Leicester (UK Parliament constituency)
Leicester was a parliamentary borough in Leicestershire, which elected two members of parliament to the House of Commons from 1295 until 1918, when it was split into three single-member divisions.
History
Leicester sent burgesses to Parliament for the first time in 1295. Originally both Members were chosen by the whole 'commons' of the borough until at least 1407, when Thomas Denton and John Tonge were stated to have been chosen 'per totam communitatem tocius burgi'. At some unknown date before the middle of the 15th century, however, the 'commons', lost power within the borough and were restricted to the election of just one of the Members, the other being chosen by the mayor and 24 jurats. This situation was reversed by the middle of the sixteenth century.Although most Members were citizens, usually officials, of the borough there was considerable influence and involvement by the two leading families, the Hastings and the Greys during the 16th and 17th centuries.
The constituency was abolished in 1918 and replaced by Leicester East, Leicester South and Leicester West.
Members of Parliament
1295–1640
| Parliament | First member | Second member |
| 1294 | Ralph Norman | Robert de Scarnford |
| 1299 | Robert Knythtecote | Roger de Glenne |
| ?1299 | Richard Donnington | Roger de Glenne |
| 1301 | Ralph Tewe | - |
| 1304 | Richard Soning | Nicholas de Glenne |
| 1306 | Ralph Norman | Henry de Carleton |
| 1307 | William Lyndrych | William le Palmer |
| 1308 | Henry Erdington | Richard Eggbaston |
| 1310 | William Lyndrych | Peter de Kent |
| 1311 | William Lyndrych | Robert de Leicester |
| 1312 | William Clowne | Richard Leverych |
| ?1312 | Robert Hereward | Nicholas Mercer |
| 1313 | Roger de Glenne | John Stocton |
| 1314 | William de Benham | Simon de Lyndrych |
| ?1314 | Roger Pickering | William le Palmer |
| 1318 | Thomas Fox | William le Palmer, jnr |
| ?1318 | Henry Palmer | John Derby |
| 1321 | Geoffrey de Staunton | John Derby |
| 1322 | Ralph Burton | Walter Busseby |
| 1326 | William Reddington | William Jolly |
| 1327 | John FitzHenry of Leicester | John Geryn |
| 1328 | Richard Claver | John Leverich |
| 1328 | Richard Claver | John Geryn |
| 1328 | Rad de Seccheville | Robert de Waltham |
| 1329 | John de Glenne | Willim Petlyng |
| 1330 | Richard de Bonyngton | Robert de Gryndon or William Wareyn |
| 1330 | John de Leverych | Thomas Dawbenny |
| 1332 | Henry Merlins | Richard de Donnington |
| 1332 | William de Cloune | Richard Leverich |
| 1333 | John Leverych | John FitzHenry or John de Garthorp |
| 1334 | Richard Foxton | Richard Clerk |
| 1334 | John Leverich | Robert de Foston |
| 1336 | John Leverych | John Querndon |
| ?1336 | William Rodington | William le Palmer |
| 1337 | Richard de Donnington | Richard Leycester |
| 1337 | Richard de Donnington | John Martyn |
| 1338 | Richard de Donnington | John Querndon |
| 1338 | Richard de Donnington | John Turvey |
| ?1338 | William Palmer | Thomas Fox |
| ?1338 | John Harding | Robert Bonyng |
| 1339 | William Warryn | Thomas Fitz Robert |
| 1339 | William Leverich | Richard de Walcote |
| 1340 | Nicholas Radding | William Fitz Richard |
| ?1340 | Richard Walcote | William Brad |
| ?1340 | Ralph Burton | John Blake |
| 1341 | John le Clerk | William Donnington |
| 1343 | Walter Busseby | William Reddington |
| 1346 | Richard Walcot | William Dunstable |
| 1347 | Richard Beby | Allan Sutton |
| 1348 | John Recenour | William Wakefield |
| 1350 | William Dunstable | Thomas Beby |
| 1351 | William Dunstable | Thomas Beby |
| 1354 | John Martin | John de Hodynges |
| 1355 | Thomas Beby | - |
| 1357 | John de Petlyng | Thomas de Crom. |
| 1360 | Thomas Beby | Roger Belgrave |
| ?1360 | Roger Knyghton | Thomas Beby |
| 1362 | Richard Knyghton | William Burton |
| 1363 | John Peterburgh | Roger Kilby |
| 1365 | William Tabb | John Stafford |
| 1368 | Walter Lynd | Roger de Belgrave |
| 1369 | William Burton | William atte Greene |
| 1371 | William Taillard | Richard de Knyghton |
| 1372 | William atte Greene | Roger Beby |
| 1373 | John Stafford | John Peterburgh |
| 1375 | Henry de Petlyng | Henry de Clipstone |
| 1377 | William Huntedon | John Stafford |
| ?1377 | William Humberstone | William de Thornton |
| 1378 | John Chapman | Andrew Glasewright |
| 1379 | John de Stafford | William Ferrour |
| 1380 | John Sherote | Richard Boyes |
| 1381 | Stephen Chambre | Robert Norton |
| 1382 | John Stafford | Thomas Wakefield |
| ?1382 | Roger Belgrave | Richard Braunston |
| 1383 | Geoffrey Clerk | John Fode |
| 1386 | Geoffrey Clerk | William Morton |
| 1388 | Geoffrey Clerk | William Morton |
| 1388 | Geoffrey Clerk | John Cook |
| 1390 | ?Geoffrey Clerk | - |
| 1390 | - | |
| 1391 | Geoffrey Clerk | Henry Beeby |
| 1393 | Thomas Wakefield | John Houghton |
| 1394 | ?Geoffrey Clerk | Henry Beeby |
| 1395 | Robert Skillington | Henry Beeby |
| 1397 | Thomas Wakefield | Roger Humberston |
| 1397 | Thomas Bailly | Richard Falconer |
| 1399 | William Bispham | John Church |
| 1401 | John London | Peter Clerk |
| 1402 | - | |
| 1404 | - | |
| 1404 | - | |
| 1406 | John Donyngton | Roger Goldsmith |
| 1407 | Thomas Denton | John Tonge |
| 1410 | Robert Evington | John Church |
| 1411 | Robert Evington | Ralph Brasier |
| 1413 | - | |
| 1413 | John Hewet | John Church |
| 1414 | Ralph Brasier | Thomas Denton |
| 1414 | Henry Forster | Robert Evington |
| 1415 | - | |
| 1416 | - | |
| 1416 | - | |
| 1417 | - | |
| 1419 | Henry Forster | Ralph Brasier |
| 1420 | John Pykwell | John Church |
| 1421 | Ralph Brasier | John Church |
| 1421 | Henry Forster | John Nightingale |
| 1423 | Ralph Brasier | |
| 1426 | Ralph Brasier | |
| 1432 | Ralph Brasier | |
| 1455–1456 | Thomas Dalton | - |
| 1510–1515 | No names known | - |
| 1523 | William Bolt | Roger Wigston |
| 1529 | Thomas Brokesby | Robert Harward |
| 1536 | ? | - |
| 1539 | John Beaumont | William Wigston |
| 1542 | Robert Burdett | ?John Beaumont |
| 1545 | Edward Hastings | John Throckmorton |
| 1547 | George Swillington | Ralph Skinner |
| 1553 | George Swillington | Robert Cotton |
| 1553 | William Faunt | Thomas Farnham |
| 1554 | Francis Farnham | Thomas Jenkinson |
| 1554 | Francis Farnham | Hugh Aston |
| 1555 | Francis Farnham | ? |
| 1558 | Robert Breham | Maurice Tyttell |
| 1559 | John Hastings | Robert Breham |
| 1562/1563 | Robert Breham | Rubert Brokesby |
| 1571 | Thomas Cave | Stephen Hales |
| 1572 | Robert Breham | John Stanford I |
| 1584 | Henry Skipwith | Thomas Johnson |
| 1586 | Henry Skipwith | Thomas Johnson |
| 1588 | John Chippendale | Robert Heyrick |
| 1593 | John Stanford I | James Clarke |
| 1597 | George Parkins | John Stanford II |
| 1601 | Henry Beaumont | |
| 1614 | Henry Rich | Sir Francis Leigh |
| 1621–1622 | Sir Richard Moryson | Sir William Herrick |
| 1624 | Sir Humphrey May | William Ive |
| 1625 | Thomas Jermyn | Sir Humphrey May, sat for Lancaster and repl. by Sir George Hastings) |
| 1626 | Sir Humphrey May | Sir George Hastings |
| 1628 | Sir Humphrey May | Sir John Stanhope |
| 1629–1640 | No parliaments summoned | No parliaments summoned |
1640–1918
NotesElection results
Elections in the 1830s
Duckworth resigned after being appointed as Master of the Court of Chancery.Elections in the 1840s
The election was declared void on petition on 1 June 1848, due to bribery by Walmsley and Gardner's agents, causing a by-election.Elections in the 1850s
Gardner's death caused a by-election.Elections in the 1860s
Noble's death caused a by-election.Biggs resigned, causing a by-election.