Totnes (UK Parliament constituency)

Totnes was a parliamentary constituency^{[n 1]} in Devon represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament.^{[n 2]}

Totnes
Former county constituency for the House of Commons
Boundary of Totnes in Devon
Location of Devon within England
County	Devon
Electorate	67,562 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlements	Totnes, Dartmouth, Kingsbridge, Salcombe and Brixham
1997–2024
Seats	One
Created from	South Hams
Replaced by	South Devon
1885–1983
Seats	One
Type of constituency	County constituency
Created from	South Devon
Replaced by	Teignbridge and South Hams[2]
1295–1868
Seats	Two
Type of constituency	Borough constituency
Replaced by	Devon Southern

Under the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the constituency name was abolished. With to minor boundary changes, it was renamed South Devon at the 2024 general election.^[3]

History

An original parliamentary borough of Totnes or Totness^[4] was created in 1295. It returned two MPs to the House of Commons of England until 1707, then to the House of Commons of Great Britain until 1800, and finally to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 until it was abolished under the Representation of the People Act 1867 with effect from the 1868 election. The constituency was reformed in 1885, in a much narrower form than previously.

It was abolished again at the 1983, largely replaced by the South Hams constituency. In 1997, South Hams was abolished and largely replaced by the reformed Totnes. At the 2024 general election, the name Totnes disappeared once again, as the constituency was renamed South Devon constituency with minor boundary changes.

Political history

The constituency was a generally safe seat for the Conservative Party since the 1920s; it returned a Conservative MP at every general election for which it existed since 1924 (as did South Hams, the constituency that replaced it between 1983 and 1997), though it came close to falling to the Liberal Democrats in 1997, 2001 and 2005.

Its Conservative MP from 2010, Dr Sarah Wollaston, defected to the Liberal Democrats in 2019, after a brief spell as an independent, and prior to that as a member of Change UK, a new party formed from MPs formerly Conservative or Labour, after she became disillusioned with the Conservative Party's position on Brexit. She came second to a new Conservative candidate in 2019.

During the 2016 EU Referendum, Totnes is estimated to have narrowly voted to Leave, by 53.9% vs. 46.1% Remain. Although the town of Totnes itself is a Remain stronghold, the larger town of Brixham and the rural areas of the constituency voted in favour of Brexit.

Boundaries

Map of boundaries 2010−2024

1885–1918: The Municipal Borough of Totnes, and the Sessional Divisions of Ermington and Plympton, and Stanborough and Coleridge.

1918–1950: The Municipal Borough of Totnes, the Urban Districts of Ashburton, Buckfastleigh, Kingsbridge, Newton Abbot, Salcombe, and Teignmouth, the Rural District of Kingsbridge, and parts of the Rural Districts of Newton Abbot and Totnes.

1950–1974: The Municipal Boroughs of Clifton, Dartmouth, Hardness, and Totnes, the Urban Districts of Ashburton, Buckfastleigh, Kingsbridge, Newton Abbot, and Salcombe, the Rural Districts of Kingsbridge and Newton Abbot, and part of the Rural District of Totnes.

1974–1983: The Municipal Boroughs of Clifton, Dartmouth, Hardness, and Totnes, the Urban Districts of Ashburton, Buckfastleigh, Kingsbridge, Newton Abbot, and Salcombe, and the Rural Districts of Kingsbridge, Newton Abbot, and Totnes.

1997–2010: The District of South Hams wards of Avon and Harbourne, Avonleigh, Dartington, Dartmouth Clifton, Dartmouth Hardness, Dart Valley, Eastmoor, Garabrook, Kingsbridge, Kingswear, Malborough, Marldon, Salcombe, Saltstone, Skerries, South Brent, Stoke Gabriel, Stokenham, Thurlestone, Totnes, Totnes Bridgetown, and West Dart, the Borough of Torbay wards of Blatchcombe, Furzeham with Churston, and St Peter's with St Mary's, and the District of Teignbridge wards of Ambrook, Ashburton, and Buckfastleigh.

2010–2024: The District of South Hams wards of Allington and Loddiswell, Avon and Harbourne, Dartington, Dartmouth and Kingswear, Dartmouth Townstal, East Dart, Eastmoor, Kingsbridge East, Kingsbridge North, Marldon, Salcombe and Malborough, Saltstone, Skerries, South Brent, Stokenham, Thurlestone, Totnes Bridgetown, Totnes Town, West Dart, and Westville and Alvington, and the Borough of Torbay wards of Berry Head with Furzeham, Blatchcombe, Churston with Galmpton, and St Mary's with Summercombe.

The Totnes constituency covered the eastern part of the South Hams district of Devon, including the towns of Totnes, Dartmouth, Kingsbridge and Salcombe, as well as parts of the unitary authority of Torbay, including the town of Brixham.

Constituency profile

Post-1997 recreation, the seat was divided between the South Hams and Torbay council areas, with around 60% of the electorate residing in the former and 40% in the latter in its final form after the 2010 boundary changes.^[5]

Despite the name of the constituency, the largest town in it was not Totnes but Brixham, a fishing port in the Torbay portion of the seat of around 17,000 people. Totnes itself, a market town in South Hams of around 9,000 renowned for its alternative and "New Age" community, accounted for only around 10% of the voters in the constituency bearing its name.^[5]

The seat also included the South Hams towns of Kingsbridge, Salcombe and Dartmouth, as well as the western suburbs of the Torbay town of Paignton, most of which belonged to the Torbay constituency.^[5]

Much of the constituency was rural, taking in numerous villages in the picturesque South Hams district as well as the Torbay village of Churston.^[5]

Workless claimants, registered jobseekers, were in November 2012 significantly lower than the national average of 3.8%, at 2.4% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian.^[6]

Members of Parliament

MPs 1295–1660

Constituency created 1295

Parliament	First member	Second member
1295	Johannes de Blakedon[7]
1362	Richard Whitelegh[8]
1366	John Prescott[9]
1372	John Prescott[9]
1373	John Prescott[9]
1377 (Jan)	William Burlestone
1377 (Oct)	William Burlestone
1380 (Jan)	William Burlestone
1381	William Burlestone
1383 (Feb)	William Burlestone[10]
1386	Robert French	John Pasford[11]
1388 (Feb)	John Row	Walter Browning[11]
1388 (Sep)	John Statham	Walter Browning[11]
1390 (Jan)	John Poltimore	Walter Hotot[11]
1390 (Nov)
1391	John Grey	Thomas Norris[11]
1393	John Suell	Robert Barneburgh[11]
1394	Richard Whitelegh	John Pasford[11]
1395	Ellis Beare	John Marshall[11]
1397 (Jan)	John Gunne	Ellis Beare[11]
1397 (Sep)
1399	Simon Marsh	John Rose[11]
1401
1402	Henry Spencer	John Hulle[11]
1404 (Jan)
1404 (Oct)
1406	Robert Wastell	John Warwick[11]
1407	Alfred Wonston	Sir John Pomeroy[11]
1410	Henry Austin	Robert Wastell[11]
1411	John Bosom	Henry Bremeler[11]
1413 (Feb)
1413 (May)	John Sebright	Henry Austin[11]
1414 (Apr)
1414 (Nov)	William Ryder	Henry Berkeley[11]
1415
1416 (Mar)
1416 (Oct)
1417
1419
1420	John Ash	Walter Serle[11]
1421 (May)	Henry Berkeley	Thomas Kirkby[11]
1421 (Dec)	Henry Chesewell	William Cosyn[11]
1449	Adam Cokkys[7]	Johannes Prall[7]
1450	Johannes Hobbys[7]	Thomas Calwodeley[7]
1455	William Fowell[12] of Fowelscombe
1472	William Hody[13]
1491	Lewis Pollard[14]
1510-1523	No names known[15]
1529	John Giles	Adam Ralegh[15]
1536	?
1539	?
1542	?
1545	Roger Prideaux	John Gale[15]
1547	Roger Prideaux	Edmund Sture[15]
1553 (Mar)	John Wotton	Christopher Savery[15]
1553 (Oct)	John Wotton	Christopher Savery[15]
1554 (Apr)	John Eveleigh	Henry Gildon[15]
1554 (Nov)	Richard Savery	Christopher Savery[15]
1555	Peter Edgecombe	Leonard Yeo[15]
1558	Bernard Smith	Leonard Yeo[15]
1558–9	Leonard Yeo	Sir Nicholas Poyntz[16]
1562–3	Sir Arthur Champernowne	Richard Edgecombe I[16]
1571	Richard Hurleston	John Stanhope[16]
1572	Robert Monson, made judge and repl. 1576 by Robert Beale	Edward Buggin[16]
1584	Christopher Savery	Nicholas Ball[16]
1586	John Giles	Nicholas Hayman[16]
1588	Richard Edgecombe	Simon Kelway[16]
1593	Richard Sparry	Christopher Savery[16]
1597	Edward Giles	Christopher Buggin[16]
1601	Leonard Darr	Philip Holditch[16]
1604	Christopher Brocking	Walter Dollings
1614	Nathaniel Rich	Lawrence Adams
1621–1622	Sir Edward Giles	Richard Rodd
1624	Arthur Champernoun	Sir Edward Giles
1625	Sir Edward Seymour, 2nd Baronet	Sir Edward Giles
1626	Arthur Champernoun	Philip Holditch
1628-1629	Sir Edward Giles	Thomas Prestwood
1629–1640	No Parliaments summoned
Apr 1640	Oliver St John	John Maynard[citation needed]
Nov 1640	Oliver St John	John Maynard[citation needed]
1645	Oliver St John	John Maynard[citation needed]
1648	Oliver St John	John Maynard[citation needed]
1653	Totnes not represented in Barebone's Parliament[citation needed]
1654	Major-General Desborough	(one seat only)[citation needed]
1656	Christopher Maynard	(one seat only)[citation needed]
1659	Capt. John Pleydell	Gilbert Evelyn[citation needed]

MPs 1660–1868

Two members

Year	First member[17]		First party		Second member[17]	Second party
1660	Thomas Chafe				Thomas Clifford
1661	Sir Edward Seymour, 3rd Baronet			Tory
1673					Sir Thomas Berry
Feb 1679					John Kelland
Aug 1679					Edward Seymour (later 4th Baronet)		Tory
1681	Charles Kelland				John Kelland
1685	Sir Edward Seymour, 3rd Baronet			Tory
1689	Rawlin Mallock				Sir John Fowell, Bt
1690	Henry Seymour Portman
1692					Thomas Coulson
1695	Sir Edward Seymour, 4th Baronet			Tory	Edward Yarde
1698					Thomas Coulson
1699	Francis Gwyn
1701	Sir Christopher Musgrave, Bt
1702	William Seymour			Tory
1705	Sir Humphrey Mackworth			Tory
1708	Sir Edward Seymour, 5th Baronet			Tory	George Courtenay
1710	Thomas Coulson				Francis Gwyn
1713	Stephen Northleigh
1715					Arthur Champernowne
1717					Sir John Germain, Bt
1718					Sir Charles Wills
1722	Joseph Banks
1727	Exton Sayer
1732	Sir Henry Gough, Bt
1734	Sir Joseph Danvers, Bt
1742					John Strange		Whig
1747	Charles Taylor
Apr 1754	Browse Trist
Dec 1754					Sir Richard Lloyd
1759					Richard Savage Lloyd
1763	Henry Seymour
1768	Sir Philip Jennings-Clerke, Bt				Peter Burrell
1774					James Amyatt
1780					Launcelot Brown
1784					The Hon. Henry Phipps		Tory
1788	Viscount Barnard			Whig
1790	William Powlett Powlett				Sir Francis Buller Yarde, Bt
1796	The Lord Arden				Lord George Seymour
1801					William Adams		Tory[18]
1802	John Berkeley Burland
1804	Vicary Gibbs			Tory[18]
1806	Benjamin Hall			Tory[18]
1811					Thomas Courtenay		Tory[18]
1812	Ayshford Wise			Whig[18]
1818	William Holmes			Tory[18]
1820	John Bent
1826	The Earl of Darlington			Tory[18]
1830	Charles Barry Baldwin			Tory[18][19]
1832	Jasper Parrott			Whig[18]	James Cornish		Whig[18]
1835					Lord Seymour		Whig[18][20][21]
1839		William Blount[n 3][18][22][23] (Whig)		Charles Barry Baldwin[n 3] (Con)[18][19][20][24]
1840	Charles Barry Baldwin			Conservative
1852	Thomas Mills			Whig
1855					The Earl of Gifford		Whig
1859				Liberal			Liberal
1862	John Pender			Liberal
1863					Alfred Seymour		Liberal
1866	John Pender declared not duly elected and seat left vacant
1868	Constituency disenfranchised by the Reform Act 1867

