# Great Marlow (UK Parliament constituency)

Great Marlow, sometimes simply called Marlow, was a parliamentary borough in Buckinghamshire. It elected two Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons of England between 1301 and 1307, and again from 1624 until 1707, then in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and finally in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1868. It elected one member from 1868 until 1885, when the borough was abolished.

## History

In the 17th century a solicitor named William Hakewill, of Lincoln's Inn, rediscovered ancient writs confirming that Amersham, Great Marlow, and Wendover had all sent members to Parliament in the past, and succeeded in re-establishing their privileges (despite the opposition of James I), so that they resumed electing members from the Parliament of 1624. Hakewill himself was elected for Amersham in 1624.

## Members of Parliament
### MPs 1624–1640

| Year | First member | Second member |
| Constituency re-enfranchised by Parliament in 1624 |||
| 1624 | Henry Borlase | Thomas Cotton |
| 1625 | John Backhouse | Thomas Cotton |
| 1626 | John Backhouse | Sir William Hicks, 1st Baronet |
| 1628 | Sir John Backhouse | Miles Hobart |

### MPs 1640–1868

| Year | | First member | First party | | Second member | Second party |
| April 1640 | | John Borlase | Royalist | | Sir William Hicks | |
| November 1640 | | John Borlase | Royalist | | Gabriel Hippesley | |
| 1640 | | Bulstrode Whitelocke | Parliamentarian | | Peregrine Hoby | Parliamentarian |
| December 1648 | | Bulstrode Whitelocke | Parliamentarian | Hoby excluded in Pride's Purge - seat vacant | Hoby excluded in Pride's Purge - seat vacant | Hoby excluded in Pride's Purge - seat vacant |
| 1653 | Great Marlow was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament and the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Great Marlow was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament and the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Great Marlow was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament and the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Great Marlow was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament and the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Great Marlow was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament and the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Great Marlow was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament and the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate |
| January 1659 | | William Borlase | | | Peregrine Hoby | |
| May 1659 | | Bulstrode Whitelocke | | One seat vacant | One seat vacant | One seat vacant |
| April 1660 | | William Borlase | | | Peregrine Hoby | |
| 1666 | | Charles Cheyne | | | Peregrine Hoby | |
| 1679 | | John Borlase | | | Sir Humphrey Winch | |
| 1681 | | John Borlase | | | Thomas Hoby | |
| 1685 | | Sir John Borlase | | | Sir Humphrey Winch | |
| January 1689 | | Sir John Borlase | | | The Viscount Falkland | |
| February 1689 | | John Hoby | | | The Viscount Falkland | |
| December 1689 | | Sir William Whitelock | | | The Viscount Falkland | |
| 1690 | | Sir William Whitelock | | | James Chase | |
| 1695 | | Sir James Etheridge | | | James Chase | |
| 1710 | | Sir James Etheridge | | | George Bruere | |
| 1715 | | The Lord Shelburne | | | George Bruere | |
| 1722 | | Edmund Waller | | | Sir John Guise | |
| 1727 | | Edmund Waller | | | John Clavering | |
| 1731 | | Edmund Waller | | | George Robinson | |
| 1732 by-election | | Edmund Waller | | | Sir Thomas Hoby | |
| 1741 | | Samuel Tufnell | | | Sir Thomas Hoby | |
| 1744 by-election | | Samuel Tufnell | | | William Ockenden | |
| 1747 | | Merrick Burrell | | | William Ockenden | |
| 1754 | | Charles Churchill | | | Daniel Moore | |
| 1761 | | William Clayton (elder) | | | William Mathew Burt | |
| 1768 | | William Clayton (elder) | | | William Dickinson | |
| 1774 | | William Clayton (elder) | | | (Sir) John Borlase Warren | |
| 1783 by-election | | William Clayton (later 4th Bt) | | | (Sir) John Borlase Warren | |
| 1784 | | William Clayton (later 4th Bt) | | | Captain Sir Thomas Rich | |
| 1790 | | Thomas Williams | Tory | | William Lee-Antonie | Whig |
| 1796 | | Thomas Williams | Tory | | Owen Williams | Whig |
| 1802 by-election | | Pascoe Grenfell | Whig | | Owen Williams | Whig |
| 1820 | | Thomas Peers Williams | Whig | | Owen Williams | Whig |
| 1832 | | Thomas Peers Williams | Tory | | (Sir) William Clayton | Whig |
| 1834 | | Thomas Peers Williams | Conservative | | (Sir) William Clayton | Whig |
| 1842 | | Thomas Peers Williams | Conservative | | Renn Hampden | Conservative |
| 1847 | | Thomas Peers Williams | Conservative | | Brownlow William Knox | Conservative |
| 1868 | Representation reduced to one member | Representation reduced to one member | Representation reduced to one member | Representation reduced to one member | Representation reduced to one member | Representation reduced to one member |
* ↑ The election of Borlase and Hippesley to the Long Parliament were declared void.
* ↑ Expelled from the House of Commons for "indirect and fraudulent Practices in the Affairs of the Charitable Corporation, and for having never attended the Service of the House, although required to do so".
* ↑ Created a baronet, 1775
* 1 2 At the 1841 general election (Sir) William Clayton, who succeeded as baronet in January 1834, was initially declared re-elected by 1 vote in 1841, but on petition and after scrutiny his election was declared void and his opponent, Hampden, was declared elected instead.

