70
27 Feb 1690 Hopton Wyndham c 1665 10 Oct 1697
7 Nov 1695 William Coward (to 1705) 19 Jul 1634 8 Apr 1705 70
7 Jan 1701 Henry Portman (to 1708) c 1637 23 Feb 1728
14 May 1705 Maurice Berkeley c 1681 by May 1717
8 May 1708 Edward Colston (to 1713) after 1672 5 Apr 1719
William Coward 10 Jun 1666 16 Jun 1716 50
14 Oct 1710 Maurice Berkeley (to May 1716) c 1681 by May 1717
2 Sep 1713 Sir Thomas Wroth, 3rd baronet c 1674 27 Jun 1721
4 Feb 1715 Thomas Horner (Thomas Strangways Horner from 1726) 3 Jul 1688 19 Nov 1741 53
Both sitting members (Berkeley and Horner) were unseated on petition in favour of William Coward and William Piers 30 May 1716
30 May 1716 William Coward 10 Jun 1666 16 Jun 1716 50
William Piers (to 1722) 20 May 1686 1755 69
27 Jun 1716 Thomas Horner (Thomas Strangways Horner from 1726) [he was unseated on petition in favour of John Dodd 12 Apr 1717] 3 Jul 1688 19 Nov 1741 53
12 Apr 1717 John Dodd c 1693 25 Aug 1719
14 Dec 1719 Thomas Edwards (to 1735) c 1673 c Jun 1743
23 Mar 1722 Francis Gwyn c 1648 14 Jun 1734
21 Aug 1727 Edward Prideaux Gwyn [he was unseated on petition in favour of William Piers 18 Apr 1729] c 1698 c Jun 1736
18 Apr 1729 William Piers 20 May 1686 1755 69
30 Apr 1734 George Hamilton c 1697 3 May 1775
Both sitting members (Edwards and Hamilton) were unseated on petition in favour of William Piers and George Speke 25 Mar 1735]
25 Mar 1735 William Piers 20 May 1686 1755 69
George Speke (to 1747) c 1686 2 Jan 1753
14 May 1741 Francis Gwyn (to 1754) c 1699 17 Nov 1777
29 Jun 1747 George Hamilton c 1697 3 May 1775
16 Apr 1754 Edward Digby, 6th Baron Digby [I] 5 Jul 1730 30 Nov 1757 27
Charles Tudway (to 1761) 2 Nov 1713 4 Sep 1770 56
15 Dec 1757 Robert Digby 20 Dec 1732 25 Feb 1815 82
27 Mar 1761 Henry Digby, 7th Baron Digby [I], later [1765] 1st Baron Digby [GB] and [1790] 1st Earl Digby 21 Jul 1731 25 Sep 1793 62
Clement Tudway (to 1815) 8 Oct 1734 7 Jun 1815 80
26 Dec 1765 Peter Taylor 11 Nov 1714 3 Nov 1777 62
Robert Child Feb 1739 28 Jul 1782 43
Two returns made. Child declared elected 15 Jan 1766
31 Aug 1782 John Curtis c 1751 30 Nov 1813
5 Apr 1784 William Beckford 29 Sep 1760 2 May 1844 83
18 Jun 1790 Henry Berkeley Portman c 1768 22 Mar 1803
27 May 1796 Charles William Taylor, later [1828] 1st baronet (to 1830) 25 Apr 1770 10 Apr 1857 76
19 Jul 1815 John Paine Tudway 22 Apr 1775 28 Jun 1835 60
5 Aug 1830 John Edwards-Vaughan 29 Mar 1772 16 Aug 1833 61
John Lee Lee (to 1837) 11 Dec 1802 16 Aug 1874 71
14 Dec 1832 Norman Lamont Apr 1834
5 May 1834 Nicholas William Ridley‑Colborne, later [1839] 1st Baron Colborne 14 Apr 1779 3 May 1854 75
24 Jul 1837 Richard Blakemore 1775 17 Apr 1855 79
William Goodenough Hayter, later [1858] 1st baronet (to 1865) 28 Jan 1792 26 Dec 1878 86
9 Jul 1852 Robert Charles Tudway 1808 20 Oct 1855 47
21 Nov 1855 Hedworth Hylton Jolliffe, later [1870] 2nd Baron Hylton of Hylton (to 1868) 23 Jun 1829 30 Oct 1899 70
11 Jul 1865 Arthur Divett Hayter, later [1878] 2nd baronet and [1906] 1st Baron Haversham 9 Aug 1835 1 May 1917 81
CONSTITUENCY DISENFRANCHISED 1868, BUT REVIVED 1885
5 Dec 1885 Richard Horner Paget, later [1886] 1st baronet 14 Mar 1832 3 Feb 1908 75
26 Jul 1895 Hylton George Hylton Jolliffe, later [1899] 3rd Baron Hylton of Hylton 10 Nov 1862 26 May 1945 82
7 Dec 1899 Robert Edmund Dickinson 1 Aug 1862 16 Nov 1947 85
24 Jan 1906 Thomas Ball Silcock 19 Sep 1854 1 Apr 1924 69
21 Jan 1910 George John Sandys 23 Sep 1875 3 Sep 1937 61
14 Dec 1918 Harry Greer [kt 1922] 18 Sep 1876 20 Mar 1947 70
15 Nov 1922 Robert Bruford Jun 1868 29 Dec 1939 71
6 Dec 1923 Arthur Lawrence Hobhouse [kt 1942] 15 Feb 1886 20 Jan 1965 78
29 Oct 1924 Sir Robert Arthur Sanders, 1st baronet, later [1929] 1st Baron Bayford 20 Jun 1867 24 Feb 1940 72
30 May 1929 Anthony John Muirhead 4 Nov 1890 29 Oct 1939 48
13 Dec 1939 Dennis Coleridge Boles 4 Jun 1885 25 Apr 1958 72
25 Oct 1951 Stephen Lynch Conway Maydon 15 Dec 1913 2 Mar 1971 57
18 Jun 1970 Robert Thomas Boscawen 17 Mar 1923 28 Dec 2013 90
9 Jun 1983 David Philip Heathcoat‑Amory 21 Mar 1949
6 May 2010 Tessa Jane Munt 16 Oct 1959
7 May 2015 James Stephen Heappey 30 Jan 1981
CONSTITUENCY ABOLISHED 2024
WELLS AND MENDIP HILLS
4 Jul 2024 Tessa Jane Munt 16 Oct 1959
WELWYN HATFIELD
28 Feb 1974 Robert Alexander Lindsay, styled Lord Balniel, later [Jan 1975] Baron Balniel [L] and [Dec 1975] 29th Earl of Crawford and 12th Earl of Balcarres 5 Mar 1927 18 Mar 2023 96
10 Oct 1974 Helene Valerie Hayman, later [1996] Baroness Hayman [L] 26 Mar 1949
3 May 1979 Christopher Philip Yorke Murphy 20 Apr 1947
11 Jun 1987 David John Evans 23 Apr 1935 22 Oct 2008 73
1 May 1997 Melanie Jane Johnson 5 Feb 1955
5 May 2005 Grant Shapps 14 Sep 1968
4 Jul 2024 Andrew Alan Lewin
WEMBLEY NORTH
26 Jul 1945 Charles Rider Hobson, later [1964] Baron Hobson [L] 18 Feb 1903 17 Feb 1966 62
23 Feb 1950 Eric Edward Bullus [kt 1964] 20 Nov 1906 31 Aug 2001 94
CONSTITUENCY ABOLISHED FEB 1974
WEMBLEY SOUTH
26 Jul 1945 Clarence Barton 21 Jun 1892 15 Sep 1957 65
23 Feb 1950 Ronald Stanley Russell [kt 1964] 29 May 1904 6 Apr 1974 69
CONSTITUENCY ABOLISHED FEB 1974
WENDOVER (BUCKINGHAMSHIRE)
Apr 1660 Richard Hampden (to 1681) 13 Oct 1631 12 Dec 1695 64
John Baldwin 13 Oct 1691
15 Apr 1661 Robert Croke c 1636 30 Jul 1671
29 Jan 1673 Edward Backwell [Backwell's election was declared void on 6 Feb 1673. At the resultant by‑election held on 10 Feb 1673, Backwell was re-elected, but was unseated on petition 19 Mar 1673] c 1618 1683
19 Mar 1673 Thomas Wharton, later [1696] 5th Baron Wharton, [1715] 1st Marquess of Catherlough and [1715] 1st Marquess of Wharton and 1st Marquess of Malmesbury 23 Oct 1648 12 Apr 1715 66
3 Feb 1679 Edward Backwell (to 1685) c 1618 1683
5 Feb 1681 John Hampden 21 Mar 1653 7 Dec 1696 43
21 Mar 1685 Richard Hampden (to 1690) 13 Oct 1631 12 Dec 1695 64
John Backwell 20 Apr 1654 15 Apr 1708 53
12 Jan 1689 John Hampden 21 Mar 1653 7 Dec 1696 43
21 Feb 1690 Richard Beke 8 Sep 1630 29 Nov 1707 77
John Backwell (to Nov 1701) 20 Apr 1654 15 Apr 1708 53
7 Jan 1701 Richard Hampden (to 1708) after 1674 27 Jul 1728
25 Nov 1701 Richard Crawley 29 Aug 1666 21 Mar 1713 46
15 Jul 1702 Sir Roger Hill [he was unseated on petition in favour of Richard Crawley 23 Nov 1702] 19 Jun 1642 29 Dec 1729 87
