Sandwich (UK Parliament constituency)

Edit links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Sandwich
Former
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
1366–1885
Seatstwo
Replaced byIsle of Thanet

Sandwich was a

parliamentary constituency in Kent, which elected two Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons
from 1366 until 1885, when it was disfranchised for corruption.

History

Sandwich like most of the other

Cinque Ports
, was first enfranchised in the 14th century. As a Cinque Port it was technically of different status from a
parliamentary borough, but the difference was in most respects purely a nominal one. (The writ for election was directed to the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, rather than the sheriff of the county, and its MPs were termed "barons" rather than "burgesses" as in boroughs.) Until 1832, the constituency consisted of the three parishes making up the town of Sandwich
; it had once been a flourishing port but by the 19th century the harbour had silted up and there was only a limited maritime trade.

The right to vote was reserved to the

Privy Council
that this should be so. However, the inhabitants of the town not only petitioned against the election result, but informed the Lord Warden that they intended to present a bill to Parliament to annul the result of that year's election and to restore their former privileges. In the event the petition against the election result was upheld and the election declared void, and a decision of the Commons in another dispute election, in 1690, confirmed that the right of voting was in the freemen.

For most of its existence, no single interest had a predominant influence in Sandwich so as to reduce it to a

Admiralty could be sure of choosing at least one MP at most elections.[1]
Nevertheless, Sandwich fell short of being a true "Admiralty borough", and generally elected members who would benefit the town. (They were, however, no less venal than in other boroughs: the committee investigating a disputed election in 1695 was told that the elected member had promised that if after election he were to gain paid office he would give half his salary to the corporation, that he would contribute £20 a year for the poor of the town and a treat to the corporation on the anniversary of his election.)

In 1831, the population of the constituency was 3,084, and the town contained 610 houses. This would not have been sufficient for the borough to retain both its MPs under the

Great Reform Act, but the boundaries were extended so as to include the neighbouring towns of Deal and Walmer, which quadrupled the population. Even so, and despite the extension of the franchise, the revised constituency had only 916 qualified voters for the 1832 general election
.

At

Royal Commission appointed to investigate. It was found that out of an electorate of 2115, 1850 voted, of whom 900 admitted they had been bribed and 100 admitted they had bribed.[2] As a result of its report, Sandwich was abolished as a constituency with effect from 25 June 1885, being incorporated into the Eastern Kent
county division.

Members of Parliament

1366–1640

Parliament First member Second member
1386
John Godard
William Ive[3]
1388 (Feb) William Jordan Stephen Reyner[3]
1388 (Sep) John Berham Peter Cundy[3]
1390 (Jan) John Berham Stephen Reyner[3]
1390 (Nov)
1391 John Edward William Jordan[3]
1393 Stephen Reyner Thomas atte Welle[3]
1394
1395
John Godard
 John atte Nessche[3]
1397 (Jan) Richard Benge
John Godard[3]
1397 (Sep)
1399
John Godard
 Stephen Peyntour[3]
1401
1402
John Godard
 John atte Nessche[3]
1404 (Jan)
1404 (Oct)
1406 Henry Loveryk John Norton[3]
1407 Richard Mildenale John Norton[3]
1410 John Gyllyng Robert Haddon[3]
1411
1413 (Feb)
1413 (May) John Geldeford John Gyllyng[3]
1414 (Apr)
1414 (Nov) Simon Halle Richard Mildenale[3]
1415
1416 (Mar)
1416 (Oct)
1417 William Gayler Richard Mildenale[3]
1419 Laurence Cundy Thomas Loveryk[3]
1420 John Bolle Laurence Cundy[3]
1421 (May) Simon Halle Laurence Cundy[3]
1421 (Dec) John Bolle Laurence Cundy[3]
1485 Thomas Overton[4]
1491 John Naseby[4]
1510 John Westcliff John Cock[5]
1512 John Westcliff John Hobard[5]
1515 John Westcliff John Hobard[5]
1523 John Somer Roger Manwood[5]
1529 Vincent Engeham John Boys, died
and replaced Dec 1553 by Thomas Wingfield[5]
1536 Thomas Wingfield Vincent Engeham[5]
1539 Thomas Patche Nicholas Peake[5]
1542 John Lee Thomas Rolfe[5]
1545 John Master Thomas Menys[5]
1547 (first election) Thomas Pinnock John Seer[5]
1547 (second election) Thomas Patche Thomas Ardern[5][note 1]
1553 (Mar) Thomas Patche Thomas Menys[5]
1553 (Oct) Sir John Perrot Simon Linch[5]
1554 (Apr) John Master Simon Linch[5]
1554 (Nov) John Tysar Nicholas Crispe[5]
1555 Nicholas Peake Sir John Perrot[5]
1558 Roger Manwood Nicholas Crispe[5]
1559 Roger Manwood John Tysar[5]
1562–3 Roger Manwood Rice Perrot[5]
1571 Roger Manwood
John Manwood[5]
1572 Roger Manwood, made a judge
replaced Jul 1576 by Edward Peake		 John Boys[5]
1584 Edward Peake Edward Wood[5]
1586 Edward Peake Edward Wood[5]
1588–9 Peter Manwood Edward Peake[5]
1593 Peter Manwood Edward Peake[5]
1597 Peter Manwood Edward Peake[5]
1601 Peter Manwood Edward Peake[5]
1604-1611 Sir George Fane Edward Peake died
replaced by John Griffith
1614
Thomas Smythe
 Sir Samuel Peyton, 1st Baronet
1621-1622
Sir Edwin Sandys
 Sir Robert Hatton
election voided - replaced by
John Burroughes
1624 Sir Robert Hatton Francis Drake
1625 Sir Henry Wotton Sir Robert Hatton
1626 Sir John Suckling
sat for Norwich, replaced by Sir Edward Boys		 Peter Peake
1628 John Philipot Peter Peake
1629–1640 No Parliaments summoned

