Oxford was a parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, comprising the city of Oxford in the county of Oxfordshire.
History The parliamentary borough of Oxford elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of England from its creation in 1295 to 1707, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801. In 1885, its representation was reduced to one member by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 and it was abolished in 1983 as a result of the Third Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies.
During the 1960s and 1970s, Oxford was a marginal seat.
Boundaries and boundary changes
1918–1950 The County Borough of Oxford.
The boundaries were expanded to coincide with the County Borough.
1950–1983 As above, with redrawn boundaries.
Areas which had been absorbed by the County Borough of Oxford, including Cowley and Headington, transferred from the Henley constituency. Small area in the north also transferred from Banbury.
In the 1983 redistribution, the Oxford constituency disappeared and was split into two distinct constituencies: Oxford East, and Oxford West and Abingdon. The City of Oxford local government district had succeeded the County Borough of Oxford on 1 April 1974, as outlined in the Local Government Act 1972, and the redistribution was a reflection of this change. Oxford West and Abingdon encompassed Oxford city centre at the time, but Oxford East primarily comprised the majority of the new district. From 2010, the city centre was situated within the redrawn Oxford East constituency until 2024 when it was transferred back into Oxford West and Abingdon.
Members of Parliament
1295–1640
ParliamentFirst memberSecond member 1379 Edmund Kenyan Thomas Somerset 1380 (Nov) Edmund Kenyan 1381 Edmund Kenyan 1382 (May) Edmund Kenyan 1385 Edmund Kenyan 1386 Edmund Kenyan Thomas Houkyn 1388 (Feb) John Hickes Thomas Somerset 1388 (Sep) John Shawe Thomas Baret 1390 (Jan) Richard Garston Alan Lekensfeld 1390 (Nov) Edmund Kenyan Adam de la River 1391 Edmund Kenyan John Ottworth 1393 Richard Garston John Merston 1394 Edmund Kenyan John Forster 1395 John Ludlow Adam de la River 1397 (Jan) Walter Benham Adam de la River 1397 (Sep) John Ottworth Adam de la River 1399 John Spicer John Burbridge 1401 Thomas Forsthull Adam de la River 1402 Walter Benham John Spicer 1404 (Jan) Thomas Coventre John Spicer 1404 (Oct) John Merston Michael Salisbury 1406 John Ottworth Thomas Cowley 1407 Thomas Coventre Hugh Benet 1410 Thomas Coventre Hugh Benet 1411 1413 (Feb) 1413 (May) Thomas Coventre Hugh Benet 1414 (Apr) John Shawe II Walter Colet 1414 (Nov) Thomas Coventre John Merston 1415 1416 (Mar) Thomas Coventre William Brampton 1416 (Oct) 1417 Thomas Coventre Hugh Benet 1419 Thomas Coventre William Brampton 1420 Thomas Coventre William Offord 1421 (May) Thomas Coventre William Brampton 1421 (Dec) John Quarame William Offord 1491 Robert Caxton 1510–1523 No names known 1529 John Latton William Fleming 1536 ?John Latton ?William Fleming 1539 Thomas Denton Richard Gunter 1542 ? 1545 ? 1547 Ralph Flaxney Edward Frere 1553 (Mar) Christopher Edmonds Edward Glynton 1553 (Oct) John Wayte Thomas Williams 1554 (Apr) Thomas Mallinson Edward Glynton 1554 (Nov) John Wayte William Tylcock 1555 John Wayte William Pantre 1558 John Barton Richard Williams 1559 (Jan) Thomas Wood Roger Taylor 1562 (Dec) William Page Thomas Wood 1571 Edward Knollys William Frere 1572 (Apr) Edward Knollys, died and replaced 1576 by Francis Knollys William Owen, died and replaced Jan 1581 by Edward Norris 1584 (Oct) Francis Knollys William Noble 1586 (Sep) Francis Knollys George Calfield 1588 (Oct) Francis Knollys George Calfield 1593 Sir Edmund Carey George Calfield 1597 (Aug) Anthony Bacon George Calfield 1601 (Sep) Sir Francis Leigh George Calfield 1604 Francis Leigh Thomas Wentworth 1614 Sir John Astley Thomas Wentworth 1621–1622 Sir John Brooke Thomas WentworthUnseated Francis Blundell, who had been returned by the mayor as Viscount Wallingford's candidate. 1624 John Whistler Thomas Wentworth 1625 John Whistler Thomas Wentworth 1626 John Whistler Thomas Wentworth 1628–1629 John Whistler Thomas Wentworth 1629–1640 No Parliaments convened
1640–1885
YearFirst memberFirst partySecond memberSecond partyApril 1640 Viscount AndoverAndover was summoned to the Lords by writ of acceleration in his father's barony as Lord Howard of Charlton before the House of Commons had metRoyalist John WhistlerRoyalist 1640 (Nov)John SmithRoyalist 1644Smith and Whistler disabled from sitting – both seats vacant1645John NixonJohn DoyleyDecember 1648Nixon and Doyley excluded in Pride's Purge – both seats vacant1653Oxford was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament1654 Bulstrode WhitelockeWhitelocke was returned for four different constituencies; he chose to sit for Buckinghamshire Oxford had only one seat in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate 1654 Richard Croke 1656 Richard CrokeJanuary 1659 Major Unton CrokeParliamentarianMay 1659Not represented in the restored RumpApril 1660 The Viscount Falkland James Huxley 1661 Richard Croke Brome Whorwood 1679 William Wright 1685 Hon. Henry Bertie Sir George Pudsey 1689 Sir Edward Norreys Tory 