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.

Bridgwater
County constituency for the House of Commons
Boundary of Bridgwater in South West England
County	Somerset
Electorate	71,418 (2023)[1]
Major settlements	Bridgwater, Burnham-on-Sea, Highbridge, North Petherton
Current constituency
Created	2024
Member of Parliament	Ashley Fox (Conservative)
Created from	Bridgwater & West Somerset
1885–2010
Seats	One
Type of constituency	County constituency
Created from	West Somerset
Replaced by	Bridgwater & West Somerset
1295–1870
Seats	Two
Type of constituency	Borough constituency
Replaced by	West Somerset

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.^[2]

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 in 1870. 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

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

Map of boundaries from 2024

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.^[3]

With effect from 1 April 2023, the District of Sedgemoor was abolished and absorbed into the new unitary authority of Somerset.^[4] 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.^[5][6]

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.^[7]
• Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge, previously in the now abolished constituency of Wells.^[5]

Members of Parliament

• Constituency created (1295)

Bridgwater borough, 1295–1870

MPs 1295–1640

Parliament	First member	Second member
1377	William Tomer[8]	John Sydenham[9]
1380 (Jan)	William Tomer [8]
1383 (Oct)	William Tomer[8]
1385	William Tomer[8]
1386	John Sydenham	Richard Mayne[9]
1388 (Feb)	John Sydenham	Richard Mayne[9]
1388 (Sep)	John Palmer	John Wynd[9]
1390 (Jan)	William Tomer	John Palmer[9]
1390 (Nov)
1391	William Tomer	John Sydenham[9]
1393	William Tomer	Robert Boson[9]
1394	John Cole	John Palmer[9]
1395	William Tomer	John Kedwelly[9]
1397 (Jan)	William Tomer	John Kedwelly[9]
1397 (Sep)	William Tomer	John Sydenham [9]
1399	William Tomer	John Kedwelly [9]
1401
1402	William Tomer	John Kedwelly[9]
1404 (Jan)
1404 (Oct)
1406	William Tomer	William Gascoigne[9]
1407	William Gascoigne	Richard Ward[9]
1410	William Gascoigne	John Kedwelly[9]
1411
1413 (Feb)
1413 (May)	William Gascoigne	William Gosse[9]
1414 (Apr)	William Gascoigne	Thomas Cave[9]
1414 (Nov)	William Gascoigne	John Kedwelly[9]
1415
1416 (Mar)
1416 (Oct)
1417	William Gascoigne	John Kedwelly[9]
1419	William Gascoigne	Richard Mayne[9]
1420	William Gascoigne	Martin Jacob[9]
1421 (May)	James FitzJames	William Gascoigne[9]
1421 (Dec)	William Gascoigne	John Pitt[9]
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[10]
1510–1523	No names known [11]
1529	Henry Thornton	Hugh Trotter[11]
1536	?
1539	?
1542	?
1545	Thomas Dyer	Alexander Popham[11]
1547	Sir Thomas Dyer	Alexander Popham[11]
1553 (Mar)	Sir Thomas Dyer	Richard Gubby[11]
1553 (Oct)	Sir Thomas Dyer	Nicholas Halswell
1554 (Apr)	John Newport	Robert Molyns (or Mullens) [12]
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[13]	First party		Second member[13]	Second party
April 1640		Robert Blake			Edmund Wyndham[14]	Royalist
November 1640		Sir Peter Wroth	Parliamentarian
February 1641					Thomas Smith	Royalist
August 1642				Smith disabled from sitting — seat vacant
May 1644	Wroth died — seat vacant
1645		Admiral Robert Blake[15]			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					Sir Francis Warre	Tory
1689		Henry Bull	Tory
1692		Robert Balch
1695		Nathaniel Palmer			Roger Hoar
1698		George Crane
1699					Sir Francis Warre	Tory
January 1701		John Gilbert			George Balch	Tory
November 1701		Sir Thomas Wroth
1708		George Dodington	Whig
1710					Nathaniel Palmer	Tory
1713		John Rolle
1715		George Dodington	Whig		Thomas Palmer	Tory
1720		William Pitt
1722		George Dodington
1727					Sir Halswell Tynte	Tory
1731					Thomas Palmer	Tory
1735					Charles Wyndham	Tory
1741					Vere Poulett	Tory
1747					Peregrine Poulett	Tory
1753					Robert Balch	Tory
1754		The Earl of Egmont
1761					Edward Southwell
1762		Viscount Perceval[16]
1763					The Lord Coleraine
1768					Benjamin Allen[17]	Whig[18]
1769		Anne Poulett	Tory[18]
1781					John Acland	Tory[18]
1784					Rear-Admiral Alexander Hood[19]	Tory[18]
1785		Robert Thornton
1790		Major Vere Poulett[20]	Tory[18]		John Langston	Tory[18]
1796		George Pocock	Tory[18]		Jeffreys Allen	Tory[18]
1804					John Hudleston	Tory[18]
1806		Major-General Vere Poulett	Whig[18]		John Langston	Whig[18]
1807		William Thornton	Tory[18]		George Pocock	Tory[18]
1820					Charles Kemeys-Tynte (1)	Whig[18][21]
1832		William Tayleur	Whig[18]
1835		John Temple Leader	Radical[18][22][23]
May 1837		Henry Broadwood	Conservative[18]
August 1837					Philip Courtenay	Conservative[18]
1841					Thomas Seaton Forman	Conservative[18]
1847					Charles Kemeys-Tynte (2)	Whig[24][25]
1852		Brent Follett	Conservative
1857		Alexander William Kinglake	Whig[26]
1859			Liberal			Liberal
1865					Henry Westropp[27]	Conservative
1866					George Patton	Conservative
1866					Philip Vanderbyl	Liberal
1869	Writ suspended — both seats vacant [28]
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[13]	Party
	1885	Edward Stanley	Conservative
	1906	Henry Montgomery	Liberal
	1910	Sir Robert Sanders	Unionist
	1923	William Morse	Liberal
	1924	Brooks Wood	Unionist
	1929	Reginald Croom-Johnson	Conservative
	1938 by-election	Vernon Bartlett	Independent Progressive
	1942		Common Wealth
	1945		Independent Progressive
	1950	Sir Gerald Wills	Conservative
	1970 by-election	Tom King	Conservative
	2001	Ian Liddell-Grainger	Conservative
	2010	constituency abolished, replaced by Bridgwater and West Somerset

• County division re-created (2024)

Election		Member	Party
	2024	Ashley Fox	Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Bridgwater^[29]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Ashley Fox	12,281	30.6	−27.3
	Labour	Leigh Redman	10,932	27.2	+6.5
	Reform UK	William Fagg	8,913	22.2	New
	Liberal Democrats	Claire Sully	5,781	14.4	−3.2
	Green	Charlie Graham	1,720	4.3	+2.2
	Independent	Pelé Barnes	334	0.8	New
	Workers Party	Gregory Tanner	168	0.4	New
Majority			1,349	3.4	−33.8
Turnout			40,129	56.1	−6.9
Registered electors			71,571
	Conservative hold		Swing	−16.9

Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result[30]
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

General election 2005: Bridgwater^[31]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Ian Liddell-Grainger	21,240	44.10	+3.70
	Labour	Matthew Burchell	12,771	26.50	−0.30
	Liberal Democrats	James Main	10,940	22.70	−3.50
	UKIP	Raymond Weinstein	1,767	3.70	+0.90
	Green	Charlie Graham	1,391	2.90	New
Majority			8,469	17.60	+7.20
Turnout			48,109	63.50	−0.90
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 2001: Bridgwater^[32]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Ian Liddell-Grainger	19,354	40.40	+3.47
	Liberal Democrats	Ian Thorn	14,367	30.00	−3.65
	Labour	Bill Monteith	12,803	26.80	+2.05
	UKIP	Vicky Gardner	1,323	2.80	New
Majority			4,987	10.40	+7.12
Turnout			47,847	64.40	−10.01
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Bridgwater^[33]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tom King	20,174	36.93	−9.83
	Liberal Democrats	Michael Hoban	18,378	33.65	+3.96
	Labour	Roger Lavers	13,519	24.75	+3.02
	Referendum	Fran Evens	2,551	4.67	New
Majority			1,796	3.28	−13.79
Turnout			54,622	74.41	−5.11
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1992: Bridgwater^[34]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tom King	26,610	46.76	−4.76
	Liberal Democrats	WJ Revans	16,894	29.69	−0.61
	Labour	PE James	12,365	21.73	+3.54
	Green	G Dummett	746	1.31	New
	Independent	A Body	183	0.32	New
	Natural Law	G Sanson	112	0.20	New
Majority			9,716	17.07	−4.15
Turnout			56,910	79.52	+1.34
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Bridgwater^[35]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tom King	27,177	51.52	−0.74
	SDP	Christopher Clarke	15,982	30.30	+0.30
	Labour	John Turner	9,594	18.19	+0.45
Majority			11,195	21.22	−1.05
Turnout			52,753	78.18	+3.38
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1983: Bridgwater^[36]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tom King	25,107	52.26
	SDP	Rosemary Farley	14,410	30.00
	Labour	Andrew May	8,524	17.74
Majority			10,697	22.26
Turnout			48,041	74.80
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tom King	31,259	54.0	+9.7
	Labour	J Beasant	16,809	29.05	−3.8
	Liberal	Christina Baron	9,793	16.9	−5.5
Majority			14,450	25.0	+13.5
Turnout			57,861	79.2	+2.0
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election October 1974: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tom King	23,850	44.3	+0.7
	Labour	A Mitchell	17,663	32.78	+4.3
	Liberal	JHG Wyatt	12,077	22.4	−4.4
	United Democratic	SR Harrad	288	0.5	New
Majority			6,187	11.5	−2.6
Turnout			53,878	77.2	−5.0
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election February 1974: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tom King	24,830	43.65	−8.7
	Labour	R Undy	16,786	29.5	−6.3
	Liberal	JHG Wyatt	15,269	26.8	+14.9
Majority			8,044	14.1	−2.4
Turnout			56,885	82.25	+5.2
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1970: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tom King	26,685	52.3	+7.9
	Labour	Raymond J Billington	18,224	35.8	−2.3
	Liberal	Patrick M O'Loughlin	6,066	11.9	−5.6
Majority			8,461	16.5	+10.2
Turnout			50,975	77.0	−3.2
	Conservative hold		Swing	+5.3

1970 Bridgwater by-election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tom King	25,687	55.5	+11.1
	Labour	Richard Mayer	14,772	31.9	−6.2
	Liberal	Patrick M O'Loughlin	5,832	12.6	−4.9
Majority			10,915	23.6	+17.3
Turnout			46,291	70.3	−9.9
	Conservative hold		Swing	+8.6

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Gerald Wills	20,850	44.4	−0.4
	Labour	Richard Mayer	17,864	38.1	+6.6
	Liberal	Philip Watkins	8,205	17.5	−1.9
Majority			2,986	6.3	−7.0
Turnout			46,919	80.2	−0.1
	Conservative hold		Swing	+3.5

General election 1964: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Gerald Wills	20,822	44.8	−5.6
	Labour	Norman J Hart	14,645	31.5	−0.7
	Liberal	Philip Watkins	9,009	19.4	+2.1
	Independent	Michael L de V Hart	2,038	4.4	New
Majority			6,177	13.3	−4.9
Turnout			46,514	80.3	−1.5
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Gerald Wills	23,002	50.44
	Labour	James Finnigan	14,706	32.25
	Liberal	Philip Watkins	7,893	17.31	New
Majority			8,296	18.19
Turnout			45,601	81.77
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1955: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Gerald Wills	24,887	59.17
	Labour	Albert E Sumbler	17,170	40.83
Majority			7,717	18.34
Turnout			42,057	78.00
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1951: Bridgwater^[37]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Gerald Wills	25,365	56.34
	Labour Co-op	Norman E Carr	19,656	43.66
Majority			5,709	12.68
Turnout			45,021	84.63
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1950: Bridgwater^[38]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Gerald Wills	21,732	48.84
	Labour Co-op	Norman E Carr	16,053	36.08
	Independent	Stephen King-Hall	6,708	15.08	New
Majority			5,679	12.76	N/A
Turnout			44,493	85.75
	Conservative gain from Independent Progressive		Swing

Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent Progressive	Vernon Bartlett	17,937	45.79	N/A
	Conservative	Gerald Wills	15,625	39.89
	Labour	Norman Corkhill	5,613	14.33
Majority			2,312	5.90
Turnout			39,175	72.69
	Independent Progressive 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^[39]

Elections in the 1930s

1938 Bridgwater by-election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent Progressive	Vernon Bartlett	19,540	53.2	New
	Conservative	Patrick Gerald Heathcoat-Amory	17,208	46.8	−10.1
Majority			2,332	6.4	N/A
Turnout			36,748	82.3	+9.6
	Independent Progressive gain from Conservative		Swing

General election 1935: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Reginald Croom-Johnson	17,939	56.9	−18.6
	Liberal	Norman David Blake	7,370	23.4	New
	Labour	Arthur W Loveys	6,240	19.8	−2.7
Majority			10,569	33.5	−21.5
Turnout			31,549	72.7	−1.1
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1931: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Reginald Croom-Johnson	24,041	77.5	+30.7
	Labour	James Musgrave Boltz	6,974	22.5	+3.1
Majority			17,067	55.03	+42.0
Turnout			31,015	73.8	−6.6
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1920s

General election 1929: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	Reginald Croom-Johnson	15,440	46.8	−5.9
	Liberal	Joseph William Molden	11,161	33.8	−6.2
	Labour	James Musgrave Boltz	6,423	19.4	+12.1
Majority			4,279	13.0	+0.3
Turnout			33,024	80.4	−4.0
Registered electors			41,068
	Unionist hold		Swing	+0.1

General election 1924: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	Brooks Wood	14,283	52.7	+5.4
	Liberal	William Morse	10,842	40.0	−12.7
	Labour	James Musgrave Boltz	1,966	7.3	New
Majority			3,441	12.7	N/A
Turnout			27,091	84.4	+1.0
Registered electors			32,111
	Unionist gain from Liberal		Swing	+9.1

General election 1923: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Morse	13,778	52.7	+6.3
	Unionist	Robert Sanders	12,347	47.3	+0.4
Majority			1,431	5.4	N/A
Turnout			26,125	83.4	+5.2
Registered electors			31,317
	Liberal gain from Unionist		Swing	+3.0

General election 1922: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	Robert Sanders	11,240	46.9	−21.7
	Liberal	William Morse	11,121	46.4	New
	Labour	Thomas Williams	1,598	6.7	−24.7
Majority			119	0.5	−36.7
Turnout			23,959	78.2	+15.8
Registered electors			30,657
	Unionist hold		Swing	−34.1

Elections in the 1910s

General election 1918: Bridgwater

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
C	Unionist	Robert Sanders	12,587	68.6	+10.9
	Labour	Sid Plummer	5,771	31.4	New
Majority			6,816	37.2	+21.8
Turnout			18,358	62.4
Registered electors			29,411
	Unionist hold		Swing	N/A
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

By-election, 1918: Bridgwater ^[40]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Robert Sanders	Unopposed
	Conservative 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.

General election December 1910: Bridgwater ^[41]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Robert Sanders	5,160	57.7	−1.2
	Liberal	Harold C. Hicks	3,779	42.3	+1.2
Majority			1,381	15.4	−2.4
Turnout			8,939
	Conservative hold		Swing	−1.2

General election January 1910: Bridgwater ^[41]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Robert Sanders	5,575	58.9	+9.0
	Liberal	Harold C. Hicks	3,896	41.1	−9.0
Majority			1,679	17.8	18.0
Turnout			9,471
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing	+9.0

Elections in the 1900s

Montgomery

General election 1906: Bridgwater^[42]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Henry Montgomery	4,422	50.1	New
	Conservative	Robert Sanders	4,405	49.9	N/A
Majority			17	0.2	N/A
Turnout			8,827	86.7	N/A
Registered electors			10,180
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing	N/A

Edward Stanley

General election 1900: Bridgwater ^[43]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Edward Stanley	Unopposed
	Conservative hold

Elections in the 1890s

General election 1895: Bridgwater ^[43][40]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Edward Stanley	Unopposed
	Conservative hold

General election 1892: Bridgwater ^[43][40]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Edward Stanley	4,555	57.5	N/A
	Liberal	James Douglas Walker	3,362	42.5	New
Majority			1,193	15.0	N/A
Turnout			7,917	77.5	N/A
Registered electors			10,220
	Conservative hold		Swing	N/A

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1886: Bridgwater ^[43][40]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Edward Stanley	Unopposed
	Conservative hold

General election 1885: Bridgwater ^[43][40]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Edward Stanley	3,935	50.6
	Liberal	Edwin Brook Cely Trevilian	3,835	49.4
Majority			100	1.2
Turnout			7,770	78.8
Registered electors			9,861
	Conservative win (new seat)

Elections in the 1860s

General election 1868: Bridgwater (2 seats)^[44]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Alexander William Kinglake	731	26.2	−5.1
	Liberal	Philip Vanderbyl	725	26.0	−2.8
	Conservative	Henry Westropp	681	24.4	+4.4
	Conservative	Charles William Gray[45]	650	23.3	+3.3
Majority			44	1.6	N/A
Turnout			1,394 (est)	93.0 (est)	+3.7
Registered electors			1,499
	Liberal hold		Swing	−4.2
	Liberal gain from Conservative		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.

By-election, 12 Jul 1866: Bridgwater (1 seat)^[44]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Philip Vanderbyl	312	53.2	−6.9
	Conservative	George Patton	275	46.8	+6.9
Majority			37	6.4	N/A
Turnout			587	91.1	+1.8
Registered electors			644
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing	−6.9

By-election, 7 Jun 1866: Bridgwater (1 seat)^[44]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	George Patton	301	50.7	+10.8
	Liberal	Walter Bagehot[46]	293	49.3	−10.8
Majority			8	1.4	−9.7
Turnout			594	92.2	+2.9
Registered electors			644
	Conservative hold		Swing	+10.8

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

General election 1865: Bridgwater (2 seats)^[44]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Henry Westropp	328	39.9	−3.6
	Liberal	Alexander William Kinglake	257	31.3	+3.6
	Liberal	John Shelley	237	28.8	0.0
Majority			91	11.1	N/A
Turnout			575 (est)	89.3 (est)	+7.3
Registered electors			644
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing	−3.6
	Liberal hold		Swing	+2.7

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

Elections in the 1850s

General election 1859: Bridgwater (2 seats)^[44]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Charles Kemeys-Tynte	290	28.8	−10.8
	Liberal	Alexander William Kinglake	279	27.7	−8.4
	Conservative	Henry Padwick[47]	230	22.8	+10.6
	Conservative	Henry Westropp	208	20.7	+8.5
Majority			49	4.9	−6.9
Turnout			504 (est)	82.0 (est)	−6.0
Registered electors			614
	Liberal hold		Swing	−10.2
	Liberal hold		Swing	−9.0

General election 1857: Bridgwater (2 seats)^[44]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Whig	Charles Kemeys-Tynte	330	39.6	+10.8
	Whig	Alexander William Kinglake	301	36.1	+25.4
	Conservative	Brent Follett	203	24.3	−20.4
Majority			98	11.8	+8.9
Turnout			519 (est)	88.0 (est)	+11.5
Registered electors			589
	Whig hold		Swing	+10.5
	Whig gain from Conservative		Swing	+17.8

General election 1852: Bridgwater (2 seats)^[44][48]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Whig	Charles Kemeys-Tynte	271	28.8	−17.3
	Conservative	Brent Follett	244	25.9	+10.4
	Conservative	John Clavell Mansel[49][50]	177	18.8	+3.3
	Whig	Anthony Henley	149	15.8	N/A
	Whig	Alexander William Kinglake	101	10.7	N/A
Turnout			471 (est)	68.5 (est)	−12.4
Registered electors			688
Majority			27	2.9	−12.2
	Whig hold		Swing	−15.5
Majority			95	10.0	+1.9
	Conservative hold		Swing	+9.5

Elections in the 1840s

General election 1847: Bridgwater (2 seats)^[44]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Whig	Charles Kemeys-Tynte	395	46.1	−0.7
	Conservative	Henry Broadwood	265	31.0	−22.2
	Radical	Stephen Gaselee[51]	196	22.9	N/A
Turnout			428 (est)	80.9 (est)	−7.3
Registered electors			529
Majority			130	15.1	N/A
	Whig gain from Conservative		Swing	+5.2
Majority			69	8.1	+5.3
	Conservative hold		Swing	−10.9

General election 1841: Bridgwater (2 seats)^[18][44][52]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Henry Broadwood	280	26.8	−22.8
	Conservative	Thomas Seaton Forman	276	26.4	−22.8
	Whig	Edward Simcoe Drewe[53]	247	23.6	+22.7
	Whig	Augustin Robinson[54]	242	23.2	+22.8
Majority			29	2.8	−45.5
Turnout			525	88.2	+37.3
Registered electors			595
	Conservative hold		Swing	−22.8
	Conservative hold		Swing	−22.8

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1837: Bridgwater (2 seats)^[18][44]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Henry Broadwood	279	49.6	+25.7
	Conservative	Philip Courtenay	277	49.2	+28.8
	Whig	Thomas Lethbridge	5	0.9	−13.9
	Whig	Richard Brinsley Sheridan[55]	2	0.4	−14.4
Majority			272	48.3	N/A
Turnout			284	50.9	−21.0
Registered electors			558
	Conservative gain from Whig		Swing	+19.9
	Conservative gain from Radical		Swing	+21.5

By-election, 16 May 1837: Bridgwater^[18][44]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Henry Broadwood	279	55.8	+11.5
	Whig	Richard Brinsley Sheridan[56]	221	44.2	+14.7
Majority			58	11.6	N/A
Turnout			500	89.6	+17.7
Registered electors			558
	Conservative gain from Radical		Swing	−1.6

General election 1835: Bridgwater (2 seats)^[18][44]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Whig	Charles Kemeys-Tynte	234	29.5	N/A
	Radical	John Temple Leader	208	26.2	N/A
	Conservative	Henry Broadwood	190	23.9	New
	Conservative	Francis Mountjoy Martyn[57]	162	20.4	New
Turnout			309	71.9	N/A
Registered electors			430
Majority			26	3.3	N/A
	Whig hold		Swing	N/A
Majority			18	2.3	N/A
	Radical gain from Whig		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.

General election 1832: Bridgwater (2 seats)^[18][44]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Whig	Charles Kemeys-Tynte	Unopposed
	Whig	William Tayleur	Unopposed
Registered electors			484
	Whig hold
	Whig gain from Tory

General election 1831: Bridgwater (2 seats)^[18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Whig	Charles Kemeys-Tynte	337	44.8	N/A
	Tory	William Astell	213	28.3	N/A
	Radical	Henry Shirley	202	26.9	N/A
Turnout			430		N/A
Majority			124	16.5	N/A
	Whig hold		Swing	N/A
Majority			11	1.4	N/A
	Whig hold		Swing	N/A

General election 1830: Bridgwater (2 seats)^[18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	William Astell	Unopposed
	Whig	Charles Kemeys-Tynte	Unopposed
	Tory hold
	Whig hold

See also

• List of parliamentary constituencies in Somerset