1640–1885

Year First member First party Second member Second party
April 1640 Sir John Manwood Nathaniel Finch
November 1640 Sir Thomas Peyton
Royalist
 Sir Edward Partridge
Parliamentarian
February 1644 Peyton disabled from sitting - seat vacant
1645 Charles Rich
December 1648 Rich and Partridge excluded in Pride's Purge - both seats vacant
1653 Sandwich was unrepresented in the
Barebones Parliament
1654 Colonel Thomas Kelsey Sandwich had only one seat in the First and
Second Parliaments of the Protectorate
1656 James Thurbarne
January 1659 Richard Meredith
May 1659 Not represented in the restored Rump
April 1660 James Thurbarne Henry Oxenden
1661 Edward Montagu
1665 John Strode
1679 John Thurbarne Sir James Oxenden
1685 John Strode Sir Philip Parker
1689 John Thurbarne Sir James Oxenden
1690 Edward Brent
1695 John Taylor
April 1698 John Thurbarne
July 1698 John Michel
January 1701 Henry Furnese[note 2] John Taylor
April 1701 John Michel
November 1701 Sir Henry Furnese Sir James Oxenden
1702 John Michel
1705 Josiah Burchett
Court Whig
April 1713 John Michel
August 1713 Sir Henry Oxenden
1715 (Sir) Thomas D'Aeth[note 3]
1720 Sir George Oxenden Whig
1722 Josiah Burchett Whig
1741 John Pratt
1747 John Clevland
1754 Claudius Amyand
1756 Henry Conyngham
1761 George Hay
1768 (Sir) Philip Stephens[note 4]
1774
William Hey
1776
Charles Brett
Tory
1780 Sir Richard Sutton
1784
Charles Brett
 Whig
1790 Sir Horatio Mann
1806 Captain Thomas Fremantle
1807 Admiral Peter Rainier Charles Jenkinson
1808 John Spratt Rainier
1812 Joseph Marryatt, Snr. Sir Joseph Sydney Yorke
1818 Sir George Warrender
1824 Henry Bonham
1826
Joseph Marryatt, Jnr.
Non Partisan[6]
 Sir Edward Owen Tory[7]
1829 Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Fane Tory[6]
1830 Whig[8] Samuel Grove Price Tory[8]
1831
Sir Edward Troubridge
 Whig[8][9]
1835 Samuel Grove Price Conservative[8]
1837
Sir James Rivett-Carnac
 Whig[8][10][9][11]
1839 General Sir Rufane Shaw Donkin Whig[12][13]
1841 Hugh Hamilton Lindsay Conservative
1847 Lord Clarence Paget Whig[14][15] Charles Grenfell Whig[14][15]
May 1852 Lord Charles Clinton Conservative
July 1852 James Macgregor Conservative
1857 Edward Knatchbull-Hugessen Whig[16] Lord Clarence Paget Whig[14][15]
1859 Liberal Liberal
1866 Charles Capper Conservative
1868 Henry Brassey Liberal
May 1880 Charles Henry Crompton-Roberts[note 5] Conservative
Aug 1880 Writ suspended and seat left vacant
after evidence of bribery was uncovered.
1885 Following Royal Commission investigation of corruption, constituency abolished and absorbed into Eastern Kent

