Petersfield — UK General Election Results
Petersfield was won by Conservative at the 1979 general election, with a majority of 22,375 votes over Liberal. This page covers every general election in Petersfield from 1832 to 1979.
Full Election History, 1832–1979
| Election | Elected | Votes | Vote Share | Runner-up | Majority | Turnout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1832 | John George Shaw Lefevre (Whig) | 101 | 50.2% | William George Hylton Jolliffe (Conservative) | 101 (50.2 pts) | 85.9% |
| 1835 | Cornthwaite Hector (Radical) | 103 | 54.2% | William George Hylton Jolliffe (Conservative) | 16 (8.4 pts) | 66.2% |
| 1837 | William George Hylton Jolliffe (Conservative) | 125 | 50.2% | Cornthwaite Hector (Radical) | 1 (0.4 pts) | 77.8% |
| 1841 | William George Hylton Jolliffe (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1847 | William George Hylton Jolliffe (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1852 | William George Hylton Jolliffe (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1857 | William George Hylton Jolliffe (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1859 | William George Hylton Jolliffe (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1865 | William George Hylton Joliffe (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1868 | William Nicholson (Liberal) | 370 | 62.5% | Frederic Du Pré Thornton (Conservative) | 148 (25.0 pts) | 76.5% |
| 1874 | William Sydney Hylton Joliffe (Conservative) | 372 | 50.8% | William Nicholson (Liberal) | 11 (1.5 pts) | 84.3% |
| 1880 | William Nicholson (Liberal) | 406 | 55.9% | William Sydney Hylton Jolliffe (Conservative) | 86 (11.8 pts) | 90.6% |
| 1885 | William Waldegrave Palmer (Liberal) | 3,414 | 49.9% | William Nicholson (Conservative) | 161 (2.4 pts) | 83.5% |
| 1886 | William Waldegrave Palmer (Liberal Unionist) | 3,188 | 50.9% | William Nicholson (Conservative) | 111 (1.8 pts) | 76.4% |
| 1892 | William Wickham (Conservative) | 3,912 | 56.5% | John Bonham-Carter (Liberal) | 904 (13.1 pts) | 82.1% |
| 1895 | William Wickham (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1900 | William Graham Nicholson (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1906 | William Graham Nicholson (Conservative) | 4,349 | 50.6% | Hugh Money-Coutts (Liberal) | 96 (1.1 pts) | 86.2% |
| Jan 1910 | William Graham Nicholson (Conservative) | 6,279 | 63.6% | Herbert Arthur Baker (Liberal) | 2,685 (27.2 pts) | 88.9% |
| Dec 1910 | William Graham Nicholson (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1918 | William Graham Nicholson (Unionist) | 10,730 | 71.5% | John Pile (Labour) | 6,463 (43.1 pts) | 52.7% |
| 1922 | William Graham Nicholson (Unionist) | 12,600 | 64.2% | Dudley Leigh Aman (Labour) | 5,564 (28.3 pts) | 65.7% |
| 1923 | William Graham Nicholson (Unionist) | 12,195 | 65.6% | Dudley Leigh Aman (Labour) | 5,792 (31.1 pts) | 60.6% |
| 1924 | William Graham Nicholson (Unionist) | 14,646 | 69.8% | George Spencer (Liberal) | 10,891 (51.9 pts) | 50.5% |
| 1929 | William Graham Nicholson (Unionist) | 15,605 | 55.0% | Vernon Gerald Bailey (Liberal) | 6,271 (22.1 pts) | 68.2% |
| 1931 | William Graham Nicholson (Conservative) | 26,081 | 88.0% | Albert Edward Albery (Labour) | 22,522 (76.0 pts) | 67.8% |
| 1935 | Reginald Hugh Dorman-Smith (Conservative) | 22,877 | 79.1% | John Ernest Lionel Birch (Labour) | 16,816 (58.1 pts) | 63.4% |
| 1945 | George Darell Jeffreys (Conservative) | 20,838 | 58.4% | Basil Goldstone (Liberal) | 12,569 (35.2 pts) | 64.4% |
| 1950 | George Darell Jeffreys (Conservative) | 27,201 | 54.7% | Irene Frances Candy (Labour) | 11,729 (23.6 pts) | 78.0% |
| 1951 | Peter Richard Legh (Conservative) | 29,845 | 58.8% | Edward Preidel (Labour) | 14,075 (27.7 pts) | 77.8% |
| 1955 | Peter Richard Leigh (Conservative) | 24,826 | 69.8% | Frederick Mason (Labour) | 14,090 (39.6 pts) | 69.7% |
| 1959 | Peter Richard Leigh (Conservative) | 23,687 | 60.9% | John Stuart Paul Davey (Labour) | 15,409 (39.6 pts) | 73.6% |
| 1964 | Joan Mary Quennell (Conservative) | 23,603 | 54.0% | Michael Digby (Liberal) | 12,265 (28.1 pts) | 75.4% |
| 1966 | Joan Quennell (Conservative) | 23,933 | 52.3% | Michael Digby (Liberal) | 13,002 (28.4 pts) | 75.7% |
| 1970 | Joan Quennell (Conservative) | 30,414 | 60.5% | Kelvin Horrocks (Labour) | 20,107 (40.0 pts) | 72.2% |
| Oct 1974 | Michael Mates (Conservative) | 28,689 | 50.5% | Timothy Slack (Liberal) | 8,987 (15.8 pts) | 76.5% |
| Feb 1974 | Joan Quennell (Conservative) | 30,732 | 51.5% | Timothy Slack (Liberal) | 9,580 (16.1 pts) | 81.1% |
| 1979 | Michael Mates (Conservative) | 39,200 | 61.1% | John Madeley (Liberal) | 22,375 (34.9 pts) | 78.3% |
Full Result Breakdown by Election
1832
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John George Shaw Lefevre | Whig | 101 | 50.2% | Yes |
| William George Hylton Jolliffe | Conservative | 0 | 0.0% | No |
1835
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cornthwaite Hector | Radical | 103 | 54.2% | Yes |
| William George Hylton Jolliffe | Conservative | 87 | 45.8% | No |
1837
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William George Hylton Jolliffe | Conservative | 125 | 50.2% | Yes |
| Cornthwaite Hector | Radical | 124 | 49.8% | No |
1841
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William George Hylton Jolliffe | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1847
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William George Hylton Jolliffe | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1852
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William George Hylton Jolliffe | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1857
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William George Hylton Jolliffe | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1859
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William George Hylton Jolliffe | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1865
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William George Hylton Joliffe | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1868
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Nicholson | Liberal | 370 | 62.5% | Yes |
| Frederic Du Pré Thornton | Conservative | 222 | 37.5% | No |
1874
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Sydney Hylton Joliffe | Conservative | 372 | 50.8% | Yes |
| William Nicholson | Liberal | 361 | 49.2% | No |
1880
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Nicholson | Liberal | 406 | 55.9% | Yes |
| William Sydney Hylton Jolliffe | Conservative | 320 | 44.1% | No |
1885
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Waldegrave Palmer | Liberal | 3,414 | 49.9% | Yes |
| William Nicholson | Conservative | 3,253 | 47.5% | No |
| Douglas Henty | Independent Conservative | 179 | 2.6% | No |
1886
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Waldegrave Palmer | Liberal Unionist | 3,188 | 50.9% | Yes |
| William Nicholson | Conservative | 3,077 | 49.1% | No |
1892
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Wickham | Conservative | 3,912 | 56.5% | Yes |
| John Bonham-Carter | Liberal | 3,008 | 43.5% | No |
1895
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Wickham | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1900
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Graham Nicholson | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1906
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Graham Nicholson | Conservative | 4,349 | 50.6% | Yes |
| Hugh Money-Coutts | Liberal | 4,253 | 49.4% | No |
Jan 1910
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Graham Nicholson | Conservative | 6,279 | 63.6% | Yes |
| Herbert Arthur Baker | Liberal | 3,594 | 36.4% | No |
Dec 1910
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Graham Nicholson | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1918
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Graham Nicholson | Unionist | 10,730 | 71.5% | Yes |
| John Pile | Labour | 4,267 | 28.5% | No |
1922
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Graham Nicholson | Unionist | 12,600 | 64.2% | Yes |
| Dudley Leigh Aman | Labour | 7,036 | 35.8% | No |
1923
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Graham Nicholson | Unionist | 12,195 | 65.6% | Yes |
| Dudley Leigh Aman | Labour | 6,403 | 34.4% | No |
1924
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Graham Nicholson | Unionist | 14,646 | 69.8% | Yes |
| George Spencer | Liberal | 3,755 | 17.9% | No |
| George Gilbert Desmond | Labour | 2,582 | 12.3% | No |
1929
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Graham Nicholson | Unionist | 15,605 | 55.0% | Yes |
| Vernon Gerald Bailey | Liberal | 9,334 | 32.9% | No |
| Getrude Speedwell Massingham | Labour | 3,418 | 12.1% | No |
1931
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Graham Nicholson | Conservative | 26,081 | 88.0% | Yes |
| Albert Edward Albery | Labour | 3,559 | 12.0% | No |
1935
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reginald Hugh Dorman-Smith | Conservative | 22,877 | 79.1% | Yes |
| John Ernest Lionel Birch | Labour | 6,061 | 20.9% | No |
1945
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Darell Jeffreys | Conservative | 20,838 | 58.4% | Yes |
| Basil Goldstone | Liberal | 8,269 | 23.2% | No |
| Thomas Sargant | Common Wealth | 6,600 | 18.5% | No |
1950
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Darell Jeffreys | Conservative | 27,201 | 54.7% | Yes |
| Irene Frances Candy | Labour | 15,472 | 31.1% | No |
| Harold Hugh Lindsay Dickson | Liberal | 6,813 | 13.7% | No |
1951
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peter Richard Legh | Conservative | 29,845 | 58.8% | Yes |
| Edward Preidel | Labour | 15,770 | 31.0% | No |
| Harold Hugh Lindsay Dickson | Liberal | 5,182 | 10.2% | No |
1955
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peter Richard Leigh | Conservative | 24,826 | 69.8% | Yes |
| Frederick Mason | Labour | 10,736 | 30.2% | No |
1959
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peter Richard Leigh | Conservative | 23,687 | 60.9% | Yes |
| John Stuart Paul Davey | Labour | 8,278 | 21.3% | No |
| Richard Michael Digby | Liberal | 6,912 | 17.8% | No |
1964
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joan Mary Quennell | Conservative | 23,603 | 54.0% | Yes |
| Michael Digby | Liberal | 11,338 | 25.9% | No |
| Lady MC Wilson | Labour | 8,477 | 19.4% | No |
| Rosine M de Bounevialle | Independent Loyalist | 292 | 0.7% | No |
1966
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joan Quennell | Conservative | 23,933 | 52.3% | Yes |
| Michael Digby | Liberal | 10,931 | 23.9% | No |
| Lady MC Wilson | Labour | 10,874 | 23.8% | No |
1970
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joan Quennell | Conservative | 30,414 | 60.5% | Yes |
| Kelvin Horrocks | Labour | 10,307 | 20.5% | No |
| Penelope Jessel | Liberal | 7,783 | 15.5% | No |
| Michael Digby | Independent | 1,766 | 3.5% | No |
Oct 1974
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Mates | Conservative | 28,689 | 50.5% | Yes |
| Timothy Slack | Liberal | 19,702 | 34.7% | No |
| John Merrett Bloom | Labour | 8,301 | 14.6% | No |
| Peter Harold Howard Bishop | United Democratic | 117 | 0.2% | No |
Feb 1974
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joan Quennell | Conservative | 30,732 | 51.5% | Yes |
| Timothy Slack | Liberal | 21,152 | 35.4% | No |
| Paul Frederick Whitely | Labour | 7,703 | 12.9% | No |
| Peter Harold Howard Bishop | Technical Consultant | 101 | 0.2% | No |
1979
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Mates | Conservative | 39,200 | 61.1% | Yes |
| John Madeley | Liberal | 16,825 | 26.2% | No |
| Bertram Watson Clough | Labour | 8,082 | 12.6% | No |
Margin Over Time
Winning margin (percentage points) at each election, coloured by the winning party.
Trend
Petersfield has been contested at 38 general elections on record since 1832. Parties that have won a seat here over that span: Whig, Radical, Conservative, Liberal, Liberal Unionist, Unionist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Petersfield in the 1979 general election?
Conservative won Petersfield in 1979 with 39,200 votes (61.1%), a majority of 22,375 votes over Liberal in second place.
Which parties have won Petersfield since 1832?
Since 1832, Petersfield has been won by: Conservative, Liberal, Liberal Unionist, Radical, Unionist, Whig.
What was the closest result in Petersfield?
The closest result on record for Petersfield was 1837, when Conservative beat Radical by just 1 votes (0.4 percentage points).