The Parliamentary Borough of Harwich had sent two members to Parliament since it was founded in 1604. Under the Reform Act of 1867 its representation was reduced to one, and in 1885 the Parliamentary Borough was abolished and replaced with a Division of the County of Essex (later a County Constituency) under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885.
The constituency was abolished for the 2010 general election by the Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, being succeeded by the new constituency of Clacton and part of the new constituency of Harwich and North Essex.
Boundaries and boundary changes
Harwich in Essex, 1918-45
1885–1918: The Municipal Borough of Harwich, and parts of the Sessional Divisions of Lexden and Winstree. Non-resident freeholders of the Parliamentary Borough of Colchester, which constituted the Municipal Borough thereof, were also entitled to vote.[1]
Formally known as the North Eastern or Harwich Division of Essex, incorporating the abolished Parliamentary Borough of Harwich and extending southwards and westwards to include the towns of Clacton and Brightlingsea and the rural areas surrounding Colchester.
1918–1950: The Municipal Borough of Harwich, the Urban Districts of Brightlingsea, Clacton, Frinton-on-Sea, Walton-on-the-Naze, and Wivenhoe, and the Rural District of Tendring.[2]
Western, rural parts included in the new Colchester Division of Essex.
1950–1983: The Municipal Borough of Harwich, the Urban Districts of Brightlingsea, Clacton, Frinton and Walton, and Wivenhoe, and the Rural District of Tendring.[2][3]
No changes.
1983–1997: The District of Tendring wards of Beaumont and Thorpe, Bockings Elm, Bradfield Wrabness and Wix, Frinton, Golf Green, Great and Little Oakley, Harwich East, Harwich East Central, Harwich West, Harwich West Central, Haven, Holland and Kirby, Little Clacton, Ramsey, Rush Green, Southcliff, St Bartholomew's, St James, St John's, St Mary's, St Osyth, Tendring and Weeley, and Walton.[4]
Western parts, including Brightlingsea and Wivenhoe, included in the new County Constituency of North Colchester.
1997–2010: The District of Tendring wards of Beaumont and Thorpe, Bockings Elm, Frinton, Golf Green, Great and Little Oakley, Harwich East, Harwich East Central, Harwich West, Harwich West Central, Haven, Holland and Kirby, Little Clacton, Ramsey, Rush Green, St Bartholomew's, St James, St John's, St Mary's, Southcliff, and Walton.[5]
A further western slice, including St Osyth, added to the new County Constituency of North Essex.
Following the Boundary Commission's Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, Parliament radically altered some constituencies and created new ones to allow for changes in population. Consequently, the constituency of Harwich was abolished. The majority of the constituency, including Clacton, Frinton and Walton, formed the new County Constituency of Clacton, and Harwich and surrounding areas were included in the new County Constituency of Harwich and North Essex.
Members of Parliament
Constituency founded 1604
1604 to 1660
Parliament
First member
Second member
1604
Richard Browne
Thomas Trevor
1605
John Panton
1614
Sir Harbottle Grimston
Sir Robert Mansell
1614 (Apr)
Sir Charles Montagu
1620
Sir Thomas Cheek
Edward Grimston
1624
Sir Nathaniel Rich
Christopher Herrys
1625
Sir Edmund Sawyer
Christopher Herrys
1626
Sir Nathaniel Rich
Christopher Herrys
1628–1629
Sir Nathaniel Rich
Christopher Herrys
1629–1640
No Parliaments convened
1640 (Apr)
Sir Thomas Cheek
Sir John Jacob, 1st Baronet
1640 (Nov)
Sir Harbottle Grimston, 1st Baronet
Sir Thomas Cheek
1645
Sir Harbottle Grimston, 1st Baronet, died replaced 1647 by Harbottle Grimston, 2nd Baronet who was secluded Dec 1648 in Pride's Purge
Sir Thomas Cheek
1648
Sir Thomas Cheek
Capel Luckyn
1653
Harwich not represented in Barebone's Parliament
1654
Harwich not represented in First Protectorate Parliament
1656
Harwich not represented in Second Protectorate Parliament
Crawford's election was declared void, due to polling being closed prematurely, and the seat's writ was suspended in July 1851.[25] A by-election was called the next year.
Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;
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 from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;
^Great Britain, Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England and Wales. The public general acts. unknown library. Proprietors of the Law Journal Reports, 1884.
^ abCraig, Fred W. S. (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885-1972;. Chichester: Political Reference Publications. ISBN 0900178094. OCLC 539011.
^ abcFisher, David R. "Harwich". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuCraig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885(e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
^"Harwich Election". Essex Standard. 6 August 1847. p. 5. Retrieved 6 November 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"Neighbouring Counties". Norfolk News. 7 August 1847. p. 3. Retrieved 6 November 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"Election Committees—Harwich". Berkshire Chronicle. 18 March 1848. p. 4. Retrieved 6 November 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"Harwich Election". Essex Herald. 4 April 1848. p. 3. Retrieved 6 November 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"Harwich Election". The Ipswich Journal. 31 May 1851. p. 4. Retrieved 13 May 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"Election Committees". Morning Chronicle. 2 May 1853. p. 3. Retrieved 13 May 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"South Essex Election". Chelmsford Chronicle. 3 April 1857. p. 4. Retrieved 13 May 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"Election Intelligence". Norfolk News. 12 December 1857. p. 5. Retrieved 13 May 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
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