Notes

  1. ^ This election was called at request of the borough Mayor, with Patche and Ardern returned but the return was declared invalid by Privy Council after appeal.
  2. ^ Created a baronet, June 1707
  3. ^ Created a baronet, July 1716
  4. ^ Created a baronet, March 1795
  5. ^ On petition the result of the 1880 by-election was declared void

Election results

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Sandwich (2 seats) [8][6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Joseph Marryat (1790–1876) Unopposed
Tory Samuel Grove Price Unopposed
Nonpartisan
Tory hold
General election 1831: Sandwich (2 seats)[8][6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Joseph Marryat (1790–1876) 498 41.8
Whig Edward Troubridge 397 33.3
Tory Samuel Grove Price 297 24.9
Majority 100 8.4
Turnout 700 c. 75.3
Registered electors c. 930
Whig hold
Whig gain from Tory
General election 1832: Sandwich (2 seats)[8][17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Joseph Marryat (1790–1876) 495 30.8 −11.0
Whig Edward Troubridge 485 30.2 −3.1
Tory Samuel Grove Price 361 22.5 +10.1
Tory Edward Owen 265 16.5 +4.1
Majority 124 7.7 −0.7
Turnout 847 92.5 c. +17.2
Registered electors 916
Whig hold Swing −9.1
Whig hold Swing −5.1
General election 1835: Sandwich (2 seats)[8][17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Samuel Grove Price 551 41.0 +18.5
Whig Edward Troubridge 405 30.1 −30.9
Conservative Edward Owen 389 28.9 +12.4
Turnout 841 90.0 −2.5
Registered electors 934
Majority 66 10.9 N/A
Conservative gain from Whig Swing +17.0
Majority 16 1.2 −6.5
Whig hold Swing −30.9

Troubridge was appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 27 April 1835: Sandwich[8][17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Edward Troubridge Unopposed
Whig hold
General election 1837: Sandwich (2 seats)[8][17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Edward Troubridge 416 27.4 +12.4
Whig James Rivett-Carnac 401 26.4 +11.4
Conservative Samuel Grove Price 370 24.4 −16.6
Conservative Brook Bridges 330 21.8 −7.1
Majority 31 2.0 +0.8
Turnout 769 84.4 −5.6
Registered electors 911
Whig hold Swing +12.1
Whig gain from Conservative Swing +11.6

Rivett-Carnac resigned after being appointed Governor of Bombay, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 12 February 1839: Sandwich[8][17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Rufane Shaw Donkin Unopposed
Whig hold

Elections in the 1840s

Donkin's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 11 May 1841: Sandwich[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Hugh Hamilton Lindsay 406 53.0 +6.8
Whig Charles Richard Fox[18] 360 47.0 −6.8
Majority 46 6.0 N/A
Turnout 766 80.5 −3.9
Registered electors 952
Conservative gain from Whig Swing +6.8
General election 1841: Sandwich (2 seats) [17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Edward Troubridge Unopposed
Conservative Hugh Hamilton Lindsay Unopposed
Registered electors 952
Whig hold
Conservative gain from Whig
General election 1847: Sandwich (2 seats) [17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig
Clarence Paget
 		459 35.6 N/A
Whig Charles Grenfell 437 33.9 N/A
Conservative Charles Pelham-Clinton 392 30.4 N/A
Majority 45 3.5 N/A
Turnout 840 (est) 89.1 (est) N/A
Registered electors 943
Whig hold Swing N/A
Whig gain from Conservative Swing N/A

Elections in the 1850s

Grenfell resigned in order to contest a by-election at Windsor, causing a by-election.

