Dorchester (UK Parliament constituency)

Dorchester was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Dorchester in Dorset. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of England, Great Britain and House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1295 to 1868, when its representation was reduced to one member.

The constituency was abolished by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, after which Dorchester was placed in the new Dorset South constituency. In 1918 it was transferred to Dorset West, where it has remained since.

## Members of Parliament

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### 1295-1629

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This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (August 2008)

|

Parliament | First member | Second member

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|

1386 | Henry Cravell | Peter Blount[1]
1388 (Feb) | John Perle | Thomas Lamer[1]
1388 (Sep) | William Chuse | Thomas Gardener[1]
1390 (Jan) | William Tylle | John Blount[1]
1390 (Nov) |
1391 | Thomas Lamer | John Gould[1]
1393 | Robert Gutton | Thomas Gardener[1]
1394 | William Pullare | William Ash[1]
1395 | John Blount | Thomas Hussey[1][2]
1397 (Jan) | Robert Veel | John Jordan[1]
1397 (Sep) | Robert Gutton | John Jordan[1]
1399 | John Blount | John Westpray[1]
1401 |
1402 | John Bomel | John Jordan[1]
1404 (Jan) | John Blount | John Jordan[1]
1404 (Oct) |
1406 | Richard Hyde | John Jordan[1]
1407 | John Cheverell | John Jordan[1]
1410 | John Jordan[1]
1411 |
1413 (Feb) |
1413 (May) | Walter Tracy | William Newton[1]
1414 (Apr) | John Blount | John Gryffyn[1]
1414 (Nov) | John Jordan | Richard Berell[1]
1415 |
1416 (Mar) |
1416 (Oct) |
1417 | Reynold Jacob | John Ford[1]
1419 | John Ford | [1]
1420 | John Stork | John Ford[1]
1421 (May) | John Stork | John Ford[1]
1421 (Dec) | Robert Mose | John Ford[1]
Second Parliament of 1553  | Christopher Hole | William Holman
Parliament of 1554  | Owen Hayman
Parliament of 1554-1555  | John Davy
Parliament of 1555  | Robert Robotham | Ralph Perne
Parliament of 1558  | Christopher Hole | John Hayward
Parliament of 1559  | William Holman | John Leweston
Parliament of 1563-1567  | Thomas Marten | Lewis Montgomery Chose to sit for Northampton
By-election John Gardiner
Parliament of 1571  | Henry Macwilliam | William Adyn
Parliament of 1572-1581  | George Carleton | George Trenchard
Parliament of 1584-1585  | Robert Beale | Thomas Freke
Parliament of 1586-1587  | Robert Napier
Parliament of 1588-1589  | Nowell Sotherton
Parliament of 1593  | Dr Francis James | Thomas Dabridgecourt
Parliament of 1597-1598  | Robert Ashley | Richard Wright
Parliament of 1601  | Henry Brouncker[3] | Matthew Chubbe
Parliament of 1604-1611  | John Spicer
Addled Parliament (1614) | Francis Ashley | George Horsey
Parliament of 1621-1622  | Sir Francis Ashley[4] | John Parkins
Happy Parliament (1624–1625) | William Whiteway | Richard Bushrode
Useless Parliament (1625) | Sir Francis Ashley | William Whiteway
Parliament of 1625-1626  | Michael Humphreys died
replaced by William Whiteway jnr | Richard Bushrode
Parliament of 1628-1629  | Denzil Holles | John Hill
No Parliament summoned 1629-1640

### 1640-1868

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Year | First Member | First Party | Second Member | Second Party

