The Local Government Act 1888 created four small neighbouring administrative counties in the east of England: Cambridgeshire, Isle of Ely, Huntingdonshire, and the Soke of Peterborough.

Following the Second World War, a Local Government Boundary Commission was formed to review county-level administration in England and Wales.

Accordingly, the draft proposals were to combine the Isle of Ely, Huntingdonshire and the Soke of Peterborough with Cambridgeshire (less the City of Cambridge).

[3] There was considerable opposition to the draft proposals, and the LGCE instead opted in its final report in 1961 to create two counties: Huntingdon and Peterborough, and Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely.

The amalgamation was welcomed by David Renton, the member of parliament (MP) for Huntingdonshire, who felt that "The new county will have very good communications and a great community of interest.

The blazon was as follows: Barry argent and azure on a fess embattled vert a cornucopia between two garbs or; and for a crest issuant from a mural crown or a demi lion gules gorged with a collar flory counterflory and supporting a staff or, flying therefrom a banner vert charged with two keys in saltire or; mantled azure, doubled argent.

To these were added supporters: a pikeman of the New Model Army for the Cromwellian associations of Huntingdonshire, and a mitred abbot for the origins of the Soke as territory administered by Peterborough Abbey.

In 1974 the Local Government Act 1972 completely reformed administrative structures throughout England and Wales excluding Greater London.