Sir Winston Curchill represented five different constituencies in his 64–year parliamentary career: Oldham (1900–6), Manchester North West (1906–8), Dundee (1908–22), Epping (1924–45), and Woodford (1945–64). Originally a Conservative, he crossed the house to join the Liberal party in 1904 (when he represented Oldham) and in 1922 he failed to get re–elected in Dundee. He stood for the Liberals at Leicester in 1923, but failed to get elected; in March 1924 he was beaten for a third time when he stood as a Constitutionalist (never a formal party) in a by–election at Westminster Abbey. In the General Election of October 1924, Churchill and 11 others stood as Constitutionalists, and he was elected at Epping. He promptly accepted the post of Chancellor of the Exchequer in Stanley Baldwin's government, after which he he crossed back to rejoin the Conservatives.
The Constitutionalist movement (for want of a better word) was an attempt, led by Churchill, to unite the Conservatives and Liberals against Labour, which Churchill viewed as a Socialist party and a threat to the British constitution.
In 1945 he stood as the Conservative candidate for the newly–created constituency of Woodford. There was only one other candidate – an Independent – and Churchill was elected with 73% of the vote. (Churchill's replacement as Conservative candidate for Epping was narrowly beaten by the Labour candidate.) Churchill served Woodford for 19 years, after which he retired and Woodford was incorporated into the new constituency of Wanstead and Woodford. He died in January 1965, just three months after leaving the House of Commons, aged 90.
His tenancy at Epping included his first term as Prime Minister; during his second government, and during his tenancy as Father of the House, he represented Woodford.
© Haydn Thompson 2017