Waverley (UK Parliament constituency)

Waverley (UK Parliament constituency)
Name	Waverley
Parliament	uk
Map1	Waverley2007
Map2	EnglandSurrey
Map entity	Surrey
Map year	1983
Year	1983
Abolished	1997
Type	County
County	Surrey
European	South East England
Towns	Farnham, Godalming, Haslemere

Waverley (UK Parliament constituency) was a county constituency in the Surrey region of England, represented in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. It existed for four general elections between 1983 and 1997, covering a largely rural area in the southwest of the county. The seat was consistently held by the Conservative Party before its abolition in boundary changes.

History

The constituency was created for the 1983 general election from parts of the former Farnham and Guildford seats, reflecting population growth in the South East. It was named after the Waverley district, which itself took its name from Waverley Abbey, the first Cistercian monastery in England. The area had a long tradition of Conservative representation, and the new seat continued this pattern. Its creation was part of a broader review by the Boundary Commission for England that increased the number of constituencies in Surrey. The seat was abolished in the review that preceded the 1997 United Kingdom general election, with its territory primarily divided between the new South West Surrey and Farnham and Aldershot constituencies.

Boundaries

The constituency comprised the majority of the Waverley local government district as it existed in 1983. Its main population centres were the towns of Farnham, Godalming, and Haslemere. It also included surrounding villages such as Chiddingfold, Cranleigh, Elstead, and Milford, along with significant areas of the Surrey Hills. The boundaries were coterminous with the wards of the Waverley district: Bramley, Busbridge, Chiddingfold, Cranleigh East, Cranleigh West, Elstead, Ewhurst, Farnham Castle, Farnham Firgrove, Farnham Hale and Heath End, Farnham Moor Park, Farnham Shortheath and Boundstone, Farnham Upper Hale, Farnham Weybourne, Farnham Wrecclesham and Rowledge, Godalming Charterhouse, Godalming Farncombe and Catteshall, Godalming Holloway, Haslemere East and Grayswood, Haslemere West, and Milford.

Members of Parliament

Throughout its existence, Waverley was represented by one Member of Parliament: * 1983–1997: David Mellor (Conservative) David Mellor had previously been the MP for Putney and served in the cabinets of Margaret Thatcher and John Major, holding positions such as Minister for the Arts and Chief Secretary to the Treasury. Following the constituency's abolition, he contested and won the new Putney seat in the 1997 United Kingdom general election.

Elections

Elections in the 1990s

1992 general election Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% Conservative | David Mellor | 34,902 | 55.8 | −0.8 Liberal Democrats | R. Wilson | 19,202 | 30.7 | +0.3 Labour | M. J. H. Jones | 7,450 | 11.9 | +0.9 Green | S. J. Barnard | 983 | 1.6 | −0.4 Majority | 15,700 | 25.1 | −1.1 Turnout | 62,537 | 81.6 | +3.5 Conservative hold | Swing | −0.6

Elections in the 1980s

1987 general election Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% Conservative | David Mellor | 32,864 | 56.6 | +0.8 Liberal | S. R. G. Twigg | 17,678 | 30.4 | −2.3 Labour | M. H. Gold | 6,404 | 11.0 | +0.5 Green | J. B. Morris | 1,138 | 2.0 | New Majority | 15,186 | 26.2 | +3.1 Turnout | 58,084 | 78.1 | +2.8 Conservative hold | Swing | +1.6

1983 general election Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% Conservative | David Mellor | 30,500 | 55.8 | N/A Liberal | M. G. H. Heber-Percy | 18,000 | 32.7 | N/A Labour | J. M. C. Rendel | 5,750 | 10.5 | N/A Independent | P. Findlay | 500 | 0.9 | N/A Majority | 12,500 | 23.1 | N/A Turnout | 54,750 | 75.3 | N/A Conservative hold (new seat) | Swing | N/A

Notes and references

Category:Parliamentary constituencies in Surrey Category:United Kingdom Parliamentary constituencies established in 1983 Category:United Kingdom Parliamentary constituencies disestablished in 1997