1695 Thomas Rowney Tory 1701 Francis Norreys Tory 1706 Sir John Walter ToryMarch 1722 Thomas Rowney, junior ToryOctober 1722 Francis Knollys Tory 1734 Matthew Skinner 1739 James Herbert 1740 Philip Herbert 1749 Philip Wenman 1754 Hon. Robert Lee 1759 Sir Thomas Stapleton 1768 George Nares Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. William Harcourt 1771 Lord Robert Spencer 1774 Captain the Hon. Peregrine Bertie June 1790 Francis Burton December 1790 Arthur Annesley 1796 Henry Peters 1802 John Atkyns-Wright 1807 John Ingram Lockhart 1812 John Atkyns-Wright 1818 Frederick St John 1820 Charles Wetherell Tory John Ingram Lockhart 1826 James Langston Whig 1830 William Hughes Hughes Whig 1832 Thomas StonorStonor's election was declared void on petition and a by-election was held Whig 1833 William Hughes HughesWhig 1835 Donald Maclean ConservativeConservative 1837 William Erle Whig 1841 James Langston Whig 1847 (Sir) William Wood Radical 1853Edward CardwellPeeliteMarch 1857 Charles NeateNeate's election was declared void on petition and a by-election was heldNeate was elected for Oxford in 1863 and sat until 1868: ODNB article by A. C. Howe, 'Neate, Charles (1806–1879)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 accessed 28 Dec 2009 WhigJuly 1857 Edward Cardwell Peelite1859 Liberal Liberal 1863 Charles Neate Liberal 1868 (Sir) William Vernon Harcourt Liberal 1874 Alexander William Hall ConservativeApril 1880 Joseph William Chitty LiberalMay 1880 Alexander William HallHall's election was declared void, the writ was suspended and a Royal Commission appointed to investigate Conservative1881Writ suspended – seat vacantSeptember 1881Writ suspended – seat vacantChitty's election in April 1880 had not been questioned, but when he was appointed a judge and therefore vacated his seat, no election was held to replace him1885 Representation reduced to one member
1885–1983 ElectionMemberParty 1885 Alexander William Hall Conservative 1892 Sir George Tomkyns Chesney Conservative 1895 Arthur Annesley Conservative 1917 by-election John Marriott Coalition Conservative 1922 Frank Gray Liberal 1924 by-election Robert Bourne Unionist 1938 by-election Quintin Hogg Conservative 1950 by-election Lawrence Turner Conservative 1959 Montague Woodhouse Conservative 1966 Evan Luard Labour 1970 Montague Woodhouse Conservative Oct 1974 Evan Luard Labour 1979 John Patten Conservative1983 constituency abolished: see Oxford East & Oxford West and Abingdon
Elections Elections in the 1830s
Stonor's election was declared void on petition, causing a by-election.
Elections in the 1840s
Elections in the 1850s Wood was appointed Solicitor General for England and Wales, requiring a by-election.
Wood resigned after being appointed Vice-Chancellor, causing a by-election.
Neate's election was declared void on petition due to bribery, causing a by-election.
Cardwell was appointed Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, requiring a by-election.
Elections in the 1860s Cardwell was appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, requiring a by-election.
Langston's death caused a by-election.
Cardwell was appointed Secretary of State for the Colonies, requiring a by-election.
Cardwell was appointed Secretary of State for War, requiring a by-election.
Elections in the 1870s Harcourt was appointed Solicitor General for England and Wales, causing a by-election.
Cardwell was elevated to the peerage, becoming Viscount Cardwell and causing a by-election.
Elections in the 1880s
Harcourt was appointed Home Secretary, requiring a by-election.
Hall's election was declared void, on account of bribery, and the writ was suspended.
In 1881, Chitty was appointed a judge and resigned the seat. However, as the writ was suspended, no by-election was held and the seat was left without an MP until 1885, when representation was also reduced to one member.
Elections in the 1890s
Chesney's death caused a by-election.
Annesley's appointment as Comptroller of the Household, requiring a by-election.
Elections in the 1900s
Elections in the 1910s
Elections in the 1920s
Elections in the 1930s
Elections in the 1940s General Election 1939–40:
Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by Autumn 1939, the following candidates had been selected; Conservative: Quintin Hogg Labour: Patrick Gordon-Walker Liberal: William Brown
Elections in the 1950s
+0.69%
Elections in the 1960s
Elections in the 1970s
References
Sources
Election results, 1951–1979 Robert Beatson, A Chronological Register of Both Houses of Parliament (London: Longman, Hurst, Res & Orme, 1807) D. Brunton & D. H. Pennington, Members of the Long Parliament (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1954) Cobbett's Parliamentary history of England, from the Norman Conquest in 1066 to the year 1803 (London: Thomas Hansard, 1808) F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885 (2nd edition, Aldershot: Parliamentary Research Services, 1989) Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. . Maija Jansson (ed.), Proceedings in Parliament, 1614 (House of Commons) (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, 1988) J. E. Neale, The Elizabethan House of Commons (London: Jonathan Cape, 1949)