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 freemen of the town, whether or not they were resident within the borough. In 1831 this amounted to 955 qualified voters, of whom only 320 lived in Sandwich. The freedom could be obtained by inheritance, by serving an apprenticeship, or by marrying the daughter or widow of a freeman; the corporation apparently did not, as in some boroughs, have the power to create unlimited numbers of honorary freemen so as to swamp the rights of the genuine freemen. At one period in the 17th century, the town corporation attempted to annex the right of voting to itself (as was the case in many other boroughs) on the grounds of "the avoidance of popular tumults common at elections", and in 1621 the Lord Warden ordered with the consent of 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 the right of voting was in the freemen was confirmed by the Parliamentary Elections Act 1689 (2 Will. & Mar. c. 7) confirmed this.
For most of its existence, no single interest had a predominant influence in Sandwich so as to reduce it to a pocket borough, but the power of official patronage sometimes exerted some leverage. In Tudor times, the Lord Warden expected to be able to nominate one of the two MPs, but - unlike most of the other Cinque Ports - Sandwich consistently defied him, and made its own choice of both MPs throughout Queen Elizabeth's reign. In the 18th and 19th centuries, though, the influence of the navy (through the employment it provided) was sufficient that the Admiralty could be sure of choosing at least one MP at most elections.Page 141, Lewis Namier, The Structure of Politics at the Accession of George III (2nd edition - London: St Martin's Press, 1957) 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 a by-election in 1880, evidence of widespread bribery in Sandwich emerged. Its writ was suspended, and a 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. 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
ParliamentFirst memberSecond member1386 John Godard William Ive1388 (Feb)William Jordan Stephen Reyner1388 (Sep) John Berham Peter Cundy1390 (Jan) John Berham Stephen Reyner1390 (Nov)1391 John Edward William Jordan1393 Stephen ReynerThomas atte Welle13941395 John Godard John Nessche1397 (Jan) Richard Benge John Godard1397 (Sep)1399 John Godard Stephen Peyntour14011402 John Godard John Nessche1404 (Jan)1404 (Oct)1406 Henry LoverykJohn Norton1407 Richard Mildenale John Norton1410 John GyllyngRobert Haddon14111413 (Feb)1413 (May) John Geldeford John Gyllyng1414 (Apr)1414 (Nov) Simon Halle Richard Mildenale14151416 (Mar)1416 (Oct)1417 William GaylerRichard Mildenale1419 Laurence CundyThomas Loveryk1420 John Bolle Laurence Cundy1421 (May) Simon Halle Laurence Cundy1421 (Dec) John Bolle Laurence Cundy1485 Thomas Overton1491John Naseby1510 John WestcliffJohn Cock1512 John Westcliff John Hobard1515 John WestcliffJohn Hobard1523 John SomerRoger Manwood1529 Vincent EngehamJohn Boys, died and replaced Dec 1553 by Thomas Wingfield1536 Thomas Wingfield Vincent Engeham1539 Thomas Patche Nicholas Peake1542 John Lee Thomas Rolfe1545 John Master Thomas Menys1547 (first election) Thomas Pinnock John Seer1547 (second election) Thomas Patche Thomas ArdernThis 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.1553 (Mar) Thomas PatcheThomas Menys1553 (Oct) Sir John PerrotSimon Linch1554 (Apr) John Master Simon Linch1554 (Nov) John Tysar Nicholas Crispe1555 Nicholas Peake Sir John Perrot1558 Roger ManwoodNicholas Crispe1559 Roger ManwoodJohn Tysar1562–3 Roger ManwoodRice Perrot1571 Roger ManwoodJohn Manwood1572 Roger Manwood, made a judge replaced Jul 1576 by Edward PeakeJohn Boys1584 Edward Peake Edward Wood1586 Edward Peake Edward Wood1588–9 Peter ManwoodEdward Peake1593 Peter ManwoodEdward Peake1597 Peter Manwood Edward Peake1601 Peter ManwoodEdward Peake 1604-1611 Sir George FaneEdward 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 YearFirst memberFirst partySecond memberSecond partyApril 1640Sir John ManwoodNathaniel FinchNovember 1640Sir Thomas PeytonRoyalistSir Edward PartridgeParliamentarianFebruary 1644Peyton disabled from sitting - seat vacant1645Charles RichDecember 1648Rich and Partridge excluded in Pride's Purge - both seats vacant1653Sandwich was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament1654Colonel Thomas Kelsey Sandwich had only one seat in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate1656James Thurbarne January 1659Richard Meredith May 1659Not represented in the restored RumpApril 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 FurneseCreated a baronet, June 1707 John Taylor April 1701 John Michel November 1701 Sir Henry Furnese Sir James Oxenden 1702 John Michel 1705 Josiah Burchett Court WhigApril 1713 John Michel August 1713 Sir Henry Oxenden 1715 (Sir) Thomas D'AethCreated a baronet, July 1716 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 StephensCreated a baronet, March 1795 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 Sir Edward Owen Tory 1829 Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Fane Tory 1830 Whig Samuel Grove Price Tory 1831 Sir Edward Troubridge Whig 1835 Samuel Grove Price Conservative 1837 Sir James Rivett-Carnac Whig 1839 General Sir Rufane Shaw Donkin Whig 1841 Hugh Hamilton Lindsay Conservative 1847 Lord Clarence Paget Whig Charles Grenfell WhigMay 1852 Lord Charles Clinton ConservativeJuly 1852 James Macgregor Conservative 1857 Edward Knatchbull-HugessenWhig Lord Clarence PagetWhig1859 Liberal Liberal 1866 Charles Capper Conservative 1868 Henry Brassey Liberal May 1880 Charles Henry Crompton-RobertsOn petition the result of the 1880 by-election was declared void Conservative Aug 1880 Writ suspended and seat left vacantafter evidence of bribery was uncovered.1885 Following Royal Commission investigation of corruption, constituency abolished and absorbed into Eastern Kent
Notes
Election results
Elections in the 1830s
Troubridge was appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty, requiring a by-election.
Rivett-Carnac resigned after being appointed Governor of Bombay, requiring a by-election.
Elections in the 1840s Donkin's death caused a by-election.
Elections in the 1850s Grenfell resigned in order to contest a by-election at Windsor, causing a by-election.
Knatchbull-Hugessen was appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, requiring a by-election.
Elections in the 1860s
Paget resigned, causing a by-election.
Elections in the 1870s
Elections in the 1880s
Hugessen resigned in advance of being elevated to the peerage, causing a by-election.
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.
References
Sources
Robert Beatson, A Chronological Register of Both Houses of Parliament (London: Longman, Hurst, Res & Orme, 1807) 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) J. E. Neale, The Elizabethan House of Commons (London: Jonathan Cape, 1949) T. H. B. Oldfield, The Representative History of Great Britain and Ireland (London: Baldwin, Cradock & Joy, 1816) J Holladay Philbin, Parliamentary Representation 1832 - England and Wales (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1965) Edward Porritt and Annie G Porritt, The Unreformed House of Commons (Cambridge University Press, 1903)