City of Chester (UK Parliament constituency)

The City of Chester was a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2 December 2022 by Samantha Dixon of the Labour Party. She was elected in the by-election held following the resignation of Chris Matheson MP on 21 October 2022.[3]

City of Chester
Former county constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of City of Chester in Cheshire
Outline map
Location of Cheshire within England
CountyCheshire
Population92,995 (2011 census)[1]
Electorate74,397 (2018)[2]
Major settlementsChester
19182024
SeatsOne
1545–1918
Seats1545–1880: Two
1885–1918: One
Type of constituencyBorough constituency

The constituency has been split in two by the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies[4] with the majority, comprising areas to the north of the River Dee, including the city centre, being combined with the town of Neston to form Chester North and Neston, to be first contested at the 2024 general election. Areas to the south of the river have been added to Eddisbury, to be renamed Chester South and Eddisbury.[5]

Profile

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The constituency covers the English city of Chester on the border of Wales and parts of the surrounding Cheshire West and Chester unitary authority, including the villages of Aldford, Capenhurst, Christleton, Guilden Sutton, Mollington, Newtown, Pulford and Saughall.

Much of the city of Chester itself is residential of varying characteristics, with more middle-class areas such as Upton and the large rural former council estate of Blacon which is, except where purchased under the right to buy, owned and managed by the local housing association, Chester And District Housing Trust.[6]

History

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As part of a county palatine with a parliament of its own until the early-sixteenth century, Chester was not enfranchised (sent no MPs) until the Chester and Cheshire (Constituencies) Act 1542 (34 & 35 Hen. 8. c. 13), since when it returned two MPs to Parliament as a parliamentary borough. It continued to elect two MPs until the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 which reduced its representation to one MP.[7]

Under the Representation of the People Act 1918, the parliamentary borough was abolished and replaced by a county division, gaining rural areas from the neighbouring constituencies of Eddisbury and Wirral.[8] Since then, the boundaries of the constituency have remained relatively consistent, primarily reflecting changes in local authority and ward boundaries.

Boundaries

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Map of boundaries 2019–2024

1918–1950: The County Borough of Chester, the Urban District of Hoole, and the Rural District of Chester.[9]

1950–1974: As prior but with minor boundary changes to align with the revised boundaries of the Rural District of Chester.[9]

1974–1983: The County Borough of Chester, and the Rural District of Chester.[9]

Hoole Urban District had been absorbed by the County Borough of Chester in 1954, but the constituency boundaries remained unchanged.

1983–1997: The City of Chester wards of Blacon Hall, Boughton, Boughton Heath, Christleton, College, Curzon, Dee Point, Dodleston, Grosvenor, Hoole, Newton, Plas Newton, Sealand, Upton Grange, Upton Heath, Vicars Cross, and Westminster.[10]

Rural areas to the north of Chester, comprising the wards of Elton, Mollington and Saughall, transferred to the new constituency of Ellesmere Port and Neston.

1997–2010: The City of Chester wards of Blacon Hall, Boughton, Boughton Heath, Christledon, College, Curzon, Dee Point, Dodleston, Grosvenor, Hoole, Mollington, Newton, Plas Newton, Saughall, Sealand, Upton Grange, Upton Heath, Vicars Cross, and Westminster.[11]

The wards of Mollington and Saughall transferred back from Ellesmere Port and Neston.

2010–2019: The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007 defined the boundaries as:

The City of Chester wards of Blacon Hall, Blacon Lodge, Boughton, Boughton Heath, Christleton, City and St Anne's, College, Curzon and Westminster, Dodleston, Handbridge and St Mary's, Hoole All Saints, Hoole Groves, Huntington, Lache Park, Mollington, Newton Brook, Newton St Michael's, Saughall, Upton Grange, Upton Westlea, and Vicars Cross.[12]

Minor changes to reflect revised ward boundaries.

However, before the new boundaries came into force for the 2010 election, the districts making up the county of Cheshire were abolished on 1 April 2009, being replaced by four unitary authorities. Consequently, the constituency's boundaries became:

The Cheshire West and Chester wards of Blacon, Boughton, Chester City, Chester Villages (part), Dodleston and Huntington, Farndon (part), Garden Quarter, Great Boughton, Handbridge Park, Hoole, Lache, Little Neston and Burton, Newton, Saughall and Mollington, and Upton.

2019–2024: Following a further local government ward boundary review in 2019, the boundaries were:

The Cheshire West and Chester wards of Central and Blacon, Chester City & the Garden Quarter, Christleton & Huntington (part), Farndon (part), Gowy Rural (part), Great Boughton, Handbridge Park, Lache, Newton & Hoole, Saughall and Mollington, and Upton.[13]

Political history

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Two-member seat (to 1885)

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From 1715 to 1869, at least one of the two seats was held by a member of the Grosvenor family. For most of the nineteenth century, both MPs represented the Whigs and (later) the Liberals. The Conservatives held one of the two seats from 1859 to 1865 and 1868–1880.

Single-member seat (from 1885)

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The Liberals won the single-member seat in 1885 but, apart from the landslide year of 1906 (won by the Liberals with a majority of just 47 votes), Chester returned Conservative Party MPs continuously from 1886 to 1997. At most elections, majorities were in relative terms medium but the party's MPs won marginal majorities at the 1929 general election over the Liberal candidate (when the Labour Party formed a minority government) and at the 1992 general election over the Labour candidate, when the Conservatives had a small parliamentary majority.

Christine Russell of the Labour Party gained the seat easily from Gyles Brandreth at the 1997 general election after 87 years of Conservative control, and retained it until 2010. Her majority over the Conservatives had been reduced to under 1,000 votes at the 2005 general election.[n 2]

Stephen Mosley of the Conservatives gained the seat from Labour at the 2010 general election. However, Mosley narrowly lost his seat five years later to Chris Matheson of the Labour Party in 2015 by 93 votes. The 2015 general election result gave the constituency the most marginal majority (0.2%) of Labour's 232 seats won that year.[14]

Matheson was re-elected at the 2017 general election with a significantly increased majority of 9,176 votes, one of the largest swings to Labour in the election. At 56.8%, it was the highest share of the vote that Labour has ever had in the constituency and it is no longer considered a marginal seat. At the 2019 election, Matheson was elected once again, with a reduced but still comfortable majority of 11.3%. On 21 October 2022, he resigned after allegations of sexual impropriety led him to be suspended from the House of Commons for four weeks, occasioning a by-election held on 1 December, which was won by Samantha Dixon with an increased majority for Labour.

Members of Parliament

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MPs 1545 to 1660

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Year First member Second member
1545 Sir Lawrence Smith[15]
1547 Richard Sneyd William Aldersey[16]
1553 (Mar) Richard Sneyd Randall Mainwaring[16]
1553 (Oct) Richard Sneyd Thomas Massey[16]
1554 (Apr) Richard Sneyd William Aldersey[16]
1554 (Nov) Richard Sneyd Thomas Massey[16]
1555 William Gerard William Aldersey[16]
1558 Sir Lawrence Smith William Gerard[16]
1559 (Jan) Sir Lawrence Smith William Gerard[16]
1562–1563 William Gerard John Yerworth[16]
1571 William Gerard William Glasier[16]
1572 (Apr) William Gerard William Glasier[16]
1584 (Nov) Richard Birkheved Richard Bavand[16]
1586 (Sep) Richard Birkheved Peter Warburton[16]
1588–1589 Richard Birkheved Peter Warburton[16]
1593 Richard Birkheved Gilbert Gerard[16]
1597 (Sep) Peter Warburton William Brock[16]
1601 Hugh Glasier Thomas Gamull[16]
1604 Thomas Lawton Hugh Glasier
1606 Thomas Gamull Hugh Glasier
1610 Thomas Gamull Sir John Bingley
1614 Edward Whitby Sir John Bingley
1621–1622 Edward Whitby John Ratcliffe
1624 Edward Whitby John Savage
1625 Edward Whitby Sir John Savage
1626 Edward Whitby William Gamull
1628–1629 Edward Whitby John Ratcliffe
1629–1640 No Parliaments summoned
Apr 1640 Sir Thomas Smith Robert Brerewood
Nov 1640 Sir Thomas Smith Francis Gamull
1645 William Edwards John Ratcliffe
1653 Chester not represented in Barebones Parliament
1654 Charles Walley One seat only
1656 Edward Bradshaw One seat only
1659 Jonathan Ridge John Griffith
† Smith and Gamull were both disabled from serving in 1644.

MPs 1660–1880

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Year First member[17] First party Second member[17] Second party
1660 John Ratcliffe William Ince
1661 Sir Thomas Smith, Bt
1673 Robert Werden Tory
1675 William Williams
1679 Sir Thomas Grosvenor, Bt Tory
1681 Roger Whitley Whig
1685 Sir Thomas Grosvenor, Bt Tory Robert Werden Tory
1689 Roger Whitley Whig George Mainwaring Whig
1690 Sir Thomas Grosvenor, Bt Tory Sir Richard Levinge, Bt Tory
1695 Roger Whitley Whig
January 1698 Thomas Cowper
July 1698 Peter Shakerley Tory
1701 Sir Henry Bunbury, Bt Tory
1715 Sir Richard Grosvenor, Bt Tory
1727 Sir Thomas Grosvenor, Bt
January 1733 Sir Robert Grosvenor, Bt
March 1733 Sir Charles Bunbury, Bt
1742 Philip Henry Warburton
1754 Sir Richard Grosvenor, Bt
1755 Thomas Grosvenor
1761 Richard Wilbraham-Bootle
1790 Viscount Belgrave
1795 Thomas Grosvenor Whig[18]
1802 Richard Erle-Drax-Grosvenor
1807 John Grey Egerton
1818 Viscount Belgrave Whig[18]
1826 Lord Robert Grosvenor Whig[18][19]
1830 Sir Philip Grey Egerton, Bt Tory[18]
1831 Foster Cunliffe-Offley Whig[18]
May 1832 John Finchett Maddock Whig[18]
December 1832 Sir John Jervis Radical[20][21][19]
1847 Earl Grosvenor Whig[22][23][24]
1850 William Owen Stanley Whig[25][26][27][28]
1857 Enoch Salisbury Radical[24][29]
1859 Philip Stapleton Humberston Conservative Liberal
1865 William Henry Gladstone Liberal
1868 Henry Cecil Raikes Conservative
1869 Hon. Norman Grosvenor Liberal
1874 John George Dodson Liberal
1880 Beilby Lawley Liberal
1880 Writ suspended

MPs since 1885

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Election Member[30][17] Party
1885 Walter Foster Liberal
1886 Robert Yerburgh Conservative
1906 Alfred Mond Liberal
1910 Robert Yerburgh Conservative
1916 by-election Sir Owen Philipps Unionist
1922 Sir Charles Cayzer Unionist
1940 by-election Sir Basil Nield Conservative
1956 by-election John Temple Conservative
1974 Peter Morrison Conservative
1992 Gyles Brandreth Conservative
1997 Christine Russell Labour
2010 Stephen Mosley Conservative
2015 Chris Matheson Labour
2022 by-election Samantha Dixon Labour

Elections

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Elections in the 2020s

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By-election 2022: City of Chester[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Samantha Dixon 17,309 60.8 +11.2
Conservative Liz Wardlaw 6,335 22.2 ―16.1
Liberal Democrats Rob Herd 2,368 8.3 +1.5
Green Paul Bowers 987 3.5 +0.9
Reform UK Jeanie Barton 773 2.7 +0.2
Rejoin EU Richard Hewison 277 1.0 New
UKIP Cain Griffiths 179 0.6 New
Monster Raving Loony Howling Laud Hope 156 0.5 New
Freedom Alliance Chris Quartermaine 91 0.3 New
Majority 10,974 38.6 +27.3
Turnout 28,475 41.2 ―30.5
Labour hold Swing +13.7

Elections in the 2010s

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General election 2019: City of Chester[32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Chris Matheson 27,082 49.6 ―7.2
Conservative Samantha George 20,918 38.3 ―2.2
Liberal Democrats Bob Thompson 3,734 6.8 +4.1
Green Nicholas Brown 1,438 2.6 New
Brexit Party Andy Argyle 1,388 2.5 New
Majority 6,164 11.3 ―5.0
Turnout 54,560 71.7 ―5.7
Labour hold Swing ―2.5
General election 2017: City of Chester [33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Chris Matheson 32,023 56.8 +13.6
Conservative Will Gallagher[34] 22,847 40.5 ―2.6
Liberal Democrats Lizzie Jewkes[35] 1,551 2.7 ―2.9
Majority 9,176 16.3 +16.2
Turnout 56,421 77.4 +9.7
Labour hold Swing +8.1
General election 2015: City of Chester[36][37]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Chris Matheson 22,118 43.2 +8.1
Conservative Stephen Mosley 22,025 43.1 +2.5
UKIP Steve Ingram 4,148 8.1 +5.5
Liberal Democrats Bob Thompson 2,870 5.6 ―13.5
Majority 93 0.1 N/A
Turnout 51,161 67.7 +1.0
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +2.9
General election 2010: City of Chester[38][39]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Stephen Mosley 18,995 40.6 +3.8
Labour Christine Russell 16,412 35.1 −3.8
Liberal Democrats Lizzie Jewkes 8,930 19.1 −2.8
UKIP Allan Weddell 1,225 2.6 +0.9
English Democrat Ed Abrams 594 1.3 +0.6
Green Malcolm Barker 535 1.1 New
Independent John Whittingham 99 0.2 New
Majority 2,583 5.5 N/A
Turnout 46,853 66.7 +2.4
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +3.9

Elections in the 2000s

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General election 2005: City of Chester[40]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Christine Russell 17,458 38.9 −9.6
Conservative Paul Offer 16,543 36.8 +3.7
Liberal Democrats Mia Jones 9,818 21.9 +7.2
UKIP Allan Weddell 776 1.7 –0.3
English Democrat Ed Abrams 308 0.7 New
Majority 917 2.1 –13.3
Turnout 44,903 64.3 +0.5
Labour hold Swing –6.7
General election 2001: City of Chester[41]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Christine Russell 21,760 48.5 −4.5
Conservative David Jones 14,866 33.1 −1.1
Liberal Democrats Tony Dawson 6,589 14.7 +5.2
UKIP Allan Weddell 899 2.0 New
Independent George Rogers 763 1.7 New
Majority 6,894 15.4 –2.8
Turnout 44,877 63.8 −14.6
Labour hold Swing −1.7

Elections in the 1990s

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General election 1997: City of Chester[42]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Christine Russell 29,806 53.0 +12.4
Conservative Gyles Brandreth 19,253 34.2 −10.5
Liberal Democrats David Simpson 5,353 9.5 −4.1
Referendum Richard Mullen 1,487 2.6 New
Monster Raving Loony Ian Sanderson 204 0.4 New
West Cheshire College In Crisis William Johnson 154 0.3 New
Majority 10,553 18.2 N/A
Turnout 56,257 78.4 −5.5
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +11.5
General election 1992: City of Chester[43][44]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gyles Brandreth 23,411 44.1 −0.8
Labour David Robinson 22,310 42.0 +6.4
Liberal Democrats John Smith 6,867 12.9 −6.6
Green Malcolm Barker 448 0.8 New
Natural Law Stephen Cross 98 0.2 New
Majority 1,101 2.1 −7.1
Turnout 53,134 83.9 +4.1
Conservative hold Swing −3.6

Elections in the 1980s

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General election 1987: City of Chester[45]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Morrison 23,582 44.9 −2.2
Labour David Robinson 18,727 35.6 +7.4
Liberal Andrew Stunell 10,262 19.5 −5.2
Majority 4,855 9.3 −9.6
Turnout 52,571 79.8 +5.3
Conservative hold Swing -4.8
General election 1983: City of Chester[46]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Morrison 22,645 47.1 −4.3
Labour David Robertson 13,546 28.2 −6.6
Liberal Andrew Stunell 11,874 24.7 +10.9
Majority 9,099 18.9 +2.3
Turnout 48,065 74.5 −3.1
Conservative hold Swing +1.1

Elections in the 1970s

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General election 1979: City of Chester
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Morrison 28,764 51.43
Labour R.D. Blair 19,450 34.78
Liberal Andrew Stunell 7,711 13.79
Majority 9,314 16.65
Turnout 55,925 77.64
Conservative hold Swing
General election October 1974: City of Chester
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Morrison 23,095 44.01
Labour John Crawford 18,477 35.21
Liberal R.M. Green 10,907 20.78
Majority 4,618 8.80
Turnout 52,479 75.40
Conservative hold Swing
General election February 1974: City of Chester
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Morrison 24,527 44.29
Labour John Crawford 17,759 32.07
Liberal R. Green 13,098 23.65
Majority 6,768 12.22
Turnout 55,384 80.31
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1970: City of Chester
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Temple 25,877 52.04
Labour John Crawford 18,872 37.95
Liberal Michael J. G. Tompkins 4,978 10.01
Majority 7,005 14.09
Turnout 49,727 73.15
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

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General election 1966: City of Chester
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Temple 21,673 46.05
Labour John Crawford 18,870 40.10
Liberal Peter James Samuel 6,516 13.85
Majority 2,803 5.95
Turnout 47,059 78.05
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1964: City of Chester
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Temple 23,172 48.82
Labour Anthony Blond 16,708 35.20
Liberal Peter James Samuel 7,583 15.98 New
Majority 6,464 13.62
Turnout 47,463 79.56
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

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General election 1959: City of Chester
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Temple 27,847 61.42
Labour Lewis Carter-Jones 17,492 38.58
Majority 10,355 22.84
Turnout 45,339 78.69
Conservative hold Swing
1956 City of Chester by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Temple 21,137 51.72 −4.94
Labour Lewis Carter-Jones 14,789 36.19 +4.56
Liberal John Seys-Llewellyn 4,942 12.09 +0.38
Majority 6,348 15.53 −9.50
Turnout 40,868
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1955: City of Chester
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Basil Nield 24,905 56.66
Labour John Forrester 13,903 31.63
Liberal John Seys-Llewellyn 5,145 11.71
Majority 11,002 25.03
Conservative hold Swing
Turnout 43,953
General election 1951: City of Chester
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Basil Nield 26,743 58.52
Labour John G. Hughes 18,958 41.48
Majority 7,785 17.04
Turnout 45,701 82.57
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1950: City of Chester
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Basil Nield 23,660 51.41
Labour Campbell McKinnon 16,021 34.81
Liberal Arthur Harvey Willitt 6,342 13.78
Majority 7,639 16.60
Turnout 46,023 83.88
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1940s

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General election 1945: City of Chester
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Basil Nield 19,064 50.33
Labour David Martin Hopkinson 13,585 35.87
Liberal Albert Edward Everett Jones 5,229 13.80
Majority 5,479 14.46
Turnout 37,878 72.14
Conservative hold Swing
1940 City of Chester by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Basil Nield Unopposed N/A N/A
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1930s

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General election 1935: City of Chester
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Cayzer 16,882 50.37
Liberal Garner Evans 10,183 30.38
Labour Lois Bulley 6,450 19.25
Majority 6,699 19.99
Turnout 33,515 77.86
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1931: City of Chester
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Cayzer 18,174 51.73
Liberal Aubrey Herbert 11,770 33.50
Labour Joseph Lewis 5,186 14.76
Majority 6,404 18.23
Turnout 35,130 85.77
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1920s

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General election 1929: Chester[47]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Charles Cayzer 13,454 41.3 −11.9
Liberal Aubrey Herbert 13,292 40.8 +17.2
Labour W. Herron 5,846 17.9 −5.3
Majority 162 0.5 −29.1
Turnout 32,592 82.3 +0.4
Unionist hold Swing -14.5
General election 1924: Chester[47]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Charles Cayzer 12,491 53.2 +7.8
Liberal William Craven Llewelyn 5,538 23.6 −4.7
Labour George Beardsworth 5,451 23.2 −3.1
Majority 6,953 29.6 +12.5
Turnout 23,480 81.9 +3.3
Unionist hold Swing
General election 1923: Chester[47]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Charles Cayzer 9,985 45.4 −8.7
Liberal William Craven Llewelyn 6,212 28.3 +7.0
Labour George Muff 5,773 26.3 +1.7
Majority 3,773 17.1 −15.6
Turnout 21,790 78.6 −2.6
Unionist hold Swing -7.9
General election 1922: Chester[47]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Charles Cayzer 11,938 54.1 −2.2
Labour George Muff 5,414 24.6 +8.9
Liberal Joseph Banks 4,688 21.3 −6.7
Majority 6,524 29.5 +1.2
Turnout 22.040 81.2 +16.0
Unionist hold Swing

Elections in the 1910s

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Owen Philipps
General election 1918: Chester[47]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Unionist Owen Philipps 10,043 56.3 +5.6
Liberal Edward Paul 4,993 28.0 −21.3
Labour Arthur Mason 2,799 15.7 New
Majority 5,050 28.3 +26.9
Turnout 17,835 65.2 −27.0
Unionist hold Swing
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.
By-election 1916: Chester[48]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Owen Philipps Unopposed
Unionist hold
General election December 1910: Chester[48]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Yerburgh 3,787 50.7 −0.6
Liberal Edward Paul 3,681 49.3 +0.6
Majority 106 1.4 −1.2
Turnout 7,468 92.2 −3.5
Registered electors 8,102
Conservative hold Swing −0.6
General election January 1910: Chester[48]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Yerburgh 3,978 51.3 +1.6
Liberal Edward Paul 3,776 48.7 −1.6
Majority 202 2.6 N/A
Turnout 7,754 95.7 +7.3
Registered electors 8,102
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +1.6

Elections in the 1900s

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Alfred Mond
General election 1906: Chester[49]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alfred Mond 3,524 50.3 +6.5
Conservative Robert Yerburgh 3,477 49.7 −6.5
Majority 47 0.6 N/A
Turnout 7,001 88.4 +7.4
Registered electors 7,918
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +6.5

Elections 1832–1900

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Idris
General election 1900: City of Chester (1 seat)[48]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Yerburgh 3,303 56.2 N/A
Liberal Howell Idris 2,574 43.8 New
Majority 729 12.4 N/A
Turnout 5,877 81.0 N/A
Registered electors 7,257
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 1895: City of Chester[48]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Yerburgh Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1892: City of Chester[48]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Yerburgh 3,148 55.5 +4.8
Liberal Hugh Halkett 2,528 44.5 −4.8
Majority 620 11.0 +9.6
Turnout 5,676 84.1 +4.2
Registered electors 6,747
Conservative hold Swing +4.8
 
Foster
General election 1886: City of Chester[48]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Yerburgh 2,549 50.7 +3.6
Liberal Walter Foster 2,483 49.3 −3.6
Majority 66 1.4 N/A
Turnout 5,032 79.9 −2.4
Registered electors 6,296
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +3.6
General election 1885: City of Chester[48]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Walter Foster 2,740 52.9 −8.3
Conservative Robert Yerburgh 2,440 47.1 +8.4
Majority 300 5.8 +4.7
Turnout 5,180 82.3 +14.1 (est)
Registered electors 6,296
Liberal hold Swing −8.4
By-Election 8 May 1880: City of Chester[50]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Dodson Unopposed
Liberal hold
General election 1880: City of Chester (2 seats)[50]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Dodson 3,204 30.9 −1.4
Liberal Beilby Lawley 3,147 30.3 −1.8
Conservative Henry Raikes 2,056 19.8 +2.0
Conservative Thomas Sandys[51] 1,961 18.9 +1.1
Independent Frederick Lewis Malgarini[52] 16 0.2 New
Majority 1,091 10.5 N/A
Turnout 5,192 (est) 68.2 (est) −3.4
Registered electors 7,611
Liberal hold Swing −1.7
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing −1.5
  • The election was declared void for bribery and the writ suspended. Chester was left unreprented until the next general election. Lawley succeeded to the peerage later that year.
General election 1874: City of Chester[50]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Cecil Raikes 2,356 35.6 +3.4
Liberal John George Dodson 2,134 32.3 −1.0
Liberal Thomas Gibbons Frost[53] 2,125 32.1 −2.4
Majority 222 3.3 −10.1
Turnout 4,486 (est) 71.6 (est) −2.8
Registered electors 6,268
Conservative hold Swing +2.1
Liberal hold Swing −1.4
By-election, 4 December 1869: City of Chester[50]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Norman Grosvenor Unopposed
Liberal hold

Succession of Earl Grosvenor to the peerage as Marquess of Westminster.

General election 1868: City of Chester (2 seats)[50]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Hugh Grosvenor 2,270 33.3 −6.3
Conservative Henry Cecil Raikes 2,198 32.2 −1.6
Liberal Enoch Salisbury 1,283 18.8 N/A
Liberal Richard Hoare[54] 1,071 15.7 N/A
Turnout 4,510 (est) 74.4 (est) +3.1
Registered electors 6,062
Majority 72 1.1 −8.0
Liberal hold Swing −2.8
Majority 915 13.4 N/A
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing N/A
General election 1865: City of Chester[50]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Hugh Grosvenor 1,284 39.6 −5.0
Liberal William Henry Gladstone 860 26.5 +4.9
Conservative William Fenton[55] 565 17.4 +0.5
Conservative Henry Cecil Raikes 533 16.4 −0.5
Majority 295 9.1 −1.7
Turnout 1,621 (est) 71.3 (est) +5.7
Registered electors 2,274
Liberal hold Swing −2.5
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +2.5
General election 1859: City of Chester (2 seats)[50]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Hugh Grosvenor 1,464 44.6 +2.5
Conservative Philip Stapleton Humberston 1,110 33.8 New
Liberal Enoch Salisbury 708 21.6 −5.0
Turnout 1,641 (est) 65.6 (est) +4.8
Registered electors 2,502
Majority 354 10.8 0.0
Liberal hold Swing N/A
Majority 402 12.2 N/A
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing N/A
General election 1857: City of Chester[50]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Hugh Grosvenor 1,244 42.1 N/A
Radical Enoch Salisbury 924 31.3 N/A
Whig Henry Grenfell[56][57] 786 26.6 N/A
Turnout 1,477 (est) 60.8 (est) N/A
Registered electors 2,428
Majority 320 10.8 N/A
Whig hold Swing N/A
Majority 138 4.7 N/A
Radical gain from Whig
General election 1852: City of Chester[50]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Hugh Grosvenor Unopposed
Whig William Owen Stanley Unopposed
Registered electors 2,524
Whig hold
Whig gain from Radical
By-election, 22 July 1850: City of Chester[50]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig William Owen Stanley 986 60.5 N/A
Conservative Edward Egerton[58] 645 39.5 New
Majority 341 21.0 N/A
Turnout 1,631 64.5 N/A
Registered electors 2,529
Whig gain from Radical Swing N/A
General election 1847: City of Chester (2 seats)[50]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Hugh Grosvenor Unopposed
Radical John Jervis Unopposed
Registered electors 2,450
Whig hold
Radical hold
By-election, 30 January 1847: City of Chester[50]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Hugh Grosvenor Unopposed
Whig hold
By-election, 8 August 1846: City of Chester[50]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Robert Grosvenor Unopposed
Whig hold
By-election, 11 July 1846: City of Chester[50]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Radical John Jervis Unopposed
Radical hold
General election 1841: City of Chester (2 seats)[50][18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Robert Grosvenor Unopposed
Radical John Jervis Unopposed
Registered electors 2,444
Whig hold
Radical hold
General election 1837: City of Chester (2 seats)[50][18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Robert Grosvenor 1,282 46.7 N/A
Radical John Jervis 1,109 40.4 N/A
Conservative Frederick Dudley Ryder[59] 352 12.8 New
Turnout 1,427 62.1 N/A
Registered electors 2,298
Majority 173 6.3 N/A
Whig hold Swing N/A
Majority 757 27.6 N/A
Radical hold Swing N/A
General election 1835: City of Chester (2 seats)[50][18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Robert Grosvenor Unopposed
Radical John Jervis Unopposed
Registered electors 2,053
Whig hold
Radical hold
General election 1832: City of Chester (2 seats)[50][18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Robert Grosvenor 1,166 42.9 N/A
Radical John Jervis 1,053 38.7 N/A
Whig John Finchett Maddock 499 18.4 N/A
Turnout 1,574 77.6 N/A
Registered electors 2,028
Majority 113 4.2 N/A
Whig hold Swing N/A
Majority 554 20.3 N/A
Radical gain from Whig Swing N/A

Elections before 1832

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By-election, 18 May 1832: City of Chester[18][60]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig John Finchett Maddock 577 56.1 N/A
Radical Edward Davies Davenport [61] 452 43.9 N/A
Majority 125 12.2 N/A
Turnout 1,029 c. 79.2 N/A
Registered electors c. 1,300
Whig hold Swing N/A
  • Caused by Cunliffe-Offley's death
General election 1831: City of Chester (2 seats)[18][60]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Robert Grosvenor Unopposed
Whig Foster Cunliffe-Offley Unopposed
Registered electors c. 1,300
Whig hold
Whig gain from Tory
By-election, 15 March 1831: City of Chester[18][60]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Robert Grosvenor Unopposed
Registered electors c. 1,300
Whig hold
  • Caused by Grosvenor vacating his seat
By-election, 11 December 1830: City of Chester[18][60]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Robert Grosvenor 246 61.5 N/A
Whig Foster Cunliffe-Offley 154 38.5 N/A
Majority 92 23.0 N/A
Turnout 400 N/A
Registered electors
Whig hold Swing N/A
General election 1830: City of Chester (2 seats)[18][60]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Robert Grosvenor Unopposed
Tory Philip Grey Egerton Unopposed
Registered electors
Whig hold
Tory gain from Whig

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
  2. ^ Four of the six candidates at the 2010 general election had contested the seat previously; Christine Russell (1997, 2001, 2005); Allan Weddell (2001, 2005); Ed Abrahms (2005) and Tom Barker (1992). All candidates had contested at least one election for local authorities for wards inside the constituency. The Liberal Democrats including their two predecessor parties amassed their largest share of the vote in 2005 at 21.9% of the vote.

References

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  2. ^ "England Parliamentary electorates 2010–2018". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  3. ^ "Labour MP resigns after facing Commons suspension for 'serious sexual misconduct'". The Independent. London. 21 October 2022. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
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