Truro was the name of a parliamentary constituency in Cornwall represented in the House of Commons of England and later of Great Britain from 1295 until 1800, then in the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918 and finally from 1950 to 1997. Until 1885 it was a parliamentary borough, electing two members of parliament (MPs) by the plurality-at-large system of election; the name was then transferred to the surrounding county constituency, which elected a single Member by the first past the post system. In 1997, although there had been no changes to its boundaries, it was renamed as Truro and St Austell, reflecting the fact that St Austell by then had a larger population than Truro.
Boundaries 1950–1974: The Borough of Truro, the Urban District of St Austell, the Rural District of Truro except the parish of Gwennap, and in the Rural District of St Austell the parishes of Creed, Grampound, Roche, St Dennis, St Ewe, St Goran, St Mewan, St Michael Caerhays, and St Stephen-in-Brannel.
1974–1983: The Boroughs of Truro, and St Austell with Fowey, the Rural District of Truro except the parish of Gwennap, and in the Rural District of St Austell the parishes of Creed, Grampound, Roche, St Dennis, St Ewe, St Goran, St Mewan, St Michael Caerhays, and St Stephen-in-Brannel.
1983–1997: The District of Carrick wards of Boscawen, Chacewater, Feock, Kea, Kenwyn, Moresk, Newlyn, Perranzabuloe, Probus, Roseland, St Agnes, St Clement, Tregolls, and Trehaverne, and the Borough of Restormel wards of Crinnis, Mevagissey, Poltair, Rock, St Ewe, St Mewan, St Stephen-in-Brannel, Trevarna, and Treverbyn.
History The constituency has existed in a number of different forms. The constituency of Truro, up until 1885 elected two members to parliament; this was reduced to one. In 1918 the constituency was abolished but it was recreated again in 1950.
The seat became a safe Lib Dem bet thanks to the popularity and eloquence of its former MP, David Penhaligon. His death in a car crash, aged only 42, robbed the House of Commons of one of its most independent-minded and pragmatic members. His successor, Matthew Taylor, held the seat comfortably from a by-election in 1987, and remained its MP after the name change in 1997.
Members of Parliament Truro Parliamentary borough
MPs 1295–1629
Constituency created (1295)
ParliamentFirst memberSecond member 1358John Hamely 1386John Tregoose Robert Clerk 1388 (Feb) Henry Gourlyn John Tremayne 1388 (Sep) John Tr...uran John Trebernet 1390 (Jan) John Coke Walter Bloyowe 1390 (Nov) 1391 John Urban Roger Juyl 1393 Ralph Trenewith I Walter Bloyowe 1394 1395 Richard Respryn Andrew Borlase 1397 (Jan) John Trereise John Megre 1397 (Sep) Nicholas Trenewith John Lawhire 1399 Richard Carhorta Pascoe Polruddan 1401 1402 Ralph Kayl John Trereise 1404 (Jan) 1404 (Oct) 1406 Ralph Cardrewe Thomas Brunsham 1407 1410 1411 Thomas Paderda William Colyn 1413 (Feb) 1413 (May) John Chinals William Chamberlain 1414 (Apr) 1414 (Nov) John Trereise William Trethake I 1415 1416 (Mar) Peter Hayme William Moun 1416 (Oct) 1417 John Megre Andrew Hirnans 1419 John Trewint John Langedon 1420 William Panter Robert Trenerth 1421 (May) William Trethake II William Richard 1421 (Dec) Robert Treage William Richard 1422 John But1425 John But 1467 Edward Aysshton 1510–1523 No names known 1529 Roger Corbet John Thomas 1536 ?Roger Corbet ? 1539 ? 1542 ? 1545 Francis Smith Robert Trencreke 1547 Robert Trencreke Nicholas RandallFirst Parliament of 1553Nicholas RandallThomas RoydonSecond Parliament of 1553John MethnesParliament of 1554William IsehamThomas DuppaParliament of 1554–1555John MelhuishThomas RoydonParliament of 1555Nicholas RandallThomas RandallParliament of 1558Thomas RoydonParliament of 1563–1567John CarminowJohn MitchellParliament of 1571Henry KilligrewVincent SkinnerParliament of 1572–1581Oliver CarminowParliament of 1584–1585Edward DarcyMichael HicksParliament of 1586–1587John StanhopeRoland LyttonParliament of 1588–1589Hannibal VyvyanJohn WooltonParliament of 1593John ParkerNicholas SmythParliament of 1597–1598Maurice BerkeleyReade StaffordParliament of 1601William DanielThomas HarrisParliament of 1604–1611Henry CossenThomas BurgessAddled Parliament (1614)Thomas RussellThomas Burgess, juniorParliament of 1621–1622Barnaby Gough, sat for Cambridge Univ. and replaced by Sir John CatcherGough sat for Cambridge University ().John Trefusis"John Trefuses" according to Cobbett: Browne Willis has "Samuel Trefusis "Happy Parliament (1624)Richard DanielThomas BurgessUseless Parliament (1625)William RousHenry RolleParliament of 1626Francis RousParliament of 1628Richard DanielNo Parliament summoned 1629–1640
MPs 1640–1885 ElectionFirst memberFirst partySecond memberSecond partyApril 1640Francis RousParliamentarianJohn Rolle ParliamentarianNovember 1640November 1648Rolle died – seat left vacant1653Truro was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament1654Francis Rous Truro had only one seat in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate1656 Walter Vincent January 1659Charles BoscawenMay 1659Not represented in the restored Rump April 1660 Walter Vincent Edward Boscawen 1661 Nicholas Arundell 1666John Arundell 1679 William Boscawen 1681 Henry Ashurst Whig 1685 John Arundell Henry Vincent 1689 Sir Henry Ashurst, Bt 1690 John Cloberry 1695 Hugh Fortescue Whig March 1701 Sir John Hawles Whig December 1701 Sir William Scawen sat for Grampound February 1702 Sir Robert Cotton Tory July 1702 Thomas Powys November 1702 Sir Philip Meadowes May 1705 Hugh Boscawen Whig November 1705 Peregrine Bertie Whig May 1708 James BrydgesBrydges was also elected for Hereford, which he chose to represent, and never sat for Truro (). December 1708 Robert Furnese Whig 1710 Hugh Boscawen Whig 1713 Thomas Hare William Collier 1715 John Selwyn Spencer Cowper Whig 1721 Thomas Wyndham 1727 Hugh Boscawen Sidney Meadows 1734 Kelland Courtenay Robert Trefusis 1741 Charles Hamilton James Hammond 1742 Admiral the Hon. Edward Boscawen Tory 1747 Hon. John BoscawenLieutenant-Colonel from 1748, Colonel 1758, Major General 1761 (). Tory 1761 Lt General the Hon. George Boscawen Tory 1767 Edward Hugh Boscawen Tory 1774 George Boscawen Tory Bamber Gascoyne Whig 1780 Henry Rosewarne Whig 1783 John Pollexfen Bastard Tory February 1784 Sir John St Aubyn, Bt Whig April 1784 William Macarmick Tory William Augustus Spencer Boscawen Tory 1787 John Hiley Addington Tory 1790 James Gordon Tory 1792 Charles Ingoldsby PauletStyled Earl of Wiltshire from December 1794 (). Tory 1796 Lt Colonel John Leveson-Gower Tory John Lemon Whig 1802 Captain Edward Leveson-Gower Tory 1807 Edward Boscawen Tory 1808 Charles Powlett Townshend Tory 1810 William John Bankes Tory 1812 Sir George Warrender, Bt Tory 1814 George Dashwood Tory 1818 Lord FitzRoy Somerset Tory William Edward Tomline Tory 1820 Sir Hussey Vivian Whig William Gossett Whig 1826 Lord FitzRoy Somerset Tory William Edward Tomline Tory 1829 Viscount Encombe Tory Nathaniel William Peach Tory 1832 Sir Hussey Vivian Whig William Tooke Whig 1835 John Ennis Vivian Conservative 1837 Edmund Turner Whig 1849 Humphrey Willyams Whig 1852 Sir Henry Vivian Whig 1857 Augustus SmithWhig Edward Brydges Willyams Whig 1859 Liberal Montague Edward Smith Conservative February 1865 Sir Frederick Williams, Bt Conservative July 1865 Hon. John Vivian Liberal 1871 Sir James McGarel-Hogg, Bt Conservative 1878 Arthur Tremayne Conservative 1880 Edward Brydges Willyams Liberal 1885 Borough constituency abolished – name transferred to single-member county constituency
Truro County constituency
MPs 1885–1918 ElectionMemberParty 1885 William Bickford-Smith Liberal later Liberal Unionist 1892 John Charles Williams Liberal Unionist 1895 Sir Edwin Durning-Lawrence Liberal Unionist 1906 George Hay Morgan Liberal1918 constituency abolished
MPs 1950–1997 ElectionMemberParty1950 Geoffrey Wilson Conservative1970 Piers Dixon ConservativeOct 1974 David Penhaligon Liberal 1987 by-election Matthew Taylor Liberal 1988 Liberal Democrats1997 name changed to Truro & St. Austell
Elections
Elections in the 1830s
178 free burgesses polled for Lubbock and Tooke, and one for Scott and Peach, but their votes were rejected.
24 votes were tendered by inhabitant householders for Tooke and Willyams, but these were rejected.
Elections in the 1840s
Turner's death caused a by-election.
Elections in the 1850s
Elections in the 1860s Montague Edward Smith resigned after being appointed a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, causing a by-election.
Vivian was appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, causing a by-election.
Elections in the 1870s Vivian resigned after being appointed Under-Secretary of State for War.
Williams' death caused a by-election.
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; Liberal: Walter BurtCornishman, 9 Apr 1914 Unionist:
Elections in the 1950s
Elections in the 1960s
Elections in the 1970s
Elections in the 1980s
Elections in the 1990s
See also Parliamentary constituencies in Cornwall
References
Sources
Further reading Robert Beatson, A Chronological Register of Both Houses of Parliament (London: Longman, Hurst, Res & Orme, 1807) D. Brunton & D. H. Pennington, Members of the Long Parliament (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1954) Cobbett's Parliamentary history of England, from the Norman Conquest in 1066 to the year 1803 (London: Thomas Hansard, 1808) F. W. S. Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885 (2nd edition, Aldershot: Parliamentary Research Services, 1989) Maija Jansson (ed.), Proceedings in Parliament, 1614 (House of Commons) (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, 1988) Lewis Namier & John Brooke, The History of Parliament: The House of Commons 1754–1790 (London: HMSO, 1964) J. E. Neale, The Elizabethan House of Commons (London: Jonathan Cape, 1949) Henry Stooks Smith, The Parliaments of England from 1715 to 1847 (2nd edition, edited by FWS Craig – Chichester: Parliamentary Reference Publications, 1973) Frederic A. Youngs jr, Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England, Vol II (London: Royal Historical Society, 1991) The History of Parliament Trust, Truro, Borough from 1386 to 1868