East Somerset

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East Somerset was a parliamentary constituency in Somerset, represented in the House of Commons from 1832 to 1918. From 1832 to 1885 it elected two MPs, using bloc voting. From 1885 to 1918 it elected one MP, by first past the post.

Creation and extent
The Eastern Division of Somerset was created for the 1832 general election when the old Somerset constituency was split into East and West divisions. It also absorbed voters from the abolished borough of Milborne Port. The constituency surrounded the cities of Bath and Wells (which were themselves boroughs with their own MPs), and included Frome as well as Glastonbury, Burnham-on-Sea, Clevedon, Keynsham, Midsomer Norton, Portishead, Radstock, Shepton Mallet, Somerton and Weston-super-Mare. County voters in Bath and Wells could vote in East Somerset if they met the property qualifications.

Boundary changes and redefinitions
Under the Second Reform Act, boundaries changed for the 1868 election. The southern end of East Somerset (including Glastonbury, Radstock, Shepton Mallet and Somerton, plus the Frome/Wells area) moved into the new Mid Somerset division. The revised East Somerset then consisted of the Long Ashton, Axbridge, Keynsham, Temple Cloud and Weston Petty Sessional Divisions.

In 1885 the three two-member county divisions in Somerset were reorganised into seven single-member divisions. The new Eastern or East Somerset division came from the previous Mid Somerset area and included Shepton Mallet, Somerton, Street and Wincanton. It was largely rural, with some brewing and bootmaking industries, and a strong Nonconformist religious tradition. It would have been a safe Liberal seat, but the sitting Liberal MP joined the Liberal Unionists in 1886 and held the seat.

Abolition
The East Somerset constituency was abolished for the 1918 general election, when Somerset’s number of county members was reduced. It was largely replaced by the revised Wells division, with the town of Somerton transferring to Yeovil.