Haverfordwest was a parliamentary constituency in Wales. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.

History The constituency was enfranchised in 1545, as the second borough constituency in the historic county of Pembrokeshire. In the previous election of 1542, the first at which Wales is known to have sent members to the Parliament of England, this borough was one of the ancient boroughs contributing to the wages and being in some sense represented by the member for Pembroke. unlike most of the other Parliamentary districts, Haverfordwest was composed as a single member district, apparently in order to better maintain the conservative nature of the chamber.Matthew Roberts, "Electoral reform dilemmas: are single-member constituencies out of date?" https://historyandpolicy.org/policy-papers/papers/electoral-reform-dilemmas-are-single-member-constituencies-out-of-date/

During the eighteenth century, Haverfordwest was considered to be little more than a pocket borough for the Philipps family of Picton Castle. But unlike many "rotten boroughs", it was not disbanded in 1832.

From 1832 to 1885, it was a district of boroughs constituency, similar to those used in Scotland. It consisted of the three boroughs of Haverfordwest, Fishguard and Narberth.

The constituency was abolished for the 1885 general election, and merged into the newly created constituency of Pembroke and Haverfordwest.

Members of Parliament

1543–1660

ParliamentMember 1547 Richard Howell 1553 (Mar) Richard Howell 1553 (Oct) Richard Taylor 1554 (Apr) Richard Howell 1554 (Nov) Richard Howell 1555 John Bolton or Button 1558 Thomas ab Owen 1559 Hugh Harris 1562–3 Rice Morgan 1571 John Garnons (Alban Stepneth cheated of seat by Sheriff) 1572 Alban Stepneth 1584 Alban Stepneth 1586 Alban Stepneth 1588 Sir John Perrot 1593 Sir Nicholas Clifford 1597 Sir James Perrot 1601 John Canon 1604-1611 Sir James Perrot 1614 Sir James Perrot 1621-22 Sir James Perrot 1624 Lewis Powell 1625 Sir Thomas Canon 1626 Sir James Perrot 1628 Sir James Perrot 1629–1640 No Parliaments summoned 1640 (Apr) Hugh Owen 1640 (Nov) Sir John Stepney, 3rd Baronet, disabled 1643 1645 Sir Robert Needham, secluded 1648 1653 Not represented in Barebone's Parliament 1654 Not represented in 1st Protectorate Parliament 1656 John Upton 1659 John Upton 1660 William Philipps

1660–1885 ElectionMemberParty 1660 (Apr) William Philipps, election declared void, June 1660 1660 (Aug) William Philipps re-elected 1661 Isaac Lloyd, election declared void, May 1663 1663 (c.Jun) Sir William Morton, made judge 1666 Sir Frederick Hyde, died 1667 Sir Herbert Perrott 1679 William Wogan 1679 Thomas Owen 1681 Thomas Howard 1685 William Wogan 1701 (Jan) William Wheeler 1702 John Laugharne, died1715 John Barlow, died1718Sir John Philipps, 4th Baronet 1722 Francis Edwardes, died1726 Sir Erasmus Philipps, died 1743 George Barlow 1747 William Edwardes (Baron Kensington from 1776) 1780 Whig 1784 The Lord Milford 1786 The Lord Kensington Whig 1801 Seat vacant 1802 The Lord Kensington Whig 1818 William Henry Scourfield Tory 1826 Richard Philipps Whig 1835 William Henry Scourfield Conservative 1837 Sir Richard Philipps, Bt Whig 1847 John Evans Whig 1852 John Scourfield Conservative 1868 Hon. William Edwardes (Baron Kensington from 1872) Liberal Constituency seat abolished

Election results Elections in the 1830s

Elections in the 1840s

Elections in the 1850s

Elections in the 1860s

Elections in the 1870s Edwardes was appointed a Groom in Waiting, requiring a by-election.

The election was declared void on petition, causing a by-election, after a separate potential candidate, Mr Davis, had been refused his nomination by the local sheriff without a deposit for security of costs. However, in the resulting by-election, Davis did not stand and Edwardes was re-elected.

Elections in the 1880s

Edwardes was appointed Comptroller of the Household, requiring a by-election.

References

Sources