Leicestershire (UK Parliament constituency)


Leicestershire was a county constituency in Leicestershire, represented in the House of Commons. It elected two Members of Parliament, traditionally called Knights of the Shire, by the bloc vote system of election, to the Parliament of England until 1707, to the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 until 1800, and then to Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1832.

History

The constituency was abolished by the Reform Act 1832 for the 1832 general election, when it was replaced by the Northern and Southern divisions, each of which elected two MPs.
Both divisions were abolished by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 for the 1885 general election, when they were replaced by four new single-seat constituencies: Bosworth, Harborough, Loughborough and Melton.

Members of Parliament

1290–1640

1640–1832

Parliament1st member2nd member3rd member4th member
1653Henry DanversEdward SmithJohn Prat3 seats only
1654Thomas BeaumontHenry Grey, 1st Earl of StamfordLord Grey of GrobyThomas Pochin
1656Thomas BeaumontFrancis Hacker William QuarksThomas Pochin