Bury St Edmunds (UK Parliament constituency)

Bury St Edmunds was a constituency^{[n 1]} in Suffolk from 1621 to 2024, most recently represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament from 2015 to 2024 by Jo Churchill, a Conservative.^{[n 2]}

Bury St Edmunds
Former county constituency for the House of Commons
Boundary of Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk
Location of Suffolk within England
County	Suffolk
Population	113,678 (2011 census)[1]
Electorate	85,933 (December 2010)[2]
Major settlements	Bury St Edmunds, Elmswell, Needham Market, Stowmarket, Thurston
1918–2024
Seats	One
1614–1918
Seats	1614–1885: Two 1885–1918: One
Type of constituency	Borough constituency

Under the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was subject to moderate boundary changes and was abolished for the 2024 general election, with the bulk of the electorate being included in the new constituency of Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket.^[3]

Constituency profile

The constituency covered Bury St Edmunds, Stowmarket and smaller settlements on the A14 corridor. Residents' wealth was around average for the UK.^[4]

History

The constituency was created as a Parliamentary Borough in 1614, returning two MPs to the House of Commons of England until 1707, then to the House of Commons of Great Britain until 1800, and from 1800 to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. By the mid eighteenth century the seat was seen as heavily influenced by the Earl of Bristol and the Duke of Grafton.^[5] Its representation was reduced to one seat under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885. Under the Representation of the People Act 1918, it was abolished as a borough and reconstituted as a division of the Parliamentary County of West Suffolk. As well as the abolished borough, the expanded seat comprised most of the abolished Stowmarket Division, except for the town of Stowmarket itself. From 1950, it has been classified as a county constituency in terms of election expenses and type of returning officer.

The electorate has elected Conservative Party candidates at the general elections and two by-elections since a Liberal victory in 1880. The closest contest since that year was in 1997 when the Labour Party candidate fell 368 votes, less than 1%, short of winning the seat in 1997 during Tony Blair's first landslide result.

Boundaries and boundary changes

1918–1950

• The Borough of Bury St Edmunds;
• The Urban District of Newmarket;
• The Rural Districts of Brandon, Mildenhall, and Thedwastre; and
• Parts of the Rural Districts of Moulton and Thingoe.^[6]

1950–1983

• The Borough of Bury St Edmunds:
• The Urban Districts of Haverhill and Newmarket; and
• The Rural Districts of Clare, Mildenhall, Thedwastre, and Thingoe.^[6]

Extended to the south-west, gaining western and northern parts of the abolished Sudbury Division of West Suffolk, including Haverhill.

1983–1997

• The Borough of St Edmundsbury wards of Abbeygate, Barningham, Barrow, Chevington, Eastgate, Fornham, Great Barton, Honington, Horringer, Ixworth, Northgate, Pakenham, Risby, Risbygate, Rougham, St Olave's, Sextons, Southgate, Stanton, Westgate, and Whelnetham; and
• The District of Forest Heath.^[7]

Southern areas, including Haverhill, were transferred to the new constituency of South Suffolk. The easternmost area, equivalent to the former Rural District of Thedwastre, was transferred to the new constituency of Central Suffolk.

1997–2010

• The Borough of St Edmundsbury wards of Abbeygate, Eastgate, Fornham, Great Barton, Horringer Court, Northgate, Pakenham, Risbygate, Rougham, St Olave's, Sextons, Southgate, Westgate, and Whelnetham; and
• The District of Mid Suffolk wards of Badwell Ash, Elmswell, Gislingham, Haughley and Wetherden, Needham Market, Norton, Onehouse, Rattlesden, Rickinghall, Ringshall, Stowmarket Central, Stowmarket North, Stowmarket South, Stowupland, Thurston, Walsham-le-Willows, and Woolpit.^[8]

Major reconfiguration, with the majority of the constituency, including Newmarket, forming the basis of the new County Constituency of West Suffolk. Extended eastwards, gaining western half of Central Suffolk, including Stowmarket.

2010–2024

Map of boundaries 2010–2024

• The Borough of St Edmundsbury wards of Abbeygate, Eastgate, Fornham, Great Barton, Horringer and Whelnetham, Minden, Moreton Hall, Northgate, Pakenham, Risbygate, Rougham, St Olave's, Southgate, and Westgate; and
• The District of Mid Suffolk wards of Bacton and Old Newton, Badwell Ash, Elmswell and Norton, Gislingham, Haughley and Wetherden, Needham Market, Onehouse, Rattlesden, Rickinghall and Walsham, Ringshall, Stowmarket Central, Stowmarket North, Stowmarket South, Stowupland, Thurston and Hessett, and Woolpit.^[9]

Marginal changes due to revision of local authority wards.

