Coventry — UK General Election Results
Coventry was won by Conservative at the 1935 general election, with a majority of 2,472 votes over Labour. This page covers every general election in Coventry from 1832 to 1935.
This constituency elected more than one MP at once in some years. Before the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 (and in a shrinking number of boroughs through 1948), most UK constituencies elected two or more MPs together by "multi-member plurality" (block vote): each elector could cast one vote per available seat, and the top vote-getters overall were all elected. In those elections below, "Elected" lists every MP returned, "Votes" is the count that secured the last seat, and "Majority" is the gap between that seat and the first candidate who missed out.
Full Election History, 1832–1935
| Election | Elected | Votes | Vote Share | Runner-up | Majority | Turnout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1832 | Edward Ellice (Whig); William Henry Lytton Earle Bulwer (Whig) | 1,607 | 40.8% (top seat) | Thomas Bilcliffe Fyler (Conservative) | 1,236 (31.2 pts) | 60.2% |
| 1835 | William Williams (Radical); Edward Ellice (Whig) | 1,601 | 37.1% (top seat) | Morgan Thomas (Conservative) | 35 (0.7 pts) | 70.3% |
| 1837 | Edward Ellice (Whig); William Williams (Radical) | 1,748 | 27.5% (top seat) | Morgan Thomas (Conservative) | 237 (3.7 pts) | 90.5% |
| 1841 | William Williams (Radical); Edward Ellice (Whig) | 1,829 | 37.5% (top seat) | Thomas Weir (Conservative) | 539 (10.8 pts) | 65.8% |
| 1847 | Edward Ellice (Whig); George James Turner (Conservative) | 1,754 | 46.1% (top seat) | William Williams (Radical) | 121 (1.9 pts) | 77.8% |
| 1852 | Charles Geach (Radical); Edward Ellice (Whig) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1857 | Edward Ellice (Whig); Joseph Paxton (Whig) | 2,384 | 41.0% (top seat) | John Mellor (Whig) | 1,681 (24.5 pts) | 68.8% |
| 1859 | Edward Ellice (Liberal); Joseph Paxton (Liberal) | 2,409 | 41.7% (top seat) | Morgan Treherne (Conservative) | 481 (6.5 pts) | 69.4% |
| 1865 | Henry William Eaton (Conservative); Morgan Treherne (Conservative) | 2,401 | 26.2% (top seat) | Edward Fordham Flower (Liberal) | 59 (0.6 pts) | 95.5% |
| 1868 | Henry William Eaton (Conservative); Alexander Staveley Hill (Conservative) | 3,761 | 25.7% (top seat) | Henry Mather Jackson (Liberal) | 185 (1.3 pts) | 92.7% |
| 1874 | Henry William Eaton (Conservative); Henry Mather Jackson (Liberal) | 3,799 | 25.6% (top seat) | Samuel Carter (Liberal) | 137 (0.9 pts) | 92.9% |
| 1880 | Henry Mather Jackson (Liberal); William Henry Wills (Liberal) | 4,105 | 26.1% (top seat) | Henry William Eaton (Conservative) | 97 (0.6 pts) | 86.9% |
| 1885 | Henry William Eaton (Conservative) | 4,577 | 51.4% | Thomas Courtenay Theydon Warner (Liberal) | 249 (2.8 pts) | 91.5% |
| 1886 | Henry William Eaton (Conservative) | 4,201 | 52.5% | William Henry Walter Ballantine (Liberal) | 405 (5.1 pts) | 82.1% |
| 1892 | William Henry Walter Ballantine (Liberal) | 4,754 | 50.8% | Charles James Murray (Conservative) | 143 (1.5 pts) | 86.4% |
| 1895 | Charles James Murray (Conservative) | 4,974 | 51.8% | William Henry Walter Ballantine (Liberal) | 350 (3.6 pts) | 87.8% |
| 1900 | Charles James Murray (Conservative) | 5,257 | 55.7% | Laurence Cowen (Liberal) | 1,069 (11.3 pts) | 77.8% |
| 1906 | Alfred Edward Woodley Mason (Liberal) | 6,554 | 54.5% | John Kenneth Foster (Conservative) | 1,092 (9.1 pts) | 86.0% |
| Jan 1910 | John Kenneth Foster (Conservative) | 7,369 | 50.7% | Silas Kitto Hocking (Liberal) | 216 (1.5 pts) | 88.2% |
| Dec 1910 | David Marshall Mason (Liberal) | 7,351 | 51.8% | John Kenneth Foster (Conservative) | 523 (3.7 pts) | 86.1% |
| 1918 | Edward Manville (Unionist) | 17,380 | 44.8% | Richard Collingham Wallhead (Labour) | 7,082 (18.3 pts) | 62.4% |
| 1922 | Edward Manville (Unionist) | 20,986 | 42.6% | Robert Williams (Labour) | 4,697 (9.5 pts) | 80.8% |
| 1923 | Albert Arthur Purcell (Labour) | 16,346 | 34.2% | Edward Manville (Unionist) | 620 (1.3 pts) | 77.1% |
| 1924 | Archibald Boyd Boyd-Carpenter (Unionist) | 22,712 | 42.4% | Albert Arthur Purcell (Labour) | 4,824 (9.0 pts) | 84.9% |
| 1929 | Philip John Noel-Baker (Labour) | 34,255 | 49.4% | Archibald Boyd Boyd-Carpenter (Unionist) | 11,719 (16.9 pts) | 82.2% |
| 1931 | William Frederick Strickland (Conservative) | 44,305 | 61.0% | Philip John Noel-Baker (Labour) | 15,994 (22.0 pts) | 82.7% |
| 1935 | William Frederick Strickland (Conservative) | 37,313 | 51.7% | Philip John Noel-Baker (Labour) | 2,472 (3.4 pts) | 81.1% |
Full Result Breakdown by Election
1832 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edward Ellice | Whig | 1,613 | 40.8% | Yes |
| William Henry Lytton Earle Bulwer | Whig | 1,607 | 40.6% | Yes |
| Thomas Bilcliffe Fyler | Conservative | 371 | 9.4% | No |
| Morgan Thomas | Conservative | 366 | 9.2% | No |
1835 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Williams | Radical | 1,865 | 37.1% | Yes |
| Edward Ellice | Whig | 1,601 | 31.8% | Yes |
| Morgan Thomas | Conservative | 1,566 | 31.1% | No |
1837 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edward Ellice | Whig | 1,778 | 27.5% | Yes |
| William Williams | Radical | 1,748 | 27.0% | Yes |
| Morgan Thomas | Conservative | 1,511 | 23.3% | No |
| John David Hay Hill | Conservative | 1,392 | 21.5% | No |
| John Bell | Chartist | 43 | 0.7% | No |
1841 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Williams | Radical | 1,870 | 37.5% | Yes |
| Edward Ellice | Whig | 1,829 | 36.7% | Yes |
| Thomas Weir | Conservative | 1,290 | 25.9% | No |
1847 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edward Ellice | Whig | 2,901 | 46.1% | Yes |
| George James Turner | Conservative | 1,754 | 27.9% | Yes |
| William Williams | Radical | 1,633 | 26.0% | No |
1852 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Geach | Radical | Unopposed | Yes | |
| Edward Ellice | Whig | Unopposed | Yes | |
1857 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edward Ellice | Whig | 2,810 | 41.0% | Yes |
| Joseph Paxton | Whig | 2,384 | 34.8% | Yes |
| John Mellor | Whig | 703 | 10.3% | No |
| Morgan Treherne | Conservative | 599 | 8.7% | No |
| Robert Joseph Phillimore | Peelite | 356 | 5.2% | No |
1859 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edward Ellice | Liberal | 3,107 | 41.7% | Yes |
| Joseph Paxton | Liberal | 2,409 | 32.4% | Yes |
| Morgan Treherne | Conservative | 1,928 | 25.9% | No |
1865 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry William Eaton | Conservative | 2,489 | 26.2% | Yes |
| Morgan Treherne | Conservative | 2,401 | 25.3% | Yes |
| Edward Fordham Flower | Liberal | 2,342 | 24.7% | No |
| Thomas Mason Jones | Liberal | 2,259 | 23.8% | No |
1868 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry William Eaton | Conservative | 3,781 | 25.7% | Yes |
| Alexander Staveley Hill | Conservative | 3,761 | 25.6% | Yes |
| Henry Mather Jackson | Liberal | 3,576 | 24.3% | No |
| Samuel Carter | Liberal | 3,576 | 24.3% | No |
1874 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry William Eaton | Conservative | 3,823 | 25.6% | Yes |
| Henry Mather Jackson | Liberal | 3,799 | 25.5% | Yes |
| Samuel Carter | Liberal | 3,662 | 24.6% | No |
| Frederick du Pré Thornton | Conservative | 3,628 | 24.3% | No |
1880 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Mather Jackson | Liberal | 4,184 | 26.1% | Yes |
| William Henry Wills | Liberal | 4,105 | 25.6% | Yes |
| Henry William Eaton | Conservative | 4,008 | 25.0% | No |
| Arthur Kekewich | Conservative | 3,715 | 23.2% | No |
1885
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry William Eaton | Conservative | 4,577 | 51.4% | Yes |
| Thomas Courtenay Theydon Warner | Liberal | 4,328 | 48.6% | No |
1886
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry William Eaton | Conservative | 4,201 | 52.5% | Yes |
| William Henry Walter Ballantine | Liberal | 3,796 | 47.5% | No |
1892
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Henry Walter Ballantine | Liberal | 4,754 | 50.8% | Yes |
| Charles James Murray | Conservative | 4,611 | 49.2% | No |
1895
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles James Murray | Conservative | 4,974 | 51.8% | Yes |
| William Henry Walter Ballantine | Liberal | 4,624 | 48.2% | No |
1900
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles James Murray | Conservative | 5,257 | 55.7% | Yes |
| Laurence Cowen | Liberal | 4,188 | 44.3% | No |
1906
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alfred Edward Woodley Mason | Liberal | 6,554 | 54.5% | Yes |
| John Kenneth Foster | Conservative | 5,462 | 45.5% | No |
Jan 1910
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Kenneth Foster | Conservative | 7,369 | 50.7% | Yes |
| Silas Kitto Hocking | Liberal | 7,153 | 49.3% | No |
Dec 1910
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Marshall Mason | Liberal | 7,351 | 51.8% | Yes |
| John Kenneth Foster | Conservative | 6,828 | 48.2% | No |
1918
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edward Manville | Unionist | 17,380 | 44.8% | Yes |
| Richard Collingham Wallhead | Labour | 10,298 | 26.6% | No |
| Courtenay Cecil Mansel | Liberal | 4,128 | 10.7% | No |
| Arthur Charles Bannington | Independent Socialist | 3,806 | 9.8% | No |
| David Marshall Mason | Independent Liberal | 3,145 | 8.1% | No |
1922
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edward Manville | Unionist | 20,986 | 42.6% | Yes |
| Robert Williams | Labour | 16,289 | 33.1% | No |
| Edward Darnton | Liberal | 11,985 | 24.3% | No |
1923
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albert Arthur Purcell | Labour | 16,346 | 34.2% | Yes |
| Edward Manville | Unionist | 15,726 | 32.9% | No |
| Henry Paterson Gisborne | Liberal | 15,716 | 32.9% | No |
1924
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archibald Boyd Boyd-Carpenter | Unionist | 22,712 | 42.4% | Yes |
| Albert Arthur Purcell | Labour | 17,888 | 33.4% | No |
| Henry Paterson Gisborne | Liberal | 12,953 | 24.2% | No |
1929
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philip John Noel-Baker | Labour | 34,255 | 49.4% | Yes |
| Archibald Boyd Boyd-Carpenter | Unionist | 22,536 | 32.5% | No |
| James McKay | Liberal | 12,516 | 18.1% | No |
1931
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Frederick Strickland | Conservative | 44,305 | 61.0% | Yes |
| Philip John Noel-Baker | Labour | 28,311 | 39.0% | No |
1935
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Frederick Strickland | Conservative | 37,313 | 51.7% | Yes |
| Philip John Noel-Baker | Labour | 34,841 | 48.3% | No |
Margin Over Time
Winning margin (percentage points) at each election, coloured by the winning party.
Trend
Coventry has been contested at 27 general elections on record since 1832. Parties that have won a seat here over that span: Whig, Radical, Conservative, Liberal, Unionist, Labour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Coventry in the 1935 general election?
Conservative won Coventry in 1935 with 37,313 votes (51.7%), a majority of 2,472 votes over Labour in second place.
Which parties have won Coventry since 1832?
Since 1832, Coventry has been won by: Conservative, Labour, Liberal, Radical, Unionist, Whig.
What was the closest result in Coventry?
The closest result on record for Coventry was 1865, when Conservative beat Liberal by just 59 votes (0.6 percentage points).
Did Coventry ever elect more than one MP at a time?
Yes -- like most UK constituencies before the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, Coventry elected multiple MPs at once in some elections on this page (a system called multi-member plurality, or 'block vote'), each voter casting one vote per available seat.