House of Commons of Great Britain

British Parliament lower house from 1707 to 1801

The House of Commons of Great Britain was the lower house of the Parliament of Great Britain between 1707 and 1801. This was a result of the Acts of Union. It replaced the House of Commons of England and the third estate of the Parliament of Scotland. This was one of the most significant changes brought about by the Union of the kingdoms of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain.

In 1801, the House was enlarged to become the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, as a result of the Act of Union of 1800 which combined Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland into the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

Parliamentary constituencies

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The constituencies which elected members in England and Wales did not change throughout the existence of the Parliament of Great Britain.

Table of Constituencies and Members of the Parliament
Country Constituencies Members
Borough
/Burgh
County University Total Borough
/Burgh
County University Total
England[1] 203 40 2 245 405 80 4 489
Wales 12 12 0 24 12 12 0 24
Scotland 15 30 0 45 15 30 0 45
Total 230 82 2 314 432 122 4 558

Sources:

  • Chris Cook & John Stevenson, British Historical Facts 1760-1830 (The Macmillan Press, 1980)
  • Colin Rallings & Michael Thrasher, British Electoral Facts 1832-1999 (Ashgate Publishing Ltd, 2000)

References

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  1. Monmouthshire, with one county constituency represented by two members and one single-member borough constituency, is included in England. In later centuries it was included in Wales.