Global political history

Global political history from 3000 BC to the 21st century – political leaders, elections, and more.

Past Constituencies (P)

Paddington South | Paisley | Peebles and Selkirk | Peebles and Southern Midlothian | Penrith and the Border | Penryn and Falmouth | Petersfield | Plymouth | Plymouth, Devonport | Pontefract | Portarlington | Portsmouth.


Paddington South

Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Paddington South

Name

Political Party

Dates in Office

Lord Randolph Henry Spencer-Churchill

Date of birth/date of death:

Born February 13 1849. Died January 24 1895.

References:

[1] UK Parliament, “Lord Randolph Churchill,” Historic Hansard 1803–2005, accessed August 2, 2026, https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/people/lord-randolph-churchill/index.html.

Conservative Party

November 24 1885 – January 24 1895


Paisley

Member of Parliament for Paisley
Herbert Henry Asquith

Date of birth/date of death:

Born September 12 1852. Died February 15 1928.

Honours:

Raised to the Peerage of the United Kingdom as Earl of Oxford and Asquith and Viscount Asquith, February 9 1925.2 Created a Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, June 1 1925.3

References:

[1] UK Parliament, “Herbert Asquith,” Historic Hansard 1803–2005, accessed April 22 2026, https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/people/mr-herbert-asquith/index.html.

[2] “No. 33019,” The London Gazette, February 10 1925, 1004, https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/33019/page/1004.

[3] “No. 33055,” The London Gazette, June 9 1925, 3869, https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/33055/page/3869.

Liberal Party

February 12 1920 – October 9 1924


Peebles and Selkirk

Member of Parliament for Peebles and Selkirk
Sir Donald Maclean

Date of birth/date of death: b. January 9 1864; d. June 15 1932.

Honours:

Created a Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, June 4 1917.2

References:

[1] UK Parliament, “Donald Maclean,” Historic Hansard 1803–2005, accessed April 22 2026, https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/people/mr-donald-maclean-1/index.html.

[2] “No. 30250,” The London Gazette, Supplement, February 10 1925, 8795, https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30250/supplement/8795.

Liberal Party

December 19 1910 – December 14 1918


Peebles and Southern Midlothian

Member of Parliament for Peebles and Southern Midlothian
Sir Donald Maclean

Date of birth/date of death: b. January 9 1864; d. June 15 1932.

Honours:

Created a Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, June 4 1917.2

References:

[1] UK Parliament, “Donald Maclean,” Historic Hansard 1803–2005, accessed April 22 2026, https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/people/mr-donald-maclean-1/index.html.

[2] “No. 30250,” The London Gazette, Supplement, February 10 1925, 8795, https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30250/supplement/8795.

Liberal Party

December 14 1918 – October 26 1922


Penrith and the Border

Member of Parliament for Penrith and the Border

Name

Political Party

Dates in Office

William Stephen Ian Whitelaw

Date of birth/date of death: b. June 28 1918; d. July 1 1999.

Titles:

Raised to the peerage as Viscount Whitelaw, of Penrith in the County of Cumbria, June 16 1983.2

Honours:

Created a Knight of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, November 30 1990.3

References:

[1] UK Parliament. “Parliamentary career for The Viscount Whitelaw.” Accessed May 4, 2026. https://members.parliament.uk/member/1722/career.

[2] “No. 49394,” The London Gazette, June 21 1983, 8199, https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/49394/page/8199.

[3] “No. 52351,” The London Gazette, November 30 1990, 18550, https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/52351/page/18550.

Conservative Party

May 26 1955 – June 11 1983

David John Maclean

Date of birth/date of death:

Born May 16 1953.

Titles:

Received a life peerage as Baron Blencathra, of Penrith in the County of Cumbria, February 28 2011.2

References:

[1] UK Parliament. “Parliamentary career for Lord Blencathra.” Accessed May 16, 2026. https://members.parliament.uk/member/497/career.

[2] “No. 59717,” The London Gazette, March 3 2011, 3923, https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/59717/page/3923.

Conservative Party

July 29 1983 – April 12 2010

Roderick James Nugent “Rory” Stewart

Date of birth/date of death:

Born January 3 1973.

References:

[1] UK Parliament. “Parliamentary career for Rory Stewart.” Accessed May 16, 2026. https://members.parliament.uk/member/4137/career.

Conservative Party (2010 – 2019); Independent (2019)

May 6 2010 – November 6 2019


Penryn and Falmouth

Member of Parliament for Penryn and Falmouth
Robert Monsey Rolfe

Date of birth/date of death: b. December 18 1790; d. July 26 1868.

Whig Party

1832 – 1840

John Cranch Walker Vivian

Date of birth/date of death: b. April 18 1818; d. January 22 1879.

Whig Party

1841 – 1847

Thomas George Baring

Date of birth/date of death: b. January 22 1826; d. November 15 1904.

Whig Party (1857 – 1859); Liberal Party (1859 – 1865)

1857 – 1866


Petersfield

Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for Petersfield

Name

Political Party

Dates in Office

Sir William Beckford

Date of birth/date of death: b. December 1709; d. June 21 1770.

Whig Party

1754

Sir Abraham Hume, 2nd Baronet

Date of birth/date of death: b. February 29 1749; d. March 24 1838.

Tory Party

1774 – 1780

George North

Date of birth/date of death: b. September 11 1757; d. April 20 1802.

Tory Party

1790

William Henry Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck, Marquess of Titchfield

Date of birth/date of death: b. June 24 1768; d. March 27 1854.

Tory Party

1790 – 1791

Charles Greville

Date of birth/date of death: b. November 2 1762; d. August 26 1832.

Non-Partisan

1795 – 1796

Hylton Jolliffe

Date of birth/date of death: b. February 28 1773; d. January 13 1843.

Tory Party

1796 – 1797

Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Petersfield

Name

Political Party

Dates in Office

Hylton Jolliffe

Date of birth/date of death: b. February 28 1773; d. January 13 1843.

Tory Party

1802 – 1830

John William Ward

Date of birth/date of death: b. August 9 1781; d. March 6 1833.

Tory Party

1806 – 1807

Booth Grey

Date of birth/date of death: b. February 12 1783; d. April 13 1850.

Non-Partisan

1807 – 1812

George Canning

Date of birth/date of death:

Born April 11 1770. Died August 8 1827.

References:

[1] UK Parliament, “George Canning,” Historic Hansard 1803–2005, accessed August 4 2026, https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/people/mr-george-canning/index.html.

Tory Party

October 9 1812 – December 24 1812

George Canning, 1st Baron Garvagh

Date of birth/date of death: b. November 15 1778; d. August 20 1840.

Tory Party

1812 – 1820

Hylton Jolliffe

Date of birth/date of death: b. February 28 1773; d. January 13 1843.

Tory Party

1831 – 1832

Hylton Jolliffe

Date of birth/date of death: b. February 28 1773; d. January 13 1843.

Tory Party (1833 – 1834); Conservative Party (1834 – 1835)

1833 – 1835

William Waldegrave Palmer, Viscount Wolmer

Date of birth/date of death: b. October 17 1859; d. February 26 1942

Titles of nobility: Earl of Selborne in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1895 – 1942)

Liberal Party (1885 – 1886); Liberal Unionist Party (1886 – 1892)

1885 – 1892


Plymouth

Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for Plymouth

Name

Political Party

Dates in Office

William Wildman Shute Barrington, 2nd Viscount Barrington

Date of birth/date of death:

Born January 15 1717. Died February 1 1793.

Whig Party

1754 – 1778

George Legge, Viscount Lewisham

Date of birth/date of death: b. c. 1717; d. October 15 1770.

Tory Party

1778 – 1780

Sir Edward George Clarke

Date of birth/date of death: b. February 15 1841; d. April 26 1931.

Conservative Party

1880 – 1900

Ivor Churchill Guest

Date of birth/date of death: b. January 16 1873; d. June 14 1939

Noble titles: Baron Ashby St Ledgers (1910 – 1939); Baron Wimborne (1914 – 1939); Viscount Wimborne (1918 – 1939)

Conservative Party (1900 – 1904); Liberal Party (1904 – 1906)

1900 – 1906

Waldorf Astor

Date of birth/date of death: b. May 19 1879; d. September 30 1952

Titles of nobility: Viscount Astor in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1919 – 1952).

Conservative Party

1910 – 1918


Plymouth, Devonport

Member of Parliament for Plymouth, Devonport
Sir George Grey, 2nd Baronet

Date of birth/date of death: b. May 11 1799; d. September 9 1882.

Whig Party

1832 – 1847

Michael Mackintosh Foot

Date of birth/date of death: b. July 23 1913; d. March 3 2010.

References:

[1] UK Parliament. “Parliamentary career for Michael Foot.” Accessed April 20, 2026. https://members.parliament.uk/member/831/career.

Labour Party

July 5 1945 – May 6 1955

David Anthony Llewellyn Owen

Date of birth/date of death: b. July 2 1938.

Labour Party (1974 – 1981); Social Democratic Party (1981 – 1988); “Continuing” Social Democratic Party (1988 – 1990); Independent (1990 – 1992)

1974 – 1992


Pontefract

Members of the Parliament of England for Pontefract

Name

Political Party

Dates in Office

Sir Thomas Wentworth, 2nd Baronet

Date of birth/date of death: b. April 13 1593; d. May 12 1641.

Non-Partisan

1624

Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for Pontefract

Name

Political Party

Dates in Office

John Smyth

Date of birth/date of death: b. February 12 1748; d. February 12 1811.

Whig Party

1783 – 1800

Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Pontefract

Name

Political Party

Dates in Office

John Smyth

Date of birth/date of death: b. February 12 1748; d. February 12 1811.

Whig Party

1801 – 1807

Hugh Culling Eardley Childers

Date of birth/date of death:

Born June 25 1827. Died January 29 1896.

References:

[1] UK Parliament, “Hugh Childers,” Historic Hansard 1803–2005, accessed August 2, 2026, https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/people/mr-hugh-childers/index.html.

Liberal Party

January 31 1860 – November 24 1885


Portarlington

Member of Parliament for Portarlington
William Elliot

Date of birth/date of death: b. March 12 1766; d. October 26 1818.

Non-Partisan

1801 – 1802

Sir Oswald Mosley, 2nd Baronet

Date of birth/date of death: b. March 27 1785; d. May 24 1871.

Non-Partisan

1806 – 1807

Henry William Lamb

Date of birth/date of death: b. March 15 1779; d. November 24 1848.

Titles:

Succeeded as the 3rd Viscount Melbourne in the Peerage of the Ireland and Baron Melbourne in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, July 22 1828.1

References:

[1] UK Parliament, “William Lamb,” Historic Hansard 1803–2005, accessed April 25 2026, https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/people/mr-william-lamb/index.html.

Whig Party

1807 – 1812


Portsmouth

Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for Portsmouth

Name

Political Party

Dates in Office

Vice-Admiral of the Blue Edward Vernon

Date of birth/date of death: b. November 12 1684; d. October 30 1757.

Tory Party

1741

Admiral of the Fleet Sir Edward Hawke

Date of birth/date of death: b. February 21 1705; d. October 17 1781.

Non-Partisan

1747 – 1776

Thomas Erskine

Date of birth/date of death: b. January 10 1750; d. November 17 1823.

Whig Party

1790 – 1800

Vice-Admiral Lord Hugh Seymour

Date of birth/date of death: b. April 29 1759; d. September 11 1801.

Non-Partisan

1796 – 1800

Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Portsmouth

Name

Political Party

Dates in Office

Thomas Erskine

Date of birth/date of death: b. January 10 1750; d. November 17 1823.

Whig Party

1801 – 1806

Vice-Admiral Lord Hugh Seymour

Date of birth/date of death: b. April 29 1759; d. September 11 1801.

Non-Partisan

1801

David Montagu Erskine

Date of birth/date of death: b. August 12 1776; d. March 19 1855.

Non-Partisan

1806

Sir Francis Thornhill Baring, 3rd Baronet

Date of birth/date of death:

Born April 20 1796. Died September 6 1866.

References:

[1] UK Parliament, “Sir Francis Baring,” Historic Hansard 1803–2005, accessed August 3, 2026, https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/people/sir-francis-baring/index.html.

Whig Party

Liberal Party

December 10 1832 – June 9 1859

June 9 1859 – July 11 1865

Sir George Thomas Staunton, 2nd Baronet

Date of birth/date of death: b. May 26 1781; d. August 10 1859.

Whig Party

1838 – 1852

Charles Stanley Monck, 4th Viscount Monck

Date of birth/date of death: b. October 10 1819; d. November 29 1894

Other offices held: Governor General of the Province of Canada (1861 – 1867); Governor General of Canada (1867 – 1868)

Note: As a member of the Irish peerage, Viscount Monck was eligible to sit in the House of Commons.

Whig Party

1852 – 1857

Sir Henry Drummond Charles Wolff

Date of birth/date of death: b. October 12 1830; d. October 11 1908.

Conservative Party

1880 – 1885