Parliamentary representation from the Isle of Wight

The Isle of Wight, an island off the south coast of England, was part of the historic county of Hampshire (originally Southamptonshire), and was linked with it for parliamentary purposes until 1832, when it became a county constituency in its own right as it had also been during the Protectorate (1654–1659). Hampshire (including the Isle of Wight), located in the 21st century region of South East England, was represented in Parliament from the 13th century. This article provides a list of constituencies constituting the Parliamentary representation from Isle of Wight.

In 1890 the Isle of Wight became an administrative county. In 1974 it became a new non-metropolitan county and in 1995 a ceremonial county and unitary authority (with unchanged boundaries).

The first part of this article covers the constituencies wholly within the area of the Isle of Wight. The second part refers to the constituency of Hampshire, which included some territory from the Isle of Wight 1290–1654 and 1659–1832. The summaries section only refers to the constituencies included in the first section of the constituency list.

Following the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the Isle of Wight constituency was abolished with the island being divided into Isle of Wight East and Isle of Wight West.[1]

List of constituencies

[edit]

Article names are followed by (UK Parliament constituency). The constituencies which existed in 1707 were those previously represented in the Parliament of England.

Key to abbreviations:-

  • (Type) BC Borough constituency, CC County constituency.
  • (County in Notes) H historic county of Hampshire (to 1832), IW1 parliamentary county of the Isle of Wight (1832–1890), IW2 administrative/non-metropolitan/ceremonial and unitary county of the Isle of Wight (from 1890).

Constituencies wholly in the Isle of Wight

[edit]
Constituency Type From To MPs Notes
Isle of Wight CC 1654 1659 2 H, IW1, IW2
1832 * 1
Newport BC 1295 1298 2 H, IW1: Unrepresented 1654–1659
1584 1885 2 (1584–1868)
1 (1868–1885)
Newtown BC 1584 1832 2 H: Unrepresented 1654–1659
Yarmouth BC 1584 1832 2 H: Unrepresented 1654–1659

Mostly mainland constituency including the Isle of Wight

[edit]
Constituency Type From To MPs Notes
Hampshire CC 1290 1654 2 H: Did not include Isle of Wight 1654–1659.
1659 1832

Periods constituencies represented

[edit]
  1290–1295 1295–1298 1298–1584 1584–1654 1654–1659 1659–1832 1832–1868 1868–1885 1885–2024 2024–*
Hampshire 1290–1654   1659–1832  
Isle of Wight East 2024–present
Isle of Wight West 2024–present
Isle of Wight   1654–1659   1832–2024
Newport   1295–1298   1584–1654   1659–1885  
Newtown   1584–1654   1659–1832  
Yarmouth   1584–1654   1659–1832  

Summaries

[edit]

Summary of Constituencies by Type and Period

[edit]
Type 1290 1295 1298 1584 1654 1659 1832 1868 1885
Borough – 1 – 3 – 3 1 1 –
County – – – – 1 – 1 1 1
Total – 1 – 3 1 3 2 2 1

Summary of members of parliament by Type and Period

[edit]
Type 1290 1295 1298 1584 1654 1659 1832 1868 1885
Borough – 2 – 6 – 6 2 1 –
County – – – – 2 – 1 1 1
Total – 2 – 6 2 6 3 2 1

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Isle of Wight set for two MPs under boundary review". BBC News. 8 November 2022. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  • Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885–1972, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Parliamentary Reference Publications 1972) ISBN 978-0-9001-7809-2.
  • British Parliamentary Constituencies: A Statistical Compendium, by Ivor Crewe and Anthony Fox (Faber and Faber 1984) ISBN 978-0-5711-3236-2.
  • British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (The Macmillan Press 1977) ISBN 978-0-9001-7826-9.
  • The House of Commons 1509–1558, 3 vols, by S.T. Bindoff (Secker & Warburg 1982) ISBN 978-0-4360-4282-9.
  • The House of Commons 1558–1603, 3 vols, by P.W. Hasler (HMSO 1981) ISBN 978-0-1188-7501-1.
  • The House of Commons 1660–1690, 3 vols, by Basil Duke Henning (Secker & Warburg 1983) ISBN 978-0-4361-9274-6.
  • The House of Commons 1715–1754, 2 vols, by Romney Sedgwick (HMSO 1970) ISBN 978-0-1188-0098-3.
  • The House of Commons 1754–1790, 3 vols, by Sir Lewis Namier and John Brooke (HMSO 1964) ISBN 978-0-4363-0420-0.
  • The House of Commons 1790–1820, 5 vols, by R.G. Thorne (Secker & Warburg 1986) ISBN 978-0-4365-2101-0.
  • The Parliaments of England by Henry Stooks Smith (1st edition published in three volumes 1844–50), second edition edited (in one volume) by F.W.S. Craig (Political Reference Publications 1973) out of copyright ISBN 978-0-9001-7813-9.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Parliamentary_representation_from_the_Isle_of_Wight&oldid=1232030765"