Truro — UK General Election Results
Truro was won by Liberal Democrat at the 1992 general election, with a majority of 7,570 votes over Conservative. This page covers every general election in Truro 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 | Richard Hussey Vivian (Whig); William Tooke (Whig) | 203 | 42.2% (top seat) | John Ennis Vivian (Conservative) | 7 (1.0 pts) | 85.0% |
| 1835 | John Ennis Vivian (Conservative); William Tooke (Whig) | 274 | 41.3% (top seat) | Richard Hussey Vivian (Whig) | 98 (12.8 pts) | 75.1% |
| 1837 | Edmund Turner (Whig); John Ennis Vivian (Conservative) | 254 | 45.0% (top seat) | William Tooke (Whig) | 28 (3.2 pts) | 75.4% |
| 1841 | Edmund Turner (Whig); John Ennis Vivian (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1847 | Edmund Turner (Whig); John Ennis Vivian (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1852 | Henry Hussey Vivian (Whig); John Ennis Vivian (Conservative) | 263 | 26.3% (top seat) | Augustus John Smith (Whig) | 8 (0.8 pts) | 83.5% |
| 1857 | Augustus John Smith (Whig); Edward William Brydges Willyams (Whig) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1859 | Montague Edward Smith (Conservative); Augustus John Smith (Liberal) | 225 | 40.9% (top seat) | John Cranch Walker Vivian (Liberal) | 12 (1.6 pts) | 57.3% |
| 1865 | Frederick Martin Williams (Conservative); John Cranch Walker Vivian (Liberal) | 0 | 0.0% (top seat) | None (None) | None (None pts) | 17.6% |
| 1868 | Frederick Martin Williams (Conservative); John Cranch Walker Vivian (Liberal) | 683 | 40.2% (top seat) | John Pamore Edwards (Liberal) | 277 (15.2 pts) | 63.4% |
| 1874 | Frederick Martin Williams (Conservative); James Macnaghten Hogg (Conservative) | 723 | 31.4% (top seat) | Henry Riversdale Grenfell (Liberal) | 158 (6.2 pts) | 80.3% |
| 1880 | James Macnaghten McGarel-Hogg (Conservative); Edward William Brydges Willyams (Liberal) | 754 | 45.5% (top seat) | John Chester (Conservative) | 573 (33.4 pts) | 55.6% |
| 1885 | William Bickford-Smith (Liberal) | 3,816 | 57.0% | William Napleton Molesworth-St-Aubyn (Conservative) | 933 (13.9 pts) | 75.9% |
| 1886 | William Bickford-Smith (Liberal Unionist) | 3,522 | 69.5% | Thomas Lough (Liberal) | 1,976 (39.0 pts) | 57.4% |
| 1892 | John Charles Williams (Liberal Unionist) | 4,029 | 61.5% | John Henry Lile (Liberal) | 1,511 (23.1 pts) | 76.5% |
| 1895 | Edwin Lawrence (Liberal Unionist) | 3,282 | 52.1% | Henry Turner Waddy (Liberal) | 270 (4.3 pts) | 69.5% |
| 1900 | Edwin Durning-Lawrence (Liberal Unionist) | 3,869 | 55.9% | Charles Thornton (Liberal) | 818 (11.8 pts) | 74.5% |
| 1906 | George Hay Morgan (Liberal) | 4,187 | 53.2% | Edwin Durning-Lawrence (Liberal Unionist) | 504 (6.4 pts) | 83.7% |
| Jan 1910 | George Hay Morgan (Liberal) | 4,874 | 53.4% | Edwin Durning-Lawrence (Liberal Unionist) | 613 (6.7 pts) | 89.9% |
| Dec 1910 | George Hay Morgan (Liberal) | 4,573 | 52.3% | Charles Williams (Conservative) | 397 (4.5 pts) | 86.1% |
| 1950 | Hugh Geoffrey Birch Wilson (Conservative) | 18,910 | 41.8% | Henry Brinton (Labour) | 3,293 (7.3 pts) | 83.3% |
| 1951 | Hugh Geoffrey Birch Wilson (Conservative) | 24,883 | 55.7% | John Newby (Labour) | 5,131 (11.5 pts) | 81.3% |
| 1955 | Hugh Geoffrey Birch Wilson (Conservative) | 19,900 | 46.1% | John Newby (Labour) | 4,717 (10.9 pts) | 78.7% |
| 1959 | Hugh Geoffrey Birch Wilson (Conservative) | 19,544 | 44.2% | Ronald James R Blindell (Labour) | 4,487 (10.1 pts) | 80.2% |
| 1964 | Hugh Geoffrey Birch Wilson (Conservative) | 18,328 | 40.6% | Douglas WJ Grazier (Labour) | 4,104 (9.1 pts) | 79.2% |
| 1966 | Hugh Wilson (Conservative) | 18,701 | 40.4% | Reginald Scott (Labour) | 1,608 (3.5 pts) | 79.2% |
| 1970 | Piers Dixon (Conservative) | 24,894 | 49.3% | Raymond Cuss (Labour) | 8,210 (16.3 pts) | 76.6% |
| Oct 1974 | David Penhaligon (Liberal) | 22,549 | 39.8% | Piers Dixon (Conservative) | 464 (0.8 pts) | 78.7% |
| Feb 1974 | Piers Dixon (Conservative) | 23,493 | 40.4% | David Penhaligon (Liberal) | 2,561 (4.4 pts) | 81.5% |
| 1979 | David Penhaligon (Liberal) | 33,571 | 52.8% | Rosemary Anne Brown (Conservative) | 8,708 (13.7 pts) | 82.9% |
| 1983 | David Penhaligon (SDP-Liberal Alliance) | 31,279 | 57.3% | Philip Buddell (Conservative) | 10,480 (19.2 pts) | 79.6% |
| 1987 | Matthew Taylor (SDP-Liberal Alliance) | 28,368 | 49.0% | Nicholas St Aubyn (Conservative) | 4,753 (8.2 pts) | 79.9% |
| 1992 | Matthew Taylor (Liberal Democrat) | 31,230 | 50.5% | Nicholas St Aubyn (Conservative) | 7,570 (12.2 pts) | 82.4% |
Full Result Breakdown by Election
1832 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Hussey Vivian | Whig | 291 | 42.2% | Yes |
| William Tooke | Whig | 203 | 29.4% | Yes |
| John Ennis Vivian | Conservative | 196 | 28.4% | No |
1835 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Ennis Vivian | Conservative | 316 | 41.3% | Yes |
| William Tooke | Whig | 274 | 35.8% | Yes |
| Richard Hussey Vivian | Whig | 176 | 23.0% | No |
1837 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edmund Turner | Whig | 393 | 45.0% | Yes |
| John Ennis Vivian | Conservative | 254 | 29.1% | Yes |
| William Tooke | Whig | 226 | 25.9% | No |
1841 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edmund Turner | Whig | Unopposed | Yes | |
| John Ennis Vivian | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1847 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edmund Turner | Whig | Unopposed | Yes | |
| John Ennis Vivian | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1852 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Hussey Vivian | Whig | 267 | 26.3% | Yes |
| John Ennis Vivian | Conservative | 263 | 25.9% | Yes |
| Augustus John Smith | Whig | 255 | 25.1% | No |
| Montague Edward Smith | Conservative | 229 | 22.6% | No |
1857 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Augustus John Smith | Whig | Unopposed | Yes | |
| Edward William Brydges Willyams | Whig | Unopposed | Yes | |
1859 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montague Edward Smith | Conservative | 303 | 40.9% | Yes |
| Augustus John Smith | Liberal | 225 | 30.4% | Yes |
| John Cranch Walker Vivian | Liberal | 213 | 28.7% | No |
1865 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frederick Martin Williams | Conservative | 0 | 0.0% | Yes |
| John Cranch Walker Vivian | Liberal | 0 | 0.0% | Yes |
1868 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frederick Martin Williams | Conservative | 731 | 40.2% | Yes |
| John Cranch Walker Vivian | Liberal | 683 | 37.5% | Yes |
| John Pamore Edwards | Liberal | 406 | 22.3% | No |
1874 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frederick Martin Williams | Conservative | 798 | 31.4% | Yes |
| James Macnaghten Hogg | Conservative | 723 | 28.5% | Yes |
| Henry Riversdale Grenfell | Liberal | 565 | 22.2% | No |
| Joseph Graham | Liberal | 455 | 17.9% | No |
1880 (2 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Macnaghten McGarel-Hogg | Conservative | 781 | 45.5% | Yes |
| Edward William Brydges Willyams | Liberal | 754 | 43.9% | Yes |
| John Chester | Conservative | 181 | 10.5% | No |
1885
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Bickford-Smith | Liberal | 3,816 | 57.0% | Yes |
| William Napleton Molesworth-St-Aubyn | Conservative | 2,883 | 43.0% | No |
1886
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Bickford-Smith | Liberal Unionist | 3,522 | 69.5% | Yes |
| Thomas Lough | Liberal | 1,546 | 30.5% | No |
1892
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Charles Williams | Liberal Unionist | 4,029 | 61.5% | Yes |
| John Henry Lile | Liberal | 2,518 | 38.5% | No |
1895
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edwin Lawrence | Liberal Unionist | 3,282 | 52.1% | Yes |
| Henry Turner Waddy | Liberal | 3,012 | 47.9% | No |
1900
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edwin Durning-Lawrence | Liberal Unionist | 3,869 | 55.9% | Yes |
| Charles Thornton | Liberal | 3,051 | 44.1% | No |
1906
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Hay Morgan | Liberal | 4,187 | 53.2% | Yes |
| Edwin Durning-Lawrence | Liberal Unionist | 3,683 | 46.8% | No |
Jan 1910
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Hay Morgan | Liberal | 4,874 | 53.4% | Yes |
| Edwin Durning-Lawrence | Liberal Unionist | 4,261 | 46.6% | No |
Dec 1910
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Hay Morgan | Liberal | 4,573 | 52.3% | Yes |
| Charles Williams | Conservative | 4,176 | 47.7% | No |
1950
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hugh Geoffrey Birch Wilson | Conservative | 18,910 | 41.8% | Yes |
| Henry Brinton | Labour | 15,617 | 34.5% | No |
| Gerald Edward Leaman Whitmarsh | Liberal | 10,747 | 23.7% | No |
1951
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hugh Geoffrey Birch Wilson | Conservative | 24,883 | 55.7% | Yes |
| John Newby | Labour | 19,752 | 44.3% | No |
1955
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hugh Geoffrey Birch Wilson | Conservative | 19,900 | 46.1% | Yes |
| John Newby | Labour | 15,183 | 35.2% | No |
| Beatrice Nancy Seear | Liberal | 8,056 | 18.7% | No |
1959
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hugh Geoffrey Birch Wilson | Conservative | 19,544 | 44.2% | Yes |
| Ronald James R Blindell | Labour | 15,057 | 34.0% | No |
| Beatrice Nancy Seear | Liberal | 9,637 | 21.8% | No |
1964
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hugh Geoffrey Birch Wilson | Conservative | 18,328 | 40.6% | Yes |
| Douglas WJ Grazier | Labour | 14,224 | 31.5% | No |
| William Rowse Hosking | Liberal | 12,575 | 27.9% | No |
1966
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hugh Wilson | Conservative | 18,701 | 40.4% | Yes |
| Reginald Scott | Labour | 17,093 | 37.0% | No |
| William Hosking | Liberal | 10,450 | 22.6% | No |
1970
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piers Dixon | Conservative | 24,894 | 49.3% | Yes |
| Raymond Cuss | Labour | 16,684 | 33.0% | No |
| Michael Steed | Liberal | 8,923 | 17.7% | No |
Oct 1974
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Penhaligon | Liberal | 22,549 | 39.8% | Yes |
| Piers Dixon | Conservative | 22,085 | 39.0% | No |
| Alfred Frank Long | Labour | 11,606 | 20.5% | No |
| James Whetter | Mebyon Kernow | 384 | 0.7% | No |
Feb 1974
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piers Dixon | Conservative | 23,493 | 40.4% | Yes |
| David Penhaligon | Liberal | 20,932 | 36.0% | No |
| Reverend MW White | Labour | 12,945 | 22.2% | No |
| James Whetter | Mebyon Kernow | 850 | 1.5% | No |
1979
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Penhaligon | Liberal | 33,571 | 52.8% | Yes |
| Rosemary Anne Brown | Conservative | 24,863 | 39.1% | No |
| Bruce Malcolm Tidy | Labour | 4,689 | 7.4% | No |
| James Whetter | Mebyon Kernow | 227 | 0.4% | No |
| Nigel Francis Hedger | National Front | 182 | 0.3% | No |
1983
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Penhaligon | SDP-Liberal Alliance | 31,279 | 57.3% | Yes |
| Philip Buddell | Conservative | 20,799 | 38.1% | No |
| Janet Beecroft | Labour | 2,479 | 4.5% | No |
1987
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew Taylor | SDP-Liberal Alliance | 28,368 | 49.0% | Yes |
| Nicholas St Aubyn | Conservative | 23,615 | 40.8% | No |
| John King | Labour | 5,882 | 10.2% | No |
1992
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew Taylor | Liberal Democrat | 31,230 | 50.5% | Yes |
| Nicholas St Aubyn | Conservative | 23,660 | 38.3% | No |
| James Geach | Labour | 6,078 | 9.8% | No |
| Liam Keating | Green | 569 | 0.9% | No |
| Chris Tankard | Liberal | 208 | 0.3% | No |
| Margot Hartley | Natural Law | 108 | 0.2% | No |
Margin Over Time
Winning margin (percentage points) at each election, coloured by the winning party.
Trend
Truro has been contested at 33 general elections on record since 1832. Parties that have won a seat here over that span: Whig, Conservative, Liberal, Liberal Unionist, SDP-Liberal Alliance, Liberal Democrat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Truro in the 1992 general election?
Liberal Democrat won Truro in 1992 with 31,230 votes (50.5%), a majority of 7,570 votes over Conservative in second place.
Which parties have won Truro since 1832?
Since 1832, Truro has been won by: Conservative, Liberal, Liberal Democrat, Liberal Unionist, SDP-Liberal Alliance, Whig.
What was the closest result in Truro?
The closest result on record for Truro was 1852, when Whig beat Whig by just 8 votes (0.8 percentage points).
Did Truro ever elect more than one MP at a time?
Yes -- like most UK constituencies before the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, Truro 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.