Dorset
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
Context of 1832-1868. Extract from 1837 result: the larger area with thick blue stripes.
CountyDorset
1290–1885
Seats1290–1832: Two
1832–1885: Three
Replaced byNorth Dorset, South Dorset, East Dorset, West Dorset

Dorset was a county constituency covering Dorset in southern England, which elected two Members of Parliament (MPs), traditionally known as knights of the shire, to the House of Commons of England from 1290 until 1707, to the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom until 1832.

The Great Reform Act increased its representation to three MPs with effect from the 1832 general election, and under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 the constituency was abolished for the 1885 election, and replaced by four single-member divisions: North Dorset, South Dorset, East Dorset and West Dorset.

When elections were contested, the bloc vote system was used, but contests were rare. Even after the 1832 Reforms, only three of the nineteen elections before 1885 were contested; in the others, the nominated candidates were returned without a vote.[1]

Members of Parliament

Before 1640

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (August 2008)
Parliament First member Second member
1371 Sir John Hamely[2]
1376 Sir John Hamely[2] Sir Thomas Blount
1377 (Jan) Sir John Hamely[2]
1386 Sir Stephen Derby John Frome[3]
1388 (Feb) Sir Robert Turberville John Frome[3]
1388 (Sep) Sir Humphrey Stafford Sir John Moigne[3]
1390 (Jan) Sir Humphrey Stafford John Frome[3]
1390 (Nov) Sir Stephen Derby Theobald Wykeham[3]
1391 Sir Humphrey Stafford Sir John Hamely[3]
1393 Sir Humphrey Stafford Sir John Moigne[3]
1394 Sir Stephen Derby John Perle[3]
1395 Sir Humphrey Stafford Theobald Wykeham[3]
1397 (Jan) Sir Humphrey Stafford Sir John Moigne[3]
1397 (Sep) John Bathe William Martin[3]
1399 Sir Humphrey Stafford John Frome[3]
1401 Sir Humphrey Stafford John Frome[3]
1402 Sir William Cheyne John Bathe[3]
1404 (Jan) Sir Humphrey Stafford John Frome[3]
1404 (Oct) Sir John Devereux John Frampton[3]
1406 Sir Humphrey Stafford Sir Ivo Fitzwaryn[3]
1407 Sir Humphrey Stafford Sir Ivo Fitzwaryn[3]
1410 Sir Humphrey Stafford William Stourton[3]
1411
1413 (Feb)
1413 (May) Thomas Brooke William Stourton[3]
1414 (Apr) Sir Humphrey Stafford II William Filoll[3]
1414 (Nov) Sir Humphrey Stafford II John Chideock[3]
1415
1416 (Mar)
1416 (Oct)
1417 Sir Humphrey Stafford II Robert More[3]
1419 Sir Humphrey Stafford II Ralph Bush[3]
1420 Sir Humphrey Stafford II William Carent[3]
1421 (May) Sir Humphrey Stafford II Roberty Lovell[3]
1421 (Dec) Sir John Horsey John Roger[3]
1426 William Carent[4]
1427 William Carent[4]
1431 John Hody
1439 William Browning (born 1400)[5]
1450 William Browning (born 1400)[5]
1455 William Browning (born 1400)[5]
1510–1523 No names known
1529 Sir Giles Strangways I John Horsey
1536 ?
1539 Sir Giles Strangways I Sir John Horsey
1542 ?
1545 Sir Thomas Arundell Sir John Rogers
1547 Sir Thomas Arundell Sir John Rogers
1553 (Mar) ?
1553 (Oct) Sir John Horsey Sir Giles Strangeways
Parliament of 1554 John Lewson
Parliament of 1554-1555 Sir Henry Ashley Richard Phelips
Parliament of 1555 Sir John Rogers Sir Giles Strangeways
Parliament of 1558 Sir Oliver Laurence
Parliament of 1559 Sir John Rogers
Parliament of 1563-1567 Sir Henry Ashley Thomas Howard
Parliament of 1571 John Horsey Sir William Paulet
Parliament of 1572-1581 Richard Rogers John Strode
Parliament of 1584-1585 George Trenchard John Fitzjames
Parliament of 1586-1587 Ralph Horsey Andrew Rogers
Parliament of 1588-1589 Sir John Wolley
Parliament of 1593 Thomas Hussey Arthur Gorges
Parliament of 1597-1598 Sir Ralph Horsey Sir Walter Raleigh
Parliament of 1601 George Trenchard Sir Edmund Uvedall
Parliament of 1604-1611 Sir Thomas Freke John Williams
Addled Parliament (1614) Sir Mervyn Audley Sir John Strangways
Parliament of 1621-1622 Sir Thomas Trenchard
Happy Parliament (1624-1625) Sir George Horsey
Useless Parliament (1625) Sir Walter Erle Sir Nathaniel Napier
Parliament of 1625-1626 Sir George Morton Sir Thomas Freke
Parliament of 1628-1629 Sir George Hussey Sir John Strangways
No Parliament summoned 1629-1640

