Printed and Published at the Dover Express Works. 1916.

TO BE FORMATTED

ANNALS OF DOVER.
SECTION EIGHT.
DOVER IN PARLIAMENT.
IV. ELECTIONS OF THE THIRD PERIOD.

The Third Period in Dover's Parliamentary history
from the enactment of the Reform Bill of 1832 to the
present time, covers a little over eighty years, during which
there were twenty-six elections — six bye-elections and
twenty General Elections. The period is bounded by two
landmarks — the Reform Bill of 1832, at the beginning; and
the Parliament Bill of 1914, at the end.

1832 Charles Poulett Thomson and Sir John Rae Reid.

In this election there were four candidates, and the
votes recorded were as follows : — Poulett Thomson (Liberal),
713; Sir John Rae Reid (Tory), 644; John Halcorab
(Tory), 523; and Captain Stanhope (Liberal), 498.

1833 John Halcomb.

On this occasion there was a casual vacancy caused by
Mr. C. P. Thomson taking his seat for Manchester.

John Halcomb, a barrister, first contested Dover in
1826. A full-sized gilt model of a fighting cock, mounted
on a staff, was the emblem carried before this candidate
in the marchings-out of his followers on the various election
campaigns, from 1826 to 1841, during which period he
fought six elections and was successful in but one. The
gilded bird aptly represented Halcomb's character; he was
a plucky fighter, pleased the popular fancy, raised the
highest expectations, seemed always sure of success, yet, at
the close of the poll, on all occasions except one, the figures
told a different story. In his first contest, of 1826, he had
a majority of the resident Freemen ; by a petition to the
House of Commons he contended that out-dwellers had no
right to vote, and he claimed the seat, but the contention
was not allowed. After his success in 1833, he represented
Dover in Parliament until the dissolution of 1835, when
he for the time retired ; but he again contested the Borough
in 1 84 1, when he had attained the rank of Serjeant-at-Law,
but he was unsuccessful. He died at New Radnor on the
3rd November, 1852, at the age of 62 years.



398 ANNALS OF DOVER

1835 John MInet Fector and Sir John Rae Reid.

In this election there were three candidates, two local
men, Mr. J. M. Fector and Mr. E. R. Rice, as well as
the old Member, Sir John Rae Reid. There was a local
sentiment in favour of returning the two local men, but
" Party " feeling swamped sentiment. Fector headed the
poll, Reid next, and Rice only 21 votes behind.

Mr. John Minet Fector was the son of Mr. Peter Fector,
banker, of Dover. In 181 8, the latter had been pressed to
stand as a candidate for Dover, but declined, remarking
that, if the electors felt inclined, they might extend the
invitation to his son (then an infant) when he came of age.
Dover men did not forget. In 1835, the electors showed
great enthusiasm for Mr. J. M. Fector, returning him as
their representative at the head of the poll. At the next
General Election, in 1837, Dover rejected Mr. Fector, and
elected Mr. E. R. Rice in his room. He afterwards
obtained a seat for Maidstone, with Benjamin Disraeli as
his colleague. Not many years later Mr. Fector transferred
his bank to the National Provincial Bank of England, of
which he was for a time Chairman. He resided for some
years in St. George's Place, Hyde Park, London, where he
died on the 24th February, 1868, at the early age of 56
years. This Dover Member was a grandson of Isaac Minet,
the French Huguenot refugee, who was the founder of the
famous Dover house of Minet and Fector.

Queen Victoria, i 837-1 901.



In this Reign, extending over sixty-four years, there
were nineteen elections at Dover.
1837 Edward Royds Rice and Sir John Rae Reid.

In this election there were three candidates for the
two seats, Fector and Reid, the Members in possession of
the seats at the dissolution, and Rice, the defeated candidate
at the election of 1835. Reid again held his seat, and
Rice took the place of Fector, the votes recorded being: —
Rice, 845; Reid, 829; and Fector 742.

