St Augustine's (UK Parliament constituency)

St Augustine's was a parliamentary constituency in Kent. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

St Augustine's
Former constituency
for the House of Commons
18851918
Seatsone
Created fromEast Kent
Replaced byCanterbury, Dover, Hythe

The constituency was created for the 1885 general election, and abolished for the 1918 general election.

Boundaries

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The Sessional Divisions of Elham, Home and Wingham, the Municipal Boroughs of Canterbury, Deal, Dover, Folkestone and Hythe and the corporate town of Fordwich, Bekesbourne, Ringwold, Kingsdown and Walmer.[1]

History

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In its 33-year existence this constituency only ever elected two Members of Parliament, both Conservatives; its first MP was the former Home Secretary, Aretas Akers-Douglas.

Members of Parliament

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Election Member Party
1885 Aretas Akers-Douglas Conservative
1911 Ronald McNeill Conservative
1918 constituency abolished

Election results

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Decades:

Elections in the 1880s

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General election 1885: St Augustine's [2][3][1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Aretas Akers-Douglas 5,842 62.0
Liberal Alfred Simmons 3,582 38.0
Majority 2,260 24.0
Turnout 9,424 77.5
Registered electors 12,157
Conservative win (new seat)
General election 1886: St Augustine's [2][3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Aretas Akers-Douglas Unopposed
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1890s

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General election 1892: St Augustine's [2][3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Aretas Akers-Douglas Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1895: St Augustine's [2][3][4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Aretas Akers-Douglas Unopposed
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1900s

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Akers-Douglas
General election 1900: St Augustine's [2][3][4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Aretas Akers-Douglas Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1906: St Augustine's [3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Aretas Akers-Douglas 7,655 61.5 N/A
Liberal Charles Prescott 4,794 38.5 New
Majority 2,861 23.0 N/A
Turnout 12,449 78.6 N/A
Registered electors 15,841
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1910s

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General election January 1910: St Augustine's [2][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Aretas Akers-Douglas 9,500 69.8 +8.3
Liberal Robert Turnbull Lang 4,114 30.2 −8.3
Majority 5,386 39.6 +16.6
Turnout 13,614 81.9 +3.3
Registered electors 16,614
Conservative hold Swing +8.3
General election December 1910: St Augustine's [2][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Aretas Akers-Douglas Unopposed
Conservative hold
1911 St Augustine's by-election[2][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ronald McNeill Unopposed
Conservative hold

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;

References

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  1. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, FWS Craig
  3. ^ a b c d e f The Liberal Year Book, 1907
  4. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
  5. ^ a b c Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916