MPs 1885–1983

One member

Year	Member[17]	Whip
1885	Francis Mildmay		Liberal
1886			Liberal Unionist
1912			Unionist
1922	Samuel Harvey		Unionist
1923	Henry Vivian		Liberal
1924	Samuel Harvey		Unionist
1935	Ralph Rayner		Conservative
1955	Ray Mawby		Conservative
1983	constituency abolished: see South Hams and Teignbridge

MPs 1997–2024

Between 1983 and 1997 the constituency was replaced by the South Hams constituency. Anthony Steen was returned at every election.

Election	Member[17]	Party
1997	Anthony Steen		Conservative
2010	Sarah Wollaston		Conservative
2019			Change UK
			Independent
			Liberal Democrats
2019	Anthony Mangnall		Conservative
2024	constituency abolished: see South Devon

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Totnes^[25]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Anthony Mangnall	27,751	53.2	0.5
	Liberal Democrats	Sarah Wollaston	15,027	28.8	15.9
	Labour	Louise Webberley	8,860	17.0	9.8
	Independent	John Kitson	544	1.0	New
Majority			12,724	24.4	2.5
Turnout			52,182	74.7	1.6
	Conservative hold		Swing	8.2

General election 2017: Totnes^[26]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Sarah Wollaston	26,972	53.7	0.7
	Labour	Gerrie Messer	13,495	26.8	14.1
	Liberal Democrats	Julian Brazil	6,466	12.9	3.0
	Green	Jacqi Hodgson	2,097	4.2	6.1
	UKIP	Steven Harvey	1,240	2.5	11.6
Majority			13,477	26.9	12.0
Turnout			50,353	73.1	4.5
	Conservative hold		Swing	6.7

General election 2015: Totnes^[27][28]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Sarah Wollaston	24,941	53.0	+7.1
	UKIP	Justin Haque	6,656	14.1	+8.1
	Labour	Nicky Williams	5,988	12.7	+5.3
	Green	Gill Coombs	4,845	10.3	+7.8
	Liberal Democrats	Julian Brazil	4,667	9.9	−25.7
Majority			18,385	38.9	+28.6
Turnout			47,097	68.6	−1.8
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 2010: Totnes^[29][30]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Sarah Wollaston	21,940	45.9	+3.0
	Liberal Democrats	Julian Brazil	17,013	35.6	−1.5
	Labour	Carole Whitty	3,538	7.4	−4.7
	UKIP	Jeffrey Beer	2,890	6.0	−1.5
	Green	Lydia Somerville	1,181	2.5	New
	BNP	Mike Turner	624	1.3	New
	Independent	Simon Drew	390	0.8	New
	Independent	Stephen Hopwood	267	0.6	New
Majority			4,927	10.3	+4.5
Turnout			47,843	70.4	+0.7
	Conservative hold		Swing	+2.3