Mr. Edward Royds Rice, like his local opponent, Mr.
J. M. Fector, was a Dover Freeman and a banker. Mr.
Rice was born in a Dover mansion, which occupied the site
of the Burlington Hotel, but during the time that Mr. Rice



DOVER IN PARLIAMENT 399

represented Dover in Parliament, from 1837 to 1857, his
residence was Dane Court, Tilmanstone. Mr. Rice during
that twenty years was keenly interested in everything that
occurred in the House of Commons affecting Dover. His
chief anxiety was to see Dover Bay enclosed to form a great
National Harbour, and he had the satisfaction of seeing a
substantial part of it accomplished in the building of the
Admiralty Pier, which now forms the Western Arm of the
great Admiralty Harbour. This Member for Dover died
at Dane Court on the 27th November, 1878, aged 88 years.
1 841 Sir John Rae Reid and Edward Royds Rice.

At this General Election, the two Members for Dover
above-named were re-elected. There were two opposing
candidates, the votes recorded being: — Reid, 1,000; Rice,
960; Halcomb, 536; and Galloway, 281.
1847 Edward Royds Rice and Sir George Clerk.

In this election the candidates were Edward Royds
Rice (Liberal), one of the old Members, who polled 1,104
votes; Sir George Clerk (Liberal-Conservative), 932 votes;
and E. T. Prinsep (Conservative), 897 votes.

Sir George Clerk, Bart., who represented Dover from
1847 to 1852, had been a Member of the House of Commons
fifteen years before he was elected for Dover. His sup-
porters at Dover were called " The Great unbrushed,"
because the deputation that went up to London to invite
him to contest Dover set off at such short notice that they
went up in their working clothes. Sir George Clerk sought
re-election in 1852 and 1857, but was unsuccessful on both
occasions.
1852 Viscount Chelsea and Edward Royds Rice.

In the General Election of 1852 there were three
candidates, Mr. E. R. Rice and Sir George Clerk seeking
re-election, and Viscount Chelsea, a new candidate. At
this election there were, for the first time, five polling places
in different parts of the town, all the pollings having in
previous years taken place in the Market Square. The result
of the poll was: — Viscount Chelsea (Conservative), 1,097;
Rice (Liberal), 8g8 ; and Clerk, 781.

Viscount Chelsea was forty years of age when elected
for Dover, being the eldest son of the Earl of Cadogan. He
held the seat until the dissolution of 1857.
1857 Bernal Osborn and Sir William Russell.

At the General Election of 1857 neither of the old



4o6 Annals of dover

Members (Mr. Rice and Viscount Chelsea) sought re-election.
The Liberals nominated Mr. Bernal Osborn and Sir William
Russell ; and the Conservatives Sir George Clerk (who had
sat in an earlier Parliament for Dover as a Liberal-Con-
servative) and Mr. George W. Hope. For distinction,
these two were called "Old George" and "Young George."
The result of the polls was : — Osborn, 989 ; Russell, 958 ;
Clerk, 695 ; and Hope, 594. In this contest there was a
great deal said about Dover Harbour, Mr. Bernal Osborn
advocating a proposal to place its management on a more
modern basis. The old custom of " chairing " the Members
was at this election abandoned.

Bernal Osborn only represented Dover for two years,
from April, 1857, to April, 1859. He was the Secretary
to the Admiralty, which gave him importance at Dover;
but when he sought re-election he was out of office, and
Dover rejected him.

Sir William Russell had served in the Crimea as
Deputy Assistant Quarter-Master-General. He took his seat
in 1857, but, soon after, proceeded with his regiment to help
to repress the Indian Mutiny.
1859 Sir Henry Leake and William Nichol.

At this General Election both of the old Members
sought re-election, and the above-named came forward as
new candidates in the Conservative interest. The votes
recorded were: — Leake, 931; Nichol, 902; Russell, 788;
and Osborn, 752. Mr. Bernal Osborn, who was at the
bottom of the poll on this occasion, was at the top in the
1857 election, and he alleged bribery as the cause of his
displacement. A petition was presented to the House of
Commons. Six cases of bribery were proved, but as the
successful candidates, according to the evidence, were not
privy to the bribery, the seats were not forfeited.

Sir Henry Leake, K.C.B., at the time of his election,
was a Lord of the Admiralty, which strongly influenced the
Dover electors in his favour.

Mr. William Nichol was a Liverpool merchant, and a
Director of the London and County Bank. He represented
Dover from 1859 to 1865, but did not seek re-election.
1865 Major Alexander Dickson and Charles K. Freshfield.

There were four candidates, Lord Bury and Mr. Eustace
Smith, nominated by the Liberals; and Major Dickson and



DOVER IN PARLIAMENT 40l

Mr. Charles K. Freshfield brought forward by the
Conservatives. The votes recorded for them were : —
Dickson (Conservative), 1,027 j Freshfield (Conservative),
1,012; Bury (Liberal), 907; and Smith (Liberal), 901.

Major Alexander George Dickson was 31 years of age
when elected for Dover, and had a connection with the
county by his marriage with Lady North, of the Waldershare
family. He continued to represent the Borough until his
death, which occurred in 1889, but held no political office.
From 1885 to 1889 he was Dover's sole representative in
the House of Commons, the Borough in 1885 having been
reduced to a one-Member constituency.

Mr. Charles Kaye Freshfield, elected for Dover in 1865,
was the son of Mr. James William Freshfield, F.R.S., and
a partner in the weii-known firm of Messrs. Freshfield and
Co., solicitors to the Bank of England. He was an influential
promoter of the London, Chatham and Dover Railway. At
the end of his first Parliament he again contested Dover in
1868, when he lost his seat; but was elected in 1874, after
which he held his seat until 1885, when he retired.
1868 Major A. Dickson and George Jessel.

The election at which the above-named Members were
returned was caused by the dissolution on the question of
the Disestablishment of the Irish Church. The two Con-
servative Members were opposed to disestablishment, and
Mr. Jessel was in favour of it, so on that great question
Dover was neutral, having returned two Members pledged
to vote against each other. The votes recorded at the poll
were: — Dickson, 1,453; Jessel, 1,434; Freshfield, 1,379;
and Abrahams (an independent), t,;^. A petition against
the return of Major Dickson was presented, and dealt with
in an Election Court at Dover, but it was found that Major
Dickson was not privy to any corrupt practices, so the
election stood as declared at the close of the poll.

Mr. George Jessel, Q.C., was, soon after the election,
appointed Solicitor-General and knighted; and, in 1873, he
was appointed Master of the Rolls, being the first of the
Jewish race appointed to the Judicial Bench in this country.
In that office he distinguished himself by the righteousness
of his judgments and the ability with which he conducted
the business of his Court. He was considered a great Judge,
and he had to pay the penalty of greatness, for, on the 22nd
February, 1878, he was shot at in Court by a disappointed



402



ANNALS OF DOVER



suitor, when the pistol ball grazed his ear. As Master of
the Rolls, he held office until the 19th March, 1883, when
he resigned owing to ill-health, and two days later he died.
1871 Sir George Jessel.

This was a bye-election on the occasion of Sir George
Jessel being appointed Solicitor-General. In seeking re-elec-
tion he was opposed by Mr. E. W. Barnett. The result of
the polling was: — .Jessel, 1,231; and Barnett, 1,143-
There was a riot and much window-smashing after the result
became known.

1873 Edward William Barnett.

This election, at which Mr. Edward William Barnett
was returned, was to fill a vacancy caused by Sir George
Jessel being appointed to the office of Master of the Rolls.
There was a contest for the seat, Mr. Barnett 's opponent
being Mr. James Staat Forbes, General Manager of the
London, Chatham and Dover Railway, the votes recorded
being: — Barnett, 1,415; and Forbes, 1,094.

Mr. Edward William Barnett was a native of Walsall,
Staffordshire, and was educated at the Grammar School
there. He was a Member for Dover from September, 1873,
to Februar}', 1874, but he did not take his seat. He was a
prospective candidate for the General Election of 1874,
but before the nomination, which took place on the 5th
February, 1874, he withdrew from the contest.

1874 Charles K. Freshfield and Major A. Dickson.

At the General Election at which the above twb were
again returned occurred in Febriwary, 1874. There were
four candidates, and the votes recorded were : — Freshfield,
1,525; Dickson, 1,316; Christopher W^guelin, 1,118;
and Frederick A. Inderwick, Q.C., 1,062. At a later date
Mr. Inderwick was Mayor of the ancient Cinque Ports town
of Winchelsea, and was one of the Barons of the Cinque
Ports at the Coronation of Edward VII.
1880 C. K. Freshfield and Major Dickson.