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April 1640 |  | Denzil Holles[5] | Parliamentarian |  | Denis Bond | Parliamentarian
November 1640
December 1648  | Holles excluded in Pride's Purge \- seat vacant
1653  | Dorchester was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament
1654 |  | John Whiteway |  | Dorchester had only one seat in the First and
Second Parliaments of the Protectorate
1656 |  | John Whiteway |
January 1659 |  | James Gould |  |  | John Bushrode |
May 1659 | Dorchester was not represented in the restored Rump
April 1660  |  | Denzil Holles |  |  | John Whiteway |
March 1661  |  | James Gould |
May 1661  |  | John Churchill |
1677  |  | James Gould |
1679  |  | Sir Francis Holles |  |  | Nicholas Gould |
1680  |  | James Gould |
1681  |  | Nathaniel Bond |
1685  |  | Edward Meller |  |  | William Churchill |
January 1689  |  | Gerard Napier |  |  | Thomas Trenchard |
December 1689  |  | Thomas Chafin |
March 1690  |  | James Gould |  |  | Sir Robert Napier, Bt |
December 1690  |  | Thomas Trenchard |
1695  |  | Nathaniel Bond |  |  | Nathaniel Napier |
1698  |  | Sir Robert Napier, Bt |
1701  |  | Thomas Trenchard |
1702  |  | Sir Nathaniel Napier, Bt |
1705  |  | Awnsham Churchill |
1708  |  | John Churchill |
1709  |  | Denis Bond |
1710  |  | Sir Nathaniel Napier, Bt |  |  | Benjamin Gifford |
1713  |  | Henry Trenchard |
April 1720  |  | Robert Browne[6] |
May 1720  |  | Abraham Janssen |
1722  |  | Edmund Morton Pleydell[7] |  |  | Joseph Damer |
1723  |  | William Chapple |
1727  |  | John Browne |
1737  |  | Robert Browne |
1741  |  | Nathaniel Gundry |
1751  |  | George Damer |  |  | John Pitt |
1752  |  | George Clavell |
1754  |  | The Lord Milton |
1761  |  | Thomas Foster |
1762  |  | John Damer | Tory[8]
1765  |  | William Ewer | Tory[8]
1780  |  | Hon. George Damer[9] | Tory[8]
1789  |  | Thomas Ewer | Tory[8]
Jan. 1790  |  | Hon. Cropley Ashley | Tory[8]
Jun. 1790  |  | Whig[8] |  | Francis Fane | Tory[8]
1791  |  | Hon. Cropley Ashley | Tory[8]
1807  |  | Robert Williams | Whig[8]
1811  |  | Charles Henry Bouverie |
October 1812  |  | Robert Williams |
December 1812  |  | William A'Court |
1814  |  | Sir Samuel Shepherd |
1819  |  | Charles Warren |
1826  |  | William Ashley-Cooper | Tory |  | Tory[8]
Apr. 1830  |  | Henry Sturt |
Aug. 1830  |  | Lord Ashley | Tory[8]
1831  |  | Hon. Henry Ashley-Cooper | Tory[8]
1834 |  | Conservative[8] |  | Conservative[8]
1835  |  | Robert Williams | Conservative[8]
1841  |  | Sir James Graham, Bt | Conservative[8]
1847 |  | Hon. George Dawson-Damer | Conservative |  | Henry Sturt | Conservative
1852 |  | Richard Brinsley Sheridan[10] | Whig[11][12][13]
1856 |  | Charles Napier Sturt | Conservative
1859 |  | Liberal
1868 | representation reduced to one member

### 1868-1885

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Election | Member | Party

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1868 | representation reduced to one member
| 1868 | Charles Napier Sturt | Conservative
| 1874 | William Brymer | Conservative
1885 | constituency abolished

## Election results

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### Elections in the 1830s

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By-election, 10 April 1830: Dorchester[14][8][15] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
|
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| No label  | Henry Sturt | Unopposed
Registered electors | c. 500 |  |
| No label gain from Tory
General election 1830: Dorchester[14][8][15] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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| Tory | Robert Williams, senior | Unopposed
| Tory | Anthony Ashley-Cooper | Unopposed
Registered electors | c. 500 |  |
| Tory hold
| Tory hold
General election 1831: Dorchester[14][8][15] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
|
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| Tory | Robert Williams, senior | Unopposed
| Tory | Anthony Ashley-Cooper | Unopposed
Registered electors | c. 500 |  |
| Tory hold
| Tory hold

Ashley-Cooper resigned, causing a by-election.

By-election, 11 October 1831: Dorchester[14][8][15] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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| Tory | Henry Ashley-Cooper | Unopposed
Registered electors | c. 500 |  |
| Tory hold
General election 1832: Dorchester[14][8] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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| Tory | Robert Williams, senior | Unopposed
| Tory | Henry Ashley-Cooper | Unopposed
Registered electors | 322  |  |
| Tory hold
| Tory hold
General election 1835: Dorchester[14][8] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
|
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| Conservative | Robert Williams, junior | Unopposed
| Conservative | Henry Ashley-Cooper | Unopposed
Registered electors | 318  |  |
| Conservative hold
| Conservative hold
General election 1837: Dorchester[14][8] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
|
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| Conservative | Robert Williams, junior | Unopposed
| Conservative | Henry Ashley-Cooper | Unopposed
Registered electors | 397  |  |
| Conservative hold
| Conservative hold

### Elections in the 1840s

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General election 1841: Dorchester[14] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
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| Conservative | Henry Ashley | Unopposed
| Conservative | James Graham | Unopposed
Registered electors | 367  |  |
| Conservative hold
| Conservative hold

Graham was appointed Home Secretary, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 13 September 1841: Dorchester[14] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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| Conservative | James Graham | Unopposed
| Conservative hold
General election 1847: Dorchester[14] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
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| Conservative | George Dawson-Damer | Unopposed
| Conservative | Henry Sturt | Unopposed
Registered electors | 405  |  |
| Conservative hold
| Conservative hold

### Elections in the 1850s

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General election 1852: Dorchester[14] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
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| Whig | Richard Brinsley Sheridan | 235  | 36.9  | New
| Conservative | Henry Sturt | 215  | 33.8  | N/A
| Conservative | George Dawson-Damer | 186  | 29.2  | N/A
Majority  | 20  | 3.1  | N/A
Turnout | 318 (est)  | 73.6 (est)  | N/A
Registered electors | 432  |  |
| Whig gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A |
| Conservative hold | Swing | N/A |

Sturt resigned in order to contest the 1856 by-election in Dorset, causing a by-election.

By-election, 22 July 1856: Dorchester[14] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
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| Conservative | Charles Napier Sturt | Unopposed
| Conservative hold
General election 1857: Dorchester[14] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
|
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| Whig | Richard Brinsley Sheridan | Unopposed
| Conservative | Charles Napier Sturt | Unopposed
Registered electors | 451  |  |
| Whig hold
| Conservative hold
General election 1859: Dorchester[14] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
|
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| Liberal | Richard Brinsley Sheridan | Unopposed
| Conservative | Charles Napier Sturt | Unopposed
Registered electors | 442  |  |
| Liberal hold
| Conservative hold

### Elections in the 1860s

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General election 1865: Dorchester[14] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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| Conservative | Charles Napier Sturt | 268  | 42.8  | N/A
| Liberal | Richard Brinsley Sheridan | 255  | 40.7  | N/A
| Conservative | Henry Drummond Wolff | 103  | 16.5  | N/A
Turnout | 313 (est)  | 72.5 (est)  | N/A
Registered electors | 432  |  |
Majority  | 13  | 2.1  | N/A
| Conservative hold | Swing | N/A |
Majority  | 152  | 24.2  | N/A
| Liberal hold | Swing | N/A |

Seat reduced to one member

General election 1868: Dorchester[14] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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| Conservative | Charles Napier Sturt | Unopposed
Registered electors | 628  |  |
| Conservative hold

### Elections in the 1870s

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General election 1874: Dorchester[14] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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| Conservative | William Brymer | 353  | 60.2  | N/A
| Liberal | Sir Francis Somerville Head, 2nd Baronet  | 233  | 39.8  | New
Majority  | 120  | 20.4  | N/A
Turnout | 586  | 85.2  | N/A
Registered electors | 688  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | N/A |

