East Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)


East Norfolk was a constituency in the county of Norfolk that returned two members of parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 until 1868. It was re-established in 1885 with representation of one member. That seat was abolished in 1950.

History

The constituency was first created by the Great Reform Act for the 1832 general election, and abolished for the 1868 general election. In that period the Parliamentary County of Norfolk was split into two divisions – Eastern Norfolk and Western Norfolk, each returning two members.
Further to the Reform Act 1867, Norfolk was reorganised into the North, South and West divisions, with each of the three divisions again returning two members. The Eastern division was replaced by the bulk of the North and South Divisions.
Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, the three two-member county divisions were replaced with six single-member divisions. The second version of this constituency was one of the single-member seats. It was abolished under the Representation of the People Act 1948, which came into effect for the 1950 general election.

Boundaries and boundary changes

1832–1868

  • The Hundreds of Blofield, Clavering, Depwade, Diss, Earsham, North Erpingham, South Erpingham, Eynesford, East Flegg, West Flegg, Forehoe, Happing, Henstead, Humbleyard, Loddon, Taversham, Tunstead and Walsham.

    1885–1918

  • The Sessional Divisions of Blofield and Walsham, East and West Flegg, Taversham, and Tunstead and Happing;
  • Part of the Sessional Division of South Erpingham; and
  • The part of the Borough of Great Yarmouth in the county of Norfolk.
''As Great Yarmouth formed a separate Parliamentary Borough, only non-resident freeholders of the Borough were entitled to vote in this constituency.''

1918–1950

  • The Urban District of North Walsham; and
  • The Rural Districts of Blofield, East and West Flegg, Loddon and Clavering, St Faith's, and Smallburgh.
The division was expanded to the south, with the addition of eastern parts of the Southern Division. Also gained small area to the west from the Northern Division.
On its abolition, the contents of the seat were distributed as follows:

1832–1868

1885–1950

Elections

Elections in the 1830s

Elections in the 1840s

Elections in the 1850s

Wodehouse resigned via accepting the office of Steward of the Manor of Hempholme, causing a by-election.
Buxton's death caused a by-election.

Elections in the 1860s

Elections in the 1880s

Elections in the 1890s

Elections in the 1900s

Elections in the 1910s

General election 1914–15:
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 July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

Elections in the 1930s

General election 1939–40
Until the parliament elected in 1935 was extended, another general election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties made preparations for an election to take place, and by the autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected;
  • Liberal National: Frank Medlicott
  • Labour: Norman Reeve Tillett
  • Independent Conservative: James F. Wright

    Elections in the 1940s