23 Nov 1702 Richard Crawley 29 Aug 1666 21 Mar 1713 46
8 May 1705 Sir Roger Hill (to 1722) 19 Jun 1642 29 Dec 1729 87
3 May 1708 Thomas Ellys 13 Apr 1685 24 May 1709 24
21 Nov 1709 Henry Grey 17 Aug 1683 9 Sep 1740 57
25 Aug 1713 Richard Hampden [he was also returned for Berwick-upon-Tweed, for which he chose to sit] after 1674 27 Jul 1728
13 Mar 1714 James Stanhope, later [1718] 1st Earl Stanhope 1673 5 Feb 1721 47
22 Jan 1715 Richard Grenville 23 Mar 1678 17 Feb 1727 48
21 Mar 1722 Richard Hampden (to 1728) [at the general election in Aug 1727, Hampden was also returned for Buckinghamshire, for which he chose to sit] after 1674 27 Jul 1728
Sir Richard Steele 12 Mar 1672 1 Sep 1729 57
16 Aug 1727 James Hamilton, 1st Viscount Limerick [I], later [1756] 1st Earl of Clanbrassil [I] (to 1734) c 1691 17 Mar 1758
18 Mar 1728 John Hamilton 27 Nov 1685 Mar 1757
23 Apr 1734 John Boteler [his election was declared void 17 Apr 1735] 1684 17 Jul 1774 90
John Hampden (to 1754) c 1695 4 Feb 1754
22 Apr 1735 James Hamilton, 1st Viscount Limerick [I], later [1756] 1st Earl of Clanbrassil [I] c 1691 17 Mar 1758
2 May 1741 Ralph Verney, 2nd Viscount Fermanagh [I], later [1743] 1st Earl Verney [I] 18 Mar 1683 4 Oct 1752 69
17 Jan 1753 Ralph Verney, 2nd Earl Verney [I] (to 1761) 1 Feb 1714 31 Mar 1791 77
25 Feb 1754 John Calvert 6 May 1726 22 Feb 1804 77
30 Mar 1761 Richard Cavendish (to 1768) c 1703 22 Nov 1769
Verney Lovett 2 Dec 1705 10 Dec 1771 66
23 Dec 1765 Edmund Burke (to 1774) 12 Jan 1729 9 Jul 1797 68
16 Mar 1768 Sir Robert Darling 4 Aug 1770
6 Sep 1770 Joseph Bullock (to 1775) 11 Dec 1731 13 Apr 1808 76
8 Oct 1774 John Adams [he was also returned for Carmarthen, for which he chose to sit] c 1746 2 Jun 1817
24 Dec 1774 Henry Drummond (to 1780) 1730 24 Jun 1795 64
14 Mar 1775 Thomas Dummer c 1739 3 Jun 1781
9 Sep 1780 Richard Smith 15 May 1734 3 Jul 1803 69
John Mansell Smith c 1758 after 1784
31 Mar 1784 Robert Burton c 1738 2 Mar 1810
John Ord 11 Oct 1729 6 Jun 1814 84
16 Jun 1790 John Barker Church 9 Nov 1748 2 May 1818 69
Hugh Seymour-Conway (styled Lord Hugh Seymour‑Conway from 1793) 29 Apr 1759 11 Sep 1801 42
25 May 1796 John Hiley Addington 1759 11 Jun 1818 58
George Canning 11 Apr 1770 8 Aug 1827 57
5 Jul 1802 Charles Long, later [1826] 1st Baron Farnborough 29 Jan 1760 17 Jan 1838 77
John Smith 6 Sep 1767 20 Jan 1842 74
29 Oct 1806 Philip Henry Stanhope, styled Viscount Mahon, later [1816] 4th Earl Stanhope [at the general election in May 1807, he was also returned for Kingston-upon-Hull, for which he chose to sit] 7 Dec 1781 2 Mar 1855 73
George Smith (to 1830) 30 Apr 1765 26 Dec 1836 71
20 Jul 1807 Francis Horner 12 Aug 1778 8 Feb 1817 38
5 Oct 1812 Abel Smith 17 Jul 1788 23 Feb 1859 70
17 Jun 1818 Robert John Smith, later [1838] 2nd Baron Carrington 16 Jan 1796 17 Mar 1868 72
6 Mar 1820 Samuel Smith (to 1832) 14 Apr 1754 12 Mar 1834 79
31 Jul 1830 Abel Smith 17 Jul 1788 23 Feb 1859 70
CONSTITUENCY DISENFRANCHISED 1832
(MUCH) WENLOCK (SHROPSHIRE)
21 Apr 1660 Sir Francis Lawley, 2nd baronet c 1626 25 Oct 1696
Thomas Whitmore 12 Feb 1599 30 May 1677 78
4 Apr 1661 Sir Thomas Littleton, 2nd baronet c 1621 14 Apr 1681
George Weld c 1635 14 Sep 1701
18 Feb 1679 Sir John Weld 26 Jan 1613 4 Aug 1681 68
William Forester [kt 1689] (to 1685) 10 Dec 1655 22 Feb 1718 62
27 Aug 1679 John Wolryche c 1637 17 Jun 1685
31 Mar 1685 Thomas Lawley, later [1696] 3rd baronet c 1650 late 1729
George Weld (to 1701) c 1635 14 Sep 1701
14 Jan 1689 Sir William Forester (to 1715) 10 Dec 1655 22 Feb 1718 62
27 Nov 1701 George Weld Apr 1674 9 Jul 1748 74
11 May 1708 Thomas Weld c 1678 9 Sep 1774
10 Oct 1710 George Weld Apr 1674 9 Jul 1748 74
2 Sep 1713 William Whitmore [he was also returned for Bridgnorth, for which he chose to sit] c 1682 24 May 1725
17 Mar 1714 Richard Newport 28 Jul 1685 3 Dec 1716 31
1 Feb 1715 Thomas Newport, later [1716] 1st Baron Torrington c 1655 27 May 1719
William Forester (to 1722) 1690 12 Nov 1758 68
13 Jul 1716 Sir Humphrey Briggs, 4th baronet (to 1727) c 1670 8 Dec 1734
27 Mar 1722 Samuel Edwards (to 1739) c 1668 12 Jun 1738
28 Aug 1727 John Sambrooke c 1692 19 May 1734
27 Apr 1734 William Forester (to 1741) 1690 12 Nov 1758 68
14 Feb 1739 Brooke Forester (to 1768) 7 Feb 1717 8 Jul 1771 54
5 May 1741 Sir Bryan Broughton-Delves, 4th baronet 6 Jan 1718 11 Aug 1744 26
7 Dec 1744 Isaac Hawkins Browne 21 Jan 1706 14 Feb 1760 54
19 Apr 1754 William Forester 1690 12 Nov 1758 68
8 Dec 1758 George Forester 21 Dec 1735 13 Jul 1811 75
28 Mar 1761 Cecil Forester c 1721 22 Aug 1774
18 Mar 1768 Sir Henry Bridgeman, 5th baronet, later [1794] 1st Baron Bradford (to 1794) 7 Sep 1725 5 Jun 1800 74
George Forester 21 Dec 1735 13 Jul 1811 75
13 Sep 1780 Thomas Whitmore [he was also returned for Bridgnorth, for which he chose to sit] c 1742 17 Apr 1795
9 Dec 1780 George Forester 21 Dec 1735 13 Jul 1811 75
7 Apr 1784 John Bridgeman (Simpson from 1785) 13 May 1763 5 Jun 1850 87
9 Aug 1785 George Forester 21 Dec 1735 13 Jul 1811 75
22 Jun 1790 Cecil Weld-Forester, later [1821] 1st Baron Forester (to 1820) 7 Apr 1767 23 May 1828 61
9 Sep 1794 John Simpson 13 May 1763 5 Jun 1850 87
9 Mar 1820 Francis Forester 19 Aug 1774 22 Oct 1861 87
William Lacon Childe 3 Jan 1786 Dec 1880 94
10 Jun 1826 John George Weld Weld‑Forester, later [1828] 2nd Baron Forester 9 Aug 1801 10 Oct 1874 73
Paul Beilby Thompson, later [1839] 1st Baron Wenlock (to 1832) 1 Jul 1784 9 May 1852 67
17 Jun 1828 George Cecil Weld Weld‑Forester, later [1874] 3rd Baron Forester (to 1874) 10 May 1807 14 Feb 1886 78
12 Dec 1832 James Milnes Gaskell 19 Oct 1810 5 Feb 1873 62
16 Nov 1868 Alexander Hargreaves Brown, later [1903] 1st baronet 11 Apr 1844 12 Mar 1922 77
16 Nov 1874 Cecil Theodore Weld‑Forester, later [1894] 5th Baron Forester 3 Aug 1842 20 Nov 1917 75
CONSTITUENCY ABOLISHED 1885
WENTWORTH (YORKSHIRE)
14 Dec 1918 George Henry Hirst 17 May 1868 13 Nov 1933 65
22 Dec 1933 Wilfred Paling 7 Apr 1883 17 Apr 1971 88
CONSTITUENCY ABOLISHED 1950, BUT REVIVED 1983
9 Jun 1983 Peter Hardy, later [1997] Baron Hardy of Wath [L] 16 Jul 1931 16 Dec 2003 72
1 May 1997 John Healey 13 Feb 1960
NAME ALTERED TO "WENTWORTH AND DEARNE" 2010
WENTWORTH AND DEARNE (SOUTH YORKSHIRE)
6 May 2010 John Healey 13 Feb 1960
CONSTITUENCY ABOLISHED 2024
