Rutland was a parliamentary constituency covering the county of Rutland. It was represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1918, when it became part of the Rutland and Stamford constituency, along with Stamford in Lincolnshire. Since 1983, Rutland has formed part of the Rutland and Melton constituency along with Melton Mowbray from Leicestershire. The constituency elected two Members of Parliament (MPs), traditionally known as Knights of the Shire, until 1885, when it was reduced to one Member.

Boundaries

The constituency comprised the whole of the historic county of Rutland, in the East Midlands. Rutland, the smallest of the historic counties of England, never had any Parliamentary borough constituencies within its borders. The place of election for the county was at Oakham. This was where the hustings were held; at which candidates were nominated (before the Ballot Act 1872), polling took place (before the introduction of multiple polling places in county constituencies) and where the result was announced. Pelling in his Social Geography of British Elections 1885–1910 describes most of the people in this county as "engaged in or dependent upon agriculture". The constituency was a safe Conservative one and was rarely contested in the period covered by the book. G. H. Finch MP had personally owned almost one tenth of the county he represented.

Members of Parliament

1295–1640

1640–1885

1885–1918

Elections

Population in 1831: 19,380 '''General Election 1832 (14 December) ''' Registered Electors: 1,296 G N Noel, Bart. Conservative G Heathcote Whig '''General Election 1835 (10 January) ''' G N Noel, Bart. Conservative G Heathcote Whig '''General Election 1837 (29 July) ''' G N Noel, Bart. Conservative G Heathcote Whig Following the death of Sir G N Noel: '''By-Election 1838 (13 March) ''' W M Noel Conservative

Elections in the 1830s

Noel's death caused a by-election.

Elections in the 1840s

Noel resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, causing a by-election. Dawnay resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, causing a by-election.

Elections in the 1850s

Heathcote was elevated to the peerage, becoming 1st Baron Aveland and causing a by-election.

Elections in the 1860s

Noel was appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, requiring a by-election. Heathcote succeeded to the peerage, becoming Lord Aveland and causing a by-election.

Elections in the 1870s

Noel was appointed First Commissioner of Works and Public Buildings.

Elections in the 1880s

Noel's resignation caused a by-election, which was the first contest in the constituency for 42 years.

Elections in the 1890s

Elections in the 1900s

Elections in the 1910s

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;

Sources