Northumberland (constituency)

Northumberland, was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England from 1290 to 1707, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832. It was represented by two Members of Parliament.

The constituency was split into two two-member divisions, for Parliamentary purposes, by the Reform Act 1832. The county was then represented by the North Numberland and South Northumberland constituencies.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1290–1640 ParliamentFirst memberSecond member 1300 Sir Luke Tailboys 1311 Guischard de Charron 1311 Roger Mauduit 1314 Roger Mauduit 1331 Roger Mauduit 1334 Roger Mauduit 1371 William Heron 1372 Thomas Surteys John de Mitford 1373 Sir Bertram (II) Montbourcher 1377 Sir Bertram (II) Montbourcher 1378 Sir John Fenwick 1379 Sir John Heron 1380 Walter de SwinhoeSir Ralph Euer 1381 Adam de Athol (Sir Aymer de Strathbogie of Felton)Sir Ralph Euer 1382 Sir Robert Clifford 1386Sir Bertram Montbourcher Sir Robert Clavering 1388 (Feb) Sir Thomas Umfraville John de Mitford 1388 (Sep) John de Mitford 1390 (Jan) Sir Thomas Umfraville John de Mitford 1390 (Nov) Sir John Felton John de Mitford 1391 Sir Gerard Heron John de Mitford 1393 Sir Gerard Heron John de Mitford 1394 Sir Gerard Heron John de Mitford 1395 Sir William Swinburne Sampson Hardyng 1397 (Jan) Sir Thomas Gray John de Mitford 1397 (Sep) Sir Gerard Heron Sir Robert Lisle 1399 Sir Thomas Gray Sampson Hardyng 1401 Sir Gerard Heron John de Mitford 1402 Sir Gerard Heron John de Mitford 1404 (Jan) Sir John Widdrington Sampson Hardyng 1404 (Oct) Sir William Carnaby Sir Robert Lisle 1406 Sir John Clavering Sir Robert Lisle 1407 Sir Edmund Hastings Robert Harbottle 1410 1411 1413 (Feb) 1413 (May) John Bertram William Mitford 1414 (Apr) Sir John Middleton Sir Robert Lisle 1414 (Nov) Sir John Widdrington Sampson Hardyng 1415 1416 (Mar) Sir Robert Ogle William Mitford 1416 (Oct) 1417 Sir John Middleton Sir Robert Lisle 1417 John Strother 1419 Sir Robert Ogle William Mitford 1420 Sir Robert Ogle Nicholas Turpin 1421 (May) John Manners Sampson Hardyng 1421 (Dec) Sir Robert Ogle William Mitford 1425 Sir Robert Ogle 1434 Thomas Lilborn John Cartyngton 1435 Sir Robert Ogle 1451 Sir John Ogle William Bertram 1491 Sir William Tyler 1510–1523 No Names Known 1529 Cuthbert Radcliffe Robert Collingwood 1536 1539 1542 1545 1547Sir Thomas Hilton John Bednall 1553 (Mar) 1553 (Oct) Sir Thomas Grey Cuthbert Horsley 1554 (Apr) John Swinburne Robert Horsley 1554 (Nov) Sir Thomas Grey Cuthbert Horsley 1555 Sir Thomas Wharton George Heron 1558 Sir Thomas Wharton Sir Robert Ellerker 1558–1589 Sir Thomas Grey I Cuthbert Horsley 1562–1565 John Vaughan Robert Lawdon (died 1665) 1571 Sir Henry Percy Sir William Hilton 1572 (Apr) Sir Francis Russell Thomas Layton 1584 Sir Francis Russell Edward Talbot 1586 Sir Thomas Grey II Edward Talbot 1588 (Oct) William Carey Robert Widdrington 1593 Sir William Reade alias Kynnerd Robert Widdrington 1597 Sir Robert Carey William Selby 1601 (Oct) Sir Robert Carey William Selby 1604–1611 Sir Ralph Grey Sir Henry Widdrington 1614 Sir Henry Widdrington Sir George Selby, declared inelig. and repl. by Sir William Selby 1621–1622 Sir William Grey Sir Henry Widdrington 1624 Sir John Fenwick Sir Francis Brandling 1625 Sir John Fenwick Sir Francis Brandling 1626 Sir John Fenwick Sir John Delaval 1628 Sir John Fenwick Sir William Carnaby 1629–1640No Parliaments convened

MPs 1640–1832

YearFirst memberFirst partySecond memberSecond partyApril 1640Sir John FenwickSir William WiddringtonRoyalistNovember 1640Henry PercyExpelled, December 1641, "for being concerned in a plot to bring up the King's army in the North, to over-awe the Parliament"Royalist1642 Sir John FenwickFenwick was temporarily disabled from sitting in January 1644, but re-admitted in June 1646ParliamentarianAugust 1642Widdrington disabled from sitting – seat vacant1645William FenwickDecember 1648Both Fenwicks excluded in Pride's Purge – seats vacant1653Not separately represented in Barebone's ParliamentCharles Howard, Robert Fenwick, Henry Dawson and Henry Ogle were collectively nominated for the Four Northern Counties (Northumberland, Durham, Westmorland and CumberlandNorthumberland's representation was increased to three members in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate1654William Fenwick, Robert Fenwick, Henry Ogle1656William Fenwick, Robert Fenwick, Sir Thomas WiddringtonRepresentation reverted to two members in the Third Protectorate ParliamentJanuary 1659Sir William Fenwick(Sir) Ralph DelavalMay 1659Not represented in the restored RumpApril 1660 Sir William Fenwick (Sir) Ralph DelavalCreated a baronet, June 1660 1661 Viscount Mansfield 1677 Sir John Fenwick Tory Sir Ralph Delaval 1685 William Ogle Tory 1689 William Forster Tory Philip Bickerstaffe Tory 1698 Sir Edward Blackett January 1701 Ferdinando Forster Whig Hon. William Howard WhigDecember 1701 Sir Francis Blake Whig William Loraine 1702 Bertram Stote 1705 Thomas Forster Tory Sir John Delaval Whig 1708 Thomas Forster, juniorExpelled from the House of Commons for involvement in the Jacobite rising of 1715 Tory Earl of Hertford 1716 Francis Blake Delaval 1722 Sir William Middleton, Bt Whig 1723 William WrightsonOn petition, Wrightson was adjudged not to have been duly elected Tory 1724 Ralph Jenison 1741 John Fenwick Tory 1748 Lord OssulstonOn petition, Ossulston waived his return in favour of his opponent, Allgood 1749 Lancelot Allgood 1754 Sir Henry Grey 1757 George Shafto Delaval 1768 Sir Edward Blackett 1774 Lord Algernon Percy Sir William Middleton, Bt 1786 Hon. Charles GreyStyled Viscount Howick from 1806 1795 Thomas Richard Beaumont Tory 1807 Earl Percy 1812 Sir Charles Monck 1818 Thomas Wentworth Beaumont Tory 1820 Charles John Brandling February 1826 Matthew Bell ToryJuly 1826 (results at p.381) Hon. Henry Liddell Tory 1830 Thomas Wentworth Beaumont Whig 1831 Henry Grey Whig1832 Constituency abolished – see North Northumberland and South Northumberland

Elections

The county franchise, from 1430, was held by the adult male owners of freehold land valued at 40 shillings or more. Each elector had as many votes as there were seats to be filled. Votes had to be cast by a spoken declaration, in public, at the hustings, which took place in the town of Alnwick. The expense and difficulty of voting at only one location in the county, together with the lack of a secret ballot contributed to the corruption and intimidation of electors, which was widespread in the unreformed British political system.

The expense, to candidates, of contested elections encouraged the leading families of the county to agree on the candidates to be returned unopposed whenever possible. Contested county elections were therefore unusual. The Tory Percys, led by the Duke of Northumberland, shared the county representation with the Whig Grey Family.

Northumberland (constituency)

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