- For details of Parliamentary elections in the City of London, to the Parliament of Great Britain (1707-1800) and the Parliament of the United Kingdom (from 1801); see City of London (UK Parliament constituency).
The City of London was a Parliamentary constituency of the Parliament of England until 1707.
Boundaries and history to 1707
This borough constituency consisted of the City of London, which was the historic core of the modern Greater London. In the twenty-first century, the City forms part of the London Region of England.
The southern boundary of the City is the north bank of the River Thames. The City of Westminster is situated to the west. The districts of Holborn and Finsbury are to the north, Shoreditch to the north-east and Whitechapel to the east.
Before 1298, the area was represented as part of the county constituency of Middlesex. The City formed part of the geographic county, even though from early times it was not administered as part of Middlesex.
London is first known to have been enfranchised and represented in Parliament in 1298. It was the most important city in England and was administered as a county of itself from before boroughs were first represented in Parliament. It received four seats in Parliament instead of the normal two for an English constituency. The extra two seats (whose holders were known as Knights, like the representatives of a county) were supposed to represent the county like status of London. No such extra seats were awarded to other cities or boroughs which received the status of being counties of themselves in later times.
By the sixteenth century it was the practice for the Court of Aldermen to summon a meeting at the Guildhall. The Aldermen met and selected two candidates to sit as the City's Knights in Parliament. One was normally an Alderman (probably a former Lord Mayor of the City of London). The other was normally the Recorder of London, whose legal expertise was essential to the City which had a lot of legislation it wanted drafted and passed by Parliament. On one occasion in the sixteenth century the Recorder was already a burgess representing another borough in Parliament, so two Aldermen were chosen.
The Aldermen also prepared a list of twelve prominent Londoners, who were not themselves Aldermen. The nominees for Knight were then put to the liverymen, who had been waiting whilst the Aldermen met, for approval and an election was held to select two Citizens from the list of twelve nominees to fill the other two seats in the House of Commons. The London election thus took place in a single day.
If the Recorder resigned during a Parliament or a Citizen was elected an Alderman, he was disqualified and the new Recorder or another Citizen (as the case might require) was elected.
At some point after 1603 the City adopted a more normal system for nominations and elections. The two London Sheriffs appointed a day for candidates nominations to be submitted, at a meeting in the Guildhall. If there were more than four candidates a poll was held at a later date which usually extended for several weeks. Although it was no longer a legal requirement, there was a custom that two City seats were filled by Aldermen and two by non-Aldermen.
During the Protectorate the City was allocated six seats in the House of Commons, under the terms of the Instrument of Government adopted on 15 December 1653. However, by the time the Third Protectorate Parliament assembled in 1659 the constituency had reverted to its traditional four seats.
The City of London was a densely populated area in the period up to 1707. The composition of the City electorate was not as democratic as that of some other borough constituencies, such as neighbouring Westminster. The right of election was held by members of the Livery Companies. However the size and wealth of the community meant that it had more voters than most other borough constituencies. Only Westminster had a larger borough electorate. Duke Henning estimated the City liverymen at about 4,000 in 1661 and about 6,000 by 1680.
Members of the House of Commons
Some of the members elected during this period have been identified. The Roman numerals in brackets, following some names, are those used to distinguish different politicians of the same name in 'The House of Commons' 1509-1558 and 1558-1603. As there are considerable gaps between some of the Parliaments in this period, each members career is sub-divided by Parliament in the tables, even if he served in successive Parliaments.
The elected date is for the City constituency. When an exact general election date is unavailable, the year or years between the dates of the Parliament being summoned and assembling, are used.
14th/15th-century
| Parliament | Aldermanic MPs by year |
| 1298 |
Adam le Blund de Fulham; Walter de Finchingfeld |
| 1299 |
William de Leyre; William de Betoyne |
| 1300 |
Geoffrey de Northampton; William de Betoyne |
| 1305 |
William de Combemartyn; Walter de Finchingfeld |
| 1307 |
William de Combemartyn; Henry de Durham |
| 1309 |
Henry de Durham; William Servat |
| 1312 |
John de Wengrave; Robert de Kelesye; Nicholas de Farndone |
| 1313 |
William Servat; Stephen de Abyndon; Nicholas de Farndone; William de Leyre |
| 1314 |
John de Gisors; Robert de Kelesye; William de Leyre |
| 1315 |
Henry de Durham; William de Leyre |
| 1316 |
William de Combemartyn; William Trente; John de la Chambre; Hamo de Chigwell; Robert de Kelesye; Simon de Abyndon; Roger de Palmer; John de Bureford |
| 1318 |
John de Cherleton; Roger de Palmer |
| 1319 |
William de Leyre; William de Flete |
| 1320 |
Anketin de Gisors; Nicholas de Farndone |
| 1321 |
Hamo de Godchep; Nicholas de Farndone |
| 1322 (May) |
Robert de Swalclyve; Reginald de Conduit; William de Hakford; Gregory de Norton |
| 1322 (Nov) |
Thomas de Chetyngdone; Walter Crepyn |
| 1324 |
Anketin de Gisors; Henry de Seccheford |
| 1325 |
Anketin de Gisors; Henry de Seccheford |
| 1327 (Jan) |
Anketin de Gisors; Henry de Seccheford; Reginald de Conduit; Thomas de Leyre |
| 1327 (Sep) |
Benedict de Folesham; Robert de Kelesye |
| 1328 (Feb) |
Richard de Betoyne; John de Grantham |
| 1328 (Apr) |
Richard de Betoyne; Robert de Kelesye |
| 1328 (Oct) |
Stephen de Abyngdon; Robert de Kelesye |
| 1330 (Mar) |
Stephen de Abyngdon; John de Caustone; |
| 1330 (Nov) |
John de Grantham; Reginald de Conduit; Stephen de Abyngdon |
| 1332 |
Anketin de Gisors (twice); Reginald de Conduit; John de Caustone(twice); Richard de la Pole |
| 1334 |
Reginald de Conduit; John de Caustone; Roger de Depeham |
| 1335 |
Richard de Rothyng; Richard le Lacer; Roger de Forsham |
| 1336 |
Henry de Seccheford; Richard de Hakeneie; John de Caustone |
| 1337 |
Reginald de Conduit(twice); John de Caustone; Benedict de Folesham |
| 1338 |
John de Grantham; Richard de Rothyng; Andrew Aubrey; Ralph de Uptone (twice); Bartholomew Deumars |
| 1339 |
Simon Francis(twice); John de Northall |
| 1340 |
Richard de Rothyng; Andrew Aubrey; Richard de Berkynge; Walter de Mordone; Simon Francis; John de Mockyng; William (Curteys) de Bricklesworth (twice) |
| 1341 |
Simon Francis; William (Curteys) de Bricklesworth |
| 1344 |
John de Northall; John Lovekyn |
| 1346 |
Thomas Legge; Geoffrey de Wychingham; John Lovekyn |
| 1348 |
Richard de Berkynge(twice); John Lovekyn (twice) |
| 1350 |
Simon Francis; Thomas Dolseley |
| 1351 |
Thomas Legge; William de Iford (Common Serjeant) |
| 1352 |
Simon Francis; Adam Francis; John Little |
| 1353 |
Thomas Dolseley; Thomas Legge |
| 1354 |
John de Stodeye; Thomas Dolseley |
| 1355 |
Adam Francis; John de Stodeye |
| 1357 |
Adam Francis; John de Stodeye |
| 1358 |
William de Welde; Thomas Dolseley |
| 1360 |
Bartholomew de Frestlyng; Stephen Cavendisshe; Walter de Berneye |
| 1361 |
John Pecche; Adam Francis; John Pyel |
| 1362 |
Adam de Bury; Bartholomew de Frestlyng; John Little; John Tornegold |
| 1363 |
William Holbech; John de St. Albans; John Tornegold |
| 1365 |
John Lovekyn; Adam Francis; Richard de Preston |
| 1366 |
Adam Francis; John Wroth |
| 1368 |
Bartholomew de Frestlyng; John Wroth; John Aubrey; John Organ |
| 1369 |
John Pecche; Adam Francis; John de Stodeye; John Tornegold; John Aubrey; John Philpot; John Hadley;Nicholas Exton |
| 1371 |
Bartholomew de Frestlyng; John Tornegold; William Walworth; John Philpot (twice); John Pecche; John Tornegold; John Fyfhide |
| 1372 |
John Pecche;John Wroth;William Venour |
| 1373 |
John Warde;Adam Stable;Adam Carlisle |
| 1376 |
William Walworth; John Pyel; Adam Carlisle |
| 1377 |
John Organ; John Hadley; William Walworth; John Philpot; Adam Carlisle; Walter Sibyle; William Tonge;William Venour |
| 1378 |
John Northampton; John Hadley; William Venour; Geoffrey Newton |
| 1379 |
William More; Adam Carlisle; John Hadley; Walter Sibyle |
| 1380 |
Robert Launde;Thomas Cornwaleys; John Philpot; John Organ; John Boseham; Thomas Welford; William Tonge; John Rote |
| 1381 |
Hugh Fastolf; William Baret; John Philpot; John Hadley |
| 1382 (May) |
Hugh Fastolf?; John More; Thomas Carleton; Richard Norbury |
| 1383 |
Nicholas Brembre; William Baret; William Walworth; John Philpot; John More; Henry Vanner; Richard Norbury |
| 1384 |
John Hadley (twice); John Organ (twice); John Rote; Thomas Rolf |
| 1385 |
John Hadley; Nicholas Exton; William Anecroft |
1386-1421[4]
| Parliament | First member | Second member | Third member | Fourth member |
| 1386 |
John Hadley | John Organ | Adam Carlisle | Thomas Girdler |
| February 1388 |
William More | John Shadworth | William Baret | John Walcote |
| September 1388 |
Adam Bamme | Henry Vanner | William Tonge | John Clenhand |
| January 1390 |
William More | John Shadworth | Adam Carlisle | William Brampton |
| November 1390 |
William More | John Shadworth | Adam Carlisle | William Brampton |
| 1391 |
William Sheringham | William Brampton | William Standon | John Walcote |
| 1394 |
William Standon | John Fresshe | Thomas Exton | John Wade |
| 1395 |
Adam Carlisle | Drew Barantyn | Geoffrey Waldern | William Askham |
| January 1397 |
William Standon | William Brampton | William Hyde | Hugh Short |
| September 1397 |
Andrew Newport | Drew Barantyn | Robert Ashcombe | William Chichele |
| 1399 |
John Shadworth | William Brampton | William Sunningwell | Richard Marlow |
| 1402 |
John Hadley | William Parker | John Prophet | William Norton |
| 1404 (Jan) |
William Standon[5] | Drew Barantyn | William Marchford | John Prophet |
| 1404 (Oct) |
John Woodcock | William Brampton | Alan Everard | Robert Haxton |
| 1406 |
William Standon | Nicholas Wotton | John Sudbury | Hugh Ryebread |
| 1407 |
William Askham | William Cromer | William Marchford | John Bryan |
| 1410 |
Drew Barantyn | Henry Halton | John Reynwell | Walter Gawtron |
| 1411 |
Thomas Fauconer | Richard Marlow | John Sutton | John Michell |
| 1413 (Feb) |
William Askham | Drew Barantyn | William Marchford | Walter Gawtron |
| 1413 (May) |
William Askham | Drew Barantyn | William Marchford | Walter Gawtron |
| 1414 (Apr) |
Richard Marlow | Robert Chichele | William Burton | Allan Everard |
| 1414 (Nov) |
William Walderne | Nicholas Wotton | William Oliver | John Gedham |
| 1415 |
Robert Chichele | William Walderne | John Reynwell | William Mitchell |
| 1416 (Mar) |
Richard Marlow | Thomas Fauconer | William Weston | Nicholas James |
| 1416 (Oct) |
Richard Whittington | Thomas Knollys | John Perneys | Robert Whittingham |
| 1417 |
William Cromer | William Seveoak | John Welles[6] | John Butler |
| 1419 |
Nicholas Wotton | Henry Barton | Richard Meryvale | Simon Sewall |
| 1420 |
Thomas Fauconer | John Michell | Solomon Oxney | John Higham |
| 1421 (May) |
William Walderne | William Cromer | William Burton | Richard Goslyn |
| 1421 (Dec) |
Thomas Fauconer | Nicholas Wotton | John Brokley | John Whatley |
1422-1508[2]
| Parliament | Aldermanic MPs by year |
| 1422 |
Thomas Fauconer;John Michell;Henry Frowick |
| 1423 |
John Welles;[6] Thomas Fauconer;Henry Frowick |
| 1425 |
John Welles;[6] Nicholas Wotton;Thomas Bernewell |
| 1426 |
John Welles;[6] John Michell |
| 1427 |
John Welles;[6] John Michell;William Melreth |
| 1429 |
Nicholas Wotton;William Melreth |
| 1431 |
Nicholas James;William Eastfield |
| 1432 |
John Gedney;William Melreth;Philip Malpas |
| 1433 |
John Welles;[6]John Reynwell;Robert Catworth |
| 1435 |
John Michell;Robert Large;Stephen Forster |
| 1437 |
Henry Frowick;Robert Catworth;Nicholas Yoo |
| 1439 |
William Eastfield;Robert Clopton;Geoffrey Fielding |
| 1442 |
William Eastfield;Philip Malpas |
| 1445 |
John Reynwell;Robert Catworth |
| 1447 |
Henry Frowick;William Combes;William Marlowe;Hugh Wiche |
| 1449 |
Robert Catworth;Stephen Browne;John Norman (twice);Geoffrey Boleyn |
| 1450 |
Henry Frowick;William Marlow;Richard Lee |
| 1453 |
Stephen Browne;John Atherley;William Cantelow;John Walderne;John Middleton |
| 1455 |
Geoffrey Fielding;William Cantelow;John Yonge |
| 1459 |
Thomas Canynges;Ralph Verney;Richard Fleming;John Bromer |
| 1460 |
William Marlow;Thomas Cooke;Robert Bassett |
| 1463 |
William Marlow;John Bromer |
| 1467 |
Ralph Josselyn;John Warde;John Crosby |
| 1469 |
Ralph Verney;George Irlond; Stephen Fabian |
| 1470 |
Thomas Cooke; Stephen Fabian |
| 1472 |
Ralph Verney;George Irlond; Stephen Fabian |
| 1478 |
William Hampton;Richard Gardiner;John Warde |
| 1483 |
William Taillour;Richard Haryot;Robert Tate (twice);John Fenkyll;Hugh Clopton |
| 1484 |
Richard Haryot;John Fenkyll |
| 1485 |
John Warde |
| 1487 |
Henry Colet;Hugh Pemberton |
| 1489 |
William White;Henry Colet |
| 1491 |
Robert Tate;William Capel;Nicholas Ailwyn |
| 1495 |
John Warde; John Shaa;Thomas Bradbury |
| 1497 |
Richard Chawry;Thomas Wyndout |
| 1503 |
John Tate;John Shaa |
Parliaments of King Henry VIII of England
| No. | Summoned | Elected | Assembled | Dissolved |
| 1st | 17 October 1509 | 1509/10 | 21 January 1510 | 23 February 1510 |
| 2nd | 28 November 1511 | 1511/12 | 4 February 1512 | 4 March 1514 |
| 3rd | 23 November 1514 | 1514/15 | 5 February 1515 | 22 December 1515 |
| 4th | ... | ?1523 | 15 April 1523 | 13 August 1523 |
| 5th | 9 August 1529 | 1529 | 3 November 1529 | 14 April 1536 |
| 6th | 27 April 1536 | 1536 | 8 June 1536 | 18 July 1536 |
| 7th | 1 March 1539 | 1539 | 28 April 1539 | 24 July 1540 |
| 8th | 23 November 1541 | 1541/42 | 16 January 1542 | 28 March 1544 |
| 9th | 1 December 1544 | 19 January 1545 | 23 November 1545 | 31 January 1547 |
Notes:-
- (a) More was elected at a by-election, held on an unknown date in 1510, before the Parliament assembled. He replaced James Yarford, who was disqualified from serving as a Citizen in Parliament when he was elected an Alderman of the City (see explanation above about who was eligible for which of the seats).
- (b) Calley ceased to be an MP on 6 September 1515. It is unknown who replaced him.
- (c) Hewster was also known by the alias of John Brampton.
- (d) Seymour resigned his seat, because of ill health, in December 1535. It is unknown who replaced him.
- (e) Petyt died and was replaced by William Bowyer (see note f). The by-election was held by 18 February 1533.
- (f) Bowyer was disqualified upon election as an Alderman. Robert Pakington was elected to fill the vacancy, at a by-election on 27 October 1534.
- (g) Baker was disqualified upon his resignation as Recorder of London. Sir Roger Cholmley known as Sir Roger Cholmeley was appointed Recorder on 17 June 1534 and by April 1536 he had been elected to Parliament at a by-election.
- (h) Cholmley is known to have been a member of this Parliament as he is mentioned in the Parliamentary records. His colleagues are unknown however.
- (i) Fermor has been inferred to have been the member, but this is not fully confirmed so the relevant volume of the House of Commons prefixed the name with a question mark.
- (j) Gresham was elected at a by-election. Sir William Roche had originally been re-elected, but in January 1545 the King ordered that he be replaced. Sir William Forman was elected at a by-election in February 1545, but due to ill-health he was replaced by Gresham.
- (k) Broke was elected at a by-election on 17 November 1545, following Sir Roger Cholmeley (who was originally elected) becoming disqualified when he resigned as Recorder of London on his appointment to the senior judicial office of Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer.
Parliaments of King Edward VI of England
| No. | Summoned | Elected | Assembled | Dissolved |
| 1st | 2 August 1547 | 1547 | 4 November 1547 | 15 April 1552 |
| 2nd | 5 January 1553 | 1553 | 1 March 1553 | 31 March 1553 |
Note:-
- (a) Curteys was disqualified from continuing to serve as a Citizen in Parliament, upon his election as an Alderman. John Blundell was elected to fill the vacancy at a by-election on 4 March 1552.
Parliaments of Queen Mary I of England
| No. | Summoned | Elected | Assembled | Dissolved |
| 1st | 14 August 1553 | 1553 | 5 October 1553 | 5 December 1553 |
| 2nd | 17 February 1554 | 1554 | 2 April 1554 | 3 May 1554 |
| 3rd | 3 October 1554 | 1554 | 12 November 1554 | 16 January 1555 |
| 4th | 3 September 1555 | 1555 | 21 October 1555 | 9 December 1555 |
| 5th | 6 December 1557 | 1557/58 | 20 January 1558 | 17 November 1558 |
Parliaments of Queen Elizabeth I of England
| No. | Summoned | Elected | Assembled | Dissolved |
| 1st | 5 December 1558 | 9 January 1559 | 23 January 1559 | 8 May 1559 |
| 2nd | 10 November 1562 | December 1562 | 11 January 1563 | 2 January 1567 |
| 3rd | ... | March 1571 | 2 April 1571 | 29 May 1571 |
| 4th | 28 March 1572 | April 1572 | 8 May 1572 | 19 April 1583 |
| 5th | 12 October 1584 | 22 October 1584 | 23 November 1584 | 14 September 1585 |
| 6th | 15 September 1586 | 3 October 1586 | 15 October 1586 | 23 March 1587 |
| 7th | 18 September 1588 | 1 October 1588 | 4 February 1589 | 29 March 1589 |
| 8th | 4 January 1593 | 27 November 1592 | 18 February 1593 | 10 April 1593 |
| 9th | 23 August 1597 | 3 or 4 October 1597 | 24 October 1597 | 9 February 1598 |
| 10th | 11 September 1601 | 6 October 1601 | 27 October 1601 | 19 December 1601 |
Notes:-
- (a) Cholmley died on 25 April 1563. Sir John White was elected to fill the vacancy at a by-election in October 1566.
- (b) Marshe died and Thomas Aldersey was elected to fill the vacancy at a by-election on 7 October 1579.
- (c) Fish died and Henry Billingsley was elected to fill the vacancy at a by-election in September 1585.
Parliaments of King James I of England
| No. | Summoned | Elected | Assembled | Dissolved |
| 1st | 31 January 1604 | 1604 | 19 March 1604 | 9 February 1611 |
| 2nd | ... | ?1614 | 5 April 1614 | 7 June 1614 |
| 3rd | 13 November 1620 | 1620/21 | 16 January 1621 | 8 February 1622 |
| 4th | 20 December 1623 | 1623/24 | 12 February 1624 | 27 March 1625 |
Parliaments of King Charles I of England
| No. | Summoned | Elected | Assembled | Dissolved |
| 1st | 2 April 1625 | 1625 | 17 May 1625 | 12 August 1625 |
| 2nd | 20 December 1625 | 1625/26 | 6 February 1626 | 15 June 1626 |
| 3rd | 31 January 1628 | 1628 | 17 March 1628 | 10 March 1629 |
| 4th | 20 February 1640 | 1640 | 13 April 1640 | 5 May 1640 |
| 5th | 24 September 1640 | 1640 | 3 November 1640 | 16 March 1660 |
Parliaments of the Commonwealth
The Long Parliament or the selection of members from it known as the Rump Parliament functioned de facto during part of the Commonwealth of England period. It existed (in a sense) de jure 1640-1660, as under a pre-English Civil War law, the Long Parliament could not be lawfully dissolved without its own consent which it did not give until 1660. As it was a Parliament originally summoned by King Charles I, the overall dates of the Long Parliament are given in the previous section.
The Barebones Parliament was an appointed body, so the City was not an electoral constituency represented as such in it. That body was summoned on 20 June 1653, first met on 4 July 1653 and was dissolved on 12 December 1653.
Parliaments of the Protectorate
During the Protectorate the City was allocated six representatives in the First and the Second Protectorate Parliaments, before reverting to four for the Third Protectorate Parliament.
| No. | Summoned | Elected | Assembled | Dissolved |
| 1st | 1 June 1654 | 1654 | 3 September 1654 | 22 January 1655 |
| 2nd | 10 July 1656 | 1656 | 17 September 1656 | 4 February 1658 |
| 3rd | 9 December 1658 | 1658/59 | 27 January 1659 | 22 April 1659 |
Knights and Citizens serving 1660-1707
Key to parties: T Tory; W Whig.
Elections
Election dates 1660-1710
Dates of general and by-elections from 1660 (excluding some general elections at which no new MP was returned).
- 27 Mar 1660 GE
- 19 Mar 1661 GE
- 10 Feb 1663 BE
- 17 Feb 1679 GE
- -7 Oct 1679 GE
- -4 Feb 1681 GE
- 15 May 1685 GE
|
- -9 Jan 1689 GE
- 14 May 1689 BE
- 11 Mar 1690
- -2 Mar 1693
- 25 Oct 1695
- 30 Jul 1698
- -1 Feb 1701
|
- 20 Mar 1701
- 24 Nov 1701
- 18 Aug 1702
- 17 May 1705
- 16 Dec 1707
- 14 May 1708
- 16 Nov 1710
|
Election results 1660-1690
- Death of Fowke 22 April 1662
By-Election 10 February 1663: City of London
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
± |
|
Non Partisan |
Sir John Frederick |
Unopposed |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Non Partisan hold |
Swing |
N/A |
|
See also
References