WEOBLY (HEREFORDSHIRE)
13 Apr 1660 James Pytts c 1627 c Feb 1686
Richard Weston c 1620 18 Mar 1681
Election declared void 16 Jul 1660
2 Aug 1660 Thomas Tomkyns (to 1675) c 1605 31 Dec 1674
Sir Herbert Perrott c 1617 1 Aug 1683
2 Apr 1661 John Barneby (to 1679) 3 May 1621 27 Aug 1701 80
22 Apr 1675 Sir Thomas Williams, 1st baronet c 1621 12 Sep 1712
Election declared void 22 Feb 1678
7 Mar 1678 William Gregory [kt 1679] (to Sep 1679) 1 Mar 1625 28 May 1696 71
7 Feb 1679 John Birch (to 1685) 7 Sep 1615 10 May 1691 75
4 Sep 1679 John Booth 1 Mar 1705
19 Mar 1685 Henry Cornewall c 1654 22 Feb 1717
Robert Price 14 Jan 1653 2 Feb 1733 80
12 Jan 1689 John Birch (to 1691) 7 Sep 1615 10 May 1691 75
James Morgan c 1660 9 Nov 1717
28 Feb 1690 Robert Price (to Jan 1701) 14 Jan 1653 2 Feb 1733 80
5 Jun 1691 Thomas Foley (to Jan 1701) c 1670 10 Dec 1737
John Birch c 1666 6 Oct 1735
Double return. Foley seated 12 Nov 1691
26 Jul 1698 Robert Price 14 Jan 1653 2 Feb 1733 80
Thomas Foley c 1670 10 Dec 1737
John Birch c 1666 6 Oct 1735
Double return between Foley and Birch. Foley declared elected 13 Jan 1699
9 Jan 1701 Henry Cornewall c 1654 22 Feb 1717
John Birch (to 1702) c 1666 6 Oct 1735
27 Nov 1701 Robert Price 14 Jan 1653 2 Feb 1733 80
21 Jul 1702 Henry Cornewall (to 1708) c 1654 22 Feb 1717
Thomas Price
For information on this MP, see the note at the foot of this page		 16 Jan 1680 17 Sep 1706 26
14 May 1705 John Birch (to Feb 1715) c 1666 6 Oct 1735
6 May 1708 Henry Thynne [he was also returned for Weymouth & Melcombe Regis, for which he chose to sit] 8 Feb 1675 20 Dec 1708 33
13 Dec 1708 Henry Gorges c 1665 14 Mar 1718
9 Oct 1710 Henry Cornewall c 1654 22 Feb 1717
31 Aug 1713 Uvedale Tomkyns Price 17 Sep 1685 17 Mar 1764 78
1 Feb 1715 Paul Foley [he was unseated on petition in favour of John Birch 18 Jun 1715] 28 Nov 1739
Charles Cornwall (to 1718) 9 Aug 1669 7 Oct 1718 49
18 Jun 1715 John Birch (to 1732) [expelled 30 Mar 1732] c 1666 6 Oct 1735
22 Nov 1718 Nicholas Philpott c 1695 6 Jul 1732
21 Sep 1727 Uvedale Tomkyns Price (to 1734) 17 Sep 1685 17 Mar 1764 78
14 Apr 1732 James Cornewall 17 Nov 1698 11 Feb 1744 45
30 Apr 1734 Sir John Buckworth, 2nd baronet (to 1741) 5 Apr 1700 31 Dec 1758 58
John Birch c 1666 6 Oct 1735
3 Mar 1737 James Cornewall [after the death of John Birch, Cornewall was seated on petition, without the occurrence of a by‑election] 17 Nov 1698 11 Feb 1744 45
15 May 1741 George Carpenter, 2nd Baron Carpenter [I] c 1695 12 Jul 1749
Henry Temple, 1st Viscount Palmerston [I] c 1673 10 Jun 1757
1 Jul 1747 Mansel Powell [he was unseated on petition in favour of John Perceval, Viscount Perceval 9 Dec 1747] c 1696 5 Jun 1775
Savage Mostyn (to 1757) c 1713 16 Sep 1757
9 Dec 1747 John Perceval, Viscount Perceval [I], later [1748] 2nd Earl of Egmont [I] 24 Feb 1711 20 Dec 1770 59
15 Apr 1754 John Craster (to 1761) c 1697 31 Dec 1763
7 Dec 1757 George Venables-Vernon, later [1780] 2nd Baron Vernon 9 May 1735 18 Jun 1813 78
28 Mar 1761 William Henry Cavendish Bentinck, styled Marquess of Titchfield, later [1762] 3rd Duke of Portland 14 Apr 1738 30 Oct 1809 71
Henry Frederick Thynne, later [1784] 1st Baron Carteret (to 1770) 17 Nov 1735 17 Jun 1826 90
12 Jun 1762 William Lynch c 1730 25 Aug 1785
18 Mar 1768 Simon Luttrell, 1st Baron Irnham [I], later [1781] 1st Viscount Carhampton [I] and [1785] 1st Earl of Carhampton [I] (to 1774) 1713 14 Jan 1787 73
26 Dec 1770 Bamber Gascoyne 22 Feb 1725 27 Oct 1791 66
13 Oct 1774 Sir William Lynch c 1730 25 Aug 1785
John St. Leger Douglas (to 1783) c 1732 23 May 1783
31 Mar 1780 Andrew Bayntun-Rolt, later [1800] 2nd baronet (to 1786) c 1740 12 Aug 1816
16 Jun 1783 John Scott, later [1821] 1st Earl of Eldon (to 1796) 4 Jun 1751 13 Jan 1838 86
22 Apr 1786 Thomas Thynne, later [1796] 2nd Marquess of Bath [at the general election in Jun 1790, he was also returned for Bath, for which he chose to sit] 25 Jan 1765 27 Mar 1837 72
28 Dec 1790 Lord George Thynne, later [1826] 2nd Baron Carteret (to Oct 1812) 23 Jan 1770 19 Feb 1838 68
27 May 1796 Lord John Thynne, later [1838] 3rd Baron Carteret 28 Dec 1772 10 Mar 1849 76
16 Dec 1796 Inigo Freeman Thomas 25 Jan 1767 21 Dec 1847 80
1 Apr 1800 Sir Charles Talbot, 2nd baronet 8 Nov 1751 3 Nov 1812 60
8 Jul 1802 Robert Steele 24 Feb 1757 10 Jul 1817 60
6 May 1807 Heneage Finch, styled Baron Guernsey, later [1812] 5th Earl of Aylesford 24 Apr 1786 3 Jan 1859 72
15 Jan 1812 Henry George Bathurst, styled Baron Apsley, later [1834] 4th Earl Bathurst 24 Feb 1790 25 May 1866 76
10 Oct 1812 George Ashburnham, styled Viscount St. Asaph 9 Oct 1785 7 Jun 1813 27
William Lennox Bathurst, later [1866] 5th Earl Bathurst (to 1816) 14 Feb 1791 24 Feb 1878 87
22 Jun 1813 James Lenox William Naper (to 1818) 18 Feb 1791 2 Sep 1868 77
20 Feb 1816 Lord Frederick Cavendish‑Bentinck (to 1824) 2 Nov 1781 11 Feb 1828 46
17 Jun 1818 Thomas Thynne, styled Viscount Weymouth 9 Apr 1796 16 Jan 1837 40
7 Mar 1820 Sir George Cockburn, later [1852] 10th baronet (to 1828) 22 Apr 1772 19 Aug 1853 81
16 Feb 1824 Lord Henry Frederick Thynne, later [1837] 3rd Marquess of Bath 24 May 1797 24 Jun 1837 40
9 Jun 1826 Lord William Thynne (to 1831) 17 Oct 1803 30 Jan 1890 86
12 Jun 1828 Lord Henry Frederick Thynne, later [1837] 3rd Marquess of Bath (to 1832) 24 May 1797 24 Jun 1837 40
30 Apr 1831 Lord Edward Thynne 23 Jan 1807 4 Feb 1884 77
CONSTITUENCY DISENFRANCHISED 1832
WEST BROMWICH
26 Nov 1885 John Horton Blades 1841 1916 75
5 Jul 1886 James Ernest Spencer [kt 1901] 5 May 1848 29 Jun 1937 89
16 Jan 1906 Alfred Ernest William Hazel 1869 20 Aug 1944 75
17 Jan 1910 William Legge, styled Viscount Lewisham, later [1936] 7th Earl of Dartmouth 22 Feb 1881 28 Feb 1958 77
14 Dec 1918 Frederick Owen Roberts 2 Jul 1876 23 Oct 1941 65
27 Oct 1931 Alexander Ramsay [kt 1938] 12 Jan 1887 17 Oct 1969 82
14 Nov 1935 Frederick Owen Roberts 2 Jul 1876 23 Oct 1941 65
16 Apr 1941 John Dugdale 16 Mar 1905 12 Mar 1963 57
4 Jul 1963 Maurice Anthony Foley 9 Oct 1925 8 Feb 2002 76
24 May 1973 Betty Boothroyd, later [2001] Baroness Boothroyd [L] 8 Oct 1929 23 Feb 2023 93
CONSTITUENCY SPLIT INTO "EAST" AND "WEST" DIVISIONS FEB 1974, BUT REVIVED 2024
4 Jul 2024 Sarah Rose Tattum Coombes
WEST BROMWICH EAST
28 Feb 1974 Peter Charles Snape, later [2004] Baron Snape [L] 12 Feb 1942