### MPs 1868–1885

| Election | | Member | Party |
| 1868 | | Thomas Owen Wethered | Conservative |
| 1880 | | Owen Williams | Conservative |
| 1885 | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished |

## Election results
### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Great Marlow :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Owen Williams | 209 | 36.5 |
| | Whig | Thomas Peers Williams | 192 | 33.6 |
| | Whig | William Clayton | 171 | 29.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 21 | 3.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 360 | c. 90.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | c. 400 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | |
General election 1831: Great Marlow :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | Owen Williams | 196 | 34.1 | New |
| | Tory | Thomas Peers Williams | 192 | 33.4 | New |
| | Whig | William Clayton | 187 | 32.5 | +2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5 | 0.9 | −2.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 374 | c. 93.5 | c. +3.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | c. 400 | | |
| | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig | Swing | −1.9 | |
| | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig | Swing | −0.8 | |
Owen Williams' death caused a by-election.
By-election, 3 March 1832: Great Marlow :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | William Clayton | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory |
General election 1832: Great Marlow :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | Thomas Peers Williams | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig | William Clayton | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 457 | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
| | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory |
General election 1835: Great Marlow :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | William Clayton | 201 | 47.9 |
| | Conservative | Thomas Peers Williams | 185 | 44.0 |
| | Radical | William Carpenter | 34 | 8.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 240 | 64.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 373 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16 | 3.9 |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 151 | 35.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1837: Great Marlow :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | William Clayton | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Thomas Peers Williams | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 369 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Great Marlow :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Thomas Peers Williams | 233 | 40.7 | N/A |
| | Whig | William Clayton | 170 | 29.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Renn Hampden | 169 | 29.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 333 | 90.2 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 354 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 63 | 11.0 | N/A |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1 | 0.2 | N/A |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | | |
On petition, Clayton was unseated on 11 April 1842 due to bribery and Hampden was declared elected in his place.
General election 1847: Great Marlow :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Thomas Peers Williams | 238 | 41.2 | +0.5 |
| | Conservative | Renn Hampden | 178 | 30.8 | +1.3 |
| | Whig | William Clayton | 161 | 27.9 | −0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17 | 2.9 | −8.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 289 (est) | 77.8 (est) | −12.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 371 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.5 | |
| | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Swing | +0.9 | |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Great Marlow :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Thomas Peers Williams | 242 | 45.1 | +3.9 |
| | Conservative | Brownlow William Knox | 198 | 36.9 | +6.1 |
| | Whig | Jacob Bell | 96 | 17.9 | −10.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 102 | 19.0 | +16.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 316 (est) | 89.3 (est) | +11.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 354 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +4.5 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +5.6 | |
General election 1857: Great Marlow :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Brownlow William Knox | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Thomas Peers Williams | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 343 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1859: Great Marlow :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Thomas Peers Williams | 229 | 43.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Brownlow William Knox | 175 | 33.4 | N/A |
| | Liberal | John Webb Probyn | 120 | 22.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 55 | 10.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 322 (est) | 94.7 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 354 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Great Marlow :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Brownlow William Knox | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Thomas Peers Williams | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 349 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Seat reduced to one member
General election 1868: Great Marlow :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Thomas Owen Wethered | 345 | 52.4 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Edmund Verney | 314 | 47.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 31 | 4.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 659 | 86.7 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 760 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Great Marlow :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Thomas Owen Wethered | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 856 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Great Marlow :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Owen Williams | 505 | 58.7 | N/A |
| | Liberal | James Olliff Griffits | 355 | 41.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 150 | 17.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 860 | 91.4 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 941 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |