Leicestershire was a county constituency in Leicestershire, represented in the House of Commons. It elected two Members of Parliament (MPs), traditionally called Knights of the Shire, by the bloc vote system of election, to the Parliament of England until 1707, to the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 until 1800, and then to the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1832.

History The constituency was abolished by the Reform Act 1832 for the 1832 general election, when it was replaced by the Northern and Southern divisions, each of which elected two MPs.

Both divisions were abolished by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 for the 1885 general election, when they were replaced by four new single-seat constituencies: Bosworth, Harborough, Loughborough and Melton.

Members of Parliament

1290–1640 ParliamentFirst memberSecond member 1290 William HamelynRobert Burdet 1295 Robert de WyvillJohn Aungerville 1297 Sir Thomas de MeynillSir William Burdet of Loseby 1300 John AungervilleJohn Folville 1301 John AungervilleJohn Folville 1302 Robert PonterelJohn Folville 1305 John AungervilleRobert Ponterel 1306 John AungervilleSir John Folville 1307 (Jan) Sir William MarmionRichard de Perrers 1307 (Oct) Sir John AungervilleSir William Marmion 1309 Henry de ErdingtonRichard de Edgebaston 1311 (Aug) Richard de PerrersJohn de Bakepuz 1311 (Nov) Richard de PerrersJohn de Bakepuz 1312 Ralph de SachevilleJohn Aungerville 1313 Sir William BrabazonHenry de Nottingham 1314 William TrussellJohn de Houby 1315 Robert de WyvillRalph de Sacheville 1316 (Jan) Ralph Folville Richard de Edgebaston 1316 (Jul) Ralph Folville Richard de Edgebaston 1318 Ralph FolvilleJohn de Olney 1319 Henry de NottinghamRobert de Gaddesby 1320 William de NevilleRalph Mallory 1321 Ralph de Sacheville William de Kaythorp 1322 (May) Hugh de Prestwold Richard de Edgebaston 1322 (Nov) Robert de Gaddesby William Jaunville 1324 (Jan) Ralph de Sacheville Nicholas Payne 1324 (Oct) Sir Robert BurdetRoger la Zouch 1325 Ralph BelerRoger de Belgrave 1327 (Jan) Sir Robert BurdetSir William Moton 1327 (Sep) Roger de BelgraveRobert de Sadyngton 1328 (Feb) Roger de GaddesbyRobert de Sadyngton 1328 (Apr) Robert BurdetRobert de Sadyngton 1328 (Jul) Ralph de SachevilleRobert de Waltham 1329 Ralph de SachevilleJordan de Garthorp 1330 (Mar) William MotonRobert Burdet 1330 (Nov) Robert BurdetRichard de Edgebaston 1331 Roger la ZouchWilliam de Staunton 1332 (Mar) Richard de EdgebastonRalph de Sacheville 1332 (Sep) Philip de FolvilleAlan Talbot 1333 Alan TalbotJohn de Knighton 1334 (Feb) John de KnightonSimon Pakeman 1334 (Sep) Richard de EdgebastonHugh Turville 1335 William MotonWilliam de Bredon 1336 (Mar) William de BredonHugh Turville 1337 (Mar) William MotonHugh Turville 1337 (Sep) Roger la ZouchWilliam Moton 1338 (Feb) Hugh TurvilleRoger de Belgrave 1338 (Jul) William MotonNicholas Charnels 1339 (Feb) William MotonJohn de Farrington 1339 (Oct) William MotonRobert de Waltham 1340 (Jan) Nicholas CharnelsRichard de Shelton 1340 (Mar) John de BoyvilleThomas de Whelesbergh 1340 (Jul) Richard de Edgebaston 1341 John WaleysNicholas Charnels 1343 William Moton 1344 Thomas CharnelsJohn Hakelut 1346 Simon PakemanRobert de Kegworth 1348 (Jan) John WaleysSimon Pakeman 1348 (Mar) Roger WaleysRobert de Gaddesby 1351 John PaynelJohn de Levere 1352 (Jan) William de BredonGeoffrey de Villiers 1352 (Aug) Robert de Willoughby 1353 Thomas Malesores 1354 Thomas MalesoresJohn Paynel 1355 Sir Nicholas CharnelsSir Thomas Malesores 1357 Thomas MalesoresMathew de Folville 1358 Sir John PaynelSir Thomas Malesores 1360 Thomas de ChaworthJohn Charnels 1361 Philip de NevillJohn Talbot 1362 Sir William FlamvilleJohn Talbot 1363 Robert de HerleRoger de Belers 1365 Ralph de HastingsSimon Pakeman 1366Sir William Flamville Simon Pakeman 1368 John Talbot Simon Pakeman 1369 John Talbot Thomas Oudeby 1371 William FlamvilleWilliam Taillard 1372 John Berkeley William de Burgh 1373 John Talbot Robert Digby 1376 Sir William FlamvilleRalph Bellers 1377 (Jan)Sir William Flamville Ralph Bellers 1377 (Nov) Sir William FlamvilleJohn Bellers 1378 Edmund ApplebyThomas de Erdington 1379 Thomas WalshSir Roger Perwych 1380 (Jan) John BurdetJohn Fauconer 1380 (Nov)Thomas WalshLaurence Hauberk 1381Thomas Walsh Sir William Flamville 1382 (May)Thomas Walsh Sir William Flamville 1382 (Oct) John NevilleJohn Perwich 1383 (Feb)Thomas WalshJohn Fauconer 1384 (May) Sir William FlamvilleEdmund de Appleby 1384 (Nov)Thomas WalshJohn Fauconer 1385 John CalveleyJohn Fauconer 1386 Sir William Flamville Sir Thomas Walsh 1388 (Feb) Sir William Flamville Sir Thomas Walsh 1388 (Sep) Sir William Flamville Sir Roger Perwych (d. Oct 1388) 1390 (Jan) John Burdet Sir Thomas Walsh 1390 (Nov) Robert Langham Sir Thomas Walsh 1391 Sir William Flamville Sir Thomas Walsh 1393 Sir Robert Harrington Sir Hugh Shirley 1394 Sir Robert Harrington Sir Thomas Walsh 1395 Nicholas Colman Sir Thomas Walsh 1397 (Jan) Edmund Bugge Sir Thomas Walsh 1397 (Sep) Sir John Calveley Sir Henry Neville 1399 Thomas Mandeville Sir Thomas Maureward 1401 Thomas Derby Sir John Neville 1402 Sir John Berkeley Sir Henry Neville 1404 (Jan) Sir William Brokesby Edmund Bugge 1404 (Oct) Sir John Berkeley Robert Veer 1406 Sir John Neville Sir Henry Neville 1407 John Blaket Robert Sherard 1410 John Blaket Bartholomew Brokesby 1411 Sir John Berkeley Sir Thomas Maureward 1413 (Feb) 1413 (May) James Bellers William Belgrave 1414 (Apr) Thomas Ashby John Blaket 1414 (Nov) James Bellers Richard Hotoft 1415 1416 (Mar) 1416 (Oct) 1417 1419 Thomas Ashby William Mallory 1420 James Bellers Sir Ralph Shirley 1421 (May) John Burgh Richard Hotoft 1421 (Dec) Sir Laurence Berkeley Sir William Trussell 1422 Robert Moton Bartholomew Brokesby 1423 Thomas Foulehurst John Boyville 1424 Bartholomew Brokesby Baldwin Bugge 1425 John Boyville Baldwin Bugge 1426 John Boyville Bartholomew Brokesby 1428 Everard Digby Bartholomew Brokesby 1430 Sir Laurence Berkeley Thomas Foulehurst 1433 Thomas Palmer John Burgh 1439 Richard Hotoft Thomas Palmer 1441 Thomas Palmer Richard Neel 1446Richard HotoftThomas Staunton 1448Thomas EveringhamThomas Palmer 1450Richard HotoftWilliam Feilding 1451John BelerRobert Staunton 1453Thomas EveringhamJohn Boyville 1455Laurence HastingsThomas Palmer 1460William FeildingJohn Whatton 1467 Thomas Palmer Robert Staunton 1472 William Trussell Sir Thomas Berkeley 1477 William Trussell William Moton 1510–1515No names known 1523 ?Sir Richard Sacheverell ? 1529 Sir Richard Sacheverell, died 1534 Sir William Skeffington, died 1535 by 1536 ?William Asby 1536 ?William Ashby ? 1539 Sir John Villers John Digby 1542 Sir Richard Manners ?Thomas Brokesby 1545 Sir Ambrose Cave Robert Burdett 1547 Edward Hastings Sir Ambrose Cave 1553 (Mar) Edward Hastings Sir Ambrose Cave 1553 (Oct) Robert Strelley Sir Thomas Hastings 1554 (Apr) Sir Thomas Hastings Henry Poole 1554 (Nov) Sir Thomas Hastings George Turpin 1555 William Faunt William Skeffington 1558 George Vincent George Sherard 1559 (Jan) Adrian Stokes Francis Cave 1562–1563 Nicholas Beaumont George Turpin 1571 Francis Hastings Adrian Stokes 1572 (Apr) (Sir) George Turpin Nicholas Beaumont 1584 George Hastings, 4th Earl of Huntingdon Francis Hastings 1586 George Hastings, 4th Earl of Huntingdon Francis Hastings 1588 (Oct) Sir Henry Beaumont William Turpin 1593 Francis Hastings Thomas Skeffington 1597 Sir Edward Hastings Sir Francis Hastings 1601 Henry Hastings William Skipwith 1604 Sir George Villiers Thomas Beaumont 1606 Sir Henry Beaumont of Coleorton 1607 Sir Basil Brooke of Lubenham 1614 Sir George Hastings Sir Thomas Hesilrige 1621–1622 Sir George Hastings Sir Henry HastingsSome sources give Thomas Beaumont. Beaumont was initially returned but Hastings declared elected instead 1624 Sir Thomas Hesilrige Sir Henry Hastings 1625 Ferdinando Lord Hastings Sir Wolstan Dixie 1626 Sir Henry Hastings Francis Staresmore 1628–1629 Sir Edward Hartopp Ferdinando, Lord Hastings 1629–1640No Parliament convened

