Rochester and Chatham — UK General Election Results
Compiled by EveryElectionResult.com's data team · Last updated 2026-08-30
Rochester and Chatham was won by Conservative at the 1979 general election, with a majority of 2,688 votes over Labour. This page covers every general election in Rochester and Chatham from 1950 to 1979.
Full Election History, 1950–1979
Election
Elected
Votes
Vote Share
Runner-up
Majority
Turnout
1950
Arthur George Bottomley (Labour)
24,855
50.5%
Robert Mathew (Conservative)
477 (1.0 pts)
84.2%
1951
Arthur George Bottomley (Labour)
26,390
50.8%
Robert Mathew (Conservative)
847 (1.6 pts)
85.5%
1955
Arthur George Bottomley (Labour)
26,645
52.4%
John Campbell (Conservative)
2,447 (4.8 pts)
82.2%
1959
Julian Michael Gordon Critchley (Conservative)
26,510
51.0%
Arthur George Bottomley (Labour)
1,023 (2.0 pts)
80.8%
1964
Anne Patricia Kerr (Labour)
26,161
51.0%
Julian Michael Gordon Critchley (Conservative)
1,013 (2.0 pts)
76.4%
1966
Anne Kerr (Labour)
27,938
52.1%
Julian Critchey (Conservative)
2,246 (4.2 pts)
78.1%
1970
Peggy Fenner (Conservative)
30,263
54.8%
Anne Kerr (Labour)
5,341 (9.7 pts)
71.5%
Oct 1974
Robert Bean (Labour)
26,467
44.3%
Peggy Fenner (Conservative)
3,418 (5.7 pts)
73.6%
Feb 1974
Peggy Fenner (Conservative)
24,326
38.8%
Roger Ronald Kenward (Labour)
843 (1.3 pts)
79.3%
1979
Peggy Fenner (Conservative)
27,574
47.5%
Robert Bean (Labour)
2,688 (4.6 pts)
72.7%
Full Result Breakdown by Election
1950
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Arthur George Bottomley
Labour
24,855
50.5%
Yes
Robert Mathew
Conservative
24,378
49.5%
No
1951
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Arthur George Bottomley
Labour
26,390
50.8%
Yes
Robert Mathew
Conservative
25,543
49.2%
No
1955
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Arthur George Bottomley
Labour
26,645
52.4%
Yes
John Campbell
Conservative
24,198
47.6%
No
1959
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Julian Michael Gordon Critchley
Conservative
26,510
51.0%
Yes
Arthur George Bottomley
Labour
25,487
49.0%
No
1964
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Anne Patricia Kerr
Labour
26,161
51.0%
Yes
Julian Michael Gordon Critchley
Conservative
25,148
49.0%
No
1966
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Anne Kerr
Labour
27,938
52.1%
Yes
Julian Critchey
Conservative
25,692
47.9%
No
1970
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Peggy Fenner
Conservative
30,263
54.8%
Yes
Anne Kerr
Labour
24,922
45.2%
No
Oct 1974
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Robert Bean
Labour
26,467
44.3%
Yes
Peggy Fenner
Conservative
23,049
38.6%
No
Mary Black
Liberal
9,035
15.1%
No
George Thomas Hazelden
National Front
1,150
1.9%
No
Feb 1974
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Peggy Fenner
Conservative
24,326
38.8%
Yes
Roger Ronald Kenward
Labour
23,483
37.4%
No
Colin Victor Fellowes
Liberal
14,945
23.8%
No
1979
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Peggy Fenner
Conservative
27,574
47.5%
Yes
Robert Bean
Labour
24,886
42.8%
No
Mary Black
Liberal
5,219
9.0%
No
John William King
National Front
417
0.7%
No
Margin Over Time
Winning margin (percentage points) at each election, coloured by the winning party.
Trend
Rochester and Chatham has been contested at 10 general elections on record since 1950. Parties that have won a seat here over that span: Labour, Conservative.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Rochester and Chatham in the 1979 general election?
Conservative won Rochester and Chatham in 1979 with 27,574 votes (47.5%), a majority of 2,688 votes over Labour in second place.
Which parties have won Rochester and Chatham since 1950?
Since 1950, Rochester and Chatham has been won by: Conservative, Labour.
What was the closest result in Rochester and Chatham?
The closest result on record for Rochester and Chatham was 1950, when Labour beat Conservative by just 477 votes (1.0 percentage points).