Bridgwater (UK Parliament constituency)

Bridgwater is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom since 2024 by Ashley Fox of the Conservative Party. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

From 2010 to 2024 it was replaced by the Bridgwater and West Somerset constituency. Further to the completion of the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, the seat has been re-established for the 2024 general election, primarily formed from the now abolished of Bridgwater and West Somerset seat but excluding the area comprising the former District of West Somerset.

Constituency profile

The Bridgwater constituency is located in Somerset and is largely within the Somerset Levels, a coastal plain and wetland area. It is centred on the town of Bridgwater, which has a population of around 41,000. It covers the rural areas around the town and stretches north to include part of the Bristol Channel coast. Other settlements in the constituency include the towns of Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge and many other smaller villages. Bridgwater is a historic market town and was traditionally an important inland port. The coastal area of the constituency is popular with tourists and Burnham-on-Sea is a seaside resort.

Compared to national averages, residents of the constituency are older and have low levels of income, education and professional employment. Bridgwater and Highbridge have areas with high levels of deprivation, but the rural areas of the constituency are generally wealthier. White people make up 96% of the population. Bridgwater is one of the few areas in Somerset to be represented by Labour Party councillors at the county council, whilst the rural parts of the constituency have mostly elected Conservatives. Voters strongly supported leaving the European Union at the 2016 Brexit referendum; an estimated 64% voted in favour of Brexit compared to 52% nationally.

History

Bridgwater was one of the original Parliamentary Constituencies in the House of Commons, having elected Members of Parliament since 1295, the Model Parliament.

The original borough constituency was disenfranchised for corruption by the Bridgwater and Beverley Disfranchisement Act 1870 (33 & 34 Vict. c. 21). From 4 July 1870 the town was incorporated within the county constituency of West Somerset.

From Parliament's enactment of the major Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 which took effect at the 1885 general election, a new county division of Bridgwater was created, which lasted with modifications until 2010. The constituency expanded considerably beyond Bridgwater town itself from 1885.

Bridgwater frequently compared to other seats had a radical or game-changing representative, though since 1950 this became less noticeable in its candidates elected.

The seat received particular fame in late 1938 when a by-election took place in the aftermath of the signing of the Munich Agreement. Opponents of the agreement persuaded the local Labour and Liberal parties to not field candidates of their own against the Conservative candidate, but to instead jointly back an independent standing on a platform of opposition to the Government's foreign policy, in the hope that this would be the precursor to the formation of a more general Popular Front of opposition to the government of Neville Chamberlain in anticipation of the General Election due in either 1939 or 1940. The noted journalist Vernon Bartlett stood as the independent Popular Front candidate and achieved a sensational victory in what was hitherto a Conservative seat. He represented the constituency for the next twelve years.

In 1970 another by-election in the constituency achieved fame as it was the first occasion when 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds were able to vote in a UK Parliamentary election. The first teenager to cast a vote was Trudy Sellick, 18 on the day of the poll. The by-election was won by the future Conservative Cabinet Minister Tom King who held the seat for the next thirty-one years, followed by another Conservative, Ian Liddell-Grainger, until its abolition in 2010.

Liddell-Grainger served as the MP for Bridgwater and West Somerset from 2010 to 2024, but opted to stand at the 2024 general election for the new seat of Tiverton and Minehead, which he failed to win. Ashley Fox was selected as the Conservative candidate for the re-established constituency, which he narrowly won.

Boundaries

Historic

File:BridgwaterConstituency.svg

Bridgwater within Somerset in 2005

1885–1918: The Municipal Borough of Bridgwater, the Sessional Division of Bridgwater, and parts of the Sessional Divisions of Taunton and Ilminster.

1918–1950: The Municipal Borough of Bridgwater, the Urban Districts of Burnham-on-Sea, Highbridge, Minehead, and Watchet, and the Rural Districts of Bridgwater and Williton.