7 Jun 2001 Thomas Anthony Watson, later [2022] Baron Watson of Wyre Forest [L] 8 Jan 1967
12 Dec 2019 Nicola Faye Richards 19 Nov 1994
CONSTITUENCY ABOLISHED 2024
WEST BROMWICH WEST
28 Feb 1974 Betty Boothroyd, later [2001] Baroness Boothroyd [L] 8 Oct 1929 23 Feb 2023 93
23 Nov 2000 Adrian Edward Bailey 11 Dec 1949
12 Dec 2019 Shaun Stephen Bailey 22 Jul 1992
CONSTITUENCY ABOLISHED 2024
WESTBURY (WILTSHIRE)
2 Apr 1660 Richard Lewis (to 1680) c 1623 1 Oct 1706
William Brouncker c 1620 6 Mar 1680
8 Apr 1661 Thomas Wancklyn [expelled 1 Feb 1678] 1694
18 Feb 1678 Henry Bertie c 1656 4 Dec 1734
13 Feb 1679 William Trenchard c 1643 22 Aug 1713
28 Aug 1679 Henry Bertie c 1656 4 Dec 1734
Richard Lewis (see above) and Henry Bertie unseated on petition in favour of Edward Norton and William Trenchard 26 Nov 1680
26 Nov 1680 Edward Norton 10 Jan 1654 1702 48
William Trenchard (to 1685) c 1643 22 Aug 1713
9 Mar 1681 John Ashe c 1653 late 1687
23 Mar 1685 Richard Lewis (to 1701) c 1623 1 Oct 1706
James Herbert 27 Apr 1660 11 Nov 1704 44
14 Jan 1689 Peregrine Bertie c 1634 3 Jan 1701
4 Nov 1695 Robert Bertie (to 1702) 28 Feb 1677 8 Aug 1710 33
24 Nov 1701 Henry Bertie c 1656 4 Dec 1734
17 Jul 1702 William Trenchard c 1643 22 Aug 1713
Thomas Phipps 3 Dec 1648 19 Apr 1715 66
Both members were unseated on petition in favour of Henry Bertie and Robert Bertie 1 Dec 1702
1 Dec 1702 Henry Bertie (to Jan 1715) c 1656 4 Dec 1734
Robert Bertie 28 Feb 1677 8 Aug 1710 33
6 May 1708 Francis Annesley (to Jun 1715) 24 Oct 1663 7 Apr 1750 86
25 Jan 1715 Willoughby Bertie 28 Nov 1692 10 Jun 1760 67
Francis Annesley 24 Oct 1663 7 Apr 1750 86
George Evans, later [May 1715] 1st Baron Carbery [I] c 1680 28 Aug 1749
Charles Allanson c 1662 Jul 1729
Double return. Bertie and Annesley declared elected 28 Mar 1715. They were both unseated on petition in favour of Carbery and Allanson 1 Jun 1715
1 Jun 1715 George Evans, 1st Baron Carbery [I] c 1680 28 Aug 1749
Charles Allanson c 1662 Jul 1729
24 Mar 1722 James Bertie [he was also returned for Middlesex, for which he chose to sit] 13 Mar 1673 18 Oct 1735 62
Francis Annesley (to 1734) 24 Oct 1663 7 Apr 1750 86
16 Mar 1724 George Evans, 1st Baron Carbery [I] c 1680 28 Aug 1749
18 Aug 1727 John Hoskins Gifford c 1693 Aug 1744
24 Apr 1734 George Evans, later [1749] 2nd Baron Carbery [I] (to 1747) 2 Feb 1759
John Bance 23 Feb 1755
4 May 1741 Joseph Townsend by 1704 8 Jul 1763
24 Jun 1747 John Bance 23 Feb 1755
Paul Methuen 16 May 1723 22 Jan 1795 71
Both members were unseated on petition in favour of Chauncy Townsend and Matthew Michell 16 Mar 1748
16 Mar 1748 Chauncy Townsend (to 1768) 23 Feb 1708 28 Mar 1770 61
Matthew Michell c 1705 29 Apr 1752
16 Jan 1753 Peregrine Bertie (to 1774) c 1723 28 Dec 1786
21 Mar 1768 William Blackstone 10 Jul 1723 14 Feb 1780 56
21 Feb 1770 Charles Dillon, later [1787] 12th Viscount Dillon [I] 6 Nov 1745 9 Nov 1813 68
10 Oct 1774 Thomas Francis Wenman (to 1780) 18 Nov 1745 8 Apr 1796 50
Nathaniel Bayly c 1726 Oct 1798
20 Mar 1779 Samuel Estwick (to Nov 1795) c 1736 19 Nov 1795
9 Sep 1780 John Whalley-Gardiner, later [1783] 1st baronet 26 May 1743 18 Nov 1797 54
1 Apr 1784 Chaloner Arcedeckne c 1743 20 Dec 1809
3 Feb 1786 John Madocks c 1723 24 Oct 1794
19 Jun 1790 Ewan Law 30 Oct 1747 24 Apr 1829 81
15 Jan 1795 Samuel Estwick (to 1796) 22 Jan 1770 23 Feb 1797 27
27 Nov 1795 Edward Wilbraham-Bootle, later [1828] 1st Baron Skelmersdale 7 Mar 1771 3 Apr 1853 82
27 May 1796 Sir Henry Paulet St. John‑Mildmay, 3rd baronet (to 1802)
For further information on this MP, see the note at the foot of the page containing details of the St. John‑Mildmay baronets		 30 Sep 1764 11 Nov 1808 44
George Ellis [he was also returned for Seaford, for which he chose to sit] 19 Dec 1753 10 Apr 1815 61
28 Oct 1796 George William Richard Harcourt 9 Feb 1775 19 Dec 1812 37
18 Apr 1800 John Simon Harcourt 14 Dec 1772 21 Feb 1810 37
6 Jul 1802 William Baldwin c 1737 10 Oct 1813
Charles Smith Sep 1756 9 May 1814 57
31 Oct 1806 William Jacob c 1762 17 Dec 1851
John Woolmore 1755 2 Dec 1837 82
6 May 1807 Edward Lascelles, later [1812] styled Viscount Lascelles [he was also returned for Northallerton, for which he chose to sit] 10 Jan 1764 3 Jun 1814 50
Glynn Wynn (to 1809) 1 Sep 1772 23 Apr 1809 36
20 Jul 1807 Henry Lascelles, later [1820] 2nd Earl of Harewood (to 1812) 25 Dec 1767 24 Nov 1841 73
27 Jan 1809 Francis Whittle by 1838
24 Mar 1810 John de Ponthieu 27 Apr 1765 26 Apr 1813 47
10 Oct 1812 Benjamin Hall 29 Sep 1778 31 Jul 1817 38
Benjamin Shaw (to 1818) c 1770 6 Nov 1843
5 Dec 1814 Ralph Franco (later Lopes), later [1831] 2nd baronet (to 1819) 10 Sep 1788 23 Jan 1854 65
23 Jun 1818 Lord Francis Nathaniel Conyngham, later [1832] 2nd Marquess Conyngham (to 1820) 11 Jun 1797 17 Jul 1876 79
1 May 1819 William Leader Maberly 7 May 1798 6 Feb 1885 86
10 Mar 1820 Jonathan Elford 5 Nov 1777 11 Mar 1823 45
Nathaniel Barton 9 Nov 1764 2 Nov 1828 63
29 Nov 1820 Sir Manasseh Masseh Lopes, 1st baronet (to 1829) 27 Jan 1755 26 Mar 1831 76
Philip John Miles 1 Mar 1774 24 Mar 1845 71
9 Jun 1826 Sir George Warrender, 4th baronet (to 1830) 5 Dec 1782 21 Feb 1849 66
2 Mar 1829 Robert Peel, later [1830] 2nd baronet 5 Feb 1788 2 Jul 1850 62
30 Jul 1830 Sir Alexander Cray Grant, 8th baronet 30 Nov 1782 29 Nov 1854 71
Michael George Prendergast 1834
2 May 1831 Sir Ralph Lopes, 2nd baronet (to 1837) 10 Sep 1788 23 Jan 1854 65
Henry Hanmer 23 Jan 1789 2 Feb 1868 79
15 Jul 1831 Henry Frederick Stephenson 18 Sep 1790 10 Jul 1858 67
REPRESENTATION REDUCED TO ONE MEMBER 1832
26 Jul 1837 John Ivatt Briscoe 12 Oct 1791 16 Aug 1870 79
28 Jun 1841 Sir Ralph Lopes, 2nd baronet 10 Sep 1788 23 Jan 1854 65
31 Jul 1847 James Wilson 3 Jun 1805 11 Aug 1860 55
27 Mar 1857 Sir Massey Lopes, 3rd baronet 14 Jun 1818 20 Jan 1908 89
18 Nov 1868 John Lewis Phipps [his election was declared void 5 Feb 1869] 1801 10 Jun 1871 69
27 Feb 1869 Charles Paul Phipps 26 Sep 1815 8 Jun 1880 64
3 Feb 1874 Abraham Laverton 1819 13 Oct 1886 67
1 Apr 1880 Charles Nicholas Paul Phipps 4 Nov 1845 9 Dec 1913 68
5 Dec 1885 George Pargiter Fuller 8 Jan 1833 2 Apr 1927 94
25 Jul 1895 Richard Godolphin Walmesley Chaloner, later [1917] 1st Baron Gisborough 12 Oct 1856 23 Jan 1938 81
10 Oct 1900 John Michael Fleetwood Fuller, later [1910] 1st baronet 21 Oct 1864 4 Sep 1915 50
23 Feb 1911 Geoffrey William Algernon Howard 12 Feb 1877 20 Jun 1935 58
14 Dec 1918 George Llewellen Palmer 12 Mar 1857 31 Mar 1932 75
15 Nov 1922 Charles William Darbishire 17 Jun 1875 5 Jun 1925 49
29 Oct 1924 Walter William Shaw 1868 10 May 1927 58
16 Jun 1927 Richard Eric Onslow Long, later [1944] 3rd Viscount Long 22 Aug 1892 12 Jan 1967 74
27 Oct 1931 Robert Villiers Grimston, later [1952] 1st baronet and [1964] 1st Baron Grimston of Westbury 8 Jun 1897 8 Dec 1979 82
15 Oct 1964 Dennis Murray Walters [kt 1988] 28 Nov 1928 1 Oct 2021 92
9 Apr 1992 David James Christian Faber 7 Jul 1961
7 Jun 2001 Andrew William Murrison 24 Apr 1961
CONSTITUENCY ABOLISHED 2010
WEST DERBY (LIVERPOOL)
25 Nov 1885 Lord Claude John Hamilton 20 Feb 1843 26 Jan 1925 81
10 Aug 1888 William Henry Cross 22 Aug 1856 12 Dec 1892 36
10 Jan 1893 Walter Hume Long, later [1921] 1st Viscount Long 13 Jul 1854 26 Sep 1924 70
29 Sep 1900 Samuel Wasse Higginbottom 1853 27 Dec 1902 49
20 Jan 1903 William Watson Rutherford, later [1923] 1st baronet 1853 3 Dec 1927 74
14 Dec 1918 Sir Frederick Edwin Smith, 1st baronet, later [1919] 1st Baron Birkenhead and [1922] 1st Earl of Birkenhead 12 Jul 1872 30 Sep 1930 58
26 Feb 1919 Sir William Reginald Hall
For further information on this MP, see the note at the foot of this page		 28 Jun 1870 22 Oct 1943 73
6 Dec 1923 Charles Sydney Jones [kt 1937] 7 Feb 1872 16 Feb 1947 75
29 Oct 1924 John Sandeman Allen [kt 1928] 26 Sep 1865 3 Jun 1935 69
6 Jul 1935 David Patrick Maxwell‑Fyfe [kt 1942], later [1954] 1st Viscount Kilmuir and [1962] 1st Earl of Kilmuir 29 May 1900 27 Jan 1967 66
18 Nov 1954 John Victor Woollam 14 Aug 1927 1 Feb 2006 78
15 Oct 1964 Eric Ogden 23 Aug 1923 5 May 1997 73
9 Jun 1983 Robert Nelson Wareing 20 Aug 1930 1 May 2015 84
6 May 2010 Stephen Twigg 25 Dec 1966
12 Dec 2019 Ian Robert Byrne 10 May 1972
WESTERN ISLES
14 Dec 1918 Donald Murray 21 Oct 1862 6 Jul 1923 60
15 Nov 1922 Sir William Dingwall Mitchell Cotts, 1st baronet 15 Jul 1871 20 Jan 1932 60
6 Dec 1923 Alexander Mackenzie Livingstone [kt 1933] 18 Oct 1880 14 Sep 1950 69
30 May 1929 Thomas Bridgehill Wilson Ramsay 2 Jul 1877 20 Oct 1956 79
14 Nov 1935 Malcolm Kenneth Macmillan 21 Aug 1913 17 Nov 1978 65
18 Jun 1970 Donald James Stewart 17 Oct 1920 23 Aug 1992 71
11 Jun 1987 Calum Alasdair MacDonald 7 May 1956
NAME ALTERED TO "NA H-EILEANAN AN IAR" 2005
WEST HAM
1 May 1997 Anthony Louis Banks, later [2005] Baron Stratford [L] 8 Apr 1943 8 Jan 2006 62
5 May 2005 Lyn Carol Brown 13 Apr 1960
CONSTITUENCY ABOLISHED 2024
WEST HAM AND BECKTON
4 Jul 2024 James Edward Asser
WEST HAM NORTH
28 Nov 1885 Edward Rider Cook 4 Jun 1836 21 Aug 1898 62
7 Jul 1886 James Forrest Fulton [kt 1892] 12 Jul 1846 25 Jun 1925 78
Jul 1892 Thomas Newcomen Archibald Grove 1855 4 Jun 1920 64
15 Jul 1895 Ernest Gray [kt 1925] 27 Aug 1856 6 May 1932 75
15 Jan 1906 Charles Frederick Gurney Masterman [Following the general election in Dec 1910, he was unseated on petition 20 Jun 1911] 25 Oct 1874 17 Nov 1927 53
8 Jul 1911 Baron Maurice Arnold de Forest 9 Jan 1879 6 Oct 1968 89
CONSTITUENCY ABOLISHED 1918, BUT REVIVED 1950
23 Feb 1950 Arthur William John Lewis 21 Feb 1917 25 Jun 1998 81
CONSTITUENCY ABOLISHED FEB 1974
WEST HAM SOUTH
28 Nov 1885 Joseph Lynn Leicester 24 Dec 1825 13 Oct 1903 77
7 Jul 1886 George Edward Banes 2 Feb 1829 16 Jul 1907 78
Jul 1892 James Keir Hardie
For further information on this MP, see the note at the foot of this page		 15 Aug 1856 26 Sep 1915 59
15 Jul 1895 George Edward Banes 2 Feb 1829 16 Jul 1907 78
15 Jan 1906 William James Thorne 8 Oct 1857 2 Jan 1946 88
CONSTITUENCY ABOLISHED 1918, BUT REVIVED 1950
23 Feb 1950 Frederick Elwyn Jones [kt 1964], later [1974] Baron Elwyn‑Jones [L] 24 Oct 1909 4 Dec 1989 80
CONSTITUENCY ABOLISHED FEB 1974
WESTHOUGHTON (LANCASHIRE)
28 Nov 1885 Frank Hardcastle 12 May 1844 6 Nov 1908 64
Jul 1892 Edward George Villiers Stanley, styled Baron Stanley, later [1908] 17th Earl of Derby 4 Apr 1865 4 Feb 1948 82
18 Jan 1906 William Tyson Wilson 1855 14 Aug 1921 66
5 Oct 1921 Rhys John Davies 15 Apr 1877 31 Oct 1954 77
21 Jun 1951 Joseph Thomas Price 9 Oct 1902 1 Feb 1973 70
24 May 1973 Roger Stott 7 Aug 1943 8 Aug 1999 56
CONSTITUENCY ABOLISHED 1983
WEST LINDSEY (LINCOLNSHIRE)
SEE "GAINSBOROUGH"
WEST LOOE (CORNWALL)
14 Apr 1660 John Buller c 1632 1716
John Kendall 7 Aug 1631 after 1702
4 Apr 1661 John Nicholas [he was also returned for Wilton and for Ripon, for which he chose to sit] 19 Jan 1624 9 Jan 1705 80
John Trelawny (to 1685) c 1625 c Feb 1682
10 Jun 1661 Sir Henry Vernon, 1st baronet 16 Dec 1606 11 Apr 1676 69
21 Feb 1677 John Trelawny c 1646 14 May 1680
19 Feb 1681 Jonathan Trelawny 14 Feb 1648 1705 57
21 Apr 1685 Henry Trelawny c 1658 8 Jan 1702
James Kendall (to 1690) 17 Jun 1647 10 Jul 1708 61
11 Jan 1689 Percy Kirke 31 Oct 1691
24 Feb 1690 Edward Seymour, later [1708] 5th baronet 18 Dec 1663 29 Dec 1740 77
Jonathan Trelawny 14 Feb 1648 1705 57
25 Oct 1695 James Kendall (to 1702) 17 Jun 1647 10 Jul 1708 61
John Mountstephen 28 Apr 1644 19 Dec 1706 62
2 Dec 1701 Richard Jones, 1st Earl of Ranelagh [I] (to 1703) [expelled 1 Feb 1703] 8 Feb 1641 5 Jan 1712 70
28 Jul 1702 Sidney Godolphin [he was also returned for Helston, for which he chose to sit] 12 Jan 1652 23 Sep 1732 80
3 Dec 1702 Richard Hele [he was also returned for Plympton Erle as a result of a petition on 28 Jan 1703, for which he chose to sit] 27 Mar 1679 Dec 1709 30
31 Mar 1703 Henry Poley 5 Jan 1654 7 Aug 1707 53
Charles Seymour after 1679 10 Oct 1740
22 May 1705 Sir Charles Hedges (to 1713) 30 Jan 1650 10 Jun 1714 64
John Mountstephen 28 Apr 1644 19 Dec 1706 62
23 Jan 1707 Francis Palmes by 1663 15 Jan 1719
15 May 1708 John Conyers 6 Mar 1650 10 Mar 1725 75
19 Oct 1710 Arthur Maynwaring 9 Jul 1668 13 Nov 1712 44
20 Apr 1713 John Trelawny, later [1721] 4th baronet (to 1715) 26 Jul 1691 2 Feb 1756 64
7 Sep 1713 Sir Charles Wager c 1666 24 May 1743
1 Feb 1715 Thomas Maynard c 1685 8 Sep 1742
George Delaval (to 1724) c 1667 22 Jun 1723
12 Apr 1722 Sir John Trelawny, 4th baronet (to 1727) 26 Jul 1691 2 Feb 1756 64
20 Jan 1724 Edward Trelawny (to 1733) 9 Jul 1699 16 Jan 1754 54