The constituency contained the towns of Bury St Edmunds, Stowmarket and Needham Market. Its boundaries did not match those of the former borough of St Edmundsbury, which included Haverhill (part of West Suffolk constituency), and excludes Stowmarket and Needham Market.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1621–1660

Parliament	First member	Second member
1621	Sir Thomas Jermyn	John Woodford
1624	Sir Thomas Jermyn	Anthony Crofts
1625	Sir Thomas Jermyn	Sir William Spring
1626	Sir Thomas Jermyn	Emanuel Gifford
1628	Sir Thomas Jermyn	Sir William Hervey
1629–1640	No Parliaments summoned
1640 April	Sir Thomas Jermyn	John Godbolt
1640 November	Thomas Jermyn, disabled on 14 February 1644	Henry Jermyn, ennobled 6 September 1643[10]
1645	Sir Thomas Barnardiston	Sir William Spring, excluded in Pride's Purge in 1648
1653	Bury St Edmunds not represented in Barebones Parliament
1654	Samuel Moody	John Clarke
1656	Samuel Moody	John Clarke
1659	John Clarke	Thomas Chaplin[11]
1659 Restored Rump Parliament	Sir Thomas Barnardiston	No second member[n 3]

MPs 1660–1885

Two Members

Year		First member[12]	First party		Second member[12]	Second party
1660[13]		Sir Henry Crofts			Sir John Duncombe
1661		Sir Edmund Poley
1673		William Duncombe
1679		Sir Thomas Hervey			Thomas Jermyn
1685					William Crofts
1689					Sir Robert Davers, Bt	Tory
1690		Henry Goldwell
1694		John Hervey	Whig
1701					Sir Thomas Felton, Bt	Whig
1703		Sir Robert Davers, Bt[14]	Tory
Dec. 1705		Aubrey Porter
1709					Joseph Weld
1712					Samuel Batteley
1713					Lord Hervey
1717		James Reynolds
1722					Sir Jermyn Davers, Bt	Tory
1725		Lord Hervey
1727					Thomas Norton
1733		Thomas Hervey
1747		Felton Hervey[15]			Viscount Petersham
1756					The Earl of Euston
1757					Hon. Augustus Hervey
1761		Hon. Charles Fitzroy
1763					William Hervey
1768					Hon. Augustus Hervey
1774		Sir Charles Davers, Bt
1775					Henry Seymour Conway	Whig
1784					Hon. George FitzRoy
1787					Lord Charles FitzRoy
1796					Lord Hervey
1802		Lord Charles FitzRoy
1803					The Lord Templetown
1812					Frederick Foster	Whig
1818		The Earl of Euston	Whig[16]		Hon. Arthur Upton	Whig[16]
1820		Lord John FitzRoy	Whig[16]
1826		Earl Jermyn	Tory[16]		Earl of Euston	Whig[16]
1831					Charles Augustus FitzRoy	Whig[16]
1832					Lord Charles FitzRoy	Whig[16][17]
1834			Conservative[16]
1847					Edward Bunbury	Whig[18][19]
1852					John Stuart	Conservative
Dec 1852 by-election					James Oakes	Conservative
1857					Joseph Hardcastle	Whig[20][21][22]
1859 by-election		Lord Alfred Hervey	Peelite[23][24][25]
1859						Liberal
1865		Edward Greene	Conservative
1874					Lord Francis Hervey	Conservative
1880					Joseph Hardcastle	Liberal
1885	representation reduced to one member[26]

MPs since 1885

Year		Member[12][27]	Party
	1885	Lord Francis Hervey	Conservative
	1892 by-election	Henry Cadogan
	1900	Edward Greene
	1906	Frederick Hervey
	1907 by-election	Walter Guinness
	1931	Frank Heilgers
	1944 by-election	Edgar Keatinge
	1945	Geoffrey Clifton-Brown
	1950	William Aitken
	1964	Eldon Griffiths
	1992	Richard Spring
	1997	David Ruffley
	2015	Jo Churchill
	2024	Peter Prinsley	Labour

Elections

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Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Bury St Edmunds^[28]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Peter Prinsley	16,745	32.9	+12.1
	Conservative	Will Tanner	15,293	30.0	−32.9
	Reform UK	Scott Hussey	8,595	16.9	+16.9
	Green	Emma Buckmaster	5,761	11.3	−1.1
Majority			1,452	2.9	−37.5
Turnout			50,884	64.8	−3.1
Registered electors			77,599		−3.8
	Labour hold		Swing	+22.5

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Bury St Edmunds^[29]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Jo Churchill	37,770	61.0	+1.8
	Labour	Cliff Waterman	12,782	20.6	−8.9
	Green	Helen Geake	9,711	15.7	+11.5
	Independent	Paul Hopfensperger	1,694	2.7	New
Majority			24,988	40.4	+10.7
Turnout			61,957	69.1	−3.1
Registered electors			89,644		+4.2
	Conservative hold		Swing	+5.3

General election 2017: Bury St Edmunds^[30]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Jo Churchill	36,794	59.2	+5.6
	Labour	William Edwards	18,353	29.5	+11.8
	Liberal Democrats	Helen Korfanty	3,565	5.7	−0.3
	Green	Helen Geake	2,596	4.2	−3.7
	Independent	Liam Byrne	852	1.4	New
Majority			18,441	29.7	−6.2
Turnout			62,160	72.2	+3.2
Registered electors			86,071
	Conservative hold		Swing	-3.1

Note: Independent politician St Edmundsbury Borough Councillor^[31] and Bury St Edmunds Town Councillor^[32] Paul Hopfensperger^[33] submitted a valid nomination but this was subsequently withdrawn. Because of the timing of the withdrawal, his name appears in the Statement of Persons Nominated^[34] for this election.

General election 2015: Bury St Edmunds^[35][36]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Jo Churchill[37]	31,815	53.6	+6.1
	Labour	William Edwards[38]	10,514	17.7	+1.0
	UKIP	John Howlett	8,739	14.7	+9.6
	Green	Helen Geake[39]	4,692	7.9	+3.6
	Liberal Democrats	David Chappell	3,581	6.0	−20.4
Majority			21,301	35.9	+14.8
Turnout			59,341	69.0	−0.3
	Conservative hold		Swing	+2.5

General election 2010: Bury St Edmunds^[40]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	David Ruffley	27,899	47.5	+1.2
	Liberal Democrats	David Chappell	15,519	26.4	+6.7
	Labour	Kevin Hind	9,776	16.7	−10.7
	UKIP	John Howlett	3,003	5.1	+1.6
	Green	Mark Ereira-Guyer	2,521	4.3	+1.3
Majority			12,380	21.1	+2.2
Turnout			58,718	69.3	+2.5
	Conservative hold		Swing	−2.8

Elections in the 2000s

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General election 2005: Bury St Edmunds

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	David Ruffley	24,332	46.2	+2.7
	Labour	David Monaghan	14,402	27.4	−11.1
	Liberal Democrats	David Chappell	10,423	19.8	+5.9
	UKIP	John Howlett	1,859	3.5	+1.8
	Green	Graham Manning	1,603	3.0	New
Majority			9,930	18.8	+13.8
Turnout			52,619	66.1	+0.1
	Conservative hold		Swing	+6.9

General election 2001: Bury St Edmunds

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	David Ruffley	21,850	43.5	+5.2
	Labour	Mark Ereira-Guyer	19,347	38.5	+0.8
	Liberal Democrats	Richard Williams	6,998	13.9	−4.3
	UKIP	John Howlett	831	1.7	New
	Independent	Michael Brundle	651	1.3	New
	Socialist Labour	Michael Benwell	580	1.2	New
Majority			2,503	5.0	+4.4
Turnout			50,257	66.0	−9.0
	Conservative hold		Swing	+2.1

Elections in the 1990s

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General election 1997: Bury St Edmunds

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	David Ruffley	21,290	38.3	−7.6
	Labour	Mark Ereira-Guyer	20,922	37.7	+11.7
	Liberal Democrats	David A. Cooper	10,102	18.2	−8.7
	Referendum	Ian C.H. McWhirter	2,939	5.3	New
	Natural Law	Joanna B. Lillis	272	0.5	−0.4
Majority			368	0.6	−29.4
Turnout			55,525	75.0	+0.6
	Conservative hold		Swing	−14.6

General election 1992: Bury St Edmunds^[41]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Richard Spring	33,554	53.5	−5.8
	Labour	Tommy Sheppard	14,767	23.6	+6.3
	Liberal Democrats	John B. Williams	13,814	22.0	+0.5
	Natural Law	Joanna B. Lillis	550	0.9	New
Majority			18,787	29.9	−7.9
Turnout			62,685	78.9	+4.8
	Conservative hold		Swing	−6.1

Elections in the 1980s

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General election 1987: Bury St Edmunds

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Eldon Griffiths	33,672	59.3	+0.3
	SDP	Reginald Harland	12,214	21.5	−6.9
	Labour	Christopher Greene	9,841	17.3	+4.6
	Green	Ida Wakelam	1,057	1.9	New
Majority			21,458	37.8	+7.2
Turnout			56,784	74.1	+1.8
	Conservative hold		Swing	+3.6

General election 1983: Bury St Edmunds

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Eldon Griffiths	31,081	59.0	−2.0
	SDP	Reginald Harland	14,959	28.4	+14.2
	Labour	Wiktor Mosczynski	6,666	12.7	−16.3
Majority			16,122	30.6	+2.6
Turnout			52,706	72.3	−4.0
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1970s

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General election 1979: Bury St Edmunds

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Eldon Griffiths	41,426	57.0	+6.6
	Labour	A. Gibson	21,167	29.0	−4.0
	Liberal	G. Jones	10,836	14.2	−2.4
Majority			20,259	28.0	+10.6
Turnout			73,429	76.3	+3.1
	Conservative hold		Swing	+5.3

General election October 1974: Bury St Edmunds

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Eldon Griffiths	32,179	50.4	+2.9
	Labour	J.K Stephenson	21,097	33.0	+4.3
	Liberal	G Jones	10,631	16.6	−7.2
Majority			11,082	17.4	−1.4
Turnout			63,907	73.2	−8.1
	Conservative hold		Swing	−0.7

General election February 1974: Bury St Edmunds

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Eldon Griffiths	33,424	47.5	−13.7
	Labour	J.K Stephenson	20,171	28.7	−10.1
	Liberal	B. Boulton	16,772	23.8	New
Majority			13,253	18.8	−3.6
Turnout			70,367	81.3	+4.1
	Conservative hold		Swing	−7.2

General election 1970: Bury St Edmunds

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Eldon Griffiths	36,688	61.2	+6.6
	Labour	Colin J. V. Seager	23,286	38.8	−6.6
Majority			13,402	22.4	+13.2
Turnout			59,974	77.2	−1.6
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1960s

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General election 1966: Bury St Edmunds

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Eldon Griffiths	27,782	54.6	+4.4
	Labour	Colin J. V. Seager	23,140	45.4	+5.2
Majority			4,462	9.2	−0.8
Turnout			50,922	78.8	−3.4
	Conservative hold		Swing	-0.8

General election 1964: Bury St Edmunds

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Eldon Griffiths	25,206	50.2	−8.6
	Labour	Noel James Insley	20,216	40.2	−1.1
	Liberal	Richard L. Afton	4,840	9.6	N/A
Majority			4,990	10.0	−7.5
Turnout			50,262	82.2	+3.6
	Conservative hold		Swing	-7.5

1964 Bury St Edmunds by-election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Eldon Griffiths	22,141	49.0	−9.8
	Labour	Noel James Insley	19,682	43.5	+2.2
	Liberal	Richard L. Afton	3,387	7.5	New
Majority			2,459	5.5	−12.0
Turnout			45,210
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1950s

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General election 1959: Bury St Edmunds

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	William Aitken	26,730	58.8	+3.7
	Labour	Alison Margaret A. Walter	18,768	41.3	−3.6
Majority			7,962	17.5	+7.3
Turnout			45,498	78.6	+0.3
	Conservative hold		Swing	+3.6

General election 1955: Bury St Edmunds

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	William Aitken	24,532	55.1	+0.7
	Labour	Neville Stanley	19,962	44.9	−0.7
Majority			4,570	10.2	+1.4
Turnout			44,494	78.3	−1.5
	Conservative hold		Swing	+0.7

General election 1951: Bury St Edmunds

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	William Aitken	24,679	54.4	+5.1
	Labour	Neville Stanley	20,690	45.6	+5.3
Majority			3,989	8.8	−0.2
Turnout			45,369	79.8	−2.7
	Conservative hold		Swing	-0.1