1950–1983: The Municipal Borough of Bridgwater, the Urban Districts of Burnham-on-Sea, Minehead, and Watchet, and the Rural Districts of Bridgwater and Williton. Highbridge Urban District had been absorbed by Burnham-on-Sea UD in 1933, but the constituency boundaries remained unchanged.

1983–2010: The District of Sedgemoor wards of Cannington and Combwich, Central, Dowsborough, Eastern Quantocks, Eastover, East Poldens, Hamp, Huntspill, Newton Green, North Petherton, Parchey, Pawlett and Puriton, Quantock, Sandford, Sowey, Sydenham, Victoria, Westonzoyland, West Poldens, and Woolavington, and the District of West Somerset wards of Alcombe, Aville Vale, Carhampton and Withycombe, Crowcombe and Stogumber, Dunster, East Brendon, Holnicote, Minehead North, Minehead South, Old Cleeve, Porlock and Oare, Quantock Vale, Watchet, West Quantock, and Williton.

Current

Template:Maplink Under the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, the re-established constituency was defined as being composed of the following as they existed on 1 December 2020:

• The District of Sedgemoor wards of: Berrow; Bridgwater Dunwear; Bridgwater Eastover; Bridgwater Fairfax; Bridgwater Hamp; Bridgwater Victoria; Bridgwater Westover; Bridgwater Wyndham; Burnham Central; Burnham North; Cannington and Wembdon; Highbridge and Burnham Marine; Huntspill and Pawlett; King's Isle; North Petherton; Puriton and Woolavington; Quantocks.

With effect from 1 April 2023, the District of Sedgemoor was abolished and absorbed into the new unitary authority of Somerset. Consequently, the constituency now comprises the following electoral divisions of Somerset from the 2024 general election:

• Brent (part); Bridgwater East and Bawdrip; Bridgwater North and Central; Bridgwater South; Bridgwater West; Burnham on Sea North; Cannington; Highbridge and Burnham South; Huntspill (majority); King Alfred (small part); North Petherton.

It comprises:

• The bulk of the parts of the former District of Sedgemoor in the abolished Bridgwater and West Somerset constituency (74% of the electorate), mainly consisting of the town of Bridgwater itself.
• Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge, previously in the now abolished constituency of Wells.

Members of Parliament

• Constituency created (1295)

