Portsmouth — UK General Election Results
Portsmouth elected 2 MPs at the Dec 1910 general election: Charles William de la Poer Beresford (Conservative) and Bertram Godfray Falle (Liberal Unionist). This page covers every general election in Portsmouth from 1832 to Dec 1910.
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–Dec 1910
| Election | Elected | Votes | Vote Share | Runner-up | Majority | Turnout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1832 | John Bonham-Carter (Whig); Francis Thornhill Baring (Whig) | 707 | 46.1% (top seat) | Charles John Napier (Radical) | 449 (25.1 pts) | 69.2% |
| 1835 | John Bonham-Carter (Whig); Francis Thornhill Baring (Whig) | 571 | 30.5% (top seat) | Charles Rowley (Conservative) | 14 (0.7 pts) | 78.6% |
| 1837 | Francis Thornhill Baring (Whig); John Bonham-Carter (Whig) | 630 | 28.6% (top seat) | George Cockburn (Conservative) | 112 (5.0 pts) | 71.1% |
| 1841 | Francis Thornhill Baring (Whig); George Thomas Staunton (Whig) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1847 | Francis Thornhill Baring (Whig); George Thomas Staunton (Whig) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1852 | Francis Thornhill Baring (Whig); Charles Stanley Monck (Whig) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1857 | James Dalrymple-Horn-Elphinstone (Conservative); Francis Thornhill Baring (Whig) | 1,496 | 33.9% (top seat) | Charles Stanley Monck (Whig) | 20 (0.4 pts) | 61.2% |
| 1859 | James Dalrymple-Horn-Elphinstone (Conservative); Francis Thornhill Baring (Liberal) | 1,574 | 27.1% (top seat) | Thomas Charles Bruce (Conservative) | 127 (2.1 pts) | 79.1% |
| 1865 | William Henry Stone (Liberal); Stephen Gaselee (Liberal) | 2,103 | 28.8% (top seat) | James Dalrymple-Horn-Elphinstone (Conservative) | 426 (5.7 pts) | 80.3% |
| 1868 | James Dalrymple-Horn-Elphinstone (Conservative); William Henry Stone (Liberal) | 3,785 | 41.5% (top seat) | Stephen Gaselee (Liberal) | 98 (0.8 pts) | 55.1% |
| 1874 | James Dalrymple-Horn-Elphinstone (Conservative); Thomas Charles Bruce (Conservative) | 5,879 | 28.2% (top seat) | William Henry Stone (Liberal) | 1,235 (5.9 pts) | 70.5% |
| 1880 | Thomas Charles Bruce (Conservative); Henry Drummond Charles Wolff (Conservative) | 6,593 | 26.4% (top seat) | John Freeman Norris (Liberal) | 553 (2.2 pts) | 77.0% |
| 1885 | William Crossman (Liberal); Philip Vanderbyl (Liberal) | 8,214 | 26.3% (top seat) | Thomas Charles Bruce (Conservative) | 564 (1.8 pts) | 79.2% |
| 1886 | William Crossman (Liberal Unionist); Samuel Wilson (Conservative) | 8,325 | 27.3% (top seat) | Philip Vanderbyl (Liberal) | 1,129 (3.6 pts) | 77.5% |
| 1892 | John Baker (Liberal); Walter Owen Clough (Liberal) | 9,448 | 25.9% (top seat) | George Henry Smith Willis (Conservative) | 313 (0.8 pts) | 80.6% |
| 1895 | John Baker (Liberal); Walter Owen Clough (Liberal) | 10,255 | 26.1% (top seat) | Alfred Charles William Harmsworth (Conservative) | 538 (1.4 pts) | 83.7% |
| 1900 | James Henry Alexander Majendie (Conservative); Reginald Jaffray Lucas (Conservative) | 10,383 | 26.1% (top seat) | John Baker (Liberal) | 169 (0.4 pts) | 78.9% |
| 1906 | Thomas Arthur Bramsdon (Liberal); John Baker (Liberal) | 10,236 | 22.6% (top seat) | William Stephen Sanders (Labour) | 2,064 (4.4 pts) | 82.8% |
| Jan 1910 | Charles William de la Poer Beresford (Conservative); Bertram Godfray Falle (Liberal Unionist) | 15,592 | 28.8% (top seat) | Thomas Arthur Bramsdon (Liberal) | 3,195 (5.5 pts) | 89.4% |
| Dec 1910 | Charles William de la Poer Beresford (Conservative); Bertram Godfray Falle (Liberal Unionist) | 14,856 | 26.9% (top seat) | Edward George Hemmerde (Liberal) | 1,710 (3.0 pts) | 83.9% |
Full Result Breakdown by Election
1832 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Bonham-Carter | Whig | 826 | 46.1% | Yes |
| Francis Thornhill Baring | Whig | 707 | 39.5% | Yes |
| Charles John Napier | Radical | 258 | 14.4% | No |
1835 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Bonham-Carter | Whig | 643 | 30.5% | Yes |
| Francis Thornhill Baring | Whig | 571 | 27.1% | Yes |
| Charles Rowley | Conservative | 557 | 26.4% | No |
| Charles John Napier | Radical | 335 | 15.9% | No |
1837 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Francis Thornhill Baring | Whig | 635 | 28.6% | Yes |
| John Bonham-Carter | Whig | 630 | 28.4% | Yes |
| George Cockburn | Conservative | 518 | 23.3% | No |
| James Howard Harris | Conservative | 438 | 19.7% | No |
1841 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Francis Thornhill Baring | Whig | Unopposed | Yes | |
| George Thomas Staunton | Whig | Unopposed | Yes | |
1847 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Francis Thornhill Baring | Whig | Unopposed | Yes | |
| George Thomas Staunton | Whig | Unopposed | Yes | |
1852 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Francis Thornhill Baring | Whig | Unopposed | Yes | |
| Charles Stanley Monck | Whig | Unopposed | Yes | |
1857 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Dalrymple-Horn-Elphinstone | Conservative | 1,522 | 33.9% | Yes |
| Francis Thornhill Baring | Whig | 1,496 | 33.3% | Yes |
| Charles Stanley Monck | Whig | 1,476 | 32.8% | No |
1859 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Dalrymple-Horn-Elphinstone | Conservative | 1,640 | 27.1% | Yes |
| Francis Thornhill Baring | Liberal | 1,574 | 26.0% | Yes |
| Thomas Charles Bruce | Conservative | 1,447 | 23.9% | No |
| Henry Keppel | Liberal | 1,386 | 22.9% | No |
1865 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Henry Stone | Liberal | 2,164 | 28.8% | Yes |
| Stephen Gaselee | Liberal | 2,103 | 28.0% | Yes |
| James Dalrymple-Horn-Elphinstone | Conservative | 1,677 | 22.4% | No |
| Thomas Charles Bruce | Conservative | 1,559 | 20.8% | No |
1868 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Dalrymple-Horn-Elphinstone | Conservative | 5,306 | 41.5% | Yes |
| William Henry Stone | Liberal | 3,785 | 29.6% | Yes |
| Stephen Gaselee | Liberal | 3,687 | 28.9% | No |
1874 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Dalrymple-Horn-Elphinstone | Conservative | 5,927 | 28.2% | Yes |
| Thomas Charles Bruce | Conservative | 5,879 | 27.9% | Yes |
| William Henry Stone | Liberal | 4,644 | 22.1% | No |
| Wyndham Spencer Portal | Liberal | 4,588 | 21.8% | No |
1880 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Charles Bruce | Conservative | 6,683 | 26.4% | Yes |
| Henry Drummond Charles Wolff | Conservative | 6,593 | 26.0% | Yes |
| John Freeman Norris | Liberal | 6,040 | 23.8% | No |
| Edmund Hope Verney | Liberal | 6,023 | 23.8% | No |
1885 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Crossman | Liberal | 8,367 | 26.3% | Yes |
| Philip Vanderbyl | Liberal | 8,214 | 25.8% | Yes |
| Thomas Charles Bruce | Conservative | 7,650 | 24.0% | No |
| Henry Drummond Charles Wolff | Conservative | 7,595 | 23.9% | No |
1886 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Crossman | Liberal Unionist | 8,482 | 27.3% | Yes |
| Samuel Wilson | Conservative | 8,325 | 26.8% | Yes |
| Philip Vanderbyl | Liberal | 7,196 | 23.2% | No |
| John Baker | Liberal | 7,069 | 22.8% | No |
1892 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Baker | Liberal | 9,643 | 25.9% | Yes |
| Walter Owen Clough | Liberal | 9,448 | 25.4% | Yes |
| George Henry Smith Willis | Conservative | 9,135 | 24.5% | No |
| Anthony Ashley | Liberal Unionist | 9,000 | 24.2% | No |
1895 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Baker | Liberal | 10,451 | 26.1% | Yes |
| Walter Owen Clough | Liberal | 10,255 | 25.6% | Yes |
| Alfred Charles William Harmsworth | Conservative | 9,717 | 24.3% | No |
| Anthony Ashey | Liberal Unionist | 9,567 | 23.9% | No |
1900 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Henry Alexander Majendie | Conservative | 10,818 | 26.1% | Yes |
| Reginald Jaffray Lucas | Conservative | 10,383 | 25.1% | Yes |
| John Baker | Liberal | 10,214 | 24.6% | No |
| Thomas Arthur Bramsdon | Liberal | 10,031 | 24.2% | No |
1906 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Arthur Bramsdon | Liberal | 10,500 | 22.6% | Yes |
| John Baker | Liberal | 10,236 | 22.0% | Yes |
| William Stephen Sanders | Labour | 8,172 | 17.6% | No |
| Edmund Herbert Hills | Conservative | 7,970 | 17.1% | No |
| Alexander Whitelaw | Conservative | 7,752 | 16.7% | No |
| John Frederick Thomas Jane | Naval | 1,859 | 4.0% | No |
Jan 1910 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles William de la Poer Beresford | Conservative | 16,777 | 28.8% | Yes |
| Bertram Godfray Falle | Liberal Unionist | 15,592 | 26.8% | Yes |
| Thomas Arthur Bramsdon | Liberal | 12,397 | 21.3% | No |
| Richard Cornthwaite Lambert | Liberal | 9,965 | 17.1% | No |
| William Stephen Sanders | Labour | 3,529 | 6.1% | No |
Dec 1910 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles William de la Poer Beresford | Conservative | 15,125 | 26.9% | Yes |
| Bertram Godfray Falle | Liberal Unionist | 14,856 | 26.5% | Yes |
| Edward George Hemmerde | Liberal | 13,146 | 23.4% | No |
| Henry Devenish Harben | Liberal | 13,013 | 23.2% | No |
Margin Over Time
Winning margin (percentage points) at each election, coloured by the winning party.
Trend
Portsmouth has been contested at 20 general elections on record since 1832. Parties that have won a seat here over that span: Whig, Conservative, Liberal, Liberal Unionist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Portsmouth in the Dec 1910 general election?
Charles William de la Poer Beresford (Conservative), Bertram Godfray Falle (Liberal Unionist) won Portsmouth in Dec 1910.
Which parties have won Portsmouth since 1832?
Since 1832, Portsmouth has been won by: Conservative, Liberal, Liberal Unionist, Whig.
What was the closest result in Portsmouth?
The closest result on record for Portsmouth was 1857, when Conservative beat Whig by just 20 votes (0.4 percentage points).
Did Portsmouth ever elect more than one MP at a time?
Yes -- like most UK constituencies before the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, Portsmouth 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.