By-election, 28 May 1852: Sandwich (1 seat)[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Lord Charles Clinton 460 64.2 +33.8
Whig John Tracy William French[19][20] 257 35.8 −33.7
Majority 203 28.4 N/A
Turnout 717 74.7 −14.4
Registered electors 960
Conservative gain from Whig Swing +33.8
General election 1852: Sandwich (2 seats) [17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Lord Charles Clinton Unopposed
Conservative James Macgregor Unopposed
Registered electors 960
Conservative gain from Whig
Conservative gain from Whig
General election 1857: Sandwich (2 seats) [17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Edward Knatchbull-Hugessen 547 39.2 New
Whig
Clarence Paget
 		503 36.0 New
Conservative James Macgregor 322 23.1 N/A
Whig John Lang[21][22] 24 1.7 New
Majority 181 12.9 N/A
Turnout 847 (est) 84.0 (est) N/A
Registered electors 1,008
Whig gain from Conservative Swing N/A
Whig gain from Conservative Swing N/A
General election 1859: Sandwich (2 seats) [17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Edward Knatchbull-Hugessen 497 29.5 −9.7
Liberal
Clarence Paget
 		458 27.1 −8.9
Conservative James Fergusson 404 23.9 +12.3
Conservative William David Lewis[23] 328 19.4 +7.8
Majority 54 3.2 −9.7
Turnout 844 (est) 81.9 (est) -2.1
Registered electors 1,030
Liberal hold Swing −9.9
Liberal hold Swing −9.5

Knatchbull-Hugessen was appointed a

Lord Commissioner of the Treasury
, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 28 June 1859: Sandwich[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Edward Knatchbull-Hugessen 463 62.1 +5.5
Conservative James Fergusson 283 37.9 −5.4
Majority 180 24.2 +21.0
Turnout 746 72.4 −9.5
Registered electors 1,030
Liberal hold Swing +5.5

Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Sandwich (2 seats) [17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Edward Knatchbull-Hugessen 494 35.7 +6.2
Liberal
Clarence Paget
 		477 34.5 +7.4
Conservative Charles Capper 413 29.8 −14.5
Majority 64 4.7 +1.5
Turnout 899 (est) 85.2 (est) +3.3
Registered electors 1,054
Liberal hold Swing +6.7
Liberal hold Swing +7.3

Paget resigned, causing a by-election.

By-election, 8 May 1866: Sandwich (1 seat) [17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Capper 466 50.4 +20.6
Liberal Thomas Brassey[24] 458 49.6 −20.6
Majority 8 0.8 N/A
Turnout 924 87.7 +2.5
Registered electors 1,054
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +20.6
General election 1868: Sandwich (2 seats) [17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Edward Knatchbull-Hugessen 933 36.4 +0.7
Liberal Henry Brassey 923 36.0 +1.5
Conservative Henry Worms[25] 710 27.7 −2.1
Majority 213 8.3 +3.6
Turnout 1,638 (est) 85.9 (est) +0.7
Registered electors 1,906
Liberal hold Swing +0.9
Liberal hold Swing +1.3

Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Sandwich (2 seats) [17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Henry Brassey 1,035 30.3 −5.7
Liberal Edward Knatchbull-Hugessen 1,006 29.4 −7.0
Conservative Frederic C Hughes Hallett 764 22.4 +8.5
Conservative Hugh Sydney Baillie[26] 611 17.9 +4.0
Majority 242 7.0 -1.3
Turnout 1,708 (est) 83.5 (est) −2.4
Registered electors 2,046
Liberal hold Swing −6.0
Liberal hold Swing −6.6

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Sandwich (2 seats) [17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Henry Brassey Unopposed
Liberal Edward Knatchbull-Hugessen Unopposed
Registered electors 2,115
Liberal hold
Liberal hold

Hugessen resigned in advance of being elevated to the peerage, causing a by-election.

