Weymouth and Melcombe Regis (UK Parliament constituency)

Weymouth and Melcombe Regis
Former Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
1570–1885
Seats four (1570–1832), two (1832–1885)
Replaced by South Dorset

Weymouth and Melcombe Regis was a parliamentary borough in Dorset represented in the English House of Commons, later in that of Great Britain, and finally in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was formed by the Union of Weymouth and Melcombe Regis Act 1571 (13 Eliz. 1. c. 9) which amalgamated the existing boroughs of Weymouth and Melcombe Regis. Until 1832, the combined borough continued to elect the four Members of Parliament (MPs) to which its constituent parts had previously been entitled; the Great Reform Act reduced its representation to two Members, and the constituency was abolished altogether in 1885, becoming part of the new South Dorset constituency.

Members of Parliament

Members for Weymouth (1348–1570)

Parliament First member Second member
1386 John Gosselyn John Hughelot
1388 (Feb) John Wake Henry Hert
1388 (Sep) Thomas Dovere John James
1390 (Jan) Philip Brice Robert Gilbert
1390 (Nov)
1391 Philip Brice John James
1393 Henry Badecok John Avery
1394 John Bassingbourne William Glover
1395 John Bassingbourne Stephen Russell
1397 (Jan) Thomas Cole John Fleet
1397 (Sep) William Ford Nicholas Crabbe
1399 John Brice William Clerk
1401
1402 Robert Penne William Faringdon
1404 (Jan)
1404 (Oct)
1406 Peter Dille William Rose I
1407 John Aalday John Bassingbourne
1410 Thomas Payn John Bassingbourne
1411
1413 (Feb)
1413 (May) Robert Penne John Wydeford
1414 (Apr) Thomas Payn John Wodham
1414 (Nov) John James John Wodham
1415
1416 (Mar)
1416 (Oct)
1417 John Brice Robert Penne
1419 Robert Hillary Robert Penne
1420 Robert Hillary Robert Penne
1421 (May) John Bassingbourne Robert Penne
1421 (Dec) William Payn John Penne
1423 John Abbot
1442 Henry Russell Walter Cheverell
1450 John Troutbeck
1472-5 William Twynyho
1510–1523 No names known
1529 William Bond Robert Aley
1536 ?
1539 ?
1542 William Aubrey Richard Jenour
1545 Roger Stourton Richard Duke
1547 John Cornelius alias Johnson alias Welbored John Brace
1553 (Mar) ?Richard Phelips ?
1553 (Oct) Thomas Samways John Jordan alias Blancombe
1554 (Apr) John Wadham John Williams
1554 (Nov) John Phelips William Randall
1555 John Buller Thomas Hobbs
1558 Thomas Keynell John Cattell
1559 Thomas Fitzwilliams John Fowler
1562–3 Robert Eyre Reginald Gray

Members for Melcombe Regis (1319–1570)

Parliament First member Second member
1386 Henry Ford John Northovere
1388 (Feb) Henry Ford Thomas Russell
1388 (Sep) Thomas Walsh Richard Morys
1390 (Jan) John Northovere Thomas Russell
1390 (Nov)
1391 John Northovere John Kete
1393 John Abbot Robert Veel
1394 Robert Calche Robert Veel
1395 Robert Calche William Helier
1397 (Jan) Robert Calche Henry Ford
1397 (Sep) William Helier William Coventre II
1399 Thomas Cole Eustace Kymer
1401
1402 John Wyot William Fowler
1404 (Jan) Robert Penne William Helier
1404 (Oct)
1406 Richard Hurst William Clerk
1407 Thomas Cole Eustace Kymer
1410 John Ford (_) Lane
1411
1413 (Feb)
1413 (May) Ralph Burnage Thomas Lond
1414 (Apr) Henry Barbour Ralph Burnage
1414 (Nov) William Pyne William Helier
1415
1416 (Mar)
1416 (Oct)
1417 Nicholas Pury John Gardener
1419 Ralph Burnage Walter Reson
1420 William Walkeden Robert Abbot
1421 (May) William Benefeld Robert Abbot
1421 (Dec) William Walkeden or Nicholas Moigne John Alysaundre
1437 William Abbot
1510–1523 No names known
1529 Richard Phelips Oliver Lawrence
1536 ?
1539 ?
1542 ?
1545 Anthony Cokett Thomas Poley
1547 Thomas Phelips John Leweston
1553 (Mar) John Wadham ?Owen Reynolds
1553 (Oct) John Leweston Owen Reynolds
1554 (Apr) Richard Mitchell Thomas Samways
1554 (Nov) Thomas Phelips John Hannam
1555 John Leweston William Crowche
1558 John Mill Richard Shaw
1559 John Maynes Richard Shaw
1563-7 Thomas Colby William Mere