Bridgwater borough, 1295–1870

MPs 1295–1640

Parliament	First member	Second member
1377	William Tomer	John Sydenham
1380 (Jan)	William Tomer
1383 (Oct)	William Tomer
1385	William Tomer
1386	John Sydenham	Richard Mayne
1388 (Feb)	John Sydenham	Richard Mayne
1388 (Sep)	John Palmer	John Wynd
1390 (Jan)	William Tomer	John Palmer
1390 (Nov)
1391	William Tomer	John Sydenham
1393	William Tomer	Robert Boson
1394	John Cole	John Palmer
1395	William Tomer	John Kedwelly
1397 (Jan)	William Tomer	John Kedwelly
1397 (Sep)	William Tomer	John Sydenham
1399	William Tomer	John Kedwelly
1401
1402	William Tomer	John Kedwelly
1404 (Jan)
1404 (Oct)
1406	William Tomer	William Gascoigne
1407	William Gascoigne	Richard Ward
1410	William Gascoigne	John Kedwelly
1411
1413 (Feb)
1413 (May)	William Gascoigne	William Gosse
1414 (Apr)	William Gascoigne	Thomas Cave
1414 (Nov)	William Gascoigne	John Kedwelly
1415
1416 (Mar)
1416 (Oct)
1417	William Gascoigne	John Kedwelly
1419	William Gascoigne	Richard Mayne
1420	William Gascoigne	Martin Jacob
1421 (May)	James FitzJames	William Gascoigne
1421 (Dec)	William Gascoigne	John Pitt
1442	William Dodesham	William Gascoigne
1449	Thomas Driffield	John Maunsel
1453	John Maunsel
1467	James FitzJames
1467	John Kendall (4 terms)
1472	Sir Thomas Tremayle
1483	John Hymerford	William Hody
1510–1523	No names known
1529	Henry Thornton	Hugh Trotter
1536	?
1539	?
1542	?
1545	Thomas Dyer	Alexander Popham
1547	Sir Thomas Dyer	Alexander Popham
1553 (Mar)	Sir Thomas Dyer	Richard Gubby
1553 (Oct)	Sir Thomas Dyer	Nicholas Halswell
1554 (Apr)	John Newport	Robert Molyns (or Mullens)
1554 (Nov)	John Newport	John Chapell
1555	Thomas Dyer	Edmund Lyte
1558	John Newport	Robert Molyns (or Mullens)
1559	Sir Thomas Dyer	Robert Molyns (or Mullens)
1563–1567	John Edwards	Nicholas Halswell
1571		Edward Popham
1572–1581
1584–1585	Robert Blake
Parliament of 1586–1587		John Court
Parliament of 1588–1589		Alexander Popham
1593	Robert Bocking	William Thomas
1597–1598	Alexander Jones	Alexander Popham
1601	Sir Francis Hastings
1604–1611	Sir Nicholas Halswell	John Povey
Addled Parliament (1614)	Robert Halswell	Thomas Warre
1621–1622	Roger Warre	Edward Popham
Happy Parliament (1624–1625)
Useless Parliament (1625)	Sir Arthur Lake
1625–1626
1628	Thomas Smith	Sir Thomas Wroth
1629–1640	No Parliament summoned

1640–1868

Year		First member	First party		Second member	Second party
April 1640		Robert Blake		rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	Edmund Wyndham	Royalist
November 1640	rowspan="3" style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	Sir Peter Wroth	Parliamentarian
February 1641	style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |			Thomas Smith	Royalist
August 1642	Smith disabled from sitting — seat vacant
May 1644				Wroth died — seat vacant
1645		Admiral Robert Blake			Sir Thomas Wroth
1653	Bridgwater was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament
1654		Admiral Robert Blake		Bridgwater had only one seat in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate
1656		Sir Thomas Wroth
January 1659					John Wroth
May 1659				One seat vacant
April 1660					Francis Rolle
1661		Edmund Wyndham			John Tynte
November 1669					Sir Francis Rolle
December 1669					Peregrine Palmer
February 1679		Sir Halswell Tynte			Sir Francis Rolle
September 1679					Ralph Stawell
1681					Sir John Malet
1685				rowspan="3" style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	Sir Francis Warre	Tory
1689	style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	Henry Bull	Tory
1692		Robert Balch
1695		Nathaniel Palmer			Roger Hoar
1698		George Crane
1699				style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	Sir Francis Warre	Tory
January 1701		John Gilbert		rowspan="3" style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	George Balch	Tory
November 1701		Sir Thomas Wroth
1708	rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	George Dodington	Whig
1710	rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |			Nathaniel Palmer	Tory
1713		John Rolle
1715	style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	George Dodington	Whig	rowspan="3" style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	Thomas Palmer	Tory
1720		William Pitt
1722		George Dodington
1727				style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	Sir Halswell Tynte	Tory
1731				style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	Thomas Palmer	Tory
1735				style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	Charles Wyndham	Tory
1741				style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	Vere Poulett	Tory
1747				style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	Peregrine Poulett	Tory
1753				rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	Robert Balch	Tory
1754		The Earl of Egmont
1761					Edward Southwell
1762		Viscount Perceval
1763					The Lord Coleraine
1768				rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	Benjamin Allen	Whig
1769	rowspan="3" style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	Anne Poulett	Tory
1781	style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |			John Acland	Tory
1784	rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |			Rear-Admiral Alexander Hood	Tory
1785		Robert Thornton
1790	style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	Major Vere Poulett	Tory	style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	John Langston	Tory
1796	rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	George Pocock	Tory	style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	Jeffreys Allen	Tory
1804	style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |			John Hudleston	Tory
1806	style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	Major-General Vere Poulett	Whig	style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	John Langston	Whig
1807	rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	William Thornton	Tory	style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	George Pocock	Tory
1820	rowspan="4" style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |			Charles Kemeys-Tynte (1)	Whig
1832	style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	William Tayleur	Whig
1835	style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	John Temple Leader	Radical
May 1837	style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan="4"|	Henry Broadwood	Conservative
August 1837	style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |			Philip Courtenay	Conservative
1841	style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |			Thomas Seaton Forman	Conservative
1847	style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan="3"|			Charles Kemeys-Tynte (2)	Whig
1852	style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	Brent Follett	Conservative
1857	style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color"|	Alexander William Kinglake	Whig
1859	style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan="4"|		Liberal		style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color"|	Liberal
1865	style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |			Henry Westropp	Conservative
1866	style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |			George Patton	Conservative
1866	style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |			Philip Vanderbyl	Liberal
1869	Writ suspended — both seats vacant
1870	Constituency abolished for corruption and incorporated into the West Somerset county division from 4 July 1870

