Ravensbourne (UK Parliament constituency)

Ravensbourne
Former borough constituency for the House of Commons
County	Greater London
February 1974–1997
Seats	One
Created from	Bromley
Replaced by	Bromley & Chislehurst, Beckenham and Orpington

Ravensbourne was a borough constituency in the London Borough of Bromley in south London. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom by the first-past-the-post system. It existed from the February 1974 general election until it was abolished for the 1997 general election.

History

This was a safe Conservative seat held by Sir John Hunt for the entire period of its existence.

The constituency shared boundaries with the Ravensbourne electoral division for election of councillors to the Greater London Council at elections in 1973, 1977 and 1981.

Boundaries

1974–1983: The London Borough of Bromley wards of Bromley Common, Keston and Hayes, Martin's Hill and Town, West Wickham North, and West Wickham South.

1983–1997: The London Borough of Bromley wards of Biggin Hill, Bromley Common and Keston, Darwin, Hayes, Martins Hill and Town, West Wickham North, and West Wickham South.

Members of Parliament

Election		Member	Party
	Feb 1974	Sir John Hunt	Conservative
	1997	constituency abolished: see Bromley and Chislehurst, Beckenham & Orpington

Elections

Elections in the 1970s

1970 notional result
Party		Vote	%
	Conservative	20,500	59.6
	Liberal	7,100	20.6
	Labour	6,800	19.8
Turnout		34,400	69.1
Electorate		49,795

General election February 1974: Ravensbourne

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Hunt	20,420	51.5	–8.1
	Liberal	David Crowe	11,523	29.0	+8.4
	Labour	Michael Hession	6,943	17.5	–2.3
	National Front	Geoffrey Parker	786	2.0	New
Majority			8,897	22.4	–16.5
Turnout			39,673	82.5	+13.4
Registered electors			48,089
	Conservative hold		Swing	–8.3

General election October 1974: Ravensbourne

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Hunt	18,318	51.0	–0.5
	Liberal	David Crowe	9,813	27.3	–1.7
	Labour	Christopher Howes	7,204	20.1	+2.5
	National Front	I Stevens	574	1.6	–0.4
Majority			8,505	23.7	+1.3
Turnout			35,910	74.0	–8.5
Registered electors
	Conservative hold		Swing	+0.6

General election 1979: Ravensbourne

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Hunt	22,501	60.9	+9.9
	Liberal	William Shipley	7,111	19.3	–8.1
	Labour	John R Holbrook	6,848	18.5	–1.5
	National Front	Stephen Greene	478	1.3	–0.3
Majority			15,390	41.7	+18.0
Turnout			36,938	77.6	+3.6
Registered electors			47,601
	Conservative hold		Swing	+9.0

1979 notional result
Party		Vote	%
	Conservative	27,761	61.0
	Liberal	9,455	20.8
	Labour	7,696	16.9
	Others	579	1.3
Turnout		45,491
Electorate

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1983: Ravensbourne

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Hunt	27,143	63.0	+2.0
	Liberal	Catharine Boston	11,631	27.0	+6.2
	Labour	John R Holbrook	4,037	9.4	–7.5
	BNP	AT Shotton	242	0.6	–0.7
Majority			15,512	36.0	–4.2
Turnout			43,055	73.2
Registered electors			58,811
	Conservative hold		Swing	–2.1

General election 1987: Ravensbourne

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Hunt	28,295	63.0	–0.1
	Liberal	Gareth Campbell	11,376	25.3	–1.7
	Labour	Michael D'Arcy	5,087	11.3	+1.9
	BNP	Alfred Waite	184	0.4	−0.2
Majority			16,919	37.7	+1.6
Turnout			44,939	75.7	+2.5
Registered electors			59,365
	Conservative hold		Swing	+0.8

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1992: Ravensbourne

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Hunt	29,506	63.4	+0.5
	Liberal Democrats	Paul JH Booth	9,792	21.1	−4.3
	Labour	Ernest W Dyer	6,182	13.3	+2.0
	Green	IJ Mouland	617	1.3	New
	Liberal	P White	318	0.7	New
	Natural Law	JW Shepheard	105	0.2	New
Majority			19,714	42.4	+4.8
Turnout			46,520	81.2	+5.5
Registered electors			57,259
	Conservative hold		Swing	+2.4

See also

• List of parliamentary constituencies in London

References

• Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "R" (part 1)