General election 1950: Bury St Edmunds

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	William Aitken	22,559	49.3	+0.6
	Labour	Cecily Alicia McCall	18,430	40.3	+10.5
	Liberal	Henry William Sparham	4,780	10.4	−8.6
Majority			4,129	9.0	−9.9
Turnout			45,769	82.5	+14.7
	Conservative hold		Swing	-4.9

Elections in the 1940s

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General election 1945: Bury St Edmunds^[42]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Geoffrey Clifton-Brown	15,013	48.7	N/A
	Labour	Cecily Alicia McCall	9,195	29.8	New
	Liberal	Harold Charles Drayton	5,863	19.0	New
	Common Wealth	Eric Gordon England	750	2.4	New
Majority			5,818	18.9	N/A
Turnout			30,821	67.8	N/A
	Conservative hold		Swing	N/A

Following the death of Frank Heilgers on 16 January 1944 a by-election was held on 29 February 1944.

1944 Bury St Edmunds by-election^[42]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Edgar Keatinge	11,705	56.2	N/A
	Independent Liberal	Margery Corbett Ashby	9,121	43.8	New
Majority			2,584	12.4	N/A
Turnout			20,828	50.8	N/A
	Conservative hold		Swing	N/A

Elections in the 1930s

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General election 1935: Bury St Edmunds

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Frank Heilgers	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Conservative hold

General election 1931: Bury St Edmunds

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Frank Heilgers	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Conservative hold

Elections in the 1920s

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General election 1929: Bury St Edmunds

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	Walter Guinness	16,462	54.4	−8.7
	Liberal	Dar Lyon	11,344	37.4	+0.5
	Labour	Percy Astins	2,490	8.2	New
Majority			5,118	17.0	−9.2
Turnout			30,296	77.8	−4.0
Registered electors			38,938
	Unionist hold		Swing	−4.6

On Guinness's nomination as Minister of Agriculture a by-election in 1925 was required under the electoral law of the time, which he won.^[43]

1925 Bury St Edmunds by-election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	Walter Guinness	14,700	62.8	−0.3
	Liberal	George Nicholls	8,703	37.2	+0.3
Majority			5,997	25.6	−0.6
Turnout			23,403	73.9	−7.9
Registered electors			31,648
	Unionist hold		Swing	−0.3

General election 1924: Bury St Edmunds^[44]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	Walter Guinness	16,073	63.1	N/A
	Liberal	John Adam Day	9,392	36.9	New
Majority			6,681	26.2	N/A
Turnout			25,465	81.8	N/A
Registered electors			31,138
	Unionist hold		Swing	N/A

General election 1923: Bury St Edmunds^[44]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	Walter Guinness	Unopposed
	Unionist hold

General election 1922: Bury St Edmunds^[44]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	Walter Guinness	Unopposed
	Unionist hold

Elections in the 1910s

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General election 1918: Bury St Edmunds^[44]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
C	Unionist	Walter Guinness	Unopposed
	Unionist hold
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

General Election 1914–15:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

• Unionist: Walter Guinness
• Liberal:

General election December 1910: Bury St Edmunds^[45][46]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Walter Guinness	Unopposed
	Conservative hold

General election January 1910: Bury St Edmunds^[45][46]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Walter Guinness	Unopposed
	Conservative hold

Elections in the 1900s

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1907 Bury St Edmunds by-election^[47][48]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Walter Guinness	1,631	68.8	+10.2
	Liberal	Walter Baldwyn Yates	741	31.2	−10.2
Majority			890	37.6	+20.4
Turnout			2,372	86.6	−4.1
Registered electors			2,740
	Conservative hold		Swing	+10.2

General election 1906: Bury St Edmunds^{[45][49][47][48]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Frederick Hervey	1,481	58.6	N/A
	Liberal	Walter Baldwyn Yates	1,047	41.4	New
Majority			434	17.2	N/A
Turnout			2,528	90.7	N/A
Registered electors			2,788
	Conservative hold		Swing	N/A

General election 1900: Bury St Edmunds^{[45][49][50][47][48]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Edward Greene	Unopposed
	Conservative hold

Elections in the 1890s

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General election 1895: Bury St Edmunds^[45][49][50]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Henry Cadogan	Unopposed
	Conservative hold

Cadogan

1892 Bury St Edmunds by-election^[45][49]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Henry Cadogan	Unopposed
	Conservative hold