MPs 1640–1832

Year First member First party Second member Second party
April 1640 Lord Digby Royalist Richard Rogers Royalist
November 1640
1641 John Browne Parliamentarian
September 1642 Rogers disabled from sitting - seat vacant
1645 Sir Thomas Trenchard
December 1648 Trenchard did not sit after Pride's Purge - seat vacant
1653 William Sydenham John Bingham
Dorset had six seats in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate
1654 William Sydenham, John Bingham, Sir Walter Earle, John Fitzjames, John Trenchard, Henry Henley
1656 William Sydenham, John Bingham, Robert Coker, John Fitzjames, John Trenchard, James Dewey
Dorset reverted to two seats in the Third Protectorate Parliament
January 1659 Sir Walter Earle John Bingham
May 1659 Not represented in the restored Rump
April 1660 John Fitzjames Robert Coker
Apr 1661 John Strode Giles Strangways
1675 Lord Digby
1677 Thomas Browne
1679 Thomas Strangways I Thomas Freke
1701 Thomas Trenchard
1702 Thomas Chafin
1711 Richard Bingham
1713 George Chafin Thomas Strangways II
Jan 1727 George Pitt
Sep 1727 Edmund Morton Pleydell
1747 George Pitt Tory
later Independent
1754 Humphrey Sturt
1774 Hon. George Pitt
1784 Francis John Browne
1790 William Morton Pitt Tory[6]
1806 Edward Berkeley Portman I Whig[6]
1823 Edward Portman II Whig[6]
1826 Henry Bankes Tory[6]
May. 1831 John Calcraft Whig[6]
Sep. 1831 Lord Ashley Tory[6]
1832 Representation increased to 3 members

MPs 1832–1885

Election First member First party[1] Second member Second party[1] Third member Third party[1]
1832 Lord Ashley Tory[6] William John Bankes Tory[6] Hon. William Ponsonby Whig[6][7]
1834 Conservative[6] Conservative[6]
1835 Henry Sturt Conservative[6]
1837 Hon. John Fox-Strangways Whig[8][9][10][6]
1841 George Bankes Conservative[6]
1846 by-election Henry Ker Seymer Conservative John Floyer Conservative
1856 by-election Henry Sturt Conservative
1857 Hon. Henry Portman Whig[11]
1859 Liberal
1864 by-election John Floyer Conservative
1876 by-election Hon. Edward Digby Conservative
1885 Constituency divided among North, South, East, and West Dorset.

Election results

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Dorset[6][12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Edward Portman Unopposed
Tory Henry Bankes Unopposed
Registered electors c. 3,500
Whig hold
Tory hold
General election 1831: Dorset[6][12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Edward Portman 1,699 39.3
Whig John Calcraft 1,452 33.6
Tory Henry Bankes 1,170 27.1
Majority 282 6.5
Turnout c. 2,161 c. 54.0
Registered electors c. 4,000
Whig hold
Whig gain from Tory

Calcraft's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 30 September 1831: Dorset[6][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Anthony Ashley-Cooper 1,847 50.5 +23.4
Whig William Ponsonby 1,811 49.5 −23.4
Majority 36 1.0 N/A
Turnout 3,658 c. 91.5 c. +37.5
Registered electors c. 4,000
Tory gain from Whig Swing +23.4
General election 1832: Dorset[13][6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Tory Anthony Ashley-Cooper Unopposed
Tory William John Bankes Unopposed
Whig William Ponsonby Unopposed
Registered electors 5,632
Tory win (new seat)
Tory gain from Whig
Whig hold
General election 1835: Dorset[13][6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Anthony Ashley-Cooper Unopposed
Conservative Henry Sturt Unopposed
Whig William Ponsonby Unopposed
Registered electors 5,679
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
Whig hold
General election 1837: Dorset[13][6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Anthony Ashley-Cooper Unopposed
Conservative Henry Sturt Unopposed
Whig John Fox-Strangways Unopposed
Registered electors 6,263
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
Whig hold

Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Dorset[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anthony Ashley-Cooper Unopposed
Conservative Henry Sturt Unopposed
Conservative George Bankes Unopposed
Registered electors 6,870
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
Conservative gain from Whig

Ashley-Cooper and Sturt both resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds causing a by-election.

By-election, 19 February 1846: Dorset[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Floyer Unopposed
Conservative Henry Ker Seymer Unopposed
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
General election 1847: Dorset[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Bankes Unopposed
Conservative John Floyer Unopposed
Conservative Henry Ker Seymer Unopposed
Registered electors 6,275
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1850s

Bankes was appointed Judge Advocate General of the Armed Forces, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 9 March 1852: Dorset[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Bankes Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1852: Dorset[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Bankes Unopposed
Conservative John Floyer Unopposed
Conservative Henry Ker Seymer Unopposed
Registered electors 5,690
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Bankes' death caused a by-election.

By-election, 26 July 1856: Dorset[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Sturt Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1857: Dorset[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Henry Portman 2,430 27.1 New
Conservative Henry Sturt 2,197 24.5 N/A
Conservative Henry Ker Seymer 2,177 24.3 N/A
Conservative John Floyer 2,159 24.1 N/A
Majority 233 2.6 N/A
Turnout 4,608 (est) 82.0 (est) N/A
Registered electors 6,203
Whig gain from Conservative Swing N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 1859: Dorset[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Sturt Unopposed
Conservative Henry Ker Seymer Unopposed
Liberal Henry Portman Unopposed
Registered electors 6,639
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1860s

Seymer resigned, causing a by-election.

By-election, 27 February 1864: Dorset[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Floyer Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1865: Dorset[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Sturt Unopposed
Conservative John Floyer Unopposed
Liberal Henry Portman Unopposed
Registered electors 6,203
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
Liberal hold
General election 1868: Dorset[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Sturt Unopposed
Conservative John Floyer Unopposed
Liberal Henry Portman Unopposed
Registered electors 7,443
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Dorset[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Sturt Unopposed
Conservative John Floyer Unopposed
Liberal Henry Portman Unopposed
Registered electors 7,293
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
Liberal hold

Sturt was elevated to the peerage, becoming Lord Alington.

By-election, 5 Feb 1876: Dorset[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Digby 3,060 62.1 N/A
Tenant Farmer Robert Fowler[14] 1,866 37.9 New
Majority 1,194 24.2 N/A
Turnout 4,926 69.0 N/A
Registered electors 7,142
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Dorset[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Digby Unopposed
Conservative John Floyer Unopposed
Liberal Henry Portman Unopposed
Registered electors 7,522
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
Liberal hold
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (August 2008)

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d Craig, F. W. S. (1989) [1977]. British parliamentary election results 1832–1885 (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. pp. 376–377. ISBN 0-900178-26-4.
  2. ^ a b c "HAMELY (HAMYLYN), Sir John (aft.1324-1399), of Wimborne St. Giles, Dorset". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa "History of Parliament". Retrieved 9 September 2011.
  4. ^ a b "CARENT, William (d.1476), of Toomer in Henstridge, Som". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
  5. ^ a b c "BROWNING, John (C.1369-1416), of Melbury Sampford, Dorset and Leigh near Deerhurst, Glos. | History of Parliament Online".
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Stooks Smith, Henry. (1973) [1844-1850]. Craig, F. W. S. (ed.). The Parliaments of England (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. pp. 81–82. ISBN 0-900178-13-2.
  7. ^ Churton, Edward (1836). The Assembled Commons or Parliamentary Biographer: 1836. p. 144.
  8. ^ Mosse, Richard Bartholomew (1838). The Parliamentary Guide: a concise history of the Members of both Houses, etc. pp. 222, 228. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  9. ^ Mosse, Richard Bartholomew (1837). The parliamentary guide, a concise biography of the members of both houses of parliament. p. 220. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  10. ^ Crosby, George (1838). Crosby's General Political Reference Book: containing the historical origin of the British parliament; an authentic result of all the contested elections in Great Britain and Ireland, for nearly a century ... and an alphabetical list of the representatives for each party in the House of Commons, etc. George Crosby. p. 112. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  11. ^ "Dorset Chronicle". 19 March 1857. p. 9. Retrieved 8 July 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. ^ a b c Farrell, Stephen. "Dorset". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. pp. 380–381. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
  14. ^ "Representation of the County". Western Gazette. 21 January 1876. pp. 6–8. Retrieved 29 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.

References

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