23 Aug 1727 John Willes (to 1737) 29 Nov 1685 15 Dec 1761 76
26 Jan 1733 Thomas Walker c 1664 22 Oct 1748
4 May 1734 Edward Trelawny [his election was declared void] 9 Jul 1699 16 Jan 1754 54
20 Feb 1735 John Owen (to 1741) c 1698 29 Dec 1775
9 Feb 1737 John Strange [kt 1740] c 1696 18 May 1754
12 May 1741 Sir Charles Wager c 1666 24 May 1743
Benjamin Keene (to 1747) c 1697 15 Dec 1757
10 Dec 1743 John Frederick, later [1770] 4th baronet (to 1761) 28 Nov 1708 9 Apr 1783 74
2 Jul 1747 William Noel 19 Mar 1695 8 Dec 1762 67
16 May 1757 William Trelawny, later [1762] 6th baronet (to 1767) c 1722 11 Dec 1772
30 Mar 1761 Francis Buller 31 Oct 1723 31 Oct 1764 41
19 Jan 1765 John Sargent (to 1768) 1715 20 Sep 1791 76
10 Jul 1767 James Townsend (to 1774) 8 Feb 1737 1 Jul 1787 50
21 Mar 1768 William Graves c 1724 30 Apr 1801
11 Oct 1774 Sir William James, 1st baronet (to Jan 1784) c 1721 16 Dec 1783
Charles Ogilvie c 1731 1788
7 Jun 1775 John Rogers 15 Aug 1750 22 feb 1832 81
9 Sep 1780 John Buller 28 Feb 1745 26 Nov 1793 48
20 Mar 1782 John Sommers Cocks, later [1821] 1st Earl Somers (to Apr 1784) 6 May 1760 5 Jan 1841 80
3 Jan 1784 John Buller 28 Feb 1745 26 Nov 1793 48
5 Apr 1784 John Lemon 6 Nov 1754 5 Apr 1814 59
John Scott (to 1790) 24 Oct 1747 5 May 1819 71
21 Aug 1784 James Adams 5 Jun 1752 14 Sep 1816 64
21 Jun 1790 Sir John William de la Pole, 6th baronet 27 Jun 1757 30 Nov 1799 42
John Pardoe c 1756 26 Apr 1796
30 May 1796 John Buller 10 Jan 1771 3 Apr 1849 78
Sitwell Sitwell, later [1808] 1st baronet (to 1802) Sep 1769 4 Jul 1811 41
22 Nov 1796 John Hookham Frere 21 May 1769 7 Jan 1846 76
7 Jul 1802 James Buller (to 1805) 9 Nov 1772 14 Nov 1830 58
Thomas Smith c 1754 24 Apr 1831
21 Dec 1803 Quintin Dick (to 1806) 7 Feb 1777 26 Mar 1858 81
23 Jan 1805 Ralph Allen Daniell (to Oct 1812) 22 Jul 1762 28 Mar 1823 60
1 Nov 1806 James Buller 9 Nov 1772 14 Nov 1830 58
17 Jan 1812 Sir Joseph Sydney Yorke
For further information on the death of this MP, see the note at the foot of the page containing details of the MPs for Reigate		 6 Jun 1768 5 May 1831 62
10 Oct 1812 Charles Buller 31 May 1774 17 May 1848 73
Anthony Buller 26 Jul 1780 27 Jun 1866 85
11 Mar 1816 Henry William Fitzgerald-de Ros, later [1831] 22nd Baron de Ros 12 Jun 1793 29 Mar 1839 45
Sir Charles Hulse, 4th baronet (to 1826) 12 Oct 1771 25 Oct 1854 83
19 Jun 1818 Henry Goulburn 19 Mar 1784 12 Jan 1856 71
9 Jun 1826 John Buller 10 Jan 1771 3 Apr 1849 78
Charles Buller (to 1830) 31 May 1774 17 May 1848 73
6 Apr 1827 Sir Charles Hulse, 4th baronet (to 1832) 12 Oct 1771 25 Oct 1854 83
12 Feb 1830 Charles Buller 6 Aug 1806 29 Nov 1848 42
29 Apr 1831 Sir Anthony Buller 26 Jul 1780 27 Jun 1866 85
CONSTITUENCY DISENFRANCHISED 1832
 

Alexander Brogden
MP for Wednesbury 1868‑1885
Brogden died as a result of being badly burnt. At the Coroner's inquest following his death, it was found that Brogden, who had been ill for some time, was sitting by his fire when he leaned over to stir the coals, fell against the grate and received severe burns, to which he later succumbed.
Thomas Price
MP for Weobly 1702‑1705
Thomas Price was the eldest son of Robert Price, MP for Weobly 1685-1687, 1690-1700 and from Jan 1701 until he was appointed a Baron of the Exchequer in June 1702. He held this role until October 1726, when he was appointed a Justice of the Common Pleas, which position he held until his death in 1733. Thomas Price's younger brother, Uvedale Tomkyns Price, also sat for Weobly 1713-1715 and 1727-1734.
Robert Price's biographer, Edmund Curll, in his book The Life of the late Honourable Robert Price [London 1734] includes the following brief sketch of Thomas Price:-
The first Child they [Robert Price and his wife, Lucy Rodd] had was a Son, born at Foxley [in Yazor, Herefordshire], on the 16th Day of January 1680 … Thomas Price, Esq., died while on his Travels … The expression of Mr. Justice Price, to all his Relations and Friends, even to the Day of his own Death, was, that the Loss of his eldest Son Thomas was irreparable!
This very hopeful young Gentleman, Thomas Price, Esq., was educated at Westminster School, and, upon leaving it, was entered a Gentleman-Commoner of St. John's College in Cambridge. After finishing his Academical Studies, he was chosen Member of Parliament for the Borough of Weobly in Herefordshire, when he was but twenty two Years of Age.
As his Father had done, he, likewise, made the grand Tour of France and Italy, and sent over several agreeable Letters, recounting the Progress of his Travels. But the Acquaintance he had contracted with a Venetian Lady, it is presumed, was the Cause of his Death. His Person being very amiable, and more particularly so, from his having a fine Head of Hair, with which this Madona became extremely enamoured; and when these Ladies find a Lover to their liking, (especially, among all the Foreigners they meet with, an English Gentleman;) if they signify any Inclinations of a Departure, they make them a Present, of an unknown Dose, which will put a Period to their Lives according to the Time it is allotted for, either of Days, Months or Years. It so, fatally, happened that Mr. Price had declared his Intentions of going to Genoua; and the first Accident which befel him in his Way from the City of Venice to that Republick, he was attacked and a Quarrel drawn upon him by an Italian Nobleman, whom he fought, and disarmed. Then proceeding on his Journey, he arrived safe at Genoua.
Here he had not been long before he found himself greatly out of Order. Among other Symptoms, which caused the utmost Anxiety, his Hair came off by Handfuls, and, the many Fears he had grew too strong for him to bear; insomuch, that it cost him his Life in the Year 1706. It was not through the want of any Temporary Blessings; he having by him, a Bill of Credit for Five Hundred Pounds, and a considerable Sum in Gold, when he died. The Senate of Genoua seized all his Effects; and being a Protestant, alias a Heretick, they permitted his Remains no other than a Watry-Grave, letting them down, in a Leaden Coffin, into the Sea.
The unhappy Death of this Gentleman has been differently related, as occasioned (by a Point of good Breeding here, though the Jealousy of Foreigners will not bear it) in the following Manner, viz.
Mr. Price being at an Entertainment, drank to a Lady, the Wife of a Venetian Nobleman; which was, by the Husband, so highly resented, that he vowed his Destruction. Some Gentlemen in Company desired Mr. Price to go Post for Genoua, from which he was at that Time about twenty Leagues. He did so, and arrived there in Safety; but he was pursued by Bravoes, and through the Lattices of his Chamber Window in the Inn where he lay, shot in his Bed the next Morning.
Others relate, that the Venetian Nobleman whom he had fought with, and disarmed, in his Journey between Venice and Genoua, being full of the most malicious and cowardly Resentment, sent his Servant after Mr. Price, who acted the Part of a villainous Bravo and killed him.
But tho' there is not any Certainty on which of these different Rumours to fix the Death of this unhappy Gentleman, yet certain it is, that a good Son, and the express Image, in all Respects, of his Father, was lost to his parents in the Bloom of Life.
There are, therefore, three possible reasons for his death - first, at the hands of a jealous husband, who shot him or caused him to be shot; second, that he had been poisoned by a spurned lover; or third, depending upon the interpretation of "an unknown Dose", that he killed himself due to the ravages caused by syphilis.
Sir William Reginald Hall
MP for Liverpool West Derby 1919‑1923 and Eastbourne 1925‑1929
The following biography of Sir William Reginald Hall appeared in the September 1958 issue of the Australian monthly magazine Parade. Surprisingly, no mention is made of the fact that Hall was always known by the nickname of "Blinker", on account of a chronic facial twitch.
All through World War 1 an oddly-assorted band sat closeted day and night in Room 40 at the Admiralty working out puzzles on which hinged the fate of nations. They included high officers of all the services, professors from Oxford and Cambridge, a director of the Bank of England, a world-renowned music critic, a West End stage star, a publisher, an art expert, a famous dress designer, a Doctor of Divinity, a Roman Catholic priest and many others. They worked in the utmost secrecy. Not even a cleaner penetrated that office for four years. In it countless intercepted enemy wireless messages and signals were decoded - the basis of the whole British intelligence system. Presiding genius of Room 40 and a whole world-wide network of secret agents, counter-spies and cloak-and-dagger experts was dynamic, piercing-eyed, staccato-voiced Admiral Sir Reginald Hall. As Director of Naval Intelligence, he was primarily responsible for providing the Admiralty with information on enemy naval movements.
William Reginald Hall was born in Wiltshire on June 28, 1870. His father, Captain [William Henry] Hall [1842-1895], founded the Intelligence Department at the Admiralty [in 1887]. From a Navy cadet at 14, young William Hall rose to Commander at 31 and Captain four years later. On the outbreak of World War I, Hall had command of the fine new cruiser Queen Mary. He revolutionised navy routine to improve conditions for the crew - shorter watches, washing machines, films, hot showers, library and their own chapel on board. In November, 1914, Hall was relieved of his command and ordered to report to the Admiralty. He was appointed Director of Intelligence, and told to get to work.
Room 40 and its history-making wartime record was the result. Round him Hall gathered men and women from the academic, legal, literary and business worlds. Till then intelligence on enemy naval moves had come from foreign agents, look-out vessels cruising round ports, prisoners, fishermen and suchlike. Under Hall the whole set-up was changed to use newly- developed wireless. Scores of listening posts were set up in England and Europe, to intercept enemy wireless messages of all kinds. The signals were sent in code. Hall's experts had the job of deciphering them.
Germany changed the code at monthly intervals. Before long, however, the code was changed every 24 hours. Each day teams of cipher experts went to work to break the new code. Sometimes, German tricks and false trails held them up for hours, but not once did Room 40 fail to decipher a message eventually. From intercepted and deciphered German wireless messages Hall after only a couple of weeks warned the Navy that a small German fleet was on the move in the Heligoland Bight. A British cruiser and destroyer force caught the German fleet, sank three cruisers and one destroyer for little loss and sent the rest running for cover. Similarly, on December 15, 1914, Room 40 alerted the Admiralty of a forthcoming German raid on Scar- borough in Yorkshire. The Germans got through and bombarded the town, but were chased off by the Navy. A week later Hall gave details of a rendezvous between the German raiding cruiser, Dresden, and a collier in the Atlantic. The navy ordered our ships Kent and Glasgow to the scene. The Dresden was sunk.
Early in 1915, Admiral Hall knew Germany was planning a revolt in Ireland to cause trouble for England. Intercepted messages revealed their plan to land the Irish patriot Sir Roger Casement secretly to spark the uprising. Hall immediately chartered the luxury yacht, Sayonara, owned by American millionaire Anthony Drexel. He sent her off to the Irish west coast, ostensibly on a pleasure cruise. Her captain was Lieutenant F.M. Simon of the Royal Navy. Major Wilfred Russell posed as her owner. Outwardly they were Americans. Simon and Russell, however, skilfully conveyed the impression by speech, gesture, dress and attitude that they were really Germans pretending to be Americans. Hall hoped the obvious German flavour about her owner and captain would take in the Irish. Thus information could probably be wormed out about the Casement plans.
Main trouble for the plotters came from English Navy units in the area and loyal Irish who were unaware of the masquerade. Complaints poured in on London authorities about the German spy ship at work in Irish waters. This was exactly what Hall wanted. The Royal Navy watched the Sayonara constantly and once even placed her under arrest. Local Sinn Feiners knew this and welcomed Simon and Russell every time they put ashore. They revealed full details of prepar- ations to join Casement as soon as he landed. The loyal Irish were not so pleased to see Simon and Russell. On one occasion they stoned them as spies. One Irish Marquess was so incensed at official muddle-headedness over the Sayonara that he made a special trip to London. He bearded the First Sea Lord in his office and threatened to blow the lid off the "disgraceful affair" in the House of Lords. To avoid wrecking the whole scheme, the Marquess was referred to Hall, who let him into the secret.
The Sayonara was all ready to spring the trap if Casement appeared at Achill Head as the Sinn Feiners anticipated. Germany, however, decided Ireland was not yet ripe for revolt. The Casement project was delayed till 1916. The Sayonara quietly slipped back to England. Hall's organisation was again well on the job in 1916 when Casement did land in Ireland. Full details were known by tapping wireless messages from Berlin to the German Ambassador in Washington. As soon as Casement stepped ashore he was arrested by Hall and Sir Basil Thomson of Scotland Yard. Hall was responsible for the later execution of Sir Roger Casement. Though convicted, and sentenced to death, public sympathy for the Irish patriot seemed likely to save his life. From personal conviction Hall felt he should hang. He arranged the circulation of scandalous extracts from Casement's private diary [which portrays Casement as a predatory homosexual]. A revulsion of public feeling followed. The campaign for mercy petered out and Casement went to the gallows.
Meanwhile Hall constantly hoaxed the enemy. In the spring of 1915, British forces in France were weakened through sending troops to the Dardanelles. To counteract this, Hall tricked Germany into diverting units from France to the Belgian coast. Fake messages were sent to Berlin ostensibly through spies the Germans did not know had long been captured. These told of the massing of an imaginary invasion fleet of flat-bottomed boats at Hull. German plans in 1915 to raise a revolt in India by plotters from the United States were known to Hall from the beginning. He let them get to the stage of sailing from San Francisco with a shipload of arms bought in America. Once on the high seas a gunboat appeared, detained the arms ship, arrested the plotters and confiscated arms worth 300,000 dollars.
The later famous thriller writer, A[lfred] E[dward] W[oodley] Mason [1865‑1948], was one of Hall's best undercover agents. He did invaluable work in Spain, Mexico, Morocco and other places. Mason thwarted a scheme to send petrol on rafts to German submarines from Spanish ports. He uncovered a wild plan to bomb Gibraltar from a Spanish plane ostensibly giving a demonstration of flying acrobatics. Mason also discovered and smashed an under-cover group channelling cash from Germans in Spain to promote an uprising in Morocco. 
Whatever new scheme Germany tried, Hall and his men seemed to get wind of it. Hall's greatest test came in the great U-Boat onslaught on Allied shipping that reached its peak in the autumn of 1916. Reliable intelligence on U-Boat movements was essential. As well as from wireless interception, Hall got it from hundreds of agents throughout Europe - in German dock- yards, on neutral steamers, in foreign consulates, in convoys and hunting squadrons, in prisoner-of-war camps.
In January, 1917, with the U-Boats seemingly turning the struggle in Germany's favour, Admiral Hall was presented with a stroke of luck which be realised could change the whole course of the war. It was a deciphered message sent from the German Foreign Minister, Zimmermann, to his Ambassador, von Eckardt, in Mexico City. More than anything else that message, which Hall at once turned over to U.S. President Wilson, forced America into World War I. It stated Germany's intention to begin unrestricted U-Boat attacks on all Atlantic shipping (including American) and her efforts to persuade Mexico to declare war and invade Texas. [For further information, see "The Zimmermann Telegram" by Barbara Tuchman (Macmillan, New York 1958)] It was the last straw. With America's entry into the conflict, the scales swung decisively in the allies' favour and Germany's ultimate defeat was inevitable.
With peace, Admiral Hall, who had been knighted, faded into semi-obscurity. With his mind and energies set implacably on the war and victory during his years of triumph, he had trodden on many toes. Once the powerful press baron Lord Northcliffe called on him in Room 40. The Admiral was affronted that Northcliffe did not remove his hat - and rather tactlessly showed it. He pressed a button. A messenger appeared. Hall asked him to fetch his cap. When it arrived, he jammed it on his head and continued the conversation. Northcliffe never forgave the blunt reminder of his own discourtesy. He was believed responsible for the behind-the-scenes moves that resulted in Hall's retirement after the Armistice. Still under 50, the Admiral won a seat in the House of Commons, but gradually faded from the public eye. He died in 1943.
James Keir Hardie
MP for West Ham South 1892‑1895 and Merthyr Tydfil 1900‑1915
The following biography of Hardie appeared in the March 1967 issue of the Australian monthly magazine Parade:-
One August day in 1892 a horse-drawn carriage packed with roughly dressed and wildly excited passengers, one of them blowing lustily on a cornet, made its noisy way to the House of Commons. Passers-by stared in astonishment as a small, bearded man in a tweed suit, flannel shirt and cloth cap descended from the carriage and walked calmly through the gates. His name was Keir Hardie. His arrival at Westminster that morning was a momentous event in English political history, the advent of the Labour Party in the House of Commons. Hardie was the first Labour member of Parliament in England, having just been elected by dockers of the London working class suburb of West Ham. The clothes he wore were his way of announcing that he himself was a working man and he was not going to dress himself up in the uniform of another class, even to sit in Parliament.
A stubborn idealist from the hitherto voiceless ranks of the economic underdogs, Keir Hardie was a unique phenomenon as he sat alone in the House of Commons in 1892. Tories and Liberals despised him and the newspapers ridiculed him. But for years he battled on single-handed to win a better deal for workers and the poor. In Parliament he spoke long and earnestly about hours, wages, conditions of work and child labour. His well-fed opponents listened indifferently or branded him a dangerous agitator. And he lived to see more than 40 other Labour MPs beside him - and the idea of a Labour government of Britain no longer a dream.
The son of a carpenter, James Keir Hardie was born in 1856 in a tumble-down, two-room cottage in Legbrannock, a grimy mining village in Lanarkshire, Scotland. He was still a child when the family moved to Glasgow so his father could work in the shipyards. However, scarcity of jobs, strikes and frequent accidents reduced the father's earnings so they were always on the verge of destitution. School for young Hardie was out of the question. At the age of eight he was packed off to work as a messenger boy in the office of the shipping company. For his weekly half-crown he put in six 10-hour days, running all over Glasgow, rarely allowed to rest and frequently helped on his way by kicks.
When he dared to ask for a sixpenny rise he was sacked. So he went off to the shipyards and landed a four-shilling-a-week job as a rivet boy. "You'll have to learn as you go", the foreman told the eight-year-old. "And mind, if you fall and kill yourself, it's your own fault and nobody else is to blame." Working 12 hours a day, regardless of wind, rain or snow, and often high up on dangerous scaffolding, the boy had to catch the red-hot rivet in a small pail, grip it with tongs and insert it in the hole ready for the striker to hammer home. Despite the risks he was content with the job because of the extra pay he could take home. Then came the disaster of a strike. He could not afford the luxury of being idle so he got another messenger job in a bakery. When he was a few minutes late one payday he was sacked on the spot and lost a week's wages.
Shortly afterwards the Hardie family moved to the mining village of Newarthill in Lanarkshire. There, still only 10, Keir learnt at first hand the horrors of the 19th century miner's life. Pitifully small wages, long hours, back-breaking labour and the ever-present fear of a pit disaster or unemployment - all these turned the miners into men prematurely aged, often drunk and without self-respect or hope. The lad started in the mine as a trapper. He had to sit for 12 hours a day in a tiny air vent and manipulate a curtain to keep air circulating below. Unlike the other mine boys, he used the time to educate himself. He taught himself to write on a piece of slate, painfully printing words that he had learned to spell by gazing at open books in shop windows.
By the time he was 18 and a full-fledged coal-hewer, Keir Hardie could read and write. Earnest-minded, a teetotaller and devoutly religious, he began attending a night school. He studied English grammar and literature, history, geography and shorthand. He read the Scot's literary heroes, Burns and Carlyle. Because of his unusual education it was not long before he developed into an outspoken critic of the fearful conditions in the Lanarkshire mines. Because he could put into words the grievances and aspirations of his tongue-tied workmates, he was elected to deputations to petition for safety measures, shorter hours and better wages. He paid dearly for his zeal. Branded as a troublemaker, he was sacked, and blacklisted at every mine in Lanarkshire.
He hit back by forming a union of all miners in the county with himself as secretary. Meanwhile to eke out a living he acted as correspondent for a Glasgow newspaper and wrote for radical magazines. At 24 Keir Hardie led the Lanarkshire miners in their first organised strike. Though it failed in its immediate objectives it demonstrated the union's power and gradually the mine-owners made concessions. After his marriage in 1886 Hardie moved to Ayrshire, where he founded another union. He settled in a cottage in Cumnock and again earned his bread by journalism while battling for the miners.
By now mine-owners throughout Scotland were denouncing him as a dangerous revolutionary. To his followers he was a hero and by 1888 the Ayrshire Miners Union was able to pay its secretary a modest 30 shillings a week. With that and his earnings from journalism Hardie founded his own monthly paper, Labour Leader, to "advocate reform in every direction which promises to bring relief to the toiling millions". His horizons were widening. Now he wanted better conditions not only for miners but for all workers. He saw they could be best obtained by direct representation in Parliament.
So was born the idea of an independent political party of working men, to represent working men. From Keir Hardie's dream the British Labour Party was eventually to emerge. Before him several members had been elected to Parliament as avowed representatives of the working class, but in the Commons they always allied themselves with the Liberal Party. Hardie was the first to insist on the need for a completely independent Labour party, free from any other affiliation.
His pioneer venture into politics was daunting. In 1888 he stood as an independent Labour candidate in a by‑election in Lanarkshire and was crushingly defeated. It was clear the Scottish miners were not yet united enough to elect a representative of their own. So in 1892, financed by his Ayrshire union, Hardie went to London and won the East End seat of West Ham [South]. No figure like him had ever been seen in the sedate precincts of Parliament. One day, as he arrived in his workman's clothes, he was stopped by a policeman at the doorway. "Are you working here, mate?" the constable asked. "Yes", was the laconic reply. "On the roof?" persisted the policeman. "No, on the floor", said the member for West Ham.
Hardie was then only 36, but his hair was streaked with silver and he looked years older. Ignoring overtures from the Liberal Party to join it, he steadfastly sat out his term as a party of one. He made his presence felt as he tenaciously forced the attention of the House of Commons on such unpalatable subjects as an eight-hour day, a minimum wage, municipal housing, factory acts and workers' compensation laws. Opponents denounced him as anti-Christian and a "believer in bloody revolutions". Reforms which he advocated - and which in a few years were to be accepted as a matter of course - were described as "certain to bankrupt Britain and lead to the inevitable disintegration of the Empire".
On an eventful day in 1894 three happenings were reported - the French President François [Sadi] Carnot was assassinated, an heir was born to the Duke of York [the baby was later to be King Edward VIII and Duke of Windsor] and 290 miners were killed in a Welsh colliery disaster [at the Albion Colliery in Cilfynydd, Glamorgan]. The House of Commons prepared to adopt a resolution of condolence for the French Republic and another of congratulation to the royal family. Keir Hardie then asked the Liberal Government to propose a resolution of sympathy for the families of the dead miners. When the government refused Hardie retaliated by opposing the motion of congratulation on the birth of the prince, well knowing that he would be the target of violent public abuse.
He lost his seat in the general election of 1895. Five years later he was back again as MP for the Welsh mining seat of Merthyr, which elected him for the rest of his life. While out of the House he turned his paper, Labour Leader, into a weekly and on a shoestring budget fought vigorously to win mass trade union support for Labour representation. Though he was still the only Labour Party candidate elected in 1900 [this is incorrect - Richard Bell was elected for Derby], only five more years passed before Keir Hardie saw his lifelong struggle rewarded when he became the leader of a Parliamentary Labour Party of 29 members.
Despite recurring ill-health he worked incessantly for his ideals on an income that rarely exceeded £4 a week. By the time World War I broke out the ailing Keir Hardie had relinquished the leadership of the Labour Party to Ramsay MacDonald, who was to become the first Labour Prime Minister, in 1924. As a fanatical pacifist, however, it was Hardie who had spearheaded the party's fight to avoid war. By now a world-famous figure in Labour and socialist circles, he clung to the hope that the workers of Europe would unite to prevent the war by threat of a general strike. His disillusionment was overwhelming. In every country almost all radical leaders put patriotism before the cause of international solidarity.
He died in 1915. He was only 59 and his doctor said just before the end: "He wasn't ill as we know it. He's past medicine or drugs. He just doesn't want to live in a world at war."
 

 
Copyright © 2003-2017 Leigh Rayment
Copyright © 2020-2024 Helen Belcher OBE