Members for Weymouth and Melcombe Regis (1570–1885)

1570–1629

Parliament First member Second member Third member Fourth member
Parliament of 1571 Thomas Hussey d. by 1581
Then Laurence Thompson 		Richard Tomlinson Ralph Browne Gwyn Reynolds
Parliament of 1572–1581 John Wolley Richard Bedell died
1576 Moyle Finch 		Thomas Hanham
Parliament of 1584–1585 Francis Bacon
1586 Edward Bacon 		George Grenville Edward Penruddock
Parliament of 1586–1587 William Sprynt Edward Phelips
Parliament of 1588–1589 William Mill Robert Gregory Arthur Messenger William Hody
Parliament of 1593 William Weston Thomas Stafford Thomas Stevens
Parliament of 1597–1598 Richard Swayne Francis Leigh John Mockett John Brooke
Parliament of 1601 John Peyton Walter Cope Richard Swayne Edward Reynolds
Parliament of 1604–1611 Thomas Barefoot died
1610 Viscount Cranborne 		Robert Myddelton Robert White Vacated seat
replaced 1610 by Barnard Michell 		Sir John Hanham
Addled Parliament (1614) Sir Charles Caesar Robert Bateman John Roy
Parliament of 1621–1622 Matthew Pitt
Died 1624
1624 (Sir) Thomas Myddelton 		Giles Green John Freke Christopher Erle
Happy Parliament (1624–1625) Arthur Pyne Thomas Giear
Useless Parliament (1625) Barnard Michell (Sir) John Strangways Giles Green
Parliament of 1625–1626
Parliament of 1628–1629 Hugh Pyne Sir Robert Napier Lewis Dyve Henry Waltham
No Parliament summoned 1629–1640

1640–1832

Year First member Party Second member Party Third member Party Fourth member Party
April 1640 (Sir) John Strangways Royalist Giles Strangways Royalist Richard King Royalist Thomas Gyard
November 1640 (Sir) Gerrard Napier Royalist Sir Walter Erle Parliamentarian
September 1642 Strangways disabled from sitting – seat vacant
February 1643 King disabled from sitting – seat vacant
January 1644 Napier disabled from sitting – seat vacant
1645 William Sydenham John Bond Matthew Allen
December 1648 Erle, Allen and Bond all excluded in Pride's Purge – seats vacant
1653 Weymouth and Melcombe Regis was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament
1654 Denis Bond Weymouth and Melcombe Regis had only one seat in the First and
Second Parliaments of the Protectorate
1656
January 1659 John Trenchard Walden Lagoe John Clark Peter Middleton
May 1659 William Sydenham Three seats vacant
April 1660 Edward Montagu Sir William Penn Peter Middleton Henry Waltham
June 1660 Bullen Reymes
1661 Winston Churchill Sir John Strangways
1667 Sir John Coventry
1670 Lord Ashley
1673 John Man
February 1679 Thomas Browne Michael Harvey
August 1679 Sir John Morton
1680 Henry Henning
1685 Francis Mohun George Strangways
1689 Michael Harvey Sir Robert Napier
1690 Nicholas Gould
1691 Thomas Freke
1695 Maurice Ashley John Knight
March 1698 Philip Taylor
August 1698 Arthur Shallett
January 1701 Henry Thynne Charles Churchill Maurice Ashley
November 1701 George St Loe Sir Christopher Wren
February 1702 Anthony Henley
July 1702 Henry Thynne
1705 Maurice Ashley
1709 Edward Clavell
1710 James Littleton William Betts
May 1711 Sir Thomas Hardy William Harvey Tory
December 1711 Reginald Marriott
1713 John Baker Rear-Admiral James Littleton Lieutenant-General Daniel Harvey Whig William Betts
1714 Sir Thomas Hardy William Harvey Tory Reginald Marriott
1715 John Baker Thomas Littleton Lieutenant-General Daniel Harvey Whig William Betts
1717 Edward Harrison
1722 Sir James Thornhill Thomas Pearse John Ward
1726 John Willes
January 1727 Edward Tucker
August 1727 Thomas Pearse
1730 George Dodington
1734 George Bubb Dodington
1735 John Tucker
1737 John Olmius
1741 Joseph Damer John Raymond James Steuart
1747 Welbore Ellis Richard Plumer George Dodington Edward Hungate Beaghan
1751 Lord George Cavendish
1754 Lord John Cavendish George Dodington John Tucker
1761 Sir Francis Dashwood John Olmius Richard Glover
1762 Richard Jackson
1763 Charles Walcott
1768 The Lord Waltham Sir Charles Davers Jeremiah Dyson
1774 Welbore Ellis William Chaffin Grove John Purling
1778 Gabriel Steward
September 1780 Warren Lisle
November 1780 Gabriel Steward
1781 William Richard Rumbold
1784 Sir Thomas Rumbold
1786 George Jackson
1788 Gabriel Steward
1790 Colonel Sir James Murray Tory (Sir) Richard Bempde Johnstone Andrew Stuart Thomas Jones
1791 Lieutenant-Colonel Sir James Johnstone
1794 Gabriel Tucker Steward Tory
1796 William Garthshore Tory
1801 Charles Adams Tory
1806 Richard Augustus Tucker Steward Tory
1810 Sir John Lowther Johnstone
1811 General Sir John Murray
January 1812 Joseph Hume Tory
October 1812 John Broadhurst Whig Thomas Wallace Henry Trail
1813 Viscount Cranborne Tory Christopher Idle Tory Masterton Ure Tory
1817 Adolphus Dalrymple Tory
1818 William Williams Whig Fowell Buxton Whig Thomas Wallace Tory
1826 Colonel John Gordon Tory
1828 Edward Sugden Tory
May 1831 Richard Weyland Whig
August 1831 Charles Baring Wall Tory
1832 Representation reduced to two Members

1832–1885

Year First member First party Second member Second party
1832 Sir Frederick Johnstone Tory Fowell Buxton Whig
1834 Conservative
1835 William Burdon Whig
1837 Viscount Villiers Conservative George William Hope Conservative
1842 Ralph Bernal Whig William Dougal Christie Whig
August 1847 William Freestun Whig
December 1847 Hon. Frederick Child Villiers Conservative
1852 George Butt Conservative
1857 Robert Campbell Whig
1859 Robert Brooks Conservative Viscount Grey de Wilton Conservative
1865 Henry Gridley Liberal
1867 Henry Edwards Liberal
1868 Charles J. T. Hambro Conservative
1874 Sir Frederick Johnstone Conservative
1885 Constituency abolished

Election results

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Weymouth and Melcombe Regis
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Fowell Buxton Unopposed
Tory John Gordon Unopposed
Tory Masterton Ure Unopposed
Tory Edward Sugden Unopposed
Whig hold
Tory hold
Tory hold
Tory hold
General election 1831: Weymouth and Melcombe Regis
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Richard Weyland 14 23.7
Tory Masterton Ure 13 22.0
Tory John Gordon 13 22.0
Whig Fowell Buxton 13 22.0
Tory Michael Prendergast 2 3.4
Whig Henry William Tancred 2 3.4
Whig Thomas Bulkeley 2 3.4
Turnout c. 15 c. 2.1
Registered electors c. 700
Majority 1 1.7
Whig gain from Tory
Majority 0 0.0
Tory hold
Tory hold
Majority 11 18.6
Whig hold

Weyland was also elected for Oxfordshire and opted to sit there, causing a by-election.

By-election, 1 August 1831: Weymouth and Melcombe Regis
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Charles Baring Wall 425 72.0 +24.6
Whig Michael Prendergast 165 28.0 −24.5
Majority 260 44.0 +44.0
Turnout 590 c. 84.3 c. +82.2
Registered electors c. 700
Tory gain from Whig Swing +24.6

Representation reduced to two members.

General election 1832: Weymouth and Melcombe Regis
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Fowell Buxton 238 28.3 +2.1
Tory Frederick Johnstone 215 25.5 +1.8
Whig William Burdon 214 25.4 −0.9
Tory George Bankes 176 20.9 −2.8
Turnout 431 90.7 c. +88.6
Registered electors 475
Majority 23 2.8 +1.1
Whig hold Swing +1.3
Majority 1 0.1 +0.1
Tory hold Swing +0.6
General election 1835: Weymouth and Melcombe Regis
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Fowell Buxton 268 40.8 +12.5
Whig William Burdon 239 36.4 +11.0
Conservative George Child Villiers 150 22.8 −23.6
Majority 89 13.6 +10.8
Turnout c. 329 c. 63.4 c. −27.3
Registered electors 518
Whig hold Swing +12.2
Whig gain from Conservative Swing +11.4
General election 1837: Weymouth and Melcombe Regis
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Child Villiers 291 31.6 +20.2
Conservative George William Hope 268 29.1 +17.7
Whig Fowell Buxton 211 22.9 −17.9
Whig George Stephen 151 16.4 −20.0
Majority 57 6.2 N/A
Turnout 481 81.7 c. +18.3
Registered electors 589
Conservative gain from Whig Swing +19.6
Conservative gain from Whig Swing +18.3

Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Weymouth and Melcombe Regis
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Child Villiers 259 25.4 −6.2
Conservative George William Hope 257 25.2 −3.9
Whig Ralph Bernal 254 24.9 +2.0
Whig William Dougal Christie 251 24.6 +8.2
Majority 3 0.3 −5.9
Turnout 511 (est) 85.4 (est) c. +3.7
Registered electors 598
Conservative hold Swing −5.7
Conservative hold Swing −4.5

On petition the result was overturned on 4 April 1842 and the opponents, Bernal and Christie, were seated in their place.

General election 1847: Weymouth and Melcombe Regis
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig William Dougal Christie 274 25.1 +0.5
Whig William Freestun 274 25.1 +0.2
Conservative George Butt 272 24.9 −0.3
Conservative Frederick Child Villiers 271 24.8 −0.6
Majority 2 0.2 N/A
Turnout 546 (est) 87.3 (est) +1.9
Registered electors 625
Whig gain from Conservative Swing +0.5
Whig gain from Conservative Swing +0.3

Christie resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, causing a by-election.

By-election, 15 December 1847: Weymouth and Melcombe Regis
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Frederick Child Villiers Unopposed
Conservative gain from Whig

Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Weymouth
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Butt 386 38.4 −11.3
Whig William Freestun 336 33.4 −16.8
Peelite Alexander Haldane Oswald 283 28.2 N/A
Turnout 503 (est) 74.0 (est) −13.3
Registered electors 679
Majority 50 5.0 N/A
Conservative gain from Whig Swing +2.8
Majority 53 5.2 +5.0
Whig hold Swing −2.8
General election 1857: Weymouth
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig William Freestun 446 41.8 +8.4
Whig Robert Campbell 349 32.7 +4.5
Conservative George Butt 272 25.5 −12.9
Majority 77 7.2 +2.0
Turnout 534 (est) 78.3 (est) +4.3
Registered electors 681
Whig hold Swing +7.4
Whig gain from Conservative Swing +5.5
General election 1859: Weymouth
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Brooks 341 26.5 +13.7
Conservative Arthur Egerton 340 26.4 +13.6
Liberal William Freestun 311 24.1 −17.7
Liberal Robert Campbell 297 23.0 −9.7
Majority 29 2.3 N/A
Turnout 645 (est) 86.2 (est) +7.9
Registered electors 748
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +13.7
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +13.7

Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Weymouth and Melcombe Regis
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Brooks 381 47.6 +21.1
Liberal Henry Gridley 378 47.2 +23.1
Conservative Arthur Egerton 28 3.5 −22.9
Liberal Henry Edwards 14 1.7 −21.3
Turnout 759 (est) 83.8 (est) −2.4
Registered electors 906
Majority 3 0.4 −1.9
Conservative hold Swing +10.1
Majority 350 43.7 N/A
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +12.0

A late compromise between the Conservatives and Liberals, whereby Mr Brooks and Mr Gridley would be elected, came too late to cancel the election.

By-election, 11 June 1867: Weymouth and Melcombe Regis
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Henry Edwards Unopposed
Liberal hold

The 1867 by-election followed the resignation of Henry Gillett Gridley.

General election 1868: Weymouth and Melcombe Regis
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles J. T. Hambro 750 39.4 −11.7
Liberal Henry Edwards 701 36.8 −10.4
Liberal John Joseph Powell 452 23.8 +22.1
Majority 49 2.6 +2.2
Turnout 952 (est) 70.8 (est) −13.0
Registered electors 1,343
Conservative hold Swing −11.7
Liberal hold Swing +0.7

Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Weymouth and Melcombe Regis
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Henry Edwards 944 49.7 −10.9
Conservative Frederick Johnstone 504 26.5 +6.8
Conservative Charles J. T. Hambro 452 23.8 +4.1
Majority 440 23.2 +10.2
Turnout 1,422 (est) 96.9 (est) +26.1
Registered electors 1,467
Liberal hold Swing −10.9
Conservative hold Swing +8.9

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Weymouth and Melcombe Regis
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Henry Edwards 1,156 44.2 +19.3
Conservative Frederick Johnstone 807 30.8 −19.5
Liberal Alexander Coghill Wylie 653 25.0 +0.1
Turnout 1,308 (est) 81.1 (est) −15.8
Registered electors 1,612
Majority 349 13.4 -9.8
Liberal hold Swing +14.5
Majority 154 5.8 −17.4
Conservative hold Swing −4.8

In Literature

In the Aubrey-Maturin novels by Patrick O'Brian the constituency of Melcombe in Dorset is the Parliamentary seat for Jack Aubreys father who holds it for the Whigs. On his father's death Jack Aubrey is offered and takes up the seat for the Tories.