Chatham (UK Parliament constituency)

Chatham was a parliamentary constituency in Kent which returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was created for the 1832 general election, when the borough of Chatham was enfranchised under the Reform Act 1832.

It was abolished for the 1950 general election, when it was largely replaced by the new Rochester and Chatham constituency. This then became Medway in 1983. When the boroughs of Rochester upon Medway and Gillingham merged to form the larger unitary Borough of Medway in 1998, the Parliamentary constituency of Medway only covered part of the new borough, so for the 2010 election it was renamed Rochester and Strood.

Boundaries
1918–1950: The Borough of Rochester except part of St Peter's ward, and the Borough of Chatham wards of Luton and St John.

Elections in the 1830s
Maberly resigned on appointment as a Commissioner of Customs, causing a by-election.

Elections in the 1850s
The election was declared void on petition, due to bribery, causing a by-election.

Elections in the 1870s
Elliot resigned, causing a by-election.

Elections in the 1880s
Gorst was appointed Solicitor General for England and Wales, requiring a by-election.





Elections in the 1910s




Elections in the 1920s




Elections in the 1930s
The sitting MP Sydney Frank Markham sought re-election as a National Labour candidate. However, the Conservatives refused to withdraw in his favour. As a result, he was forced to withdraw. Communist candidate Walter Hannington was also adopted but subsequently withdrew.