Lincolnshire (UK Parliament constituency)

Lincolnshire was a county constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which returned two Members of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons from 1290 until 1832.

Lincolnshire
Former County constituency for the House of Commons
1290–1832
Number of members	two
Replaced by	North Lincolnshire and South Lincolnshire

History

The constituency consisted of the historic county of Lincolnshire, excluding the city of Lincoln which had the status of a county in itself after 1409. (Although Lincolnshire contained four other boroughs, Boston, Grantham, Great Grimsby and Stamford, each of which elected two MPs in its own right for part of the period when Lincolnshire was a constituency, these were not excluded from the county constituency, and owning property within the borough could confer a vote at the county election. This was not the case, though, for Lincoln.)

As in other county constituencies the franchise between 1430 and 1832 was defined by the Forty Shilling Freeholder Act, which gave the right to vote to every man who possessed freehold property within the county valued at £2 or more per year for the purposes of land tax; it was not necessary for the freeholder to occupy his land, nor even in later years to be resident in the county at all.

Except during the period of the Commonwealth, Lincolnshire has two MPs, traditionally referred to as Knights of the Shire, elected by the bloc vote method, under which each voter had two votes. In the nominated Barebones Parliament, five members represented Lincolnshire. In the First and Second Parliaments of Oliver Cromwell's Protectorate, however, there was a general redistribution of seats and Lincolnshire elected ten members, while each of the boroughs apart from Lincoln had their representation reduced to a single MP. The traditional arrangements were restored from 1659.

At the time of the Great Reform Act in 1832, Lincolnshire had a population of approximately 317,000, though only 5,391 electors voted at the last contested election, a by-election in 1823.

Elections were held at a single polling place, Lincoln, and voters from the rest of the county had to travel to the county town to exercise their franchise. It was normal for voters to expect the candidates for whom they voted to meet their expenses in travelling to the poll, making the cost of a contested election substantial. Contested elections were therefore rare, potential candidates preferring to canvass support beforehand and usually not insisting on a vote being taken unless they were confident of winning; at all but 4 of the 29 general elections between 1701 and 1832, Lincolnshire's two MPs were elected unopposed.

The constituency was abolished in 1832 by the Great Reform Act, being divided into two two-member county divisions, Northern Lincolnshire (or The Parts of Lindsey) and Southern Lincolnshire (or The Parts of Kesteven and Holland).

Members of Parliament

MPs 1290–1640

Year	First member	Second member
1290	John Dyne[1]	John de Hoyland[1]
1295	Ranulph de Otteby[1]	Ralph de Littlebury[1]
1297	Simon fitz Ralph[1]	Richard de Huwell[1]
1298	William Disney[1]	Sir John Marmion[1]
1300	Thomas de Burnham[1]	Thomas fitz Eustace[1]
1301	Thomas fitz Eustace[1]	Thomas de Burnham[1]
1302	Thomas de Burnham[1]	Simon fitz Ralph of Ormesby[1]
1305	Henry de Bayeaux[1]	Thomas de Burnham[1]
1306	Ranulph de Friskney[1]	John de Neville of Stoke[1]
1307 (Jan)	Ranulph de Friskney[1]	William de Alta Ripa[1]
1307 (Oct)	Simon fitz Ralph[1]	Ranulph de Friskney[1]
1309	Henry de Bayeaux[1]	Thomas de Burnham[1]
1311 (Aug)	Simon fitz Ralph[1]	William Disney[1]
1311 (Nov)	William Disney[1]	Simon de Lunderthorp[1]
1313 (Mar)	Henry de Bayeaux[1]	John de Neville[1]
1313	Laurence de Holbech[1]	William de Helewell[1]
1314	Laurence de Holbech[1]	William de Helewell[1]
1315	Thomas de Tittele[1]	William de Paris[1]
1316 (Jan)	Roger de Cubbeldyk[1]	Simon le Chamberlain[1]
1316 (Jul)	Richard de Buslingthorpe[1]	William Disney[1]
1318	Laurence de Holbech[1]	William Disney[1]
1319	Robert Darcy[1]	John Darcy (le Frere)[1]
1320	Henry de Bayeaux[1]	Simon de Berford[1]
1321	William de Paris[1]	Walter de Trikingham[1]
1322 (May)	Thomas de Newmarch[1]	Simon le Chamberlain[1]
1322 (Nov)	Richard Byron[1]	William de Paris[1]
1324 (Feb)	John Darcy (le Frere)[1]	William Disney[1]
1324 (Oct)	Sir William de Wasteneys[1]	John de Trehampton, sergeant[1]
1325	Thomas de Willoughby[1]	John de Yordeburgh[1]
1327 (Jan)	William de Bayeaux[1]	John de Barkeworth[1]
1327 (Sep)	Thomas de Newmarch[1]	Norman Darcy[1]
1328 (Feb)	Simon de Kynardesleye[1]	Thomas de Newmarch[1]
1328 (Apr)	Simon de Kynardesleye[1]	Thomas de Newmarch[1]
1328 (Jul)	Simon de Kynardesleye[1]	John Torny[1]
1329	Simon de Kynardesleye[1]	John Torny[1]
1330 (Mar)	Thomas de Newmarch[1]	John de Trehampton[1]
1330 (Nov)	John de Trehampton[1]	Thomas de Carleton[1]
1331	Thomas de Willoughby[1]	John de Barkeworth[1]
1332 (Mar)	William de Trikingham[1]	John de Trehampton[1]
1332 (Sep)	Thomas de Newmarch[1]	William de Lunderthorp[1]
1333	John de Trehampton[1]	Thomas de Carleton[1]
1334 (Feb)	Ralph de St. Lo[1]	John de Trehampton[1]
1334 (Sep)	John de Trehampton[1]	Gilbert de Ledred[1]
1335	Philip de Nevill, jnr.[1]	Richard de Waldegrave[1]
1336 (Mar)	Norman Darcy[1]	John Darcy[1]
1336 (Sep)	Norman Darcy[1]	John Deyncourt[1]
1337 (Mar)	Thomas Lovelaunce[1]	Ranulph de Paris[1]
1337 (Sep)	Walter de Trikingham[1]	Richard Byron[1]
1338 (Feb)	Thomas de Willoughby[1]	Henry de Killingholme[1]
1338 (Jul)	Gilbert de Ledred[1]	Thomas Lovelaunce[1]
1339 (Feb)	Sir Walter de Trikingham[1]	Sir John Torny[1]
1339 (Oct)	John Torny[1]	Thomas Lovelaunce[1]
1340 (Jan)	John Torny[1]
1340 (Mar)	Sir John Torny[1]	Sir Walter de Trikingham[1]
1341	Sir William de Bayeaux[1]	Sir William de Friskney[1]
1343	Saierus de Rochford[1]	John de Bayeaux[1]
1344	Thomas de Roos of Dowesby[1]	Thomas Lovelaunce[1]
1346	Walter de Trikingham[1]	John Bernack[1]
1348 (Jan)	Sir Walter de Trikingham[1]	Thomas Lovelaunce[1]
1348 (Mar)	Sir John de Trehampton[1]	Sir John de Gaunt[1]
1351	Sir William de Belesby[1]	Sir William de Toutheby[1]
1352	Edmund de Cornewaill[1]	Thomas de Swynford[1]
1353	Nicholas de Ry[1]
1354	Norman de Swynford[1]	William de Colvill[1]
1355	John de Boys[1]	William Hauley[1]
1357	Sir William Marmion[1]	Thomas de Fulnetby[1]
1358	Sir Thomas de Bernardeston[1]	Sir Thomas de Fulnetby[1]
1360	Edmund de Cornewaill[1]	Thomas de Swynford[1]
1361	Sir Thomas de Fulnetby[1]	Sir Laurence de Flete[1]
1362	Sir Thomas de Fulnetby[1]	Sir Laurence de Flete[1]
1363	Sir Thomas de Fulnetby[1]	Sir Laurence de Flete[1]
1365	Sir William de Belesby[1]	Sir William Marmion[1]
1366	Sir Thomas de Fulnetby[1]	William Hauley, Snr.[1]
1368	Sir Thomas de Fulnetby[1]	William Bussy[1]
1369	Edmund de Cornewaill[1]	Thomas de Fulnetby[1]
1371	Robert Hauley[1]
1372	John Dymoke[1]	Sir William Marmion[1]
1373	Sir John Dymoke[1]	Sir John de Multon[1]
1376	Sir Thomas de Kydale[1]	Sir William Bussy[1]
1377 (Jan)	John de Rochford[1]	John Auncell[1]
1377 (Oct)	Sir John Dymoke[1]	Sir John Auncell[1]
1378	Sir William Bussy[1]	Sir John Auncell[1]
1379	Ralph Rochford[1]	John Auncell[1]
1380 (Jan)	Sir William Bussy[1]	John de Boys[1]
1380 (Nov)	William Spaigne[1]
1381	Sir John de Toutheby[1]	Sir Robert de Leek[1]
1382 (May)	John de Toutheby[1]	William Airmyn[1]
1382 (Oct)	Robert de Leek[1]	William Spaigne[1]
1383 (Feb)	Sir John Bozoun[1]	Walter Tailboys[1]
1383 (Oct)	John de Multon[1]	John Bussy[1]
1384 (Apr)	Sir John de Multon[1]	Sir John Bozoun[1]
1384 (Nov)	Sir John Bozoun[1]	Sir Robert de Leek[1]
1385	Sir Philip de Tilney[1]	Sir William Airmyn[1]
1386	Sir John Bozoun	Sir Walter Tailboys [2]
1388 (Feb)	Sir Philip Tilney	Sir Walter Tailboys [2]
1388 (Sep)	Sir Philip Tilney	Sir John Bussy[2]
1390 (Jan)	Sir Philip Tilney	Sir John Bussy[2]
1390 (Nov)	John Rochford	Sir John Bussy[2]
1391	Gerard Sothill	Sir John Bussy[2]
1393	Robert Cumberworth	Sir John Bussy[2]
1394	John Rochford	Sir John Bussy[2]
1395	Robert Cumberworth	Sir John Bussy[2]
1397 (Jan)	Sir John Copledyke	Sir John Bussy[2]
1397 (Sep)	John Rochford	Sir John Bussy[2]
1397	Philip Spencer
1399	John Rochford	Sir Thomas Hawley[2]
1401	Sir Henry de Retford	Sir John Copildyke[2]
1402	Sir Henry de Retford	(Sir) Gerard Sothill[2]
1404 (Jan)	Sir Richard Hansard	Sir John Copildyke[2]
1404 (Oct)	Sir Henry de Retford	Sir Thomas Hawley[2]
1406	John Skipwith	Sir John Copildyke[2]
1407	John Skipwith	John Meres[2]
1410
1411	Sir Thomas Willoughby	John Pouger[2]
1413 (Feb)
1413 (May)	Sir Richard Hansard	John Bell[2]
1414 (Apr)	John Skipwith	Thomas Cumberworth[2]
1414 (Nov)	Sir Richard Hansard	Sir Thomas Willoughby[2]
1415
1416 (Mar)	Sir Robert Hilton	William Tirwhit[3]
1416	Geoffrey Paynel
1416 (Oct)
1417
1419
1420	Sir Robert Hakebeche	Sir Thomas Cumberworth[2]
1421 (May)	Sir Richard Hansard	Sir Godfrey Hilton[2]
1421 (Dec)	Richard Welby	Sir Thomas Cumberworth[2]
1423	Sir Richard Hansard	William Tyrwhit [3]
1425	Sir Thomas Cumberworth[4]
1426	William Tyrwhit [3]
1431	Hamond Sutton
1435	Hamond Sutton
1432	Geoffrey Paynel
1437	Sir Thomas Cumberworth[4]
1439	Hamond Sutton
1445	William Tailboys
1447	John Byron	Sir Manser Marmion[5]
1488	Sir Thomas Fitzwilliam [6]
1491	Sir William Tyrwhitt
1510
1512	?Sir Robert Sheffield	? [7]
1515	?Sir Robert Sheffield	?John Hussey, 1st Baron Hussey of Sleaford[7]
1523	John Hussey, 1st Baron Hussey of Sleaford	?[7]
1529	John Hussey, 1st Baron Hussey of Sleaford	Gilbert Tailboys[7]
1536
1539	Sir William Skipwith	John Heneage[7]
1542
1545	Sir Robert Tyrwhitt I	Sir William Willoughby[7]
1547	Sir Edward Dymoke	Sir William Skipwith[7]
1553 (Mar)	?Sir William Cecil	Sir Robert Tyrwhitt II[7]
1553 (Oct)	William Dalison	Thomas Hussey[7]
1554 (Apr)	Sir Edward Dymoke	Sir Robert Tyrwhitt II[7]
1554 (Nov)	Sir John Copledyke	Philip Tyrwhitt[7]
1555	Sir William Cecil	George St. Poll[7]
1558	Sir Edward Dymoke	Sir Robert Tyrwhitt II[7]
1559 (Jan)	Sir William Cecil	Sir Richard Thymbleby[8]
1562–1563	Sir William Cecil	Richard Bertie [8]
1563	Sir Thomas Heneage [8]
1571	Sir Henry Clinton	Sir Thomas Heneage [8]
1572	Sir Thomas Heneage	Thomas St Poll [8]
1584 (Nov)	Sir Thomas Cecil	Sir Edward Dymoke [8]
1586 (Oct)	Sir Thomas Cecil	Sir Edward Dymoke[8]
1588–1589	Sir Edward Dymoke	George St. Poll [8]
1593	Sir Edward Dymoke	George St. Poll [8]
1597 (Oct)	Thomas Monson	William Pelham [8]
1601 (Oct)	John Sheffield	William Wray [8]
1604	John Sheffield	Thomas Clinton, Lord Clinton
1610	John Sheffield	Sir Valentine Browne
1614	Sir George Manners	Sir Peregrine Bertie
1621	Sir George Manners	Sir Thomas Grantham
1624	Montagu Bertie	Sir Thomas Grantham
1625	Sir John Wray, 2nd Baronet	Sir Nicholas Saunderson Bt
1626	John Monson	Sir William Airmine
1628–1629	Sir John Wray, 2nd Baronet	Sir William Airmine
1629–1640	No Parliaments summoned

MPs 1640–1832

Election	1st Member		1st Party	2nd Member		2nd Party
April 1640		Sir John Wray	Parliamentarian		Sir Edward Hussey
November 1640					Sir Edward Ayscough	Parliamentarian
December 1648	Wray and Ayscough excluded in Pride's Purge – both seats vacant
1653	Lincolnshire was represented by five MPs in the Barebones Parliament: Sir William Brownlow, Richard Cust, Barnaby Bowtel, Humphrey Walcot, William Thompson
1654	Lincolnshire was represented by ten MPs in the First Protectorate Parliament: Edward Rossiter, Thomas Hall, Thomas Lister, Charles Hall, Captain Francis Fiennes, (Sir) John Wray, Colonel Thomas Hatcher, William Woolley, William Savile, William Welby
1656	Lincolnshire was represented by ten MPs in the Second Protectorate Parliament: Edward Rossiter, Thomas Hall, Thomas Lister, Charles Hall, Captain Francis Fiennes, Colonel Thomas Hatcher, William Woolley, William Savile, William Welby, Sir Charles Hussey
January 1659		Edward Rossiter			Colonel Thomas Hatcher
May 1659	Not represented in the restored Rump
1660		Edward Rossiter			George Saunderson, Viscount Castleton
Apr 1661		Sir Charles Hussey, 1st Bt.
Jan 1665		Sir Robert Carr, 3rd Baronet
Mar 1685		Sir Thomas Hussey, 2nd Bt.
Aug 1698		Charles Dymoke			George Whichcot
Jan 1701					Sir John Thorold, 4th Bt.
Feb 1703		Lewis Dymoke
May 1705		George Whichcot			Albemarle Bertie
May 1708					Peregrine Bertie, Baron Willoughby de Eresby
Oct 1710		Lewis Dymoke
Sep 1713		Sir Willoughby Hickman, 3rd Bt.
Feb 1715					Sir John Brownlow, Bt.
Jan 1721		Sir William Massingberd, 3rd Bt.
Apr 1722					Henry Heron
Feb 1724		Robert Vyner
Aug 1727					Sir Thomas Lumley Saunderson
Feb 1740					Thomas Whichcot
Apr 1761		Lord Brownlow Bertie
Oct 1774					Charles Anderson-Pelham
Dec 1779		Sir John Thorold, 9th Bt.
Sep 1794					Robert Vyner
Jun 1796		Sir Gilbert Heathcote, Bt.
Jul 1802					Charles Chaplin
May 1807		Charles Anderson-Pelham
Oct 1816					William Cust
Jun 1818					Charles Chaplin
Dec 1823		Sir William Amcotts-Ingilby, Bt.
May 1831					Charles Anderson Worsley Pelham
1832	Great Reform Act: constituency abolished

Election results

June 1818

• Hon. C. A. Pelham 3693 votes
• Sir Robert Heron 2623 votes
• Charles Chaplin Esq. 3069 votes
• Pelham and Chaplin elected. Total number of freeholders polled 5598.

See also

• Stamford (UK Parliament list of constituencies)

References

• D Brunton & D H Pennington, Members of the Long Parliament (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1954)
• John Cannon, Parliamentary Reform 1640–1832 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1973)
• Cobbett's Parliamentary history of England, from the Norman Conquest in 1066 to the year 1803 (London: Thomas Hansard, 1808)
• J Holladay Philbin, Parliamentary Representation 1832 – England and Wales (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1965)
• Edward Porritt and Annie G Porritt, The Unreformed House of Commons (Cambridge University Press, 1903)
• British History Online – Parliamentary papers
• Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "L" (part 3)
• Poll Book, 1818. pub. W. Brooke, Lincoln (1818). See extracts.
• Willement’s roll of arms

Notes

1. Members of Parliament 1213–1702. London: House of Commons. 1878.
2. "History of Parliament". Retrieved 1 September 2011.
3. "TIRWHIT, William (d.1451), of Wrawby, Lincs. and Thorngumbald, Yorks". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
4. "CUMBERWORTH, Thomas (d.1451), of Somerby and Stain, Lincs. and Argam, Yorks". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
5. Wedgwood, Josiah (1938). History of Parliament 1439–1509 Register. London: HMSO. p. 80.
6. "Fitzwilliam, Sir Thomas, Speaker of the House of Commons". Oxford DNB. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
7. "History of Parliament". Retrieved 1 September 2011.
8. "History of Parliament". Retrieved 1 September 2011.