### Elections in the 1880s

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General election 1880: Dorchester[14] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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| Conservative | William Brymer | 374  | 53.0  | −7.2
| Liberal | Algernon Greville | 332  | 47.0  | +7.2
Majority  | 42  | 6.0  | −14.4
Turnout | 706  | 86.4  | +1.2
Registered electors | 817  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | −7.2  |

## Notes

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1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x "Dorchester". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
2. ^ "HUSSEY, Thomas I, of North Bowood, Dorset. | History of Parliament Online".
3. ^ "BROUNCKER, Henry (C.1550-1607), of Erlestoke, Wilts. And West Ham, Essex. | History of Parliament Online".
4. ^ Ashley resigned his place in favour of Sir Thomas Edmondes but was rechosen when Edmondes chose to sit for another constituency
5. ^ Disabled from sitting January 1648 but re-instated June 1648
6. ^ On petition (in a dispute over the franchise), Browne was declared not to have been duly elected and his opponent, Janssen, was seated in his place
7. ^ On petition, Pleydell was declared not to have been duly elected and his opponent, Chapple, was seated in his place
8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Stooks Smith, Henry. (1973) [1844-1850]. Craig, F. W. S. (ed.). The Parliaments of England (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. pp. 85–87. ISBN 0-900178-13-2.
9. ^ Damer was declared re-elected in 1790, but on petition was found not to have been duly elected and his opponent, Ashley, was seated in his place
10. ^ Sheridan was the grandson of his celebrated namesake Richard Brinsley Sheridan
11. ^ "London Electoral History — Steps Towards Democracy: 6.2 History of Elections in Westminster, 1749–1852" (PDF). London Electoral History 1700-1850. Newcastle University. p. 11. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
12. ^ Roberts, Andrew. "Biographies of Honorary (Unpaid) Lunacy Commissioners 1828-1912". THE LUNACY COMMISSION, A STUDY OF ITS ORIGIN, EMERGENCE AND CHARACTER. Middlesex University. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
13. ^ The Illustrated London News, Volume 6. Illustrated London News & Sketch Limited. 1845. p. 151. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. p. 112\. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
15. ^ a b c d Farrell, stephen. "Dorchester". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 11 April 2020.

## References

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* Robert Beatson, A Chronological Register of Both Houses of Parliament (London: Longman, Hurst, Res & Orme, 1807) [1]
* D Brunton & D H Pennington, Members of the Long Parliament (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1954)
* Cobbett's Parliamentary history of England, from the Norman Conquest in 1066 to the year 1803 (London: Thomas Hansard, 1808) [2]
* F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (2nd edition, Aldershot: Parliamentary Research Services, 1989)
* Maija Jansson (ed.), Proceedings in Parliament, 1614 (House of Commons) (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, 1988)
* J E Neale, The Elizabethan House of Commons (London: Jonathan Cape, 1949)
* M Stenton (ed), Who's Who of British Members of Parliament: Volume I 1832-1885 (The Harvester Press, 1976)
* Willis, Browne (1750). Notitia Parliamentaria, Part II: A Series or Lists of the Representatives in the several Parliaments held from the Reformation 1541, to the Restoration 1660 ... London. p. 1.
* Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "D" (part 2)

* v
* t
* e

Dorset constituencies

Current|

* Bournemouth East
* Bournemouth West
* Christchurch
* Mid Dorset and North Poole
* North Dorset
* Poole
* South Dorset
* West Dorset

Historic|

* Dorset (1290–1885)
* Bridport (1295–1885)
* Dorchester (1295–1885)
* Lyme Regis (1295–1868)
* Shaftesbury (1295–1885)
* Wareham (1302–1885)
* Weymouth and Melcombe Regis (1570–1885)
* Corfe Castle (1572–1832)
* East Dorset (1885–1950)
* Bournemouth (1918–1950)
* Bournemouth East and Christchurch (1950–1974)
* Christchurch and Lymington (1974–1983)

*[c.]: circa
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template