1640–1832

YearFirst memberFirst partySecond memberSecond party Apr 1640 Sir Arthur Hesilrige Hon. Lord Grey of Ruthyn Nov 1640 Sir Arthur Hesilrige Henry Smith

ParliamentFirst memberSecond memberThird memberFourth member 1653 Henry Danvers Edward Smith John Prat 3 seats only 1654Thomas Beaumont Henry Grey, 1st Earl of Stamford Lord Grey of Groby Thomas Pochin 1656 Thomas Beaumont Francis Hacker (of Okeham) William Quarks Thomas Pochin

YearFirst memberFirst partySecond memberSecond party 1659 Sir Thomas Beaumont, 1st Baronet Francis Hacker 1660 Thomas Merry Matthew Babington 1661 Lord Roos election declared void Apr 1679 George Faunt Feb 1679 The Lord Sherard Apr 1679Sir John Hartopp John Coke Aug 1679 The Lord Sherard Feb 1681 1685 John Verney 1689 Sir Thomas Halford 1690Sir Thomas Hesilrige 1695 John Verney George Ashby 1698 John Wilkins 1701 Lord Roos The Lord Sherard 1702 John Verney John Wilkins 1707 George Ashby 1708 Sir Geoffrey Palmer Sir Gilbert Pickering 1710 The Marquess of Granby 1711 Sir Thomas Cave Tory 1713 Viscount Tamworth Tory 1714 Sir Geoffrey Palmer 1719 Lord William Manners Whig 1722 Edmund Morris Tory 1727 Sir Clobery Noel Tory Feb 1734 Ambrose Phillipps Tory May 1734 Edward Smith 1738 Lord Grey 1739 Lord Guernsey 1741 Sir Thomas Cave 1747 Wrightson Mundy 1754 Sir Thomas Palmer 1762 Sir Thomas Cave 1765 Sir John Palmer 1774 Thomas Noel 1775 John Peach-Hungerford 1780 William Pochin 1790 Sir Thomas Cave 1792 Penn Assheton Curzon 1797 George Anthony Legh-Keck 1798 Sir Edmund Cradock-Hartopp 1806 Lord Robert William Manners 1818 Charles March Phillipps 1820 George Anthony Legh-Keck 1831 Charles March-Phillipps Thomas Paget Whig1832 Great Reform Act: constituency abolished

References