Northern West Riding of Yorkshire (UK Parliament constituency) explained

Northern West Riding of Yorkshire
Parliament:uk
Year:1865
Abolished:1885
Type:County
Elects Howmany:Two
Region:England
County:West Riding of Yorkshire

Northern West Riding of Yorkshire was a parliamentary constituency covering part of the historic West Riding of Yorkshire. It returned two Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the bloc vote system.

History

The constituency was created when the two-member West Riding of Yorkshire constituency was divided for the 1865 general election into two new constituencies, each returning two members: Northern West Riding of Yorkshire and Southern West Riding of Yorkshire. The extra seats were taken from parliamentary boroughs which had been disenfranchised for corruption.

In the redistribution which took effect for the 1868 general election the two divisions were redistributed into three. Eastern West Riding of Yorkshire was created and the Northern and Southern divisions modified. Each of the three divisions returned two members.

All three were abolished by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 for the 1885 general election. The Northern division was replaced by five new single-member constituencies: Elland, Keighley, Shipley, Skipton and Sowerby.

Boundaries

The place of election was initially at Leeds (1861 Act), later at Bradford (1868 Act).

From 1865 to 1868 the constituency comprised the north half of the West Riding of Yorkshire. The Birkenhead Enfranchisement Act 1861 provided that it was to contain the wapentakes of Staincliffe and Ewecross, Claro, Skyrack, and Morley.[1]

The Reform Act 1867 re-defined the constituency as the wapentake of Staincliffe and Ewcross, Claro, Skyrack, Barkston Ash, and Osgoldcross.[2] The Boundary Act 1868 again re-defined the constituency as the wapentake of Staincliffe and Ewcross with part of the wapentake of Morley (the parishes of Bradford and Halifax and the townships of Boston and Idle).[3]

Members of Parliament

Election1st member1st party2nd member2nd party
1865Sir Francis CrossleyLiberalLord Frederick CavendishLiberal
1872Francis PowellConservative
1874Sir Mathew Wilson, BtLiberal
1882Isaac HoldenLiberal
1885constituency abolished: see Elland, Keighley, Shipley, Skipton and Sowerby

Election results

Elections in the 1870s

Crossley's death caused a by-election.

Cavendish was appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, requiring a by-election.

Elections in the 1880s

Cavendish was appointed Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, causing a by-election. However, on 6 May 1882, just hours after taking the oath for the position, Cavendish was assassinated in Dublin in the Phoenix Park Murders.

Notes and References

  1. Birkenhead Enfranchisement Act 1861 (c.112), section 1.
  2. Web site: Representation of the People Act 1867.. 23 May 2020.
  3. Web site: A Collection of the Public General Statutes: 1867/68. Cap. XLVI. An Act to settle and describe the Limits of certain Boroughs and the Divisions of certain Counties in England and Wales, in so far as respects the Election of Members to serve in Parliament. . London . Eyre and Spottiswoode . 1868 . 119–166 . 23 May 2020.