Bridgwater county constituency, 1885–2010; 2024–present

• County division created (1885)

Year		Member	Party
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	1885	Edward Stanley	Conservative
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	1906	Henry Montgomery	Liberal
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	1910	Sir Robert Sanders	Unionist
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	1923	William Morse	Liberal
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	1924	Brooks Wood	Unionist
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	1929	Reginald Croom-Johnson	Conservative
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	1938 by-election	Vernon Bartlett	Independent Progressive
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	1942		Common Wealth
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	1945		Independent Progressive
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	1950	Sir Gerald Wills	Conservative
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	1970 by-election	Tom King	Conservative
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	2001	Ian Liddell-Grainger	Conservative
	2010	constituency abolished, replaced by Bridgwater and West Somerset

• County division re-created (2024)

Election		Member	Party
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" |	2024	Ashley Fox	Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

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General election 2024: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Leigh Redman	10,932	27.2
		William Fagg	8,913	22.2
		Claire Sully	5,781	14.4
		Charlie Graham	1,720	4.3
	Independent	Pelé Barnes	334	0.8
		Gregory Tanner	168	0.4
Majority			1,349	3.4
Turnout			40,129	56.1
Registered electors			71,571
	hold		Swing	−16.9

Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result
Party		Vote	%
	Conservative	26,058	57.9
	Labour	9,334	20.7
	Liberal Democrats	7,932	17.6
	Green	925	2.1
	Others	755	1.7
Turnout		45,004	63.0
Electorate		71,418

Elections in the 2000s

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General election 2005: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Matthew Burchell	12,771	26.50
		James Main	10,940	22.70
		Raymond Weinstein	1,767	3.70
		Charlie Graham	1,391	2.90
Majority			8,469	17.60
Turnout			48,109	63.50
	hold		Swing

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General election 2001: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Ian Thorn	14,367	30.00
		Bill Monteith	12,803	26.80
		Vicky Gardner	1,323	2.80
Majority			4,987	10.40
Turnout			47,847	64.40
	hold		Swing

Elections in the 1990s

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General election 1997: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Michael Hoban	18,378	33.65
		Roger Lavers	13,519	24.75
		Fran Evens	2,551	4.67
Majority			1,796	3.28
Turnout			54,622	74.41
	hold		Swing

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General election 1992: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		WJ Revans	16,894	29.69
		PE James	12,365	21.73
		G Dummett	746	1.31
	Independent	A Body	183	0.32
		G Sanson	112	0.20
Majority			9,716	17.07
Turnout			56,910	79.52
	hold		Swing

Elections in the 1980s

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General election 1987: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Christopher Clarke	15,982	30.30
		John Turner	9,594	18.19
Majority			11,195	21.22
Turnout			52,753	78.18
	hold		Swing

