South Northamptonshire (UK Parliament Constituency) - History

History

Before 2010, the constituency existed from 1832–1918, and from 1950-1974, however on different boundaries during each period. It elected two Members of Parliament (MPs) by the bloc vote system of election from 1832, until the representation was reduced in 1885 to one member elected by the first past the post system.

Prominent Members

Three names feature prominently among the area's Commons members, the 3rd and 5th Earl Spencer (during their tenures as MP having a courtesy title only, Viscount Althorp - Althorp is a major country house in the seat, well known as the childhood home of Princess Diana of Wales); Edward Fitzroy (son of Lord Southampton), Speaker of the House of Commons from 1928 until his death in 1943; and lastly, Reginald Manningham-Buller, 1st Viscount Dilhorne who on accomplishment of a peerage sat for the final two years of his life as the historic equivalent of the President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom with additional functions, the Lord Chancellor.

In the 19th century history of the seat the Cartwright family (with three members) lived in the stately home Aynhoe Park near Banbury.

History of Boundaries

The seat was abolished in 1918 to form the new constituency of Daventry, then recreated in 1950 caused by a relatively short-lived abolition of Daventry. In 1974 was almost wholly swallowed up by a reborn Daventry, which on wide boundaries saw substantial population growth.

This called for recreation in 2010 whereby most of the electoral wards were taken from the former version of the Daventry seat.

Present bordering constituencies

The constituency is bordered by Daventry and Northampton South to the north, Wellingborough to the north east, Milton Keynes North and Milton Keynes South to the south east, Buckingham to the south, Banbury to the south west and Rugby to the west.