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East Hertfordshire
Former borough constituency for the House of Commons
East Hertfordshire in Hertfordshire, showing boundaries used from 1974-1983
1955–1983
Seats	one
Created from	Hertford
Replaced by	Broxbourne, Hertford & Stortford and Stevenage

East Hertfordshire was a parliamentary constituency in the county of Hertfordshire from 1955 to 1983. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

History

The constituency was created for the 1955 general election, formed primarily from the majority of the Hertford constituency which was significantly revised. It was abolished for the 1983 general election when it was largely divided between the new constituencies of Broxbourne, and Hertford and Stortford.

Throughout its existence the seat was held for the Conservatives by Sir Derek Walker-Smith.

The writer and TV playwright Dennis Potter was the Labour Party candidate in the constituency at the 1964 general election, but finished second behind the Conservative incumbent. His experience inspired Vote, Vote, Vote for Nigel Barton.

Boundaries and boundary changes

1955-1974

• The Urban Districts of Bishop's Stortford, Cheshunt, Hoddesdon, Sawbridgeworth, and Ware; and
• The Rural Districts of Braughing and Ware

The bulk of the constituency was formed from the majority of the Hertford constituency which was significantly revised. A part of the Rural District of Braughing was transferred from Hitchin.

1974-1983

• The Urban Districts of Bishop's Stortford, Cheshunt, Hoddesdon, and Sawbridgeworth; and
• The Rural Districts of Braughing and Ware

The Urban District of Ware was transferred to the new constituency of Hertford and Stevenage.

On abolition, southern parts (consisting the majority of the electorate), largely comprising the former Urban Districts of Cheshunt and Hoddesdon (combined to form the District of Broxbourne under the local government reorganisation of 1974) formed the bulk of the new borough constituency of Broxbourne. With the exception of some rural parts in the north-west of the constituency, which were included in the new constituency of Stevenage, the remainder of the seat (including Bishop's Stortford and Sawbridgeworth) was amalgamated with the Hertford and Ware part of Hertford and Stevenage to form the new Hertford and Stortford constituency.

Members of Parliament

Elections

Elections in the 1950s

Elections in the 1960s

Elections in the 1970s

References

1. "'Hertfordshire East', Feb 1974 - May 1983". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
2. ^ S., Craig, Fred W. (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885-1972;. Chichester: Political Reference Publications. ISBN 0900178094. OCLC 539011.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
3. The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1955.

• Robert Waller, The Almanac of British Politics (1st edition, London: Croom Helm, 1983)
• Frederic A Youngs, jr, Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England, Vol I (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979)
• Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "H" (part 3)

• Parliamentary constituencies in Hertfordshire (historic)
• Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 1955
• Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom disestablished in 1983