The constituency was not a physical area. Its electorate consisted of the graduates of the University of Oxford. Before 1918 the franchise was restricted to male graduates with a Doctorate or MA degree. Namier and Brooke estimated the number of electors as about 500 in the 1754-1790 period.
The university strongly supported the old Tory cause in the eighteenth century. The original party system endured long after it had become meaningless in almost every other constituency.
After the Hanoverian succession to the British throne the Whigs became dominant in the politics of Cambridge University, the other university represented in Parliament, by using a royal prerogative power to confer Doctorates. That power did not exist at Oxford, so the major part of the university electorate remained Tory (and in the first half of the eighteenth century sometimes Jacobite) in sympathy.
The university also valued its independence from government. In a rare contested general election in 1768 the two candidates with administration ties were defeated.
In the nineteenth century the university continued to support the right, almost always returning Tory, Conservative or Liberal Unionist candidates. The only exception was William Ewart Gladstone, formerly "the rising hope of the stern unbending Tories". He first represented the university as a Peelite, supporting a former member for the constituency - the sometime Conservative Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel. Gladstone retained his seat as a Liberal, for a time after 1859. Following Gladstone's defeat, in 1865, subsequent Liberal candidates were rare and they were never successful in winning a seat.
Even after the introduction of proportional representation, in 1918, both members continued to be Conservatives until 1935. Independent members were elected in the last phase of university elections to Parliament, before the constituency was abolished in 1950.
Members of Parliament
The politician Rayment names as Sir William Whitelocke is named by Sedgwick as Sir William Whitlock.
The roman numerals in brackets after the names of the two members called William Bromley (who were father and son) are included to distinguish them. It is not a method which would have been used by the men themselves.
As there were sometimes significant gaps between Parliaments held in this period, the dates of first assembly and dissolution are given. Where the name of the member has not yet been ascertained, the entry unknown is entered in the table.
b Date when Oliver Cromwell dissolved the Rump Parliament by force.
c Date when the members of the nominated or Barebones Parliament were selected. The university was not represented in this body.
d Date when the members of the First Protectorate Parliament were elected. The university was represented by one member in this body.
e Date when the members of the Second Protectorate Parliament were elected. The university was represented by one member in this body.
f The Rump Parliament was recalled and subsequently Pride's Purge was reversed, allowing the full Long Parliament to meet until it agreed to dissolve itself.
h The MPs of the last Parliament of England and 45 members co-opted from the former Parliament of Scotland, became the House of Commons of the 1st Parliament of Great Britain which assembled on 23 October1707 (see below for the members in that Parliament).
Parliaments of Great Britain 1707-1800 and of the United Kingdom 1801-1950
1 Bromley had represented the university since a by-election in March 1701. He was Speaker of the House of Commons 1710-1713.
2 Abbot was Speaker of the House of Commons 1802-1817.
3 Estcourt and Inglis are regarded as Conservative MPs from 1835, as this was the approximate date when the Tory Party became known as the Conservative Party.
4 Gladstone accepted office in a Liberal ministry in 1859, thus vacating the seat he had held (as a Peelite MP - more formally a Liberal Conservative). He was re-elected as a Liberal candidate.
5 Anson became a Conservative MP when the Liberal Unionists formally merged with the Conservatives in 1912.
6 Cecil joined the non-Coalition wing of his party at some point during the 1918-1922 Parliament.
Note (1829): Stooks Smith records that the polls were open for three days.
Elections in the 1830s
Elections in the 1840s
Note (1841): McCalmont classifies Inglis as a Peelite candidate, at this election.
Note (1847): Poll 5 days. (Source for this note and the number of voters: Stooks Smith). McCalmont classifies Inglis as a Peelite and Gladstone as a Liberal Conservative candidate, at this election.
Elections in the 1850s
Note (1852): Minimum possible turnout estimated by dividing votes by 2. To the extent that electors did not use both their votes, the figure will be an underestimate. McCalmont classifies Gladstone as a Liberal Conservative candidate, at this election.
Resignation of Inglis. McCalmont classifies Gladstone as a Liberal Conservative candidate, at this election.
Seat vacated on the appointment of Gladstone as Lord High Commissioner to the Ionian Islands. McCalmont classifies Gladstone as a Liberal Conservative candidate, at this election.
Seat vacated on the appointment of Gladstone as Chancellor of the Exchequer. McCalmont classifies Gladstone as a Liberal candidate, at this election.
Elections in the 1860s
Note (1865): Turnout estimated in the same way as for the 1852 election.
Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885-1972, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Parliamentary Reference Publications 1972)
British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press 1977)
British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press 1974)
British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press, revised edition 1977)
McCalmont's Parliamentary Poll Book: British Election Results 1832-1918 (8th edition, The Harvester Press 1971)
The House of Commons 1715-1754, by Romney Sedgwick (HMSO 1970)
The House of Commons 1754-1790, by Sir Lewis Namier and John Brooke (HMSO 1964)
The Parliaments of England by Henry Stooks Smith (1st edition published in three volumes 1844-50), second edition edited (in one volume) by F.W.S. Craig (Political Reference Publications 1973))
Who's Who of British Members of Parliament: Volume I 1832-1885, edited by M. Stenton (The Harvester Press 1976)
Who's Who of British Members of Parliament, Volume II 1886-1918, edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (Harvester Press 1978)
Who's Who of British Members of Parliament, Volume III 1919-1945, edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (Harvester Press 1979)
Who's Who of British Members of Parliament, Volume IV 1945-1979, edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (Harvester Press 1981)
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