General election 1892: Bury St Edmunds^[45][49]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Francis Hervey	1,267	59.5	+0.8
	Liberal	John Eustace Jameson	863	40.5	−0.8
Majority			404	19.0	+1.6
Turnout			2,130	84.7	+0.3
Registered electors			2,515
	Conservative hold		Swing	+0.8

Elections in the 1880s

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General election 1886: Bury St Edmunds^[45][49]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Francis Hervey	1,135	58.7	+4.7
	Liberal	Frederick Goodwin	800	41.3	−4.7
Majority			335	17.4	+9.4
Turnout			1,935	84.4	−6.3
Registered electors			2,292
	Conservative hold		Swing	+4.7

General election 1885: Bury St Edmunds^[45][49][51]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Francis Hervey	1,122	54.0	−5.9
	Liberal	Joseph Hardcastle	956	46.0	+5.8
Majority			166	8.0
Turnout			2,078	90.7	−1.7 (est)
Registered electors			2,292
	Conservative win (new seat)

General election 1880: Bury St Edmunds (2 seats)^[52]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Joseph Hardcastle	1,110	40.2	−0.8
	Conservative	Edward Greene	850	30.8	−0.1
	Conservative	Francis Hervey	803	29.1	+1.0
Majority			307	11.1	N/A
Turnout			1,960 (est)	92.4 (est)	+7.6
Registered electors			2,122
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing	−0.7
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1870s

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General election 1874: Bury St Edmunds (2 seats)^[52]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Edward Greene	1,004	30.9	+13.1
	Conservative	Francis Hervey	914	28.1	+10.3
	Liberal	Joseph Hardcastle	707	21.7	−13.3
	Liberal	Charles Lamport[53]	628	19.3	−10.2
Majority			207	6.4	N/A
Turnout			1,627 (est)	84.8 (est)	−5.7
Registered electors			1,919
	Conservative hold		Swing	+11.7
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing	+11.8

Elections in the 1860s

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General election 1868: Bury St Edmunds (2 seats)^[52]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Edward Greene	714	35.5	+2.1
	Liberal	Joseph Hardcastle	703	35.0	−1.9
	Liberal	Edward Bunbury	593	29.5	N/A
Majority			11	0.5
Turnout			1,362 (est)	90.5 (est)	+4.5
Registered electors			1,505
	Conservative hold		Swing	N/A
	Liberal hold		Swing	N/A

General election 1865: Bury St Edmunds (2 seats)^[52]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Joseph Hardcastle	331	36.9	+6.5
	Conservative	Edward Greene	300	33.4	+5.3
	Liberal-Conservative	Alfred Hervey[54]	266	29.7	−11.7
Majority			31	3.5	+1.2
Turnout			582 (est)	86.0 (est)	+13.4
Registered electors			676
	Liberal hold		Swing	+6.2
	Conservative hold		Swing	+5.6

Elections in the 1850s

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General election 1859: Bury St Edmunds (2 seats)^[52]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Peelite	Alfred Hervey	418	41.4	+4.4
	Liberal	Joseph Hardcastle	307	30.4	−4.0
	Conservative	Robert Buxton	284	28.1	−0.5
Turnout			505 (est)	72.6 (est)	+6.4
Registered electors			695
Majority			134	13.3	N/A
	Peelite gain from Conservative		Swing	+2.3
Majority			23	2.3	−3.5
	Liberal hold		Swing	−1.9

By-election, 7 March 1859: Bury St Edmunds^[52]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Peelite	Alfred Hervey	Unopposed
	Peelite gain from Conservative

• Caused by Hervey's succession to the peerage, becoming 2nd Marquess of Bristol

General election 1857: Bury St Edmunds (2 seats)^[52]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Frederick Hervey	344	37.0	−6.2
	Whig	Joseph Hardcastle	320	34.4	+6.4
	Conservative	James Oakes	266	28.6	−0.2
Turnout			465 (est)	66.2 (est)	−10.7
Registered electors			702
Majority			24	2.6	+1.8
	Conservative hold		Swing	−4.7
Majority			54	5.8	N/A
	Whig gain from Conservative		Swing	+6.4

By-election, 4 December 1852: Bury St Edmunds^[52]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	James Oakes	324	50.6	−21.4
	Whig	Joseph Hardcastle	316	49.4	+21.4
Majority			8	1.2	+0.4
Turnout			640	89.8	+12.9
Registered electors			713
	Conservative hold		Swing	−21.4

• Caused by Stuart's resignation after being appointed a Vice-Chancellor of the Court of Chancery.

