Haverfordwest (UK Parliament constituency)

The constituency was enfranchised in 1545, as the second borough constituency in the historic county of Pembrokeshire. In the previous election of 1542, the first at which Wales is known to have sent members to the Parliament of England, this borough was one of the ancient boroughs contributing to the wages and being in some sense represented by the member for Pembroke.

During the eighteenth century, Haverfordwest was considered to be little more than a pocket borough for the Philipps family of Picton Castle.{{sfn|Williams|1960|p=39}}

From 1832 to 1885, it was a district of boroughs constituency, consisting of the three boroughs of Haverfordwest, Fishguard and Narberth.{{cite book

|last=Craig

|first=F. W. S.

|author-link= F. W. S. Craig

|title=British parliamentary election results 1832–1885

|orig-year=1977

|edition= 2nd

|year=1989

|publisher= Parliamentary Research Services

|location=Chichester

|isbn= 0-900178-26-4

|page=506

}}

The constituency was abolished for the 1885 general election, and merged into the newly created constituency of Pembroke and Haverfordwest.

{{Election box begin no change| title=General election 1830: Haverfordwest{{cite web |last1=Escott |first1=Margaret |title=Haverfordwest |url=https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1820-1832/constituencies/haverfordwest |website=The History of Parliament |access-date=5 May 2020}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|

|party = Whigs (British political party)

|candidate = Richard Philipps

}}

{{Election box registered electors no change|

|reg. electors = {{circa|500}}

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing|

|winner = Whigs (British political party)

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change| title=General election 1831: Haverfordwest

}}

{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|

|party = Whigs (British political party)

|candidate = Richard Philipps

}}

{{Election box registered electors no change|

|reg. electors = {{circa|500}}

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing|

|winner = Whigs (British political party)

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change| title=General election 1832: Haverfordwest

}}

{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|

|party = Whigs (British political party)

|candidate = Richard Philipps

}}

{{Election box registered electors no change|

|reg. electors = 723

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing|

|winner = Whigs (British political party)

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change| title=General election 1835: Haverfordwest

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = William Henry Scourfield

|votes = 241

|percentage = 65.8

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Whigs (British political party)

|candidate = Jonathan Haworth Peel

|votes = 125

|percentage = 34.2

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority no change|

|votes = 116

|percentage = 31.6

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout no change|

|votes = 366

|percentage = 68.0

|change =

}}

{{Election box registered electors no change|

|reg. electors = 538

}}

{{Election box gain with party link no swing|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|loser = Whigs (British political party)

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin| title=General election 1837: Haverfordwest

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Whigs (British political party)

|candidate = Richard Philipps

|votes = 247

|percentage = 60.0

|change = +25.8

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = William Henry Scourfield

|votes = 165

|percentage = 40.0

|change = −25.8

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 82

|percentage = 20.0

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 412

|percentage = 58.4

|change = −9.6

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 706

}}

{{Election box gain with party link|

|winner =Whigs (British political party)

|loser = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing = +25.8

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin| title=General election 1841: Haverfordwest

}}

{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|

|party = Whigs (British political party)

|candidate = Richard Philipps

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 667

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing|

|winner = Whigs (British political party)

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin| title=General election 1847: Haverfordwest

}}

{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|

|party = Whigs (British political party)

|candidate = John Evans

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 667

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing|

|winner = Whigs (British political party)

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin| title=General election 1852: Haverfordwest

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = John Philipps

|votes = 297

|percentage = 59.4

|change = New

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Whigs (British political party)

|candidate = John Evans

|votes = 203

|percentage = 40.6

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 94

|percentage = 18.8

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 500

|percentage = 73.3

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 682

}}

{{Election box gain with party link|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|loser = Whigs (British political party)

|swing = N/A

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin| title=General election 1857: Haverfordwest

