Greenwich was a constituency in south-east London, which returned at first two, then (from 1885) one member (MP) to the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. It existed from 1832 to 1997. Elections used the first past the post system; when this elects more than one member, it is sometimes called plurality-at-large voting.
History
From 1832 until 1885 it was a two-member constituency. Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 associated with the Reform Act 1884, its area was reduced overall (although it gained Kidbrooke) and it was reduced to one seat. For the 1997 general election, it was merged with part of the former Woolwich constituency to form the Greenwich and Woolwich seat.
Its history is dominated by the area's strong maritime tradition. Its most prominent claim to fame was as the seat of William Ewart Gladstone between 1868 and 1880, and it also achieved prominence in the 1987 Greenwich by-election, when the SDP won a surprise victory.
Boundaries
1832–1885: the parishes of Greenwich; Deptford St Nicholas and Deptford St Paul; and the most populous parts of Charlton and Woolwich. detailed as: "From the Point at which the Royal Arsenal Canal at Woolwich joins the Thames, along the said Canal to the southern extremity thereof; thence in a straight Line to the south-western corner of the Ordnance Storekeeper's House; thence in a straight Line, in the Direction of a Stile in the footpath from Woolwich to Plumstead Common, over Sand Hill, to the Boundary of the Parish of Woolwich; thence, southward, along the boundary of the parish of Woolwich to the point at which the same meets the Boundary of the parish of Charlton; thence westward along the Boundary of the parish of Charlton to the point at which the same turns southward near the Dovor Road; thence along the Dovor Road to the nearest point of the boundary of the parish of Greenwich; thence Westward, along the boundary of the parish of Greenwich to the point at which the same turns abruptly to the south, close by the Dovor Road, thence in a straight line, in a westerly direction, to the nearest point of the boundary of the parish of Greenwich, thence westward along the boundary of the parish of Greenwich to the point at which the same meets the boundary of the parish of Saint Paul Deptford; thence southward along the boundary of the parish of Saint Paul Deptford to the point at which the same meets the Thames; thence along the Thames to the point first described." The boundaries were thus in the schedules of the Parliamentary Boundaries Act 1832.
right|thumb|260px|The seat and others of the [[Metropolitan Board of Works area, 1885–1918]]
1885–1918: The parishes of Greenwich, St Nicholas Deptford, Charlton, and Kidbrooke.
right|thumb|260px|The seat and others in the [[County of London 1918–50]]
thumb|wards of Greenwich Metropolitan Borough in 1916
right|thumb|260px|The seat and others in the County of London 1950–74
1918–1974: The Metropolitan Borough of Greenwich.
1974–1983: The London Borough of Greenwich wards of Blackheath, Charlton, Eastcombe, Hornfair, Kidbrooke, Marsh, Park, Trafalgar, Vanbrugh, and West.
right|thumb|260px|The seat and others in Greater London 1983–97
1983–1997: The London Borough of Greenwich wards of Blackheath, Charlton, Ferrier, Hornfair, Kidbrooke, Rectory Field, St Alfege, Trafalgar, Vanbrugh, and West.
Between 1983 and 1997, the constituency formed the western part of the Royal Borough of Greenwich.
Members of Parliament
MPs 1832–1885
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Election!!colspan="2"|First member!!First party!!colspan="2"|Second member!!Second party
|-
| 1832
| style="color:inherit;background-color: " |
| James Whitley Deans Dundas
| Whig
|rowspan="4" style="color:inherit;background-color: " |
|rowspan="4"| Edward George Barnard
|rowspan="4"| Radical
|-
| 1835
|style="color:inherit;background-color: " |
| John Angerstein
| Whig
|-
| 1837
|style="color:inherit;background-color: " |
| Matthias Wolverley Attwood
| Conservative
|-
| 1852 by-election
|style="color:inherit;background-color: " |
| Houston Stewart
| Whig
|-
| 1852
|style="color:inherit;background-color: " |
| Peter Rolt
| Conservative
|rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background-color: " |
|rowspan="2"| Montague Chambers
|rowspan="2"| Radical
|votes = 15
|percentage = 0.4
|change =
Dundas was appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty, requiring a by-election.
Gladstone's appointment as Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury caused a by-election.
Elections in the 1880s
Elections in the 1930s
Elections in the 1940s
Elections in the 1950s
Elections in the 1960s
Elections in the 1970s
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="4" | 1979 notional result
|-
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="130px" colspan="2" | Party
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="50px" | Vote
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="30px" | %
|-
|
| Labour ||align=right| 19,201 ||align=right| 52.4
|-
|
| Conservative ||align=right| 12,172 ||align=right| 33.2
|-
|
| Liberal ||align=right| 3,893 ||align=right| 10.6
|-
|
| Others ||align=right| 1,385 ||align=right| 3.8
|-
|colspan="4" bgcolor="#EAECF0"|
|-
|colspan="2"|Turnout
|align=right|36,651
|align=right|
|-
|colspan="2"|Electorate
|align=right|
|}
Elections in the 1980s
- swings relative to 1983 election, not 1987 by-election
Elections in the 1990s
- The swing for Rosie Barnes is relative to her performance in the 1987 general election.
References
Bibliography
- British Parliamentary Election Results 1885–1918, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press 1974)
- Debrett’s Illustrated Heraldic and Biographical House of Commons and the Judicial Bench 1886
- Debrett’s House of Commons and the Judicial Bench 1901
- Debrett’s House of Commons and the Judicial Bench 1918