Scarborough was the name of a constituency in Yorkshire, electing Members of Parliament to the House of Commons, at two periods. From 1295 until 1918 it was a parliamentary borough consisting only of the town of Scarborough, electing two MPs until 1885 and one from 1885 until 1918. In 1974 the name was revived for a county constituency, covering a much wider area; this constituency was abolished in 1997.
Boundaries 1974–1983: The Borough of Scarborough, the Urban Districts of Pickering and Scalby, and the Rural Districts of Pickering and Scarborough.
1983–1997: The Borough of Scarborough wards of Ayton, Castle, Cayton, Central, Danby, Derwent, Eastfield, Eskdaleside, Falsgrave, Fylingdales, Lindhead, Mayfield, Mulgrave, Newby, Northstead, Scalby, Seamer, Streonshalh, Weaponness, and Woodlands.
History
Scarborough was first represented in a Parliament held at Shrewsbury in 1282, and was one of the boroughs sending 2 MPs to the Model Parliament of 1295 which is now generally considered to be the first parliament in the modern sense.
Until the Great Reform Act 1832 Scarborough was a corporation borough, the right of election resting solely with the 44-member corporation or "common council". At an earlier period, it seems to have been a matter of some dispute whether the freemen of the borough could also vote, but at an election in 1736 the corporation and the (much more numerous) freemen backed different candidates. The candidate of the freemen was returned to Parliament, but on petition from his defeated opponent the House of Commons decided that only the corporation votes should stand, and overturned the result. In later days the corporation was entirely under the influence of the Duke of Rutland and Earl of Mulgrave, who each nominated one of the Members of Parliament; by 1832, Scarborough had continuously been represented by junior members of their respective families for more than half a century. The restriction on the franchise was challenged in 1791, and Parliament declared in favour of "the ancient right of inhabitant householders" in the borough to vote, but the decision seems to have been a dead-letter for at the election of 1802, the last to be contested before the Reform Act 1832, only 33 voters cast their votes.
At the time of the Reform Act 1832, the borough had a population of about 8,760 in just over 2,000 houses, and the act left its boundaries and two members intact, though widening the franchise. (There were 431 electors registered at the 1832 election.) The constituency remained broadly unchanged until 1918, though from 1885 its representation was reduced from two MPs to one.
Following abolition in 1918, the constituency was absorbed into the new Scarborough and Whitby county constituency. However, the boundary changes which came into effect at the February 1974 general election created a new constituency named Scarborough. This was a county constituency including, in addition to Scarborough itself and its suburb Scalby, the town of Pickering and the Scarborough and Pickering rural districts.
There were further boundary changes at the 1983 general election, which brought in Whitby and its surrounding area in place of the Pickering district. The constituency was abolished once more for the 1997 general election, when it was again largely replaced by a new Scarborough and Whitby constituency.
Members of Parliament
Constituency created (1295)
MPs 1295–1540 ParliamentFirst memberSecond member 1298 John Roston Robert Pau 1301 John Pickford John Hammond 1305 Robert de Coroner John Hammond 1306 John Semer John Hammond 1307 Amaury Gegg Robert Wawayn 1308 Radus Gegg John Gegg 1310 Roger Oughtred John de Cropton 1313 Roger Oughtred John de Cropton 1314 Roger Oughtred Thomas de Cropton 1315 Roger Oughtred John Huterburgh 1319 Evericus Godge William de St Thomas 1321 Adam de Seamer Henry de Roston 1327 Henry de Roston Robert de Hubthorpe 1327 Henry de Newcastle John de Bergh 1328 Robert the Coroner John le Skyron 1328 Henry de Newcastle William de Hedon 1329 Henry de Newcastle William de Hedon 1330 Philip Humbury John le Serjeant 1332 Henry the Coroner Henry de Roston 1333 Henry the Coroner Henry de Roston 1334 Robert de Helperthorpe Henry the Coroner 1335 Henry de Newcastle William de Bedale 1335 Richard de Willsthorpe John de Mounte Pesselers 1336 Thomas le Blound Henry de Newcastle 1337 Henry de Newcastle Thomas the Coroner 1338 Henry de Roston Henry de Newcastle 1339 Henry de Roston Henry de Newcastle 1340 Henry de Roston Robert the Coroner 1346 William de Kilham John de Ireland 1347 Robert Scardeburgh William Cutt 1348 Robert Scardeburgh William son of Roger 1351 John Beaucola Henry de Roston 1354 Henry de Roston Richard de Newcastle 1356 John Burniston William Barton 1358 Robert the Coroner John Hammund 1359 Henry Roston Peter Percy 1360 Richard de Newcastle Peter Percy 1361 Peter Percy John del Aumery 1362 Edward Thwailes ? 1365 Richard del Kichen Richard Chelman 1368 Stephen Carter Henry de Roston 1369 Robert Aclom John de Barton 1373 William Cobberiham John Acclom 1376 John de Stolwich Henry de Roston 1378 William de Seamer John de Moresham, jnr 1379 Henry de Roston Thomas de Brune 1382 Henry de Roston John Acclom 1383 John Stockwich Richard Chelman 1384 John Acclom Henry de Roston 1385 Robert Martyn John de Moresham 1386 William de Seamer John Carter 1388 (Feb) Willam Sage John Acclom 1388 (Sep) John Folkton John Carter 1390 (Jan) 1390 (Nov) 1391 John Carter 1392 John Carter John Martyn 1393 Robert de Alnwick John de Moresham, jnr 1394 Robert Shilbottle William Carter 1395 Henry de Harom Robert Shillbottle 1397 (Jan) John Carter William Percy 1397 (Sep) 1400 John Acclom William Harom 1401 John Mosdale Robert Aclom 1402 Thomas Carethorp William Harom 1404–5 (Jan) John Mosdale William Sage 1404–4 (Sep) John Mosdale Robert Aclom 1406 William Percy William Harom 1407 William Stapleton William Carter 1410 1411 John Mosdale William Sage John Carter 1412–3 (Feb) 1413 (May) Thomas Carethorp John Mosdale 1414 (Apr) 1414 (Nov) John Mosdale William Sage 1415 Robert Bamburgh George Topcliffe 1415–6 (Mar) Thomas Carethorp Roger de Stapelton 1416 (Oct) 1417 1419 William Forster William Sage 1420 John Carter Thomas Copeland 1421 (May) John Carter William Sage 1421 (Dec) John Acclom William Forster 1422 Hugo Raysyn William Forster 1423 William Forster Jack Daniell 1425 Robert Bambergh William Forster 1426 John Acclom 1428 John Danyell William Forster 1429 John Danyell William Forster 1432 William Forster Jack Daniell 1442 William Forster Robert Carethorp 1447 William Helperby John Aclom 1449 Henry Eyre William Paulin 1450 John Aclom Robert Benton 1451 George Topcliff Thomas Benton 1455 Jack Daniell Robert Hoggson 1460 John Sherrifle Thomas Hoggson 1467 John Paulin John Robinson 1510–1523No names known 1529 Sir Ralph Ellerker George Flinton 1536 ? 1539 ?
MPs 1542–1640 ParliamentFirst memberSecond memberParliament of 1542–1544Sir Ralph EureSir Nicholas FairfaxParliament of 1545–1547Reginald BeseleyWilliam LockwoodParliament of 1547–1552Richard WhaleyReginald BeseleyFirst Parliament of 1553Thomas EynsGeneral DakinsSecond Parliament of 1553John TregonwellLeonard ChamberlainParliament of 1554Anthony BrannRobert MasseyParliament of 1554–1555Reginald BeseleyTristram CookParliament of 1555William HasyeFrancis AislabieParliament of 1558Richard JonesEdward BeseleyParliament of 1559William StricklandSir Henry GatesParliament of 1563–1567Parliament of 1571Edward GateParliament of 1572–1583Sir Henry GatesEdward CareyParliament of 1584–1585William StricklandJohn HothamParliament of 1586–1587Sir Ralph BourchierEdward HutchinsonParliament of 1588–1589Edward GatesWilliam FishParliament of 1593Roger DaltonParliament of 1597–1598Sir Thomas Posthumous HobyWalter PyeParliament of 1601Edward StanhopeWilliam EureParliament of 1604–1611Sir Thomas Posthumous HobyFrancis EureAddled Parliament (1614) Edward SmithWilliam ConyersParliament of 1621–1622Sir Richard CholmeleyHappy Parliament (1624–1625)(Sir) Hugh CholmeleyKnighted 1626Useless Parliament (1625)William ThompsonParliament of 1625–1626Stephen HutchinsonParliament of 1628–1629Sir William ConstableJohn HarrisonNo Parliament summoned 1629–1640
MPs 1640–1885 ElectionFirst memberFirst partySecond memberSecond partyApril 1640 John Hotham the younger Royalist Sir Hugh Cholmeley November 1640April 1642Cholmley disabled to sit – seat vacantSeptember 1643Hotham disabled to sit – seat vacant1645 Luke RobinsonSir Matthew Boynton, Bt. (d. March 1647) 1647John Anlaby1653Scarborough was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament1654John Wildman Scarborough had only one seat in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate1656Colonel Edward Salmon January 1659Thomas Chaloner May 1659 Luke RobinsonCobbett's Parliamentary History records that "21 June 1660, Mr Robinson was discharged by an Order of the House from sitting, and a writ ordered to be issued to elect another in his room; but the Journals do not give us the reason for this expulsion"One seat vacantApril 1660John Legard June 1660William ThompsonJuly 1660John LegardCreated a baronet as Sir John Legard, December 16601661Sir Jordan Crosland1670Sir Philip Monckton1679Francis Thompson 1685Sir Thomas Slingsby, BtWilliam Osbaldeston 1689William ThompsonFrancis Thompson 1692John Hungerford1693The Viscount of Irvine1695Sir Charles Hotham, BtCourt Whig1701William Thompson1702John HungerfordTory1705Robert Squire1707John Hungerford Tory1722Sir William Strickland, Bt Whig1730William ThompsonJanuary 1736Viscount DupplinDupplin beat Osbaldeston in the by-election by 154 votes to 27, but Dupplin's votes came mostly from the freemen and Osbaldeston had the majority of corporation votes (26 to 18). On petition the freemen's votes were discounted, Dupplin's election voided and Osbaldeston declared duly elected.April 1736William Osbaldeston1744Edwin Lascelles1747Roger Handasyde 1754Sir Ralph Milbanke, BtWilliam Osbaldeston1761John MajorCreated a baronet as Sir John Major, 17651766Fountayne Wentworth Osbaldeston1768George Manners1770Sir James Pennyman, Bt1772The Earl of TyrconnelTory1774Sir Hugh Palliser, Bt1779Charles Phipps1784George Osbaldeston1790Hon Henry PhippsBecame Lord Mulgrave in 1792 Tory1794Hon. Edmund Phipps Tory1796Lord Charles SomersetTory1802Lord Robert MannersTory1806Charles Manners Sutton Tory1818Viscount Normanby Whig1820Hon Edmund Phipps Tory1832Sir John Vanden-Bempde-Johnstone, Bt WhigSir George Cayley, BtWhig1835Conservative Sir Frederick TrenchConservative1837Sir Thomas Style, Bt Whig1841Sir John Vanden-Bempde-Johnstone, BtConservative1847 PeeliteEarl of MulgraveWhig1851George Frederick YoungConservative1852Earl of MulgraveWhig1857John DentWhig1859 Liberal William DenisonLiberal1860John DentLiberal1869Sir Harcourt Vanden-Bempde-Johnstone, BtLiberal1874Sir Charles Legard, BtConservative1880William Sproston CaineLiberal1880John George DodsonLiberal1884Richard StebleLiberal Representation reduced to one member (1885)
MPs 1885–1918 ElectionMemberParty 1885 Sir George Sitwell Conservative 1886 Joshua Rowntree Liberal 1892 Sir George SitwellConservative 1895 Joseph Compton-Rickett Liberal 1906 Walter Rea Liberal 1918 constituency abolished
MPs 1974–1997 ElectionMemberParty 1974 Sir Michael Shaw Conservative 1992 John Sykes Conservative1997 constituency abolished
Elections 1640–1885 Elections in the 1830s
Elections in the 1840s
Elections in the 1850s Phipps was appointed Comptroller of the Household, requiring a by-election.
Phipps was appointed Treasurer of the Household, requiring a by-election.
Phipps resigned after being appointed Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, causing a by-election.
Elections in the 1860s Denison succeeded to the peerage, becoming Lord Londesborough and causing a by-election.
Vanden-Bempde-Johnstone's death caused a by-election.
Elections in the 1870s
Elections in the 1880s
Johnstone's resignation caused a by-election.