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = John Philipps

|votes = 258

|percentage = 50.2

|change = −9.2

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Radicals (UK)

|candidate = William Rees{{cite news |title=Election Intelligence |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001652/18570307/058/0003 |access-date=22 August 2018 |work=Globe |date=7 March 1857 |page=3 |via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}{{cite news |title=Glasgow Sentinel |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001105/18570321/013/0002 |access-date=22 August 2018 |date=21 March 1857 |page=2 |via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}

|votes = 256

|percentage = 49.8

|change = +9.2

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 2

|percentage = 0.4

|change = −18.4

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 514

|percentage = 69.5

|change = −3.8

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 740

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing = −9.2

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin| title=General election 1859: Haverfordwest

}}

{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = John Philipps

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 777

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin| title=General election 1865: Haverfordwest

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = John Scourfield

|votes = 314

|percentage = 58.6

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = William Edwardes

|votes = 222

|percentage = 41.4

|change = New

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 92

|percentage = 17.2

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 536

|percentage = 80.1

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 669

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing = N/A

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin| title=General election 1868: Haverfordwest

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = William Edwardes

|votes = 638

|percentage = 56.2

|change = +14.8

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Samuel Pitman{{cite news|title=To the Electors of Haverfordwest|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000910/18681125/005/0001|access-date=16 February 2018|work=Potter's Electric News|date=25 November 1868|page=1|via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}

|votes = 497

|percentage = 43.8

|change = −14.8

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 141

|percentage = 12.4

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 1,135

|percentage = 74.4

|change = −5.7

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 1,526

}}

{{Election box gain with party link|

|winner = Liberal Party (UK)

|loser = Conservative Party (UK)

|swing = +14.8

}}

{{Election box end}}

Edwardes was appointed a Groom in Waiting, requiring a by-election.

{{Election box begin| title=By-election, 26 Nov 1873: Haverfordwest

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = William Edwardes

|votes = 609

|percentage = 52.2

|change = −4.0

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Xavier de Castanos Royds Peel

|votes = 558

|percentage = 47.8

|change = +4.0

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 51

|percentage = 4.4

|change = −8.0

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 1,167

|percentage = 73.3

|change = −1.1

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 1,592

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Liberal Party (UK)

|swing = −4.0

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin| title=General election 1874: Haverfordwest

}}

{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = William Edwardes

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 1,357

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing|

|winner = Liberal Party (UK)

}}

{{Election box end}}

The election was declared void on petition, causing a by-election, after a separate potential candidate, Mr Davis, had been refused his nomination by the local sheriff without a deposit for security of costs.{{cite news|title=Member of Parliament is unseated|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000645/18740603/053/0002|access-date=31 December 2017|work=Bolton Evening News|date=3 June 1874|page=2|via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }} However, in the resulting by-election, Davis did not stand and Edwardes was re-elected.

{{Election box begin| title=By-election, 12 Jun 1874: Haverfordwest

}}

{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = William Edwardes

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 1,357

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing|

|winner = Liberal Party (UK)

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin| title=General election 1880: Haverfordwest{{cite book|editor1-last=Craig|editor1-first=F. W. S.|editor-link=F. W. S. Craig|title=British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885|date=1977|publisher=Macmillan Press|location=London|isbn=978-1-349-02349-3|edition=1st|type=e-book|page=506}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = William Edwardes

|votes = 686

|percentage = 56.8

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = Edward Denman Thornburgh-Cropper

|votes = 522

|percentage = 43.2

|change = New

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 164

|percentage = 13.6

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 1,208

|percentage = 78.3

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 1,543

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Liberal Party (UK)

|swing = N/A

}}

{{Election box end}}

Edwardes was appointed Comptroller of the Household, requiring a by-election.

{{Election box begin| title=By-election, 12 May 1880: Haverfordwest

}}

{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = William Edwardes

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing|

|winner = Liberal Party (UK)

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite journal |last1=Williams |first1=David |title=The Pembrokeshire Elections of 1831 |journal=Welsh History Review |date=1960 |volume=1 |issue=1 |pages=37–64 |url=https://datasyllwr.llgc.org.uk/journals/pdf/AWJAJ001009.pdf |access-date=9 March 2020}}
• {{Rayment-hc|h|2|date=March 2012}}

{{Historic constituencies in Wales|selected = Until 1885}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Haverfordwest (Uk Parliament Constituency)}}

Category:Historic parliamentary constituencies in South Wales

Category:Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom disestablished in 1885