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General election 1983: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Rosemary Farley	14,410	30.00
		Andrew May	8,524	17.74
Majority			10,697	22.26
Turnout			48,041	74.80
	hold		Swing

Elections in the 1970s

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General election 1979: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		J Beasant	16,809	29.05
		Christina Baron	9,793	16.9
Majority			14,450	25.0
Turnout			57,861	79.2
	hold		Swing

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General election October 1974: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		A Mitchell	17,663	32.78
		JHG Wyatt	12,077	22.4
	United Democratic	SR Harrad	288	0.5
Majority			6,187	11.5
Turnout			53,878	77.2
	hold		Swing

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General election February 1974: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		R Undy	16,786	29.5
		JHG Wyatt	15,269	26.8
Majority			8,044	14.1
Turnout			56,885	82.25
	hold		Swing

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General election 1970: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Raymond J Billington	18,224	35.8
		Patrick M O'Loughlin	6,066	11.9
Majority			8,461	16.5
Turnout			50,975	77.0
	hold		Swing	+5.3

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1970 Bridgwater by-election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Richard Mayer	14,772	31.9
		Patrick M O'Loughlin	5,832	12.6
Majority			10,915	23.6
Turnout			46,291	70.3
	hold		Swing	+8.6

Elections in the 1960s

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General election 1966: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Richard Mayer	17,864	38.1
		Philip Watkins	8,205	17.5
Majority			2,986	6.3
Turnout			46,919	80.2
	hold		Swing	+3.5

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General election 1964: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Norman J Hart	14,645	31.5
		Philip Watkins	9,009	19.4
		Michael L de V Hart	2,038	4.4
Majority			6,177	13.3
Turnout			46,514	80.3
	hold		Swing

Elections in the 1950s

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General election 1959: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		James Finnigan	14,706	32.25
		Philip Watkins	7,893	17.31
Majority			8,296	18.19
Turnout			45,601	81.77
	hold		Swing

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General election 1955: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Albert E Sumbler	17,170	40.83
Majority			7,717	18.34
Turnout			42,057	78.00
	hold		Swing

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General election 1951: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Norman E Carr	19,656	43.66
Majority			5,709	12.68
Turnout			45,021	84.63
	hold		Swing

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General election 1950: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Norman E Carr	16,053	36.08
		Stephen King-Hall	6,708	15.08
Majority			5,679	12.76
Turnout			44,493	85.75
	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing

Elections in the 1940s

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General election 1945: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Gerald Wills	15,625	39.89
		Norman Corkhill	5,613	14.33
Majority			2,312	5.90
Turnout			39,175	72.69
	hold		Swing

General Election 1939–40:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected;

• Independent Progressive: Vernon Bartlett
• Conservative: Patrick Heathcoat Amery

Elections in the 1930s

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1938 Bridgwater by-election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Patrick Gerald Heathcoat-Amory	17,208	46.8
Majority			2,332	6.4
Turnout			36,748	82.3
	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing

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General election 1935: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Norman David Blake	7,370	23.4
		Arthur W Loveys	6,240	19.8
Majority			10,569	33.5
Turnout			31,549	72.7
	hold		Swing

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General election 1931: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		James Musgrave Boltz	6,974	22.5
Majority			17,067	55.03
Turnout			31,015	73.8
	hold		Swing

Elections in the 1920s

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General election 1929: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Joseph William Molden	11,161	33.8
		James Musgrave Boltz	6,423	19.4
Majority			4,279	13.0
Turnout			33,024	80.4
Registered electors			41,068
	hold		Swing	+0.1

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General election 1924: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		William Morse	10,842	40.0
		James Musgrave Boltz	1,966	7.3
Majority			3,441	12.7
Turnout			27,091	84.4
Registered electors			32,111
	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing	+9.1

