CLEETHORPES as a Parliamentary
constituency was created in 1997. Before then, the towns and
parishes which comprise Cleethorpes Constituency have been in and
out of many other constituencies. Below is a guide I have compiled
of the MPs who have represented the various parts of the
constituency.
If
you have any comments, information or observations about this info,
please do post a comment or email me. I will try to
credit contributors.
BRIGG
MPs
Brigg was
created as a constituency in 1885 and abolished in 1974. Brigg was
replaced by Brigg and Scunthorpe constituency in 1974. The area of
the around Barton was part of the Brigg electoral area.
1885 Sir
Henry Meysey-Thompson (Lib)
1886 Sir
Henry Meysey-Thompson (Lib Unionist)
1886 Samuel
Danks Waddy (Lib)
1894 John
Maunsell Richardson (Con)
Maunsell Richardson
JP DL - a great sportsman
J Maunsell Richardson
(he rarely used John) was theyounger son of William Richardson of
Great Limber and Immingham. Educated at Harrow and Magdalene
College, Cambridge, he excelled at cricket and was the master of
draghounds while at university. He also hunted with the
Brocklesby and as a result the Richardson family became firm
friends with the Earl of Yarborough and his family. As well as
hunting and playing cricket, Maunsell trained and rode
race horses. He is given credit for 56 winning mounts.
As befitting the tradition of the 'gentleman
rider' he twice won the Grand National - first in 1873 on
Disturbance and the following year on Reugney.
In 1875, the 3rd Earl of Yarborough died at the age of 40. His
son was not of age, so the Earl's widow Victoria
Alexandrina (nee Hare), the Countess of Yarborough, had
to run of
the estate. She was assisted in this task by Maunsell,
a riding companion, who had also taken over as master of
the foxhounds at Brocklesby. Although no longer riding in
Grand Nationals, he maintained an active interest
in horses and racing and stewarded at Market
Rasen from 1875 to 1901.
The relationship flourished and in 1881, Maunsell married the
widow Victoria and moved to Brocklesby Park. They stayed here
until 1886, when the young 4th Earl married. Maunsell and
Victoria moved to their new home - Healing Manor.
Maunsell stood as a Tory candidate for Parliament in 1886
and 1890 - he was defeated both times. He was finally
successful in 1894 when he was elected to represent Brigg. He was
not long an MP and lost the seat in 1895.
In
1905, the Richardsons decided to leave Lincolnshire and in
September sold Healing Manor to Captain Gerald Berkley (later Lord
Portman) for £18,000. The sale comprised the manor house, cottages,
farmhouse, stockyard and 268 acres of land.
The Richardsons moved to Edmonsthorpe Hall near Oakham.
J Maunsell Richardson died in London in
1912.
1895 Harold James Reckitt
(Lib)
1900 Harold
James Reckitt (Lib)
1906 Harold
James Reckitt (Lib)
Reckitt became a baronet in 1924
1907 Sir
Berkeley Digby George Sheffield (Con)
1910 Sir
William Alfred Gelder (Lib)
1918 Charles
Wesley Weldon McLean (Coalition Con)
1922 Sir
Berkeley Digby George Sheffield (Con)
1923 Sir
Berkeley Digby George Sheffield (Con)
1924 Sir
Berkeley Digby George Sheffield (Con)
1929 David
John Kinsley Quibell (Lab)
1931 Michael
John Hunter (Lab)
1935 David
John Kinsley Quibell (Lab)
David Quibell retired at the 1945
election and became Baron Quibell
1945 Tom
Williamson (Lab)
1948 Edward
Lancelot ‘Lance’ Mallalieu (Lab)
1950 Edward
Lancelot ‘Lance’ Mallalieu (Lab)
1951 Edward
Lancelot ‘Lance’ Mallalieu (Lab)
1955 Edward
Lancelot ‘Lance’ Mallalieu (Lab)
1959 Edward
Lancelot ‘Lance’ Mallalieu (Lab)
1964 Edward
Lancelot ‘Lance’ Mallalieu (Lab)
1966 Edward
Lancelot ‘Lance’ Mallalieu (Lab)
1970 Edward
Lancelot ‘Lance’ Mallalieu (Lab)
1974
Constituency abolished.
Fred
Mallalieu was the Liberal MP for Colne Valley in Yorkshire. He was
succeeded in that seat by Lance Mallalieu who later become the MP
to Brigg. Clearly a political family – Lance’s brother Joseph
Mallalieu was the Labour MP for Huddersfield East from 1945 until
1979. Joseph’s daughter, Baroness Ann Mallalieu, is currently a
Labour peer in the House of Lords. She is known for being a strong
supporter of hunting.
BRIGG AND
SCUNTHORPE MPs
Created in
1974
Abolished 1983
1974 Feb
John Ellis (Lab)
1974 Oct
John Ellis (Lab)
1979 Michael
Brown (Con)
1983
Abolished and replaced by Brigg and Cleethorpes
BRIGG AND
CLEETHORPES MPs
Created
1983
Abolished 1997
1983 Michael
Brown (Con)
1987 Michael
Brown (Con)
1992 Michael
Brown (Con)
1997
Abolished and replaced by two constituencies: Cleethorpes plus
Brigg & Goole
BRIGG AND GOOLE
MPs
Created
1997
1997 Ian
Cawsey (Lab)
2001 Ian
Cawsey (Lab)
2005 Ian
Cawsey (Lab)
CLEETHORPES
MPs
Created
1997
1997 Shona
McIsaac (Lab)
2001 Shona
McIsaac (Lab)
2005 Shona
McIsaac (Lab)
GLANFORD AND
SCUNTHORPE MPs
Created
1983
Abolished 1997
1983 Richard
Saladin Hickmet (Con)
1987 Elliot
Morley (Lab)
1992 Elliot
Morley (Lab)
1997
Abolished – replaced with Scunthorpe
LOUTH MPs
In
1918, the parishes of Bradley, Great Coates, Little Coates, Laceby,
Scartho, Waltham and Weelsby were moved to Louth constituency.
Boundary changes in 1950, added Cleethorpes to Louth constituency.
Cleethorpes was part of Louth constituency until
1983.
1885 Francis
Otter
1886 Arthur
Heath
1892 Sir
Robert William Perks
Jan 1910
Henry Brackenbury (Con)
Dec 1910
Timothy Davies (Lib)
1918 Henry
Brackenbury (Coalition Con)
1920 by
election Thomas Wintringham (Lib)
1921 by
election Margaret Wintringham (Lib)
1922
Margaret Wintringham (Lib)
1923
Margaret Wintringham (Lib)
1924 Arthur
Pelham Heneage (Unionist)
1929 Arthur
Pelham Heneage
1931 Arthur
Pelham Heneage
1935 Arthur
Pelham Heneage
1945 Sir
Cyril Osborne (Con)
1950 Sir
Cyril Osborne (Con)
1951 Sir
Cyril Osborne (Con)
1955 Sir
Cyril Osborne (Con)
1959 Sir
Cyril Osborne (Con)
1964 Sir
Cyril Osborne (Con)
1966 Sir
Cyril Osborne (Con)
1969 by
election Jeffrey Archer (Con)
1974 Michael
Brotherton (Con)
1979 Michael
Brotherton (Con)
1983
Constituency abolished in boundary change
The Louth by
elections of the 1920s
Henry Brackenbury, a Coalition
Conservative, won in the election in 1918. However, he died at the
age of 52 in 1920, leading to a by election.
The
Liberals won the resulting by election in June 1920 with their
candidate Thomas Wintringham. But he was not long the MP for Louth.
He died at the age of 53 in 1921. This lead to
some suggesting the constituency was cursed. What Jeffrey Archer
makes of this local lore no one knows.
Margaret Wintringham (4 August 1874-10
March 1955), nee Longbottom, succeeded her husband, winning the by
election on 22 September 1921, caused by his
death.
She
was the Liberal MP for Louth from 1921 to 1924. As she was still in
mourning at the time, she vowed not to speak during the election
campaign out of respect for her late
husband.
A
Keithley-born teacher, she became a headmistress in Grimsby. In
1903, she married local timber merchant, Thomas Wintringham. When
he was elected, they moved to Louth.
Margaret was the third woman ever to
be elected, the second to actually take her seat, and the first
Liberal woman MP to take a seat in the House of Commons. She
campaigned for equal franchise and equal pay for
women.
Margaret was defeated by Arthur
Heneage in 1924.
GRIMSBY MPs
Grimsby was established as a
parliamentary constituency in 1295 (the Great was aquired fairly
recently).
Grimsby returned two members to
Parliament.
In
almost every election, the defeated candidates in Grimsby alleged
the winners had used bribery and corruption. In fact, commentators
in the 18th century dubbed Grimsby the most corrupt borough in the
country.
In
1701, the House of Commons overturned the election of William
Colsterworth finding him guilty of bribery – as a result, he was
sent to the Tower.
Charles Tennyson, who was elected for
the first time in 1818, aided his election campaign by presenting a
bottle of wine to each of the fathers of 92 children about to be
christened.
Then
in 1831, Grimsby Tories were accused of using a revenue cutter to
supply Whig voters with strong drink to prevent them from getting
to the polls.
Grimsby continued to return two MPs
until the 1832 Reform Act.
In
1831, the population of Grimsby was 4,008 living in 784 properties.
However, only about one in 10 were eligible to vote – just 400
freeman. In addition to being freemen they also had to be resident
and pay ‘scot and lot’ (a tax – usually paid locally). Most of the
electors were therefore either wealthy or
merchants.
However, Grimbarians objected to the
changes being imposed by the 1832 Reform Act and petitioned
Parliament. It was one of 30 boroughs which were to lose an MP –
going down from two to one. In spite of the protestations, the
changes went ahead.
The
boundary changes resulting from the 1832 Reform Act saw the parish
Cleethorpes being added to Grimsby constituency. The boundary
change taking in Cleethorpes increased the population of Grimsby
constituency to 6,413 residents in 1,365 houses. The changes
increased the electorate to 656. Cleethorpes remained part of
Grimsby constituency until 1950.
Although one of the world’s greatest
fishing ports in its hey day, the parliamentary constituency of
Great Grimsby was regarded as being a ‘railway’
constituency, thanks to the influence of the Manchester,
Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway - and its
investors.
The
three largest shareholders of the railway were the Earl of
Yarborough, George Fieschi Heneage and John Chapman. The railway
company built the then new docks and invested a great deal of money
into the town, so wanted to keep ‘control’ over the MP. George’s
brother, Edward Heneage became MP as did MSLR’s second chairman and
major shareholder, John Chapman.
GRIMSBY
MPs THROUGH THE AGES
1660
Edward King and William Wray
1661 Gervase Holles and Adrian Scrope
1666 Gervase Holles and Sir Henry Belasyse
1667 Gervase Holles and Sir Philip Tyrwhitt
Oct 1667 Gervase Holles and Sir Frescheville Holles
Nov 1667 Gervase Holles and Sir Frescheville Holles
1673 Gervase Holles and William Broxholme
1675 Sir Christopher Wray and William Broxholme
1679 George Pelham and William Broxholme
1685 Edward Ayscough and Sir Thomas Barnardiston
1690 Edward Ayscough and John Chaplin
1695 Edward Ayscough and Arthur Moore
1699 Thomas Vyner and Arthur Moore
Jan 1701 Thomas Vyner and William Cotesworth
March 1701 Thomas Vyner and SEAT VACANT
Dec 1701 Arthur Moore and SEAT VACANT
On petition, the Commons resolved that William Cotesworth
'has been notoriously guilty of bribery and other indirect
practices'. He was held prisoner in the Tower
of London. Thus the Commons resolved that no new
writ for Great Grimsby should be issued for the remainder of the
parlimentary session, leaving the seat vacant.
1702 Arthur Moore and John Chaplin
1705 Arthur Moore and William Cotesworth
1710 Arthur Moore and Robert Vyner
1713 Arthur Moore and Wiliam Cotesworth
1715 Robert Chaplin and Joseph Banks
Chaplin was expelled from the House of Commons in 1721 for
his role in the South Sea Bubble.
1721
Arthur Moore and Joseph Banks
1722 Benjamin Collyer and Charles Pelham
1727 John Page and George Munson
1734 Sir Robert Sutton and Robert Knight
1741 William Lock and Robert Knight
1747 William Lock and John Gore
1761 Hon Henry Knight and Joseph Mellish
1762 Lord Luxborough and Joseph Mellish
Lord Luxborough bcame the Earl of Catherlough (in Ireland)
in 1763.
1768 Colonel Anthony St Leger and Joseph
Mellish
St Leger - creator of the
oldest and longest classic horse race
Anthony St Leger was born in 1732 into
the well-off Anglo-Irish St Leger family. As was typical of his
class, he was educated at Eton and Peterhouse in Cambridge before
becoming a career soldier. He married Yorkshire-born Margaret
Wombwell in 1761. In the same year, he was promoted to
Lieutenant-Colonel of the 124th Regiment of Foot. However, the
regiment was disbanded in 1762. After this, he spent time
running Park Hill estate in Firbeck (a village near Rotherham)
where he indulged in a passion for breeding and racing horses - he
even had a private race course on the estate. Politics
beckoned and St Leger was one of Grimsby’s two MPs from 1768
to 1774. Two years after leaving the House of Commons, St Leger
and Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham (and
twice Whig Prime Minister), established a two-mile race for
three-year-old horses at Cantley Common in Doncaster – later to
become the St Leger stakes. The prize in that first race was 25
guineas. In 1779, St Leger went back into the army as Colonel of
the 86th Regiment of Foot. He eventually became Brigadier General.
After this he was the Governor of Saint Lucia – a far cry from
Grimsby! He died on 19 April 1786 and was buried in Saint Anne's
Church in Dublin.
1774 Francis Evelyn Anderson and Joseph Mellish
1780 John Harrison and Francis Eyre
1784 John Harrison and Dudley Long
Dudley Long changed his name to North in
1789.
1796 Ayscough Boucherett and William Mellish
1802 Ayscough Boucherett and Colonel John Henry Loft
The losing candidates petitioned to have the result
overturned after accusing Loft and Boucherett of bribery and
treating. The result of the 1802 election was overturned. The
committee amended the result of the voting, so that Loft who has
been first was placed third and thus Mellish elected in his
place.
Loft was born in 1769 and was probabaly destined to be a farmer -
taking on the family farm. However, his father died when he was six
and in the next 13 years he lost most members of his family - his
brother, his sister, grandparents, all aunts and all uncles. Only
his mother survived. She married a Mr Marsh from Louth. Loft
subsequently enlisted with the 15th Foot and went to the West
Indies with thee regiment. In 1794, he transferred to the 115th
Foot. He was rapidly promoted to captain, major and lieutenant
colonel with a responsibility for recruiting young men from
northern Lincolnshire. At the end of 1794, he married Elizabeth
Farr from Caistor. He was involved in the development of Grimsby as
a port, but in 1796 sold his shares in the Grimsby Haven Company.
In 1801, he was promoted to colonel. In 1802, he stood for
Parliament and topped the poll:
Loft: 146
Ayscough Boucherett: 144
Robert Ssewell: 143
William Mellish: 143
His opponents successfully petitioned against the result.
March 1803 Ayscough
Boucherett and William Mellish
July 1803 Hon Charles Anderson Pelham and William Mellish
Charles Anderson Pelham was born in 1781 and lived at
Appuldurcombe House on the Isle of Wight. He became the first Earl
of Yarborough. Pelham's Pillar was raised in his
honour.
1806 Hon Charles Anderson Pelham and Hon George Anderson Pelham
1807 Hon Charles Anderson Pelham and William Ellice
In 1807, former MP John Henry Loft published a
pamphlett saying he would not stand for Parliament again because
'of the ingratitude and deception of some of those who ought, and
promised to support me'.
In spite of this, he did stand again and won in
1808.
1808 Colonel John Henry Loft and William Ellice
Loft became friends with Chanceller of the Exchequer,
Spencer Perceval (who later became Prime Minister) who agreed
to be godfather to Loft's son - Charles Perceval Loft.
Loft Street in Grimsby was named in honour of the MP and the name
remained until 1854 when it was renamed Victoria Street following a
visit by Queen Victoria.
1812 John Peter Grant and Sir Robert
Heron
The result:
John Peter Grant: 210
Sir Robert Heron: 192
John Henry Loft: 87
Ebenezer John Collett: 12
John Peter Grant complained that standing for election in Grimsby
almost ruined him because the voters expected a substantial
remuneration for their votes.
As seemed to be the
norm at the time, the losing candidates petitioned agains the
result. However, the result was not overturned.
The petition was long and read as follows:
GREAT GRIMSBY ELECTION - PETITION OF ELECTORS
07
December 1812
A Petition of Charles Lowcock,
William Wray, and William Nundy, free burgesses, voters, and
electors of the borough of Great Grimsby, in the county of Lincoln,
who were voters and voted at the last election for members to serve
in this present parliament for the said borough of Great Grimsby,
on behalf of themselves and others, free burgesses and voters of
the said borough of Great Grimsby, was read; setting
forth,
"That, at the last election for
the borough of Great Grimsby, on the 6th of October 1812, John
Henry Loft, esq., Ebenezer John Collett, esq., Sir Robert Heron,
bart., and John Peter Grant, esq., were candidates; and that the
said petitioners, who have thereunto signed their names, were then
and now are free burgesses and voters of the said borough, and
voted at the said last election; and that, on the 5th of October
last, being the day preceding the election, William Wardale, esq.,
the mayor of the said borough, and returning officer, held a full
court of mayor, aldermen, common councilman, and burgesses of the
said borough, at which said court the said W. Wardale did partially
and corruptly, wilfully, unlawfully, and of his own authority,
admit certain persons to the freedom of the said borough who were
not entitled thereto, and did neglect and refuse to submit to the
consideration and judgment of the said court, the claimed right of
such persons to be admitted to their freedom, which by the
constitution and usage of the said borough he ought to have done;
that the said W. Wardale did also partially and corruptly,
wilfully, unlawfully, and of his own authority, refuse to admit
certain other persons who were entitled and claimed at the said
full court to be admitted freemen of the said borough, to their
freedom therein, some of whom had been declared, decided, and
established by a Committee of the House to have such claims,
rights, and titles, and did also neglect and refuse to submit to
the aldermen, common councilmen, and burgesses of the said borough,
in the said full court assembled, the rights and claims of such
persons to be admitted to their freedom of the said borough, and
which, by the constitution and usage of the said borough, be ought
to have done; that the said W. Wardale did wilfully, partially,
corruptly, illegally, and of his own authority, in direct violation
of the laws of the realm, the constitution and usage of the said
borough, and also in wilful opposition to the decisions of
Committees of the House, and which decisions had been established
by Orders and Resolutions of the House, persist in discharging the
said full court of mayor, aldermen, common councilmen, and
burgesses on the evening of the said 5th of October, although he
then knew that many persons who had rights and claims to be
admitted to their freedoms of and in the said borough were then
waiting and remaining in the said borough for that purpose, who had
spoken to him the said W. Wardale thereupon, and to whom he had
given his promise that the said full court should be adjourned
until the next morning, as was usually and heretofore the case, and
on which day, being Tuesday, it ought to have been held: but he,
finding that the whole, or nearly so, of the persons then within
the borough, who were likely to vote for the said sir R. Heron and
J. P. Grant, whose cause and interest he had most publicly and
glaringly espoused, had gained their admissions, he, by the most
determined, wilful, and flagrant injustice, discharged the court,
not only without putting it to the consideration and judgment of
the aldermen, common councilmen, and burgesses, but in direct and
positive opposition to the almost unanimous claim of them all, upon
a motion put by one alderman, a burgess, and seconded by another
alderman, a burgess, to have it adjourned to the next morning, as
by law and the custom and usage of the said borough he ought to
have done, but he actually did order the discharge, and did
discharge the said court accordingly without any adjournment; and
that, on the next day, the 6th of October last, being the day of
election, great numbers of persons having undoubted rights and
claims to be admitted to their freedoms of the said borough, did
make application to and demand of the said W. Wardale, in court, to
hold a full court, that they might be legally admitted, and did
demand and claim to be so admitted to their freedom of the said
borough, without which they were incapable of using their elective
franchises and birth-rights at the said election for members to
serve in this present parliament, and which said demands and
applications for the said full court and admissions to the freedom
of the said borough were supported by great numbers of the
aldermen, common councilmen, and burgesses, to prevent such wilful,
determined, and flagrant acts of injustice; but the said W.
Wardale, did most wilfully, wantonly, vexatiously,
cor- 191
ruptly, partially, illegally,
and of his own authority, refuse to hold such full court for the
admission of the said persons to their freedoms of the said
borough, and did refuse to put their claims for their admissions to
their freedoms of the said borough to the aldermen, common
councilmen, and burgesses then and there assembled, but did most
wantonly, vexatiously, and corruptly refuse to grant them their
said freedoms of the said borough, and did proceed to the election
without attending to those persons who unimpeachably claimed their
freedoms by the unquestionable rights of birth, marriage, and
servitude, which claims and demands were many times repeated in the
course of the said 6th of October by the said parties, and by
burgesses on their behalf, which said claims and demands the said
W. Wardale constantly resisted and refused, as also to put their
said claims and demands to the judgment of the said aldermen,
common councilmen, and burgesses so assembled for their decision,
which, according to the usage and customs of the said borough of
Great Grimsby, he ought to have done; and, for the neglect of so
submitting the said claims to the said aldermen, common councilmen,
and burgesses so assembled, the said W. Wardale could not use the
plea of ignorance, having been a go woman on the bench, and taking
an active part and opposition to John Simpson the mayor and
returning officer of the said borough in July 1802, when the said
John Simpson took upon himself to decide like claims and rights
without submitting them to the judgment and decision of the
aldermen, common councilmen, and burgesses then and there
assembled, for which the House, to mark its indignation, and to be
a warning and example to other mayors and returning officers of the
said borough of Great Grimsby, did commit the said John Simpson,
the then said mayor and returning officer, to his majesty's gaol of
Newgate: That the said W. Wardale, at and during the said last
election, did act most partially and corruptly in the execution of
his said office of returning officer, and did at the poll reject
the votes of many persons having right and rights to vote at the
said election, and who tendered their votes for the said J. H. Loft
and the said E. J. Collett esquires, and which votes he, as such
returning officer at the said election, ought to have received and
admitted on the poll; and the only reasons that they
were not so
received and placed on the said poll, were his own acts of
injustice, partiality, and corruption, in not holding the full
court for their admissions to their freedoms of the said borough,
and some of which persons had been decided to have legal rights by
a decision of a Committee of the House on a former Petition being
tried: That the said W. Wardale, the said mayor and returning
officer, did, at the said last election, receive and admit on the
said poll, for the said sir R. Heron, bart., and J. P. Grant, the
votes of divers paupers, felon-convicts, non-resident or foreign
freemen, and others who had no right to vote at the said election,
and which votes he, the said W. Wardale, as such returning officer,
ought to have rejected: That persons having rights to vote at the
said last election, and who went for the purpose of tendering their
votes for the said J. H. Loft, and E. J. Collett, were prevented
going into the hall by armed persons, stationed at the door by the
said W. Wardale, the said returning officer, and never could tender
their votes; and that the said sir R. Heron, bart., and J. P. Grant
were, and each of them, by himself, his agents, managers, and
others, on their and his behalf, before, at, and during the said
election, and before and during the poll taken at the said
election, guilty of the most open and notorious bribery and
corruption of the electors of the said borough, to give their votes
for them and each of them the said sir R. Heron and J. P. Grant,
and to refuse and forbear to give their votes for the said J. EL
Loft and E. J. Collett, in order that they the said sir R. Heron
and J. P. Grant might be returned members to serve in this present
parliament for the said borough: That the said sir R. Heron and J.
P. Grant, and each of them, by himself his agents and managers, and
by other persons on his and their behalf, at and during the said
election, and previous to the same, did, by gifts, loans and
rewards, and by threats, promises, agreements and securities for
gifts, loans and rewards, corrupt and procure, and attempt to
corrupt and procure, divers persons, being electors of the said
borough, to give their votes at the said election for them the said
sir R. Heron and J. P. Grant, and each of them, that they the said
sir R. Heron and J. P. Grant might be elected and returned members
to serve in this present parliament for the said borough; that they
and each of them also did, by gifts, loans and rewards,
and by threats,
promises and agreements, and securities for gifts, loans and
rewards, corrupt and procure, and attempt to corrupt and procure,
divers persons being electors of the said borough to refuse and
forbear to give their votes at the said election for the said J. H.
Loft and E. J. Collett, that the said sir R. Heron and J. P. Grant
might be elected and returned for the said borough: That the said
sir R. Heron, bart., and J. P. Grant, and each of them, by himself,
his agents, managers, friends, and other persons on his and their
behalf, were guilty of the most open and public bribery and
corruption, in giving sums of money, and promises and securities
for sums of money to the corporation, and to and for the use and
benefit of the corporation and corporators, such corporators being
voters, and having had votes in the said last election for the said
borough, and that they were also guilty of bribery and corruption
in giving sums of money to and for the use and benefit of the said
borough previous to, at, and during the said last election of
members to serve in this present parliament for the said borough,
in order that they the said sir R. Heron and J. P. Grant might be
elected and returned members to serve in this present parliament
for the said borough: That the said sir R. Heron and J. P. Grant
did, after the dissolution of the last parliament, and after the
issuing of the writ for the election of this present parliament,
and at and during the said last election, by themselves and their
agents, managers and friends, and by others on their behalf, and at
their charge, and each of them, by himself, his agents, friends,
and managers, and by others on his behalf, and at his charge, give,
present, and allow to divers persons having voices in the said
election, and to and for their use and benefit, money, meat, drink,
entertainment, and provision, and make presents, gifts, rewards,
and entertainments, and promises, agreements, obligations, and
engagements, to give and allow money, meat, drink, provisions,
presents, rewards, and entertainments to and for divers persons
having voices in the said last election, and to and for the use,
advantage, emolument, benefit, profit, and preferment of such
persons, in order that they the said sir R. Heron and J. P. Grant
might be elected and returned, and for their being elected and
returned members to serve in this present parliament for the said
borough, contrary to the common laws and customs of parliament,
in violation and defiance of the
standing order and orders of the House, and of the laws and
statutes of this kingdom, particularly an Act of the 7th and 8th of
king William 3, intituled, An Act for preventing charge and expence
in the elections of members to serve in parliament, an Act of the
2d of king George the 2d, intitled, An Act for the more effectual
preventing bribery and corruption in the elections of members to
serve in parliament; an Act of the 49lh year of his present
Majesty, intitled, An Act for better securing the independence and
purity of parliament, by preventing the procuring or obtaining of
seats in parliament by corrupt practices; and that the said sir R.
Heron end J. P. Grant did each of them declare to those persons
having voices in the said election, and which statements were made
previous thereto, that they had the interest of two peers of
parliament, by which means they acquired an undue influence over
many of the voters who would otherwise have voted for the said J.
H. Loft and E. J. Collett; and that by this unconstitutional mode,
in violation of the orders of the House, and by other undue
influence and means which were used, many votes were lost to the
said J. H. Loft and E. J. Collett, for the purpose of the said sir
R. Heron and the said J. P. Grant being elected and returned
members to serve in this present parliament for the said borough:
that by the above-stated and other unlawful means the said sir R.
Heron and J. P. Grant obtained a colourable majority over the said
J. H. Loft and E. J Collett of votes upon the poll of the said last
election, and were returned members to serve in this present
parliament for the said borough of Grimsby, to the very great
injury of the petitioners, and many other of the legal electors of
the said borough, in manifest violation of their privileges and
rights, and in open defiance of the law" and freedom of election:
that the petitioners humbly conceive that the said J. H. Loft and
the said E. J. Collett had the greatest number of legal and
uncorrupted votes at the said last election; and praying, that the
House will be pleased to take their most peculiarly hard case under
their most serious consideration, and that they will grant them
such relief as to the House may seem meet."
1818 John Nicolas Fazakerley and Charles
Tennyson
1820 William Duncombe and Charles Tennyson
1826 Charles Wood and George Fieschi Heneage
1830 Charles Wood and George Harris
May 1831 John Villiers Shelley and George Harris
Aug 1831 Henry Fitzroy and Lord Loughborough
1832 Grimsby is reduced to one
MP
1832 William
Maxfield (Whig)
1835 Edward Heneage (Whig)
1837 Edward
Heneage (Whig)
1841 Edward
Heneage (Whig)
1847 Edward
Heneage (Whig)
1852 Earl
Annesley (Cons)
The Earl was a 22-year-old Irish peer
1857 Lord
Worsley (Whig)
1859 Lord
Worsley (Lib)
1862 John
Chapman (Con)
Chapman won by just 22 votes – he gained 458 votes to his
opponents’ 436
1865 John
Fildes (Lib)
Fildes won by 86 voters
1868 George
Tomline (Lib)
George Tomline was born in 1813 and was an MP for several
constituencies. Prior to being elected for Grimsby, he was MP for
Sudbury and then Shrewbury (twice). Tomline won Grimsby by 219 votes. He
was a keen astonomer and died in 1889.
1874 John
Chapman (Con)
Chapman won by 59 votes
1877 Alfred
Mellor Watkin (Lib)
1880 Edward
Heneage (Lib)
1892 Henri
Josse (Lib)
Henri Josse was a French merchant, who ran a coal-exporting
business, associated with the Manchester Sheffield and Lincolnshire
Railway. Josse, aged 65 when elected, won by 736 votes (4,202 to
3,566)
1893 Edward
Henage (Lib)
1895 Sir
George Doughty (Lib)
1898 Sir
George Doughty (Lib Unionist)
1900 Sir
George Doughty (Lib)
Jan 1910
Thomas Edward Wing (Lib)
Dec 1910 Sir
George Doughty (Lib Unionist)
1914 Thomas
George Tickler (Con)
1918 Thomas
George Tickler (Con)
Tommy
Tickler - The jam man
Thomas was born on 20 September 1852
in Withern, Lincolnshire. After attending Louth Grammar school, he
trained as an engineer. However, in 1879, Thomas decided that
he could make better and cheaper jam than that he saw in the shops.
So he began making jam in his Cleethorpe Road premises – and an
empire was born. As the business grew, he moved to Hope Street and
then to Pasture Street. He also purchased land in Laceby and the
Manor Farm Estate in Bradley to grow fruit for his jam-making
business. Apart from the plum and apple jam, Nell Gwynne marmalade
was a popular brand. He was a councillor and was also elected to
Parliament. By the time he was elected, the jam was weell known
nationally. Not surprising, therefore, that he should win the
contract to supply the army with jam in the First World War! The
empty cans were put to good use - as home-made grenades. All of his
sons returned from the First World War. One of his sons, Arthur,
was responsible for recruiting Grimsby Town players into the 17th
Middlesex Regment. However, what is not so well known is that Mr
Ticker, respected businessman and MP, had an appetite for forbidden
fruit. As well as having a family with his wife (was she
really called Fanny Tickler or is that an urban myth?), he had at
least one illegitimate daughter by Rachel Crawford, from
Bridlington, who worked as one of his maids. Thomas died in 1938
and the firm finally closed in 1970.
1922 Tom
Sutcliffe (Con)
1923 Tom
Sutcliffe (Con)
1924 Sir
Walter James Womersley (Con)
Fish
Wormersley
Born on 5 February 1878
in Bradford, the young Walter worked in the town’s mills as a
child. He moved to Grimsby and eventually became mayor in 1922. In
1924, he was elected as the town's MP. He was quickly
nicknamed Fish Womersley. One story says that this was because of
his interest in the distant water trawlermen who plied their trade
in arctic waters. Another version says that in Parliament, you
could smell him coming. Not very kind! In 1934, he was knighted and
a year later became the Assistant Paymaster General. His next post
was as Minister of Pensions, which he held from 1939 and throughout
the Second World War. He was made a baronet in 1945 following the
loss of his seat. He died in 1961.
1929 Sir
Walter James Womersley (Con)
1931 Sir
Walter James Womersley (Con)
1935 Sir
Walter James Womersley (Con)
1945 Sir
Kenneth Younger (Lab)
Kenneth
Younger
Born
in December 1908 in Gargunnock in Stirlingshire, Kenneth was the
second son of the 2nd Viscount Leckie. Educated as Winchester and
Oxford, he
followed a well-trodden path and
became a barrister. Not a typical background for a Labour
politician at the time. However, he was liked by Labour Prime
Minister, Clement Atlee, who made him a junior minister. He finally
became acting Foreign Secretary when Bevin’s illness prevented him
from carrying out his duties. However, Younger was never made
Foreign Secretary and it has been suggested that this is what
fuelled his eventual disillusionment with Parliament. He died in
1976. His son, Sam Younger, chaired the Electoral
Commission.
1950 Sir
Kenneth Younger (Lab)
1951 Sir
Kenneth Younger (Lab)
1955 Sir
Kenneth Younger (Lab)
1959 Tony
Crosland (Lab)
Tony Crosland -
Tipped as PM
Charles Anthony ‘Tony’ Raven Crosland
was born in Sussex and grew up in north London before attending
Trinity College, Oxford University. He eventually became an
economics lecturer at Oxford University. He entered Parliament
in 1950 representing South Gloucestershire. But he lost the seat in
the 1955 election. After four years out of Parliament, his search
for a safe seat was rewarded when he was selected to conntest
Grimsby. He was duly elected in 1959 to represent Grimsby. He
quickly climbed the political ladder and became Secretary of State
for Education and Science. It was during this time he made his
infamous comments about the future of grammar
schools. He also held the posts of President of the Board of Trade
and Secretary of State for Local Government. In 1976, he was made
Foreign Secretary by James Callaghan. A moderniser and a moderate,
Crosland was talked of as a future leader of the Labour Party and
potential Prime Minister. He never lived long enough to fulfil
those ambitions, though. He suffered a brain haemorrhage on 13
February 1977 and died six days later on 19 February. He was
survived by his second wife, American-born, Susan. Tony Crosland
was passionate about football and once took Henry Kissinger to
Blundell Park to watch GTFC play Gillingham! It is said that his
moderate interpretation of the left laid the foundations on which
New Labour was built 20 years after his death.
1964 Tony
Crosland (Lab)
1966 Tony
Crosland (Lab)
1970 Tony
Crosland (Lab)
1974 Feb
Tony Crosland (Lab)
1974 Oct
Tony Crosland (Lab)
1977 Austin Vernon Mitchell (Lab)
Austin 'Mr Haddock'
Mitchell
Austin squeaked home in the by
election following Tony Crosland’s. Austin was a well-known face on
local TV news show, Calendar, and it is reckoned this helped him
win the election on a night when Labour lost a far more safe
seat.
1979 Austin
Vernon Mitchell (Lab)
1983 Austin
Vernon Mitchell (Lab)
1987 Austin
Vernon Mitchell (Lab)
1992 Austin
Vernon Mitchell (Lab)
1997 Austin
Vernon Mitchell (Lab)
2001 Austin
Vernon Mitchell (Lab)
2005 Austin
Vernon Mitchell (Lab)
SCUNTHORPE
MPs
Created
1997
1997 Elliot
Morley (Lab)
2001 Elliot
Morley (Lab)
2005
Elliot Morley (Lab)
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