General election 1852: Bury St Edmunds (2 seats)^[52]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Frederick Hervey	493	43.2	+3.4
	Conservative	John Stuart	328	28.8	+1.9
	Whig	Edward Bunbury	319	28.0	−5.3
Majority			9	0.8	N/A
Turnout			570 (est)	76.9 (est)	+11.6
Registered electors			741
	Conservative hold		Swing	+3.0
	Conservative gain from Whig		Swing	+2.3

Elections in the 1840s

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General election 1847: Bury St Edmunds (2 seats)^[52]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Frederick Hervey	390	39.8	+11.5
	Whig	Edward Bunbury	327	33.3	−13.6
	Conservative	Horace Twiss	264	26.9	+2.2
Turnout			491 (est)	65.3 (est)	−20.5
Registered electors			751
Majority			63	6.5	+3.9
	Conservative hold		Swing	+9.2
Majority			63	6.4	+5.4
	Whig hold		Swing	−13.7

By-election, 14 September 1841: Bury St Edmunds^[52][16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Frederick Hervey	Unopposed
	Conservative hold

• Caused by Hervey's appointment as Treasurer of the Household

General election 1841: Bury St Edmunds (2 seats)^[52][16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Frederick Hervey	341	28.3	+2.9
	Whig	Charles FitzRoy	310	25.7	−0.8
	Conservative	Horace Twiss	298	24.7	+1.9
	Whig	Rowland Gardiner Alston[55]	256	21.2	−4.1
Turnout			612	85.8	−0.3
Registered electors			713
Majority			31	2.6	+2.5
	Conservative hold		Swing	+2.7
Majority			12	1.0	−0.1
	Whig hold		Swing	−1.6

Elections in the 1830s

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General election 1837: Bury St Edmunds (2 seats)^[52][16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Whig	Charles FitzRoy	289	26.5	−7.6
	Conservative	Frederick Hervey	277	25.4	+8.1
	Whig	Charles Bunbury	275	25.3	−6.0
	Conservative	Frederick Gough-Calthorpe	248	22.8	+5.5
Turnout			552	86.1	−7.8
Registered electors			641
Majority			12	1.1
	Whig hold		Swing	−7.2
Majority			2	0.1	−0.4
	Conservative hold		Swing	+7.5

By-election, 26 June 1835: Bury St Edmunds^[52][16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Whig	Charles FitzRoy	Unopposed
	Whig hold

• Caused by FitzRoy's appointment as Vice-Chamberlain of the Household

General election 1835: Bury St Edmunds (2 seats)^[52][16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Frederick Hervey	317	34.6	+2.7
	Whig	Charles FitzRoy	312	34.1	−6.2
	Whig	Charles Bunbury	287	31.3	+3.4
Majority			5	0.5	−3.5
Turnout			582	93.9	+5.6
Registered electors			620
	Conservative hold		Swing	+2.8
	Whig hold		Swing	−3.8

General election 1832: Bury St Edmunds (2 seats)^[52][16][56]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Whig	Charles FitzRoy	344	40.3	+14.9
	Tory	Frederick Hervey	272	31.9	−39.3
	Whig	Frederick King Eagle	238	27.9	+24.5
Turnout			521	88.3	+1.8
Registered electors			590
Majority			72	8.4	+6.7
	Whig hold		Swing	+17.3
Majority			34	4.0	−18.1
	Tory hold		Swing	−39.4

General election 1831: Bury St Edmunds (2 seats)^[16][56]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	Frederick Hervey	28	47.5	N/A
	Whig	Charles Augustus FitzRoy	15	25.4	N/A
	Tory	Philip Bennet	14	23.7	N/A
	Whig	Robert Rolfe	2	3.4	N/A
Turnout			32	86.5	N/A
Registered electors			37
Majority			13	22.1	N/A
	Tory hold		Swing	N/A
Majority			1	1.7	N/A
	Whig hold		Swing	N/A

General election 1830: Bury St Edmunds (2 seats)^[16][56]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	Frederick Hervey	Unopposed
	Whig	Henry FitzRoy	Unopposed
	Tory hold
	Whig hold

See also

• List of parliamentary constituencies in Suffolk

Notes

1. A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer).
2. As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.
3. Sir William Spring, 1st Baronet had died in 1654