Northampton was a parliamentary constituency (centred on the town of Northampton), which existed until 1974.
It returned two Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons of England until 1707, the House of Commons of Great Britain until 1800 and to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until its representation was reduced to one member for the 1918 general election. The constituency was abolished for the February 1974 general election, when it was replaced by the new constituencies of Northampton North and Northampton South.
A former MP of note for the constituency was Spencer Perceval, the only British Prime Minister to be assassinated.
Vernon Smith was appointed Secretary of State for War, requiring a by-election.
Vernon Smith was appointed President of the Board of Control, requiring a by-election.
Vernon Smith was raised to the peerage, becoming 1st Baron Lyveden, and causing a by-election.
Gilpin's death caused a by-election.
Bradlaugh was unseated after voting in the Commons before taking the Oath of Allegiance, causing a by-election.
Bradlaugh was expelled from the House of Commons due to his continuing prevention from taking the Oath, causing a by-election.
Bradlaugh resigned and sought election once more, after a resolution to exclude him from the precincts of the House of Commons was sought.
Bradlaugh's death caused a by-election.
A General Election was due to take place by the end of 1915. By the summer of 1914, the following candidates had been adopted to contest that election. Due to the outbreak of war, the election never took place.
General Election 1939âÂÂ40
Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected;