Honiton — UK General Election Results
Honiton was won by Conservative at the 1992 general election, with a majority of 16,511 votes over Liberal Democrat. This page covers every general election in Honiton from 1832 to 1992.
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, 1832–1992
| Election | Elected | Votes | Vote Share | Runner-up | Majority | Turnout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1832 | George Augustus Frederick Child Villiers (Conservative); James Ruddell-Todd (Whig) | 302 | 46.6% (top seat) | James Peel Cockburn (Conservative) | 192 (24.9 pts) | 75.5% |
| 1835 | Hugh Duncan Baillie (Conservative); Arthur Chichester (Conservative) | 226 | 42.6% (top seat) | James Ruddell-Todd (Whig) | 5 (0.6 pts) | 82.7% |
| 1837 | Hugh Duncan Baillie (Conservative); James Stewart (Whig) | 225 | 40.7% (top seat) | Alexander Cray Grant (Conservative) | 22 (3.0 pts) | 78.5% |
| 1841 | Hugh Duncan Baillie (Conservative); Forster Alleyne McGeachy (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1847 | James Weir Hogg (Conservative); Joseph Locke (Whig) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1852 | Joseph Locke (Whig); James Weir Hogg (Conservative) | 152 | 37.6% (top seat) | Richard Sommers Gard (Conservative) | 29 (6.6 pts) | 76.8% |
| 1857 | Joseph Locke (Whig); Archibald Henry Plantagenet Stuart-Wortley (Conservative) | 119 | 47.6% (top seat) | James Weir Hogg (Conservative) | 2 (0.4 pts) | 85.2% |
| 1859 | Joseph Locke (Liberal); Alexander Dundas Ro Cochrane-Wishart-Baillie (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1865 | Frederick David Goldsmid (Liberal); Alexander Dundas Ro Cochrane-Wishart-Baillie (Conservative) | 140 | 42.9% (top seat) | Evan Matthew Richards (Liberal) | 52 (13.0 pts) | 74.7% |
| 1885 | John Henry Kennaway (Conservative) | 4,540 | 60.6% | John Budd Phear (Liberal) | 1,583 (21.1 pts) | 83.2% |
| 1886 | John Henry Kennaway (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1892 | John Henry Kennaway (Conservative) | 4,591 | 64.2% | William Hickman Smith Aubrey (Liberal) | 2,026 (28.3 pts) | 78.1% |
| 1895 | John Henry Kennaway (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1900 | John Henry Kennaway (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1906 | John Henry Kennaway (Conservative) | 4,854 | 56.7% | William Beckwith Luke (Liberal) | 1,143 (13.4 pts) | 87.4% |
| Dec 1910 | Arthur Clive Morrison-Bell (Conservative) | 5,348 | 60.9% | Harry Green (Liberal) | 1,909 (21.7 pts) | 83.5% |
| Jan 1910 | Arthur Clive Morrison-Bell (Conservative) | 5,604 | 60.0% | William Beckwith Luke (Liberal) | 1,871 (20.0 pts) | 88.7% |
| 1918 | Arthur Clive Morrison-Bell (Unionist) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1922 | Arthur Clive Morrison-Bell (Unionist) | 12,972 | 55.5% | John George Hawkins Halse (Liberal) | 2,568 (11.0 pts) | 79.1% |
| 1923 | Arthur Clive Morrison-Bell (Unionist) | 12,470 | 50.6% | John George Hawkins Halse (Liberal) | 293 (1.2 pts) | 81.0% |
| 1924 | Arthur Clive Morrison-Bell (Unionist) | 14,804 | 55.2% | John George Hawkins Halse (Liberal) | 2,779 (10.4 pts) | 85.5% |
| 1929 | Arthur Clive Morrison-Bell (Unionist) | 17,911 | 50.9% | John George Hawkins Halse (Liberal) | 1,558 (4.4 pts) | 84.3% |
| 1931 | Cedric Drewe (Conservative) | 21,854 | 60.0% | John George Hawkins Halse (Liberal) | 7,291 (20.0 pts) | 83.5% |
| 1935 | Cedric Drewe (Conservative) | 22,805 | 71.9% | John Robert Morris (Labour) | 13,889 (43.8 pts) | 69.6% |
| 1945 | Cedric Drewe (Conservative) | 24,499 | 65.8% | Henry Thomas Langdon (Labour) | 11,760 (31.6 pts) | 70.3% |
| 1950 | Cedric Drewe (Conservative) | 26,767 | 57.8% | George Rupert Sargeant (Labour) | 15,951 (34.4 pts) | 84.4% |
| 1951 | Cedric Drewe (Conservative) | 27,015 | 58.4% | John Halse (Liberal) | 17,157 (37.1 pts) | 82.5% |
| 1955 | Robert Mathew (Conservative) | 25,808 | 57.6% | John Halse (Liberal) | 14,741 (32.9 pts) | 79.7% |
| 1959 | Robert Mathew (Conservative) | 25,959 | 56.7% | John B Halse (Liberal) | 13,053 (28.5 pts) | 80.1% |
| 1964 | Robert Mathew (Conservative) | 26,475 | 55.0% | Warwick Deal (Liberal) | 14,121 (29.4 pts) | 78.8% |
| 1966 | Robert Mathew (Conservative) | 26,966 | 54.4% | Marjorie Clark (Labour) | 13,709 (27.7 pts) | 78.6% |
| 1970 | Sir Peter Emery (Conservative) | 32,885 | 59.5% | Bridget Trethewey (Liberal) | 21,555 (39.0 pts) | 76.7% |
| Oct 1974 | Sir Peter Emery (Conservative) | 29,720 | 53.8% | Victor Terry Howell (Liberal) | 13,220 (23.9 pts) | 75.7% |
| Feb 1974 | Sir Peter Emery (Conservative) | 32,429 | 54.5% | Victor Terry Howell (Liberal) | 14,123 (23.7 pts) | 82.0% |
| 1979 | Sir Peter Emery (Conservative) | 37,832 | 62.4% | Rodney Gerald Ruffle (Liberal) | 25,231 (41.6 pts) | 77.4% |
| 1983 | Sir Peter Emery (Conservative) | 32,602 | 60.6% | Alistair Hubert Sampson (Social Democratic Party) | 14,769 (27.5 pts) | 74.5% |
| 1987 | Sir Peter Emery (Conservative) | 34,931 | 59.2% | Gerald Duncan Tatton-Brown (Social Democratic Party) | 16,562 (28.1 pts) | 76.4% |
| 1992 | Sir Peter Emery (Conservative) | 33,533 | 52.4% | Jennifer May Sharratt (Liberal Democrat) | 16,511 (25.8 pts) | 80.7% |
Full Result Breakdown by Election
1832 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Augustus Frederick Child Villiers | Conservative | 360 | 46.6% | Yes |
| James Ruddell-Todd | Whig | 302 | 39.1% | Yes |
| James Peel Cockburn | Conservative | 110 | 14.2% | No |
1835 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hugh Duncan Baillie | Conservative | 332 | 42.6% | Yes |
| Arthur Chichester | Conservative | 226 | 29.0% | Yes |
| James Ruddell-Todd | Whig | 221 | 28.4% | No |
1837 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hugh Duncan Baillie | Conservative | 294 | 40.7% | Yes |
| James Stewart | Whig | 225 | 31.2% | Yes |
| Alexander Cray Grant | Conservative | 203 | 28.1% | No |
1841 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hugh Duncan Baillie | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
| Forster Alleyne McGeachy | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1847 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Weir Hogg | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
| Joseph Locke | Whig | Unopposed | Yes | |
1852 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joseph Locke | Whig | 166 | 37.6% | Yes |
| James Weir Hogg | Conservative | 152 | 34.5% | Yes |
| Richard Sommers Gard | Conservative | 123 | 27.9% | No |
1857 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joseph Locke | Whig | 214 | 47.6% | Yes |
| Archibald Henry Plantagenet Stuart-Wortley | Conservative | 119 | 26.4% | Yes |
| James Weir Hogg | Conservative | 117 | 26.0% | No |
1859 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joseph Locke | Liberal | Unopposed | Yes | |
| Alexander Dundas Ro Cochrane-Wishart-Baillie | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1865 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frederick David Goldsmid | Liberal | 171 | 42.9% | Yes |
| Alexander Dundas Ro Cochrane-Wishart-Baillie | Conservative | 140 | 35.1% | Yes |
| Evan Matthew Richards | Liberal | 88 | 22.1% | No |
1885
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Henry Kennaway | Conservative | 4,540 | 60.6% | Yes |
| John Budd Phear | Liberal | 2,957 | 39.4% | No |
1886
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Henry Kennaway | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1892
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Henry Kennaway | Conservative | 4,591 | 64.2% | Yes |
| William Hickman Smith Aubrey | Liberal | 2,565 | 35.8% | No |
1895
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Henry Kennaway | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1900
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Henry Kennaway | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1906
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Henry Kennaway | Conservative | 4,854 | 56.7% | Yes |
| William Beckwith Luke | Liberal | 3,711 | 43.3% | No |
Dec 1910
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur Clive Morrison-Bell | Conservative | 5,348 | 60.9% | Yes |
| Harry Green | Liberal | 3,439 | 39.1% | No |
Jan 1910
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur Clive Morrison-Bell | Conservative | 5,604 | 60.0% | Yes |
| William Beckwith Luke | Liberal | 3,733 | 40.0% | No |
1918
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur Clive Morrison-Bell | Unionist | Unopposed | Yes | |
1922
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur Clive Morrison-Bell | Unionist | 12,972 | 55.5% | Yes |
| John George Hawkins Halse | Liberal | 10,404 | 44.5% | No |
1923
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur Clive Morrison-Bell | Unionist | 12,470 | 50.6% | Yes |
| John George Hawkins Halse | Liberal | 12,177 | 49.4% | No |
1924
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur Clive Morrison-Bell | Unionist | 14,804 | 55.2% | Yes |
| John George Hawkins Halse | Liberal | 12,025 | 44.8% | No |
1929
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur Clive Morrison-Bell | Unionist | 17,911 | 50.9% | Yes |
| John George Hawkins Halse | Liberal | 16,353 | 46.5% | No |
| Rose Davies | Labour | 915 | 2.6% | No |
1931
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedric Drewe | Conservative | 21,854 | 60.0% | Yes |
| John George Hawkins Halse | Liberal | 14,563 | 40.0% | No |
1935
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedric Drewe | Conservative | 22,805 | 71.9% | Yes |
| John Robert Morris | Labour | 8,916 | 28.1% | No |
1945
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedric Drewe | Conservative | 24,499 | 65.8% | Yes |
| Henry Thomas Langdon | Labour | 12,739 | 34.2% | No |
1950
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedric Drewe | Conservative | 26,767 | 57.8% | Yes |
| George Rupert Sargeant | Labour | 10,816 | 23.3% | No |
| Guy Barrington | Liberal | 8,742 | 18.9% | No |
1951
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedric Drewe | Conservative | 27,015 | 58.4% | Yes |
| John Halse | Liberal | 9,858 | 21.3% | No |
| Norman Stevens | Labour | 9,369 | 20.3% | No |
1955
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Mathew | Conservative | 25,808 | 57.6% | Yes |
| John Halse | Liberal | 11,067 | 24.7% | No |
| Frederick Thornton | Labour | 7,907 | 17.7% | No |
1959
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Mathew | Conservative | 25,959 | 56.7% | Yes |
| John B Halse | Liberal | 12,906 | 28.2% | No |
| Frederick W Morgan | Labour | 6,928 | 15.1% | No |
1964
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Mathew | Conservative | 26,475 | 55.0% | Yes |
| Warwick Deal | Liberal | 12,354 | 25.7% | No |
| Marjorie Clark | Labour | 9,273 | 19.3% | No |
1966
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Mathew | Conservative | 26,966 | 54.4% | Yes |
| Marjorie Clark | Labour | 13,257 | 26.7% | No |
| Raymond Hicks | Liberal | 9,342 | 18.8% | No |
1970
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sir Peter Emery | Conservative | 32,885 | 59.5% | Yes |
| Bridget Trethewey | Liberal | 11,330 | 20.5% | No |
| Malyn Newitt | Labour | 11,072 | 20.0% | No |
Oct 1974
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sir Peter Emery | Conservative | 29,720 | 53.8% | Yes |
| Victor Terry Howell | Liberal | 16,500 | 29.9% | No |
| Ronald Lloyd Spiller | Labour | 9,048 | 16.4% | No |
Feb 1974
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sir Peter Emery | Conservative | 32,429 | 54.5% | Yes |
| Victor Terry Howell | Liberal | 18,306 | 30.8% | No |
| Malyn Newitt | Labour | 8,791 | 14.8% | No |
1979
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sir Peter Emery | Conservative | 37,832 | 62.4% | Yes |
| Rodney Gerald Ruffle | Liberal | 12,601 | 20.8% | No |
| Anthony Trevor Luesby | Labour | 8,756 | 14.4% | No |
| Margaret Hilary Bacon | Green | 1,423 | 2.3% | No |
1983
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sir Peter Emery | Conservative | 32,602 | 60.6% | Yes |
| Alistair Hubert Sampson | Social Democratic Party | 17,833 | 33.1% | No |
| Raymond Austin Clements Sharpe | Labour | 3,377 | 6.3% | No |
1987
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sir Peter Emery | Conservative | 34,931 | 59.2% | Yes |
| Gerald Duncan Tatton-Brown | Social Democratic Party | 18,369 | 31.1% | No |
| Simon Peter Pollentine | Labour | 4,988 | 8.4% | No |
| Stuart B F Hughes | Monster Raving Loony | 747 | 1.3% | No |
1992
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sir Peter Emery | Conservative | 33,533 | 52.4% | Yes |
| Jennifer May Sharratt | Liberal Democrat | 17,022 | 26.6% | No |
| Ray Davison | Labour | 8,142 | 12.7% | No |
| David Albert Owen | Independent Conservative | 2,175 | 3.4% | No |
| Stuart B F Hughes | Raving Loony Green Giant | 1,442 | 2.3% | No |
| Geoffrey John Halliwell | Liberal | 1,005 | 1.6% | No |
| Alan James Tootill | Green | 650 | 1.0% | No |
Margin Over Time
Winning margin (percentage points) at each election, coloured by the winning party.
Trend
Honiton has been contested at 38 general elections on record since 1832. Parties that have won a seat here over that span: Conservative, Whig, Liberal, Unionist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Honiton in the 1992 general election?
Conservative won Honiton in 1992 with 33,533 votes (52.4%), a majority of 16,511 votes over Liberal Democrat in second place.
Which parties have won Honiton since 1832?
Since 1832, Honiton has been won by: Conservative, Liberal, Unionist, Whig.
What was the closest result in Honiton?
The closest result on record for Honiton was 1857, when Whig beat Conservative by just 2 votes (0.4 percentage points).
Did Honiton ever elect more than one MP at a time?
Yes -- like most UK constituencies before the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, Honiton 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.