King's Lynn (UK Parliament constituency)


King's Lynn was a constituency in Norfolk represented continually in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1298 until it was abolished for the February 1974 general election.

History

The Parliamentary Borough of King's Lynn, which was known as Lynn or Bishop's Lynn prior to 1537, returned two Members of Parliament until 1885, when its representation was reduced to one member by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885. It was abolished as a Borough under the Representation of the People Act 1918 and was reconstituted as a Division of the Parliamentary County of Norfolk, absorbing the bulk of the abolished North Western Division. It was abolished for the February 1974 general election, being replaced by the re-established constituency of North West Norfolk.
Sir Robert Walpole, the first Prime Minister, was an MP for the constituency for almost the entirety of his parliamentary career, from 1702 to 1742.

Boundaries

1918–1950: The Borough of King's Lynn, the Urban Districts of New Hunstanton and Walsoken, the Rural Districts of Docking, Freebridge Lynn, King's Lynn, and Marshland, and in the Rural District of Downham the parishes of Wiggenhall St Germans, Wiggenhall St Mary the Virgin, Wiggenhall St Mary Magdalen, and Wiggenhall St Peter.
1950–1974: The Municipal Borough of King's Lynn, the Urban District of New Hunstanton, and the Rural Districts of Docking, Freebridge Lynn, and Marshland.
Minor changes to the boundary with South West Norfolk to align with boundaries of local authorities, which had been rationalised.  Also marginal changes to county boundaries with Isle of Ely and Parts of Holland.

Members of Parliament

MPs before 1640

ParliamentFirst memberSecond member
1328John de SwerdestonRoger de Buttele
1335William de Brinton-
1337John de SwerdestonWilliam de Secheford
1338Roger de ButteleGeoffrey Drewe
1339Thomas de Melcheburne-
1375Robert BatheJohn Waryn
1377John DockynggThomas...
1378Nicholas de SwerdestonHugh de Ellyngham
1379John BrunhamThomas de Morton
1380Richard de HontonHenry de Betele
1381Thomas DreweThomas de Morton
1382John BrunhamJohn Waryn
1385John de BrandonThomas de Morton
1386 Edmund BeleyeterThomas Morton
1388 Henry BetleyThomas Morton
1388 Edmund BeleyeterThomas Drew
1390 Robert WaterdenJohn Wace
1390 John WentworthThomas Waterden
1391 Robert BotkeshamJohn Kepe
1393 Thomas MortonThomas Brigge
1394 Thomas MortonThomas Drew
1395 Thomas WaterdenJohn Brandon
1397 Thomas DrewJohn Brandon
1397 John WentworthRoger Rawlin
1399Robert BotkeshamThomas Waterden
1401 Robert BotkeshamThomas Waterden
1402 Thomas FawkesRobert Brunham
1404 Thomas DrewJohn Wentworth
1404 John BrandonThomas Drew
1406 Thomas BriggeThomas Derham
1407William LokJohn Wesenham
1410 John SpicerJohn Brown
1411 Bartholomew SisternPhilip Frank
1413 William HalyateJohn Tilney
1413 William HalyateJohn Tilney
1414 John BilneyJohn Tilney
1414 John SpicerAndrew Swanton
1415 Thomas BriggeJohn Tilney
1416 John SpicerThomas Brigge
1416 William HerfordJohn Warner
1417 Robert BrunhamThomas Hunt
1419 Philip FrankWalter Curson
1420 Thomas Brigge Andrew Swanton
1421 Bartholomew SisternJohn Parmenter
1421 John WaterdenRobert Brandon
1510Thomas GibbonFrancis Monford
1512Francis MonfordThomas Wythe
1515Robert SoomeThomas Wythe
1523Thomas MillerRichard Bewcher
1529Thomas MillerRichard Bewcher
replaced Oct 1535 by Robert Southwell
1536Robert SouthwellWilliam Coningsby
1539Thomas WatersRobert Southwell
1542Thomas WatersThomas Miller
1545Edmund GreyThomas Miller
1547Thomas GawdyWilliam Overend
replaced Jan 1549 by George Amyas
1553 Sir Richard CorbetJohn Walpole
1553 John WalpoleThomas Waters
1554 Thomas WatersWilliam Overend
1554 Sir Thomas MoyleThomas Waters
1555Sir Nicholas L'EstrangeThomas Waters
1558Ambrose Gilberd, died
and replaced Sep 1558 by William Telverton		Thomas Waters
1558/9Thomas HoganThomas Waters
1562/3 Robert BellRichard L'Estrange
1571 Robert BellJohn Kynne
1572 Robert Bell, died
and replaced Jan 1580 by John Peyton		John Pell
1584 John PeytonRichard Clarke
1586 Richard ClarkeThomas Oxborough
1588/9Richard ClarkeThomas Boston
1593Sir John PeytonWilliam Lewis
1597 Thomas OxboroughNathaniel Bacon
1601Sir Robert MansellThomas Oxborough
1604Thomas OxboroughRobert Hitcham
1614Matthew ClerkeThomas Oxborough
1621–1622Matthew ClerkeJohn Wallis
1624John WallisWilliam Doughty
1625Thomas GurlingJohn Cooke
1626Thomas GurlingJohn Cooke
1628William DoughtySir John Hare
1629–1640No Parliaments summonedNo Parliaments summoned

MPs 1640–1885

MPs 1885–1974

Elections

Elections in the 1830s

Elections in the 1840s

Canning resigned after being appointed the United Kingdom's ambassador to Turkey, causing a by-election.
Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck's death caused a by-election.

Elections in the 1850s

Jocelyn's death caused a by-election.
Stanley was appointed Secretary of State for the Colonies, requiring a by-election.
Stanley was appointed President of the Board of Control for the Affairs of India, requiring a by-election.

Elections in the 1860s

Stanley was appointed Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, requiring a by-election.
Stanley succeed to the peerage, becoming 15th Earl of Derby and causing a by-election.

Elections in the 1870s

Elections in the 1880s

Bourke's resignation on appointment as Governor of Madras caused a by-election.

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

Elections in the 1930s

Elections in the 1940s

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 from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;

Elections in the 1960s

Elections in the 1970s