By-election, 19 May 1880: Sandwich (1 seat) [27][17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Henry Crompton-Roberts 1,145 61.9 New
Liberal Julian Goldsmid 705 38.1 N/A
Majority 440 23.8 N/A
Turnout 1,850 87.5 N/A
Registered electors 2,115
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing N/A

A Royal Commission found proof of extensive bribery and the writ was suspended, with the by-election result being voided. The writ was never returned and the constituency was merged into East Kent on 25 June 1885, before that seat was then abolished for the 1885 general election.[17]

References

  1. ^ Page 141, Lewis Namier, The Structure of Politics at the Accession of George III (2nd edition - London: St Martin's Press, 1957)
  2. ^ "Election Commission At Sandwich". The Cornishman. No. 120. 28 October 1880. p. 4.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 26 November 2011.
  4. ^
    ISBN 9780191610264
    . Retrieved 17 March 2012.
  5. ^ 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". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 26 November 2011.
  6. ^ a b c d Fisher, David R. "Sandwich". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  7. ^ Fisher, David R. "OWEN, Sir Edward William Campbell Rich (1771-1849), of Deal, Kent". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  8. ^
    ISBN 0-900178-13-2
    .
  9. ^ a b Mosse, Richard Bartholomew (1838). The Parliamentary Guide: a concise history of the Members of both Houses, etc. pp. 144, 224. Retrieved 30 November 2018 – via Google Books.
  10. ^ Arbuthnot, Alexander John (1887). "Carnac, James Rivett" . In Stephen, Leslie (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 9. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
  11. ISBN 9780571302901
    . Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  12. ^ Churton, Edward (1836). The Assembled Commons or Parliamentary Biographer: 1836. p. 57. Retrieved 30 November 2018 – via Google Books.
  13. ^ "Saunders's News-Letter". 1 February 1839. p. 1. Retrieved 30 November 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  14. ^ a b c "The General Election". Morning Post. 24 July 1847. p. 3. Retrieved 8 July 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  15. ^ a b c "Sandwich and Deal Election". Kentish Gazette. 3 August 1847. p. 2. Retrieved 8 July 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  16. LCCN 67-19403. Retrieved 8 July 2018 – via Google Books
    .
  17. ^
    ISBN 978-0333171530
    .
  18. ^ "West Kent Guardian". 15 May 1841. p. 8. Retrieved 30 November 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  19. ^ "West Kent Election". Dover Telegraph and Cinque Ports General Advertiser. 29 May 1852. p. 8. Retrieved 8 July 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  20. ^ "Election Intelligence". Cambridge Independent Press. 5 June 1852. p. 3. Retrieved 8 July 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  21. ^ "South Eastern Gazette". 31 March 1857. p. 5. Retrieved 8 July 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  22. ^ "Canterbury Journal, Kentish Times and Farmers' Gazette". 28 March 1857. p. 3. Retrieved 8 July 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  23. ^ "The Coming Elections". South Eastern Gazette. 12 April 1859. p. 4. Retrieved 8 July 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  24. ^ "Sandwich Election". Kentish Chronicle. 12 May 1866. p. 5. Retrieved 17 March 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  25. ^ "The County Elections". Kentish Gazette. 17 November 1868. p. 4. Retrieved 17 March 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  26. ^ "Sandwich and Deal". Western Daily Mercury. 27 January 1874. p. 3. Retrieved 19 January 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  27. ^ "Election News". The Cornishman. No. 97. 20 May 1880. p. 8.

Sources

  1. Robert Beatson, A Chronological Register of Both Houses of Parliament (London: Longman, Hurst, Res & Orme, 1807) [1]
  2. D Brunton & D H Pennington, Members of the Long Parliament (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1954)
  3. Cobbett's Parliamentary history of England, from the Norman Conquest in 1066 to the year 1803 (London: Thomas Hansard, 1808) [2]
  4. J. E. Neale, The Elizabethan House of Commons (London: Jonathan Cape, 1949)
  5. T. H. B. Oldfield
    , The Representative History of Great Britain and Ireland (London: Baldwin, Cradock & Joy, 1816)
  6. J Holladay Philbin, Parliamentary Representation 1832 - England and Wales (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1965)
  7. Edward Porritt and Annie G Porritt, The Unreformed House of Commons (Cambridge University Press, 1903)
  8. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "S" (part 2)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sandwich_(UK_Parliament_constituency)&oldid=1202477262"