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General election 1923: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Robert Sanders	12,347	47.3
Majority			1,431	5.4
Turnout			26,125	83.4
Registered electors			31,317
	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing	+3.0

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General election 1922: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		William Morse	11,121	46.4
		Thomas Williams	1,598	6.7
Majority			119	0.5
Turnout			23,959	78.2
Registered electors			30,657
	hold		Swing	−34.1

Elections in the 1910s

Template:Election box winning candidate with party link coalition 1918Template:Election box end 1918

General election 1918: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Sid Plummer	5,771	31.4
Majority			6,816	37.2
Turnout			18,358	62.4
Registered electors			29,411
	hold		Swing	N/A

Template:Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link

By-election, 1918: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	hold

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 from 1914 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;

• Unionist: Robert Sanders
• Liberal: Philip Foale Rowsell

Sanders is appointed Treasurer of the Household, requiring him to seek re-election.

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General election December 1910: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Harold C. Hicks	3,779	42.3
Majority			1,381	15.4
Turnout			8,939
	hold		Swing	−1.2

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General election January 1910: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Harold C. Hicks	3,896	41.1
Majority			1,679	17.8
Turnout			9,471
	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing	+9.0

Elections in the 1900s

File:Greville Montgomery.png

Montgomery

Template:Election box winning candidate with party link

General election 1906: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Robert Sanders	4,405	49.9
Majority			17	0.2
Turnout			8,827	86.7
Registered electors			10,180
	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing	N/A

File:Edward Stanley of Bridgwater.jpg

Edward Stanley

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General election 1900: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	hold

Elections in the 1890s

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General election 1895: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	hold

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General election 1892: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		James Douglas Walker	3,362	42.5
Majority			1,193	15.0
Turnout			7,917	77.5
Registered electors			10,220
	hold		Swing	N/A

Elections in the 1880s

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General election 1886: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	hold

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General election 1885: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Edwin Brook Cely Trevilian	3,835	49.4
Majority			100	1.2
Turnout			7,770	78.8
Registered electors			9,861
	win (new seat)

Elections in the 1860s

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General election 1868: Bridgwater (2 seats)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Henry Westropp	681	24.4
		Charles William Gray	650	23.3
Majority			44	1.6
Turnout			1,394 (est)	93.0 (est)
Registered electors			1,499
	hold		Swing	−4.2
	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing	−3.6

A Royal Commission found extensive bribery in the seat and, from 4 July 1870, the writ was suspended, both MPs were unseated, and the electorate was absorbed into West Somerset.

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By-election, 12 Jul 1866: Bridgwater (1 seat)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		George Patton	275	46.8
Majority			37	6.4
Turnout			587	91.1
Registered electors			Template:Replace
	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing	−6.9

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By-election, 7 Jun 1866: Bridgwater (1 seat)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Walter Bagehot	293	49.3
Majority			8	1.4
Turnout			594	92.2
Registered electors			Template:Replace
	hold		Swing	+10.8

Patton was appointed Lord Advocate, requiring a by-election.

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General election 1865: Bridgwater (2 seats)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		John Shelley	237	28.8
Majority			91	11.1
Turnout			575 (est)	89.3 (est)
Registered electors			Template:Replace
	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing	−3.6
	hold		Swing	+2.7

Westropp's election was declared void on petition on 25 April 1866, causing a by-election.

Elections in the 1850s

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General election 1859: Bridgwater (2 seats)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Henry Padwick	230	22.8
		Henry Westropp	208	20.7
Majority			49	4.9
Turnout			504 (est)	82.0 (est)
Registered electors			Template:Replace
	hold		Swing	−10.2
	hold		Swing	−9.0

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General election 1857: Bridgwater (2 seats)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Brent Follett	203	24.3
Majority			98	11.8
Turnout			519 (est)	88.0 (est)
Registered electors			Template:Replace
	hold		Swing	+10.5
	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing	+17.8

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General election 1852: Bridgwater (2 seats)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		John Clavell Mansel	177	18.8
		Anthony Henley	149	15.8
		Alexander William Kinglake	101	10.7
Turnout			471 (est)	68.5 (est)
Registered electors			Template:Replace
Majority			27	2.9
	hold		Swing	−15.5
Majority			95	10.0
	hold		Swing	+9.5

Elections in the 1840s

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General election 1847: Bridgwater (2 seats)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Stephen Gaselee	196	22.9
Turnout			428 (est)	80.9 (est)
Registered electors			Template:Replace
Majority			130	15.1
	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing	+5.2
Majority			69	8.1
	hold		Swing	−10.9

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General election 1841: Bridgwater (2 seats)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Edward Simcoe Drewe	247	23.6
		Augustin Robinson	242	23.2
Majority			29	2.8
Turnout			525	88.2
Registered electors			Template:Replace
	hold		Swing	−22.8
	hold		Swing	−22.8

Elections in the 1830s

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General election 1837: Bridgwater (2 seats)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Thomas Lethbridge	5	0.9
		Richard Brinsley Sheridan	2	0.4
Majority			272	48.3
Turnout			284	50.9
Registered electors			Template:Replace
	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing	+19.9
	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing	+21.5

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By-election, 16 May 1837: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Richard Brinsley Sheridan	221	44.2
Majority			58	11.6
Turnout			500	89.6
Registered electors			Template:Replace
	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing	−1.6

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General election 1835: Bridgwater (2 seats)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Henry Broadwood	190	23.9
		Francis Mountjoy Martyn	162	20.4
Turnout			309	71.9
Registered electors			Template:Replace
Majority			26	3.3
	hold		Swing	N/A
Majority			18	2.3
	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing	N/A

Leader resigned, by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, in order to contest a by-election at Westminster, causing a by-election.

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General election 1832: Bridgwater (2 seats)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
Registered electors			Template:Replace
	hold
	gain from

Template:Election box winning candidate with party linkTemplate:Election box winning candidate with party link

General election 1831: Bridgwater (2 seats)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Henry Shirley	202	26.9
Turnout			430
Majority			124	16.5
	hold		Swing	N/A
Majority			11	1.4
	hold		Swing	N/A

Template:Election box winning candidate unopposed with party linkTemplate:Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link

General election 1830: Bridgwater (2 seats)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	hold
	hold

See also

• List of parliamentary constituencies in Somerset

Sources

• Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885–1972, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Parliamentary Reference Publications 1972)
• British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press 1977)
• British Parliamentary Election Results 1885–1918, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press 1974)
• British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press, revised edition 1977)
• British Parliamentary Election Results 1950–1973, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Parliamentary Research Services 1983)
• Who's Who of British Members of Parliament: Volume I 1832–1885, edited by M. Stenton (The Harvester Press 1976)
• Who's Who of British Members of Parliament, Volume II 1886–1918, edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (Harvester Press 1978)
• Who's Who of British Members of Parliament, Volume III 1919–1945, edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (Harvester Press 1979)
• Who's Who of British Members of Parliament, Volume IV 1945–1979, edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (Harvester Press 1981)
• Robert Beatson, A Chronological Register of Both Houses of Parliament (London: Longman, Hurst, Res & Orme, 1807) [1]
• 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) [2]
• Esther S Cope and Willson H Coates (eds), Camden Fourth Series, Volume 19: Proceedings of the Short Parliament of 1640 (London: Royal Historical Society, 1977)
• Maija Jansson (ed.), Proceedings in Parliament, 1614 (House of Commons) (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, 1988) [3]
• J E Neale, The Elizabethan House of Commons (London: Jonathan Cape, 1949)
• 'Bridgwater: Parliamentary representation' in Victoria County History of Somerset: Volume 6 (1992)

External links

• Bridgwater UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK
• Bridgwater UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK