Glamorganshire was a parliamentary constituency in Wales, returning two Members of Parliament (MPs) to the English and later British House of Commons. The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 divided it into five new constituencies: East Glamorganshire, South Glamorganshire, Mid Glamorganshire, Gower and Rhondda.

Boundaries This constituency comprised the whole of Glamorganshire.

History For most of its history, the county constituency was represented by landowners from a small number of aristocratic families and this pattern continued until the nineteenth century. Following the Great Reform Act 1832 a second county seat was created.

By the 1850s it had become virtually impossible for a Tory candidate to be elected as a county member since the industrial and urban vote could be rallied against him. This was proved in 1857 when Nash Vaughan Edwards-Vaughan failed in his attempt to dislodge one of the sitting members. Thereafter, until redistribution in 1885 led to the abolition of the constituency, the representation was shared by C. R. M. Talbot and Hussey Vivian. In line with Liberal party policy in two-member constituencies to run candidates from both wings of the party, the Whig aristocrat Talbot collaborated well with the more Radical Vivian.

Members of Parliament MPs 1541–1832 ElectionMemberParty 1541Sir George Herbert 1545 not known 1547 John Bassett 1553 (Mar) George Mathew 1553 (Oct) Anthony Mansell 1554 (Apr) Edward Mansell 1554 (Nov) Sir Edward Carne 1555not known 1558 William Herbert I 1559 William Herbert I 1562–3 William Bassett 1571 William Bassett 1572 William Herbert II, died and replaced 1577 by William Mathew 1584 Robert Sidney 1586 Thomas Carne 1588 Thomas Carne 1593 Sir Robert Sidney 1597 Sir Thomas Mansell 1601 Sir John Herbert 1604 Philip Herbert, ennobled and replaced 1605 by Sir Thomas Mansell 1614 Sir Thomas Mansell 1621 William Price 1624 Sir Robert Mansell 1625 Sir Robert Mansell 1626 Sir John Stradling 1628 Sir Robert Mansell 1640 (Apr) Sir Edward Stradling 1640 (Nov) Philip, Lord Herbert (inherited peerage 1649) 1653 Not represented in Barebones Parliament 1654 Philip Jones Edmund Thomas 1656 Philip Jones Edmund Thomas 1659 Evan Seys 1660 Sir Edward Mansel 1661William Herbert, later Earl of Pembroke 1670Sir Edward Mansel 1679Bussy Mansel1681Sir Edward Mansel1689Bussy Mansel1699Thomas Mansel, later Baron Mansel1712Robert Jones1716Sir Charles Kemeys1734William Talbot, later Earl Talbot1737Bussy Mansel, later Baron Mansel1745Thomas Mathews1747Charles Edwin1756Thomas William Mathews1761Sir Edmund Thomas1767Richard Turbervill1768George Venables-Vernon, later Baron Vernon1780Charles Edwin1789Thomas Wyndham Tory1814Benjamin Hall Whig1817Sir Christopher Cole Tory1818John Edwards Whig1820Sir Christopher Cole Tory1830Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot Whig

MPs 1832–1885 ElectionFirst member1st Party2nd member2nd Party 1832 representation increased to two members under the Reform Act 1832 1832 Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot Whig Lewis Weston Dillwyn Whig 1837 Edwin Wyndham-Quin, Viscount Adare Conservative 1851 George Tyler Conservative 1857 Sir Henry Vivian Whig 1859 Liberal Liberal 1885 constituency abolished: see East Glamorganshire, South Glamorganshire, Mid Glamorganshire, Gower and Rhondda

Election results Elections in the 1830s

Elections in the 1840s

Elections in the 1850s Wyndham-Quin was appointed Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, causing a by-election.

Elections in the 1860s

Elections in the 1870s

Elections in the 1880s

References

Sources Books and Journals

Other A map of Glamorganshire in 1885, showing its new divisions.

Boundary Commission review Original Map from 1832 showing Glamorganshire constituency