History of parliamentary constituencies and boundaries in Essex

The ceremonial county of Essex, which includes the unitary authorities of Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock, has returned 18 MPs to the UK Parliament since 2010.

As a result of the creation of Greater London under the London Government Act 1963, which came into effect on 1 April 1965, the boundaries of the historic/administrative county were significantly altered, with the south-western corner, representing a majority of its population and seats, being transferred to Greater London, forming the London Boroughs of Newham, Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Redbridge and Waltham Forest. This was reflected in the following redistribution of parliamentary seats which came into effect for the February 1974 general election and effectively reduced the county's representation from 26 to 12 MPs.

Number of seats The table below shows the number of MPs representing Essex at each major redistribution of seats affecting the county. Current countyLondon areaYearCounty seats1Borough seats1County seats1Borough seats1TotalPrior to 183226Included in current county81832–186846101868–188564101885–19186122111918–194571111201945–195081116261950–195582014241955–1965102014261965–1974102Part of Greater London121974–1983104141983–1997115161997–2010125172010–present12618 1Prior to 1950, seats were classified as County Divisions or Parliamentary Boroughs. Since 1950, they have been classified as County or Borough Constituencies. Timeline

Prior to 1885 ConstituencyPrior to 18321832–18681868–1885Essex1290–1832 (2 MPs)North Essex1832–1868 (2 MPs)East Essex1868–1885 (2 MPs)Harwich1604–1868 (2 MPs)1868–1885Colchester1295–1885 (2 MPs)Maldon1332–1868 (2 MPs)1868–1885West Essex1868–1885 (2 MPs)South Essex1832–1885 (2 MPs)

From 1885

Current ceremonial county Constituency1885-19181918-19451945-19501950-19551955-19741974-19831983-19971997-20102010-20242024-presentHarwich1885-2010Clacton2010–presentHarwich and North Essex2010–presentNorth Essex1997-2010North Colchester1983-1997Colchester1885-19181918-19831997–presentSouth Colchester and Maldon1983-1997Maldon1885-19832010–presentMaldon and East Chelmsford1997-2010Witham2010–presentBraintree1974–presentChelmsford1885-19972010–presentWest Chelmsford1997-2010Saffron Waldon1885-2024North West Essex2024-presentEpping (part from 1918)11885-1974Harlow1974–presentChigwell1950-1974Epping Forest1974–presentBrentwood and Ongar1974–presentBillericay1950-19741983-2010Basildon and Billericay2010–presentBasildon1974–2010South Basildon and East Thurrock2010–presentSouth East Essex1885-19501955-1983Castle Point1983–presentRochford1983-1997Rayleigh1997-2010Rayleigh and Wickford2010–presentSouthend-on-Sea1918-1950Southend East1950-1997Rochford and Southend East1997–2024Southend East and Rochford2024-presentSouthend West1950-2024Southend West and Leigh2024-presentThurrock1945-19741974–presentConstituency1885-19181918-19451945-19501950-19551955-19741974-19831983-19971997-20102010- 20242024-present Outer London area Constituency1885–19181918–19451945–19501950–19551955–19641964–1974Romford1885–19451945-->Part of Greater London from 1965 onwardsHornchurch1945–19501950-->Dagenham1945-->Barking1945-->East Ham North1918-1974East Ham South1918-1974Ilford1918–1945Ilford North1945-->Ilford South1945-->Epping (part)11918-1974Woodford1945–1964Wanstead and Woodford1964-->Walthamstow1885–1918Walthamstow East1918-1974Walthamstow West1918-1974Leyton East1918–1950Leyton West1918–1950Leyton1950-->West Ham North1885–19181950-1974Stratford1918–1950Upton1918–1950West Ham South1885–19181950-1974Plaistow1918–1950Silvertown1918–1950Constituency1885–19181918–19451945–19501950–19551955–19641964–1974 1 From 1918, Epping contained the local authorities of Woodford and Wanstead (hived off as a separate constituency in 1945), and Chingford, which were incorporated into the London Borough of Waltham Forest in 1965.

Boundary reviews Prior to 1832Since 1290, the parliamentary county of Essex, along with all other English counties regardless of size or population, had elected two MPs (knights of the shire) to the House of Commons. The county also included three parliamentary boroughs, namely Colchester, Harwich and Maldon each returning 2 MPs (burgesses).1832The Reform Act 1832 radically changed the representation of the House of Commons, with the county being divided into the Northern and Southern Divisions, both returning 2 MPs. The parliamentary boroughs all retained their 2 MPs.1868Under the Representation of the People Act 1867, the county was further divided. The Northern Division was abolished and redistributed to the East and West Divisions, with both also including areas transferred from the Southern Division. The representation of the Boroughs of Harwich and Maldon was reduced to 1 MP each, thereby maintaining the overall representation of the county at 10 MPs.1885Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, the three 2-member county divisions were replaced by eight single-member constituencies, namely the North Eastern or Harwich Division (which absorbed the abolished Parliamentary Borough of Harwich), the Eastern or Maldon Division (which absorbed the abolished Parliamentary Borough of Maldon), the South Eastern Division, the Mid or Chelmsford Division, the Northern or Saffron Walden Division, the Western or Epping Division, the South Western or Walthamstow Division and the Southern or Romford Division. The representation of the Borough of Colchester was reduced to 1 MP and West Ham was created as a new Parliamentary Borough, divided into North and South Divisions.1918Under the Representation of the People Act 1918, the number of constituencies in Essex was increased substantially to reflect the growth of the population since 1885 in the outer London area. Outside the London area, the number of constituencies was only increased by one with the creation of the Parliamentary Borough of Southend-on-Sea which was carved out of South East Essex.

The Parliamentary Borough of Colchester was converted into a county division, gaining western parts of Harwich.

Other boundary changes included:

Chipping Ongar from Epping to Chelmsford; Billericay from Chelmsford to South East Essex; Burnham-on-Crouch and the Dengie peninsular from South East Essex to Maldon; Halstead from Maldon to Saffron Walden; and Great Dunmow and Hatfield Broad Oak from Epping to Saffron Walden.

In the London area:

Walthamstow was split into four boroughs of Walthamstow East and West, and Leyton East and West, with the Urban District of Woodford being transferred to Epping; the Borough of West Ham was further divided into the four divisions of Stratford, Upton, Plaistow and Silvertown; and the three new borough constituencies of Ilford and East Ham North and South were carved out of Romford, with the Urban District of Wanstead being transferred to Epping and the parish of Cann Hall being included in Leyton East. The much reduced constituency of Romford gained the then small villages of Upminster and Rainham from Chelmsford and South East Essex respectively.1945The House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act 1944 set up Boundary Commissions to carry out periodic reviews of the distribution of parliamentary constituencies. It also authorised an initial review to subdivide abnormally large constituencies (those exceeding an electorate of 100,000) in time for the 1945 election. This was implemented by the Redistribution of Seats Order 1945 under which Essex was allocated six additional seats:

Thurrock was carved out of South East Essex; Woodford (incorporating Woodford, Wanstead and Chigwell) was created from Epping; Ilford was split into North and South Divisions; and Romford (which had an electorate exceeding 200,000) was once again split into four constituencies with the creation of Barking, Dagenham and Hornchurch.

The boundary between South East Essex and Chelmsford was redrawn to reflect the reorganisation of local authorities since 1918.1950The Representation of the People Act 1948 reflected the reduction of population in the innermost parts of Outer London. West Ham's representation was reduced back down from four to two through the re-establishment of the North and South constituencies; and the two Leyton seats were combined to form the Leyton constituency. Outside London, the expanded Borough of Southend was split between East and West constituencies, with the former including Shoeburyness and Rochford, both previously in South East Essex, which was now renamed Billericay.

The only other significant change was the transfer of the Urban District of Brentwood from Chelmsford to Romford.1955The First Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies resulted in the creation of Chigwell, primarily created from hiving off the Urban District of Chigwell from Woodford, but also including Chipping Ongar and surrounding rural areas, transferred from Chelmsford. South East Essex was re-established, comprising the Urban Districts of Benfleet, Canvey Island and Rayleigh, which were previously included in the Billericay constituency, along with Rochford, transferred back from Southend East.

Billericay now comprised the Urban District of Billericay (renamed Basildon Urban District shortly afterwards), along with that of Brentwood, transferred from Romford.

Following an interim review of boundaries in 1960, Woodford was renamed Wanstead and Woodford with only minor boundary changes. This came into effect for the 1964 general election.

On 1 April 1965, the south-western corner of the county of Essex was incorporated into the new county of Greater London, resulting in the majority of the electorate and parliamentary constituencies being removed. As a result, the constituency of Epping was split between Essex and Greater London, with the area comprising the former Urban District of Chingford being included in the new London Borough of Waltham Forest.1974The next national boundary change, following the recommendations of the Second Periodic Review, reflected the change in county boundaries arising from the creation of Greater London in 1965, but did not come into effect for a further nine years at the February 1974 election. The impact on the constituencies within the re-constituted county of Essex was as follows:

A new constituency of Braintree, created primarily from parts of the Maldon constituency, including the Urban Districts of Braintree and Bocking, and Witham. It also included rural areas to the north of Chelmsford and a very small part of Saffron Walden. To compensate for the losses to Braintree, Maldon was extended southwards, taking the Rural District of Rochford from South East Essex. Billericay was abolished and split up, with the Urban District of Basildon forming the new constituency of Basildon, and the Urban District of Brentwood forming the basis of Brentwood and Ongar, with Chipping Ongar and surrounding rural areas being transferred from the abolished constituency of Chigwell. Epping was abolished and split up, with the majority forming the new constituency of Harlow. The area in the south which was now in the London Borough of Waltham Forest (the former Urban District of Chingford) formed the basis of the new borough constituency of Chingford in Greater London. Remaining areas, including Waltham Abbey and the town of Epping were combined with Chigwell from the abolished constituency thereof to form the new constituency of Epping Forest.

Harwich, Colchester, Southend East, Southend West and Thurrock were unchanged.1983The Third Review reflected the 1974 local government reorganisation arising from the Local Government Act 1972 and resulted in another significant redistribution, including the addition of two more seats. The main changes were as follows: