London University (UK Parliament constituency)

UK former constituency infobox
Name = London University
Type = University
Year = 1868
Abolition = 1950
members = one

London University was a university constituency electing one member to the British House of Commons, from 1868 to 1950.

Boundaries, electorate and history

This university constituency was created by the Reform Act 1867. The first election took place during the United Kingdom general election, 1868. The constituency returned one Member of Parliament, using the first past the post electoral system.

The constituency was not a physical area. Its electorate consisted of the graduates of the University of London. Before 1918 only male graduates qualified. From 1918 all graduates qualified, including women over thirty (reduced to twenty one when universal adult suffrage on equal terms was introduced before the United Kingdom general election, 1929).

The constituency was almost abolished in 1918. The original proposal of the Speaker's Conference, which considered electoral reform before the Representation of the People Act 1918 was enacted, was to combine all the English and Welsh universities except for Oxford and Cambridge into a three member constituency. However during consideration of the legislation it was agreed that London University should continue to return one member. The University of Wales was also given its own seat. The other universities, which were still to be combined, had their proposed representation reduced to two members. (Source: Pugh).

All the university constituencies were abolished in 1950, by the Representation of the People Act 1948.

Members of Parliament

This is a list of people who have represented this University in the Parliament of the United Kingdom between 1868 and 1950.

* "Constituency created" (1868)
*"Constituency abolished" (1950)

Notes:-
* ¹ Lowe was elevated to the peerage as The 1st Viscount Sherbrooke.
* ² Lubbock was elevated to the peerage as The 1st Baron Avebury.
* ³ Russell-Wells died on 14 July 1924 - the seat was vacant at dissolution.
* ⁴ Graham-Little, as an Independent MP, supported the National Governments in office from 1931 until the formation of the wartime coalition in 1940. He also supported Winston Churchill's caretaker government in 1945 and his proposed continuation in office if he had won the 1945 election. Graham-Little is therefore classified as a National Independent MP from 1931.

Elections

General Elections, from 1918 when most constituencies polled on the same day, were on different polling days than for territorial constituencies. The polls for university constituencies were open for five days.

Coalition Conservative is considered to be equivalent to Conservative, as is National Independent equivalent to Independent.

Elections in the 1860s

Election box begin
title=General Election 1868: London UniversityElection box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Rt Hon. Robert Lowe
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box Registered electors
reg. electors = 1,160Election box gain with party link
winner = Liberal Party (UK)
loser = new seat
swing = "N/A"
* "Appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer"

Election box begin
title=By-Election 21 December 1868: London UniversityElection box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Rt Hon. Robert Lowe
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = Liberal Party (UK)
swing = "N/A"

Elections in the 1870s

Election box begin
title=General Election 1874: London UniversityElection box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Rt Hon. Robert Lowe
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box Registered electors
reg. electors = 1,485Election box hold with party link
winner = Liberal Party (UK)
swing = "N/A"

Elections in the 1880s

Election box begin
title=General Election 1880: London UniversityElection box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Rt Hon. Robert Lowe
votes = 1,014
percentage = 65.46
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = E. Charles
votes = 535
percentage = 34.54
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 479
percentage = 30.92
change = "N/A"Election box turnout
votes = 1,549
percentage = 79.56
change = "N/A"Election box Registered electors
reg. electors = 1,947Election box hold with party link
winner = Liberal Party (UK)
swing = "N/A"
* "Elevation to the peerage as the 1st Viscount Sherbrooke"

Election box begin
title=By-Election 3 June 1880: London UniversityElection box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Sir John Lubbock, Bt
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = Liberal Party (UK)
swing = "N/A"

Election box begin
title=General Election 1885: London UniversityElection box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Sir John Lubbock, Bt
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = Liberal Party (UK)
swing = "N/A"
* "Changed allegiance to the Liberal Unionist Party in 1886"

Election box begin
title=General Election 1886: London UniversityElection box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Unionist Party
candidate = Sir John Lubbock, Bt
votes = 1,314
percentage = 71.80
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = F. Harrison
votes = 516
percentage = 28.20
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 798
percentage = 43.61
change = "N/A"Election box turnout
votes = 1,830
percentage = 70.96
change = "N/A"Election box Registered electors
reg. electors = 2,579Election box gain with party link
winner = Liberal Unionist Party
loser = Liberal Party (UK)
swing = "N/A"
* "Gain from the previous general election, hold from the change of allegiance"

Elections in the 1890s

Election box begin
title=General Election 1892: London UniversityElection box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Unionist Party
candidate = Rt Hon. Sir John Lubbock, Bt
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = Liberal Unionist Party
swing = "N/A"

Election box begin
title=General Election 1895: London UniversityElection box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Unionist Party
candidate = Rt Hon. Sir John Lubbock, Bt
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = Liberal Unionist Party
swing = "N/A"
* "Elevation to the peerage as the 1st Baron Avebury"

Elections in the 1900s

Election box begin
title=By-Election 6-10 February 1900: London UniversityElection box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Unionist Party
candidate = Sir Michael Foster
votes = 1,271
percentage = 46.73
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Dr. William Job Collins
votes = 863
percentage = 31.73
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent Liberal Unionist
candidate = E.H. Busk
votes = 586
percentage = 21.54
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 408
percentage = 15.00
change = "N/A"Election box turnout
votes = 2,720
percentage = 61.78
change = "N/A"Election box Registered electors
reg. electors = 4,403Election box hold with party link
winner = Liberal Unionist Party
swing = "N/A"

Election box begin
title=General Election 1900: London UniversityElection box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Unionist Party
candidate = Sir Michael Foster
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = Liberal Unionist Party
swing = "N/A"
* "Changed allegiance to the Liberal Party in 1903"

Election box begin
title=General Election 1906: London UniversityElection box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Unionist Party
candidate = Sir Philip Magnus, Bt
votes = 1,840
percentage = 50.33
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Sir Michael Foster
votes = 1,816
percentage = 49.67
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 24
percentage = 0.66
change = "N/A"Election box turnout
votes = 3,656
percentage = 70.15
change = "N/A"Election box Registered electors
reg. electors = 5,212Election box hold with party link
winner = Liberal Unionist Party
swing = "N/A"
* "Hold from the previous general election, gain from Liberal from the change of allegiance"

Elections in the 1910s

Election box begin
title=General Election January 1910: London UniversityElection box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Unionist Party
candidate = Philip Magnus
votes = 2,625
percentage = 57.65
change = +7.32Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Joseph West Ridgeway
votes = 1,928
percentage = 42.35
change = -7.32Election box majority
votes = 697
percentage = 15.31
change = +14.65Election box turnout
votes = 4,553
percentage = 75.01
change = +4.86Election box Registered electors
reg. electors = 6,070Election box hold with party link
winner = Liberal Unionist Party
swing = +7.32
* "Swing from Liberal to Liberal Unionist"

Election box begin
title=General Election December 1910: London UniversityElection box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Unionist Party
candidate = Philip Magnus
votes = 2,579
percentage = 58.14
change = +0.49Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = V. A. H. Horsley
votes = 1,857
percentage = 41.86
change = -0.49Election box majority
votes = 722
percentage = 16.28
change = +0.97Election box turnout
votes = 4,436
percentage = 73.08
change = -1.93Election box Registered electors
reg. electors = 6,070Election box hold with party link
winner = Liberal Unionist Party
swing = +0.49
* "Swing from Liberal to Liberal Unionist"
* "Changed allegiance to the Conservative Party on its merger with the Liberal Unionist Party in 1912"

Election box begin
title=General Election 1918: London UniversityElection box candidate with party link
party = Coalition Conservative
candidate = Philip Magnus
votes = 2,810
percentage = 41.56
change = -16.58Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Sidney James Webb
votes = 2,141
percentage = 31.67
change = +31.67Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = A. A. Somerville
votes = 885
percentage = 13.09
change = +13.09Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politics)
candidate = Wilmot Herringham
votes = 715
percentage = 10.58
change = +10.58Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = C. L. Nordon
votes = 210
percentage = 3.11
change = +3.11Election box majority
votes = 669
percentage = 9.89
change = -6.39Election box turnout
votes = 6,761
percentage = 69.01
change = -4.07Election box Registered electors
reg. electors = 9,797Election box gain with party link
winner = Coalition Conservative
loser = Liberal Unionist Party
swing = "N/A"
* "Notional gain from the previous general election, hold from the change of allegiance"

Elections in the 1920s

Election box begin
title=General Election 1922: London UniversityElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Sir Sydney Russell Russell-Wells
votes = 3,833
percentage = 51.52
change = +9.96Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Prof. Albert Frederick Pollard
votes = 2,180
percentage = 29.30
change = +29.30Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Herbert George Wells
votes = 1,427
percentage = 19.18
change = -12.49Election box majority
votes = 1,653
percentage = 22.22
change = +12.33Election box turnout
votes = 7,440
percentage = 67.64
change = -1.37Election box Registered electors
reg. electors = 11,000Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing = "N/A"

Election box begin
title=General Election 1923: London UniversityElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Sir Sydney Russell Russell-Wells
votes = 4,037
percentage = 50.15
change = -1.37Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Prof. Albert Frederick Pollard
votes = 2,593
percentage = 32.21
change = +2.91Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Herbert George Wells
votes = 1,420
percentage = 17.64
change = -1.54Election box majority
votes = 1,444
percentage = 17.94
change = -4.28Election box turnout
votes = 8,050
percentage = 71.28
change = +3.64Election box Registered electors
reg. electors = 11,293Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing = -2.14
* "Negative Swing from Conservative to Liberal"
* "Death - seat vacant on dissolution"

Election box begin
title=General Election 1924: London UniversityElection box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politics)
candidate = Dr. Ernest Gorden Graham Graham-Little
votes = 3,202
percentage = 37.06
change = +37.06Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Sir J.R. Bradford
votes = 2,813
percentage = 32.55
change = -17.60Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Prof. Albert Frederick Pollard
votes = 1,539
percentage = 17.81
change = -14.40Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Dr. F.G. Bushnell
votes = 1,087
percentage = 12.58
change = -5.06Election box majority
votes = 389
percentage = 4.50
change = "N/A"Election box turnout
votes = 8,641
percentage = 72.03
change = +0.75Election box Registered electors
reg. electors = 11,997Election box gain with party link
winner = Independent (politics)
loser = Conservative Party (UK)
swing = "N/A"

Election box begin
title=General Election 1929: London UniversityElection box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politics)
candidate = Dr. Ernest Gorden Graham Graham-Little
votes = 5,869
percentage = 53.50
change = +16.44Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = W.T. Layton
votes = 2,923
percentage = 26.64
change = +8.83Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Sir J.W. Gilbert
votes = 2,179
percentage = 19.86
change = -12.69Election box majority
votes = 2,946
percentage = 26.85
change = +22.35Election box turnout
votes = 10,971
percentage = 70.52
change = -1.51Election box Registered electors
reg. electors = 15,558Election box hold with party link
winner = Independent (politics)
swing = "N/A"

Elections in the 1930s

Election box begin
title=General Election 1931: London UniversityElection box candidate with party link
party = National Independent
candidate = Sir Ernest Gorden Graham Graham-Little
votes = 8,461
percentage = 72.97
change = +19.47Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent National
candidate = A.G. Church
votes = 3,134
percentage = 27.03
change = +27.03Election box majority
votes = 5,327
percentage = 45.94
change = +19.09Election box turnout
votes = 11,595
percentage = 70.27
change = -0.25Election box Registered electors
reg. electors = 16,501Election box hold with party link
winner = National Independent
swing = "N/A"

Election box begin
title=General Election 1935: London UniversityElection box candidate with party link
party = National Independent
candidate = Sir Ernest Gorden Graham Graham-Little
votes = 8,958
percentage = 69.57
change = -3.40Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Sir Ralph Norman Angell
votes = 3,918
percentage = 30.43
change = +30.43Election box majority
votes = 5,040
percentage = 39.14
change = -6.80Election box turnout
votes = 12,876
percentage = 71.74
change = +1.47Election box Registered electors
reg. electors = 17,949Election box hold with party link
winner = National Independent
swing = "N/A"

Elections in the 1940s

Election box begin
title=General Election 1945: London UniversityElection box candidate with party link
party = National Independent
candidate = Sir Ernest Gorden Graham Graham-Little
votes = 7,618
percentage = 50.49
change = -19.08Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent Progressive
candidate = Mrs M.D. Stocks
votes = 7,469
percentage = 49.51
change = +49.51Election box majority
votes = 149
percentage = 0.99
change = -38.15Election box turnout
votes = 15,087
percentage = 63.00
change = -8.74Election box Registered electors
reg. electors = 23,948Election box hold with party link
winner = National Independent
swing = "N/A"
*"Constituency abolished" (1950)

ee also

*List of former United Kingdom Parliamentary constituencies

References

* "Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885-1972", compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Parliamentary Reference Publications 1972)
* "British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885", compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press 1977)
* "British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918", compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press 1974)
* "British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949", compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press, revised edition 1977)
* "Electoral Reform in War and Peace 1906-18", by Martin Pugh (Routledge & Kegan Paul 1978)
* "Who's Who of British Members of Parliament: Volume I 1832-1885", edited by M. Stenton (The Harvester Press 1976)
* "Who's Who of British Members of Parliament, Volume II 1886-1918", edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (Harvester Press 1978)
* "Who's Who of British Members of Parliament, Volume III 1919-1945", edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (Harvester Press 1979)
* "Who's Who of British Members of Parliament, Volume IV 1945-1979", edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (Harvester Press 1981)