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Totnes^[31]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Anthony Steen	21,112	41.7	−2.8
	Liberal Democrats	Mike Treleaven	19,165	37.9	+0.7
	Labour	Valerie Burns	6,185	12.2	0.0
	UKIP	Roger Knapman	3,914	7.7	+1.6
	Independent	Michael Thompson	199	0.4	New
Majority			1,947	3.8	−3.5
Turnout			50,575	67.7	−0.2
	Conservative hold		Swing	−1.7

General election 2001: Totnes^[32]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Anthony Steen	21,914	44.5	+8.0
	Liberal Democrats	Rachel Oliver	18,317	37.2	+2.3
	Labour	Thomas Wildy	6,005	12.2	−4.2
	UKIP	Craig Mackinlay	3,010	6.1	+4.2
Majority			3,597	7.3	+5.7
Turnout			49,246	67.9	−7.9
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Totnes^[33]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Anthony Steen	19,637	36.5
	Liberal Democrats	Rob Chave	18,760	34.9
	Labour	Victor Ellery	8,796	16.4
	Referendum	Pamela Cook	2,552	4.7
	Ind. Conservative	Christopher Venmore	2,369	4.4
	UKIP	H.W. Thomas	999	1.9
	Green	Andy Pratt	548	1.0
	Independent	James Golding	108	0.2
Majority			877	1.6
Turnout			53,769	75.8
	Conservative win (new seat)

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Totnes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Ray Mawby	35,010	52.16
	Liberal	Anthony H. Rogers	24,445	36.42
	Labour Co-op	John Duffin	7,668	11.42
Majority			10,565	15.74
Turnout			67,123	79.95
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election October 1974: Totnes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Ray Mawby	27,987	45.18
	Liberal	Anthony H. Rogers	21,586	34.85
	Labour	S.M. Spence	12,366	19.96
Majority			6,401	10.33
Turnout			61,939	76.74
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election February 1974: Totnes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Ray Mawby	30,565	46.93
	Liberal	Anthony H. Rogers	20,922	32.12
	Labour	Harold M. Luscombe	13,249	20.34
	Independent	J. Lewis	394	0.60	New
Majority			9,643	14.81
Turnout			65,130	81.29
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1970: Totnes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Ray Mawby	31,519	54.85
	Labour	Robert Blank	16,429	28.59
	Liberal	David Penhaligon	9,515	16.56
Majority			15,090	26.26
Turnout			57,463	76.67
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Totnes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Ray Mawby	25,623	47.81
	Labour	Barry Smethurst	16,900	31.54
	Liberal	Paul Tyler	11,066	20.65
Majority			8,723	16.27
Turnout			53,589	79.43
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1964: Totnes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Ray Mawby	25,417	48.64
	Labour	Reginald C.J. Scott	14,542	27.83
	Liberal	Edward B. Taylor	12,297	23.53
Majority			10,875	20.81
Turnout			52,256	78.83
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Totnes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Ray Mawby	26,925	53.04
	Labour	Terence J.B. Heelas	13,116	25.84
	Liberal	T. Cedric Jones	10,719	21.12
Majority			13,809	27.20
Turnout			50,760	80.48
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1955: Totnes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Ray Mawby	26,381	52.10
	Labour	Daniel J.P. Mann	14,787	29.20
	Liberal	Arthur Claude Shobbrook	9,471	18.70
Majority			11,594	22.90
Turnout			50,639	80.75
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1951: Totnes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Ralph Rayner	28,005	53.60
	Labour	Charles A. O'Donnell	16,409	31.40
	Liberal	Harold Ernest Desch	7,838	15.00
Majority			11,596	22.20
Turnout			52,252	82.85
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1950: Totnes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Ralph Rayner	26,104	49.01
	Labour	David Widdicombe	15,767	29.60
	Liberal	Harold Ernest Desch	10,974	20.60
	Communist	E. Tapscott	423	0.79	New
Majority			10,337	19.41
Turnout			53,268	84.59
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Totnes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Ralph Rayner	24,638	51.04
	Labour	J.R. Warde	16,098	33.35
	Liberal	Thomas Henry Aggett	7,536	15.61
Majority			8,540	17.69
Turnout			48,092	74.57
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1930s

General Election 1939–40: Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected;

• Conservative: Ralph Rayner
• Liberal: F Vernon Baxter ^[34]

General election 1935: Totnes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Ralph Rayner	24,815	53.59
	Liberal	Ernest Haylor	17,639	38.10
	Labour	William Roy John Henwood	3,848	8.31	New
Majority			7,176	15.49
Turnout			46,302	79.24
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1931: Totnes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Samual Harvey	26,765	56.99
	Liberal	Ernest Haylor	20,203	43.01
Majority			6,562	13.98
Turnout			46,968	83.41
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1920s

General election 1929: Totnes ^[35]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	Samual Harvey	21,673	47.8	−5.9
	Liberal	Philip Foale Rowsell	17,790	39.3	−0.9
	Labour	Kate Spurrell	5,828	12.9	+6.8
Majority			3,883	8.5	−5.0
Turnout			45,291	83.1	−3.0
	Unionist hold		Swing	-2.5

General election 1924: Totnes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	Samual Harvey	19,771	53.7	+4.5
	Liberal	Henry Vivian	14,786	40.2	−10.6
	Labour	Kate Spurrell	2,240	6.1	New
Majority			4,985	13.5	N/A
Turnout			36,797	86.1	+5.4
	Unionist gain from Liberal		Swing

General election 6 December 1923: Totnes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Henry Vivian	16,845	50.8	+3.2
	Unionist	Samual Harvey	16,343	49.2	−3.2
Majority			502	1.6	N/A
Turnout			33,188	80.7	+2.6
	Liberal gain from Unionist		Swing	+3.2

General election 1922: Totnes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	Samual Harvey	16,532	52.4	−6.4
	Liberal	Thomas Underdown	15,032	47.6	+6.4
Majority			1,500	4.8	−12.8
Turnout			31,564	78.1	+14.2
	Unionist hold		Swing	-6.4

Election results 1885-1918

Elections in the 1910s

General election 1918: Totnes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
C	Unionist	Francis Mildmay	14,680	58.8	−4.5
	Liberal	John Cairns (Liberal politician)	10,266	41.2	+4.5
Majority			4,414	17.6	−9.0
Turnout			24,946	63.9	−18.1
	Unionist hold		Swing	-4.5
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: Francis Mildmay
• Liberal: Robert Dunstan^[36]

General election December 1910: Totnes ^[37][38]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Unionist	Francis Mildmay	5,252	63.3	+2.7
	Liberal	Robert Dunstan	3,040	36.7	−2.7
Majority			2,212	26.6	+5.4
Turnout			8,292	82.0	−7.9
	Liberal Unionist hold		Swing	+2.7

Foot

General election January 1910: Totnes ^[37][38]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Unionist	Francis Mildmay	5,505	60.6	−2.9
	Liberal	Isaac Foot	3,578	39.4	+2.9
Majority			1,927	21.2	−5.8
Turnout			9,083	89.9	+2.1
	Liberal Unionist hold		Swing	-2.9

Elections in the 1880s

Lopes

General election 1885: Totnes ^[37][39][40]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Francis Mildmay	4,389	57.4
	Conservative	Henry Lopes	3,252	42.6
Majority			1,137	14.8
Turnout			7,641	83.2
Registered electors			9,188
	Liberal win (new seat)

Mildmay

General election 1886: Totnes ^[37][39]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Unionist	Francis Mildmay	4,652	80.3	+37.7
	Liberal	Edward Pearce-Edgcumbe	1,141	19.7	−37.7
Majority			3,511	60.6	N/A
Turnout			5,793	63.0	−20.2
Registered electors			9,188
	Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal		Swing	+37.7

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1906: Totnes ^[37][39]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Unionist	Francis Mildmay	5,226	63.5	N/A
	Liberal	Lewis Humfrey Edmunds	2,998	36.5	New
Majority			2,228	27.0	N/A
Turnout			8,224	87.8	N/A
Registered electors			9,370
	Liberal Unionist hold		Swing	N/A

General election 1900: Totnes ^[37][39][41]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Unionist	Francis Mildmay	Unopposed
	Liberal Unionist hold

Elections in the 1890s

General election 1895: Totnes ^[37][39][41]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Unionist	Francis Mildmay	4,630	67.2	+0.3
	Liberal	Alfred John Sparke	2,264	32.8	−0.3
Majority			2,366	34.4	+0.6
Turnout			6,894	73.1	−4.6
Registered electors			9,431
	Liberal Unionist hold		Swing	+0.3

General election 1892: Totnes ^[37][39]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Unionist	Francis Mildmay	4,815	66.9	−13.4
	Liberal	Alfred Herbert Lush	2,384	33.1	+13.4
Majority			2,431	33.8	−26.8
Turnout			7,199	77.7	+14.7
Registered electors			9,263
	Liberal Unionist hold		Swing	-13.4

Election results 1832-1868

Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Totnes^[42]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Pender	210	29.0	−9.5
	Liberal	Alfred Seymour	204	28.2	−4.3
	Conservative	William Gregory Dawkins	162	22.4	+7.9
	Conservative	Bedford Pim	147	20.3	+5.8
Majority			42	5.8	+2.2
Turnout			362 (est)	94.6 (est)	+6.3
Registered electors			382
	Liberal hold		Swing	−8.2
	Liberal hold		Swing	−5.6

On petition, Pender was unseated on 22 March 1866. No writ was issued to replace him and, in 1868, the seat was disenfranchised and absorbed into South Devon.

By-election, 20 January 1863: Totnes^[42]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Alfred Seymour	165	51.2	−19.8
	Conservative	John Dent	157	48.8	+19.9
Majority			8	2.4	−1.2
Turnout			322	90.2	+1.9
Registered electors			357
	Liberal hold		Swing	−19.9

By-election caused by the death of George Hay.

By-election, 9 December 1862: Totnes^[42]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Pender	171	97.2	+26.2
	Conservative	John Dent[43]	5	2.8	−26.1
Majority			166	94.4	+90.8
Turnout			176	49.3	−39.0
Registered electors			357
	Liberal hold		Swing	+26.2

By-election caused by the death of Thomas Mills.

Elections in the 1850s

General election 1859: Totnes^[42]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	George Hay	180	38.5	+4.0
	Liberal	Thomas Mills	152	32.5	+2.3
	Conservative	John Dunn[44]	135	28.9	−6.4
Majority			17	3.6	−2.8
Turnout			301 (est)	88.3 (est)	+4.6
Registered electors			341
	Liberal hold		Swing	+3.6
	Liberal hold		Swing	+2.8

General election 1857: Totnes^[42][45][46]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Whig	George Hay	171	34.5	−12.6
	Whig	Thomas Mills	150	30.2	+2.6
	Peelite	James Thomas Mackenzie	118	23.8	+11.1
	Peelite	John Gregory[47]	57	11.5	−1.2
Majority			32	6.4	+4.1
Turnout			248 (est)	78.7 (est)	−0.8
Registered electors			315
	Whig hold		Swing	−8.8
	Whig hold		Swing	−1.2

By-election, 5 November 1855: Totnes^[42]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Whig	George Hay	Unopposed
	Whig hold

By-election caused by Edward Seymour becoming 12th Duke of Somerset.

General election 1852: Totnes^[42]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Whig	Edward Seymour	263	47.1	−0.6
	Whig	Thomas Mills	154	27.6	+1.5
	Conservative	Charles Barry Baldwin	141	25.3	−0.9
Majority			13	2.3	−19.2
Turnout			295 (est)	79.5 (est)	+1.7
Registered electors			371
	Whig hold		Swing	−0.1
	Whig gain from Conservative		Swing	+1.0

By-election, 30 March 1850: Totnes^[42]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Whig	Edward Seymour	Unopposed
	Whig hold

Seymour was appointed Commissioner of Woods, Forests, Land Revenues, Works, and Buildings, requiring a by-election.

Elections in the 1840s

587

General election 1847: Totnes^[42]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Whig	Edward Seymour	280	47.7	N/A
	Conservative	Charles Barry Baldwin	154	26.2	N/A
	Whig	Samson Ricardo	153	26.1	N/A
Turnout			294 (est)	77.8 (est)	N/A
Registered electors			378
Majority			126	21.5	N/A
	Whig hold		Swing	N/A
Majority			1	0.1	N/A
	Conservative hold		Swing	N/A

General election 1841: Totnes^[42]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Charles Barry Baldwin	Unopposed
	Whig	Edward Seymour	Unopposed
Registered electors			391
	Conservative gain from Whig
	Whig hold

By-election, 21 April 1840: Totnes^[42]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Charles Barry Baldwin	158	51.1	+25.5
	Whig	Thomas Guy Gisborne	151	48.9	−25.5
Majority			7	2.2	N/A
Turnout			309	90.6	+2.5
Registered electors			341
	Conservative gain from Whig		Swing	+25.5

The previous by-election was declared void on petition, causing a by-election.

Elections in the 1830s

By-election, 26 July 1839: Totnes^[42][18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Charles Barry Baldwin	142	50.0	+24.4
	Whig	William Blount	142	50.0	−24.4
Turnout			284	95.6	+7.5
Registered electors			297
	Conservative win
	Whig win

• Caused by Parrott's resignation. This by-election was later declared void.

General election 1837: Totnes^[42][18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Whig	Edward Seymour	192	40.7
	Whig	Jasper Parrott (MP)	159	33.7
	Conservative	George Pownall Adams[48]	121	25.6
Majority			38	8.1
Turnout			280	88.1
Registered electors			318
	Whig hold
	Whig hold

By-election, 24 April 1835: Totnes^[42][18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Whig	Edward Seymour	Unopposed
	Whig hold

• Caused by Seymour's appointment as a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury

General election 1835: Totnes^[42][18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Whig	Edward Seymour	Unopposed
	Whig	Jasper Parrott (MP)	Unopposed
Registered electors			259
	Whig hold
	Whig hold

By-election, 17 February 1834: Totnes^[42][18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Whig	Edward Seymour	153	67.7	−11.7
	Radical	John Thomas Mayne	73	32.3	N/A
Majority			80	35.4	+16.3
Turnout			226	81.6	−0.9
Registered electors			277
	Whig hold		Swing	−11.7

• Caused by Cornish's resignation

General election 1832: Totnes^[42][18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Whig	James Cornish	127	39.7	N/A
	Whig	Jasper Parrott (MP)	127	39.7	N/A
	Tory	Edmund Parker	66	20.6	−79.5
Majority			61	19.1	N/A
Turnout			179	82.5	c. −0.5
Registered electors			217
	Whig gain from Tory		Swing	N/A
	Whig gain from Tory		Swing	N/A

General election 1831: Totnes^[18][49]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Tory	Thomas Courtenay	56	40.6
	Tory	Charles Barry Baldwin	43	31.2
	Tory	Henry Vane	39	28.3
Majority			4	2.9
Turnout			78	c. 83.0
Registered electors			c. 94
	Tory hold
	Tory hold

General election 1830: Totnes^[18][49]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Tory	Thomas Courtenay	Unopposed
	Tory	Charles Barry Baldwin	Unopposed
	Tory hold
	Tory hold

See also

• List of parliamentary constituencies in Devon

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. Both Baldwin and Blount received equal votes at the 1839 by-election and were declared elected. However, this was declared void on 8 April 1840 and a by-election was called