At this election, which took place in April, 1880, there
was a very stiff contest. The Liberal candidates oppcsing
the above-named Conservatives were the Hon. Philip
Stanhope and Mr. J. C Walker. The votes recorded were:
— Freshfield, 1,7.-^-1; Dickson, 1,701; Stanhope, 1,607;
and Walker, 1,506.
1885 Major A. G. Dickson.

Owing to the effect of the Re-distribution Act, passed



DOVEk IN PARLIAMENT 4O3

in the previous Session, Dover was reduced to a one-
Member constituency. Mr. Freshfield retired, and, for a
time, a Mr. W. J. Pearce was a prospective candidate. He,
too, retired; and Mr. R. Murray Lawes, of Old Park,
contested the seat in the Liberal interest, against Major
Dickson, Conservative. The votes polled were : — Dickson>
2,066; Lawes, 1,418.
1886 Major A. G. Dickson.

In this year a dissolution of Parliament occurred on
the question of Home Rule for Ireland. On that occasion
Major Dickson was returned unopposed.
1889 George Wyndham.

A bye-electijn took place in July, 1889, owing to the
death of Major A. G. Dickson, who had represented the
Borough since 1665. Mr. George Wyndham, who was then
private secretary to Mr. A. J. Balfour, Chief Secretary for
Ireland, was nominated for Dover, and was elected without
opposition.

Mr. George Wyndham was the eldest son of the Hon.
Percy Wyndham. In the year that Mr. George Wyndham
was elected for Dover he married Countess Grosvenor,
fourth daughter of the Earl of Scarborough. After holding
the office of private secretary to the Right Hon. A. J.
Balfour, he became Under-Secretary for War; and from
1900 to 1905 was Chief Secretary for Ireland. He was
re-elected for Dover six times; and in 1902 he became a
Cabinet Minister. He continued to represent Dover until
his death, which took place suddenly in Paris on the 8th
June, 1913, his pohtical connection with Dover having lasted
twenty-four years.
1S92 Ge'orge"' Wyndhim.

In this election Mr. Wyndham was opposed by Major
Eustace G. Edwards, R.A., the votes recorded being: —
Wyndham, 2,231; Edwards, 978.
1895 George Wyndham.

In this election Mr. Wyndham was returned unopposed.
1900 George W^yndham.

At this election, which took place in October, 1900,
during the Boer War, Mr. Wyndham was returned unopposed.
1900 George Wyndham.

This bye-election arose from Mr. Wyndham's accept-
ance of the office of Chief Secretary for Ireland, and he was
again returned unopposed.



404 ANNALS OF DOVER

Edward VII., 1901-1910.



In this Reign there were two General Elections, but
at Dover no new Member was returned.
1906 The Right Hon. George Wyndham.

The General Election of 1906 occurred owing to
Parliament having nearly run its septennial course. At
that time Mr. Wyndham had been in the Cabinet four
years. He was opposed by Mr. R. J. Biyce. The votes
recorded were: — Wyndham, 3,269; Bryce, 1,705.
1 910 (January) George Wyndham.

An appeal to the country was made because the House
of Lords had rejected the Budget Bill. Mr. Wyndham was
opposed by Mr. Montague Bradley, of Dover. The votes
recorded were: — Wyndham, 3,330; and Bradley, 1,758.
Mr. Montague Bradley was knighted during the following
year.

George V. — Whom God Preserve.



In this Reign there have been two elections at Dover.
1 9 ID (December) George Wyndham.

This was Mr. W'yndham's last election. He was
returned unopposed. The appeal to the country on this
occasion arose because the House of Lords refused their
assent to the Parliament Bill, which restricted the veto of
the House of Lords.
1913 Viscount Duncannon.

A casual vacancy arose in the representation of Dover
by the death of Mr. George Wyndham. Viscount Duncannon
was elected unopposed on the 23rd June, 1913.

Viscount Vere Brabazon Ponsonby Duncannon, who was
elected for Dover as a Unionist in June, 191 3, was born on
October 27th, 1880. He was educated at Harrow and at
Trinity College, Cambridge, taking his B.A. In 1910 he
was elected for Cheltenham as a Unionist, but he lost the
seat at the General Election of December, 1910. He held
a commission in the Suffolk Yeomanry, and during the
great European ^Var, which began in 19 14, he joined his
regiment, and during 191 5 he took part in the Gallipoli
Campaign.



DOVER IN PARLIAMENT 405