# Wareham (UK Parliament constituency)

Wareham was a parliamentary borough in Dorset, which elected two Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons from 1302 until 1832, and then one member from 1832 until 1885, when the borough was abolished.

## History

The borough consisted of the town of Wareham on the Isle of Purbeck, a market town close to Poole Harbour. In 1831, the population of the borough was 1,676, and it contained 364 houses.
The right to vote was exercised by the Mayor, magistrates and freemen of the town and all inhabitants paying scot and lot; the number who were qualified to vote under this provision by the time of the Reform Act was unknown, as there had not been a contested election for many years, but there were about 500 in the 1760s. In the early 18th century a number of wealthy local families were influential over the choice of members, but eventually John Calcraft of Kingstone Hall secured total control by buying up all the property in the borough occupied by potential voters.
Wareham retained one of its two MPs under the Reform Act, but its boundaries were extended to include several surrounding areas, including nearby Corfe Castle which had previously been a borough in its own right. The new borough had a population of 5,751.
The borough continued to elect one MP until the third Reform Act, which came into effect at the general election of 1885. This abolished the constituency, Wareham being placed in the new East Dorset county division.

## Members of Parliament
### 1302–1629

* Constituency created (1302)
| Parliament | First member | Second member |
| 1386 | Thomas Walbrond | Walter Byle |
| 1388 (Feb) | Thomas Walbrond | Walter Byle |
| 1388 (Sep) | Thomas Walbrond | Robert Calche |
| 1390 (Jan) | Adam Denys | Robert Calche |
| 1390 (Nov) |
| 1391 | Nicholas atte Gate | Henry Rauf |
| 1393 | Walter Byle | Robert Calche |
| 1394 | Adam Denys | Thomas Smithfield |
| 1395 | Richard Byle | Thomas Barbour |
| 1397 (Jan) | Walter Byle | Adam Denys |
| 1397 (Sep) | Nicholas atte Gate | Robert Cokeman |
| 1399 | Adam Denys | Thomas Barbour |
| 1401 |
| 1402 | Robert Calche | Richard Byle |
| 1404 (Jan) |
| 1404 (Oct) |
| 1406 | Robert Craford | John Cheverell |
| 1407 | John Gramford | William Colyns |
| 1410 | Robert Craford | Thomas Walsingham |
| 1411 |
| 1413 (Feb) |
| 1413 (May) | Robert Craford | Thomas Faringdon |
| 1414 (Apr) | Richard Byle | John Mayhew |
| 1414 (Nov) | William Gerard | John Shoyll |
| 1415 |
| 1416 (Mar) |
| 1416 (Oct) |
| 1417 | William Gerard | Robert Craford |
| 1419 | William Gerard | Robert Craford |
| 1420 | William Gerard | Walter Reson |
| 1421 (May) | William Gerard | Walter Reson |
| 1421 (Dec) | William Gerard | Walter Provost |
| 1455 | Alexander Browning | |
| 1510–1523 | No names known | No names known |
| 1529 | John Orenge | William Grimston |
| 1536 |
| 1539 | ? |
| 1542 | ? |
| 1545 | Thomas Phelips | Robert Keyle |
| 1547 | David Seymour | Richard Morison |
| 1553 (Mar) | ?Richard Phelips | ? |
| 1553 (Nov) | Thomas Phelips | Leonard Willoughby |
| 1554 | Alexander Hughes | Thomas Girdler |
| Parliament of 1554–1555 | Hugh Smith | Roger Gerard |
| Parliament of 1555 | Thomas Phelips | Clement Hyatt |
| Parliament of 1558 | Matthew Smythe | Walter Raleigh |
| Parliament of 1559 | Sir John Perrot | John Scriven |
| Parliament of 1563–1567 | John Morrice | Richard Shaw |
| Parliament of 1571 | John Baker | Clement Hyatt died during the 1572–81 Parliament In his place Henry Ashley |
| Parliament of 1572–1581 | John Gwynne | Clement Hyatt died during the 1572–81 Parliament In his place Henry Ashley |
| Parliament of 1584–1585 | John Rogers | Andrew Rogers |
| Parliament of 1586–1587 | John Rogers | Thomas Lambert |
| Parliament of 1588–1589 | John Rogers | Christopher Gerrard |
| Parliament of 1593 | Thomas Rogers | George Strode |
| Parliament of 1597–1598 | John Frankland | Sampson Hussey |
| Parliament of 1601 | Sir John Stafford | Edmund Scott |
| Parliament of 1604–1611 | Robert Napier | Dr Francis James |
| Addled Parliament (1614) | John Freke | (Sir) William Pitt |
| Parliament of 1621–1622 | John Trenchard | (Sir) William Pitt |
| Happy Parliament (1624–1625) | John Trenchard | (Sir) William Pitt |
| Useless Parliament (1625) | John Trenchard | (Sir) William Pitt |
| Parliament of 1625–1626 | Sir Nathaniel Napier | Edward Lawrence |
| Parliament of 1628–1629 | Gerrard Napier | Sir John Meller |
| No Parliament summoned 1629–1640 |||

### 1640–1832

| Year | | First member | First party | | Second member | Second party |
| April 1640 | | John Trenchard | Parliamentarian | | Dr Gilbert Jones | |
| November 1640 | | John Trenchard | Parliamentarian | | Thomas Erle | Parliamentarian |
| December 1648 | | John Trenchard | Parliamentarian | Erle excluded in Pride's Purge – seat vacant | Erle excluded in Pride's Purge – seat vacant | Erle excluded in Pride's Purge – seat vacant |
| 1653 | Wareham was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament and the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Wareham was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament and the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Wareham was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament and the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Wareham was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament and the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Wareham was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament and the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Wareham was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament and the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate |
| January 1659 | | Elias Bond | | | James Dewey | |
| May 1659 | | John Trenchard | | One seat vacant | One seat vacant | One seat vacant |
| April 1660 | | George Pitt | | | Robert Culliford | |
| 1679 | | Thomas Erle | Whig | | George Savage | |
| 1685 | | Thomas Erle | Whig | | George Ryves | |
| May 1689 | | Thomas Erle | Whig | | Thomas Skinner | |
| 1690 | | Thomas Erle | Whig | | William Okeden | |
| 1695 | | Thomas Erle | Whig | | Thomas Trenchard | |
| 1698 | | George Pitt | | | Thomas Trenchard | |
| January 1701 | | George Pitt | | | Thomas Erle | Whig |
| March 1701 | | George Pitt | | | Sir Edward Ernle | |
| November 1701 | | George Pitt | | | Thomas Erle | Whig |
| 1702 | | Sir Josiah Child | | | Thomas Erle | Whig |
| 1704 | | Sir Edward Ernle | | | Thomas Erle | Whig |
| 1705 | | George Pitt | | | Thomas Erle | Whig |
| 1710 | | Sir Edward Ernle | | | Thomas Erle | Whig |
| 1713 | | George Pitt | | | Thomas Erle | Whig |
| 1715 | | George Pitt, junior | | | Thomas Erle | Whig |
| 1718 | | George Pitt, junior | | | Henry Drax | |
| 1722 | | Sir Edward Ernle | | | Joseph Gascoigne | |
| 12 February 1729 | | Sir Edward Ernle | | | Nathaniel Gould | |
| 26 February 1729 | | Thomas Tower | | | Nathaniel Gould | |
| 1734 | | Henry Drax | | | John Pitt | |
| 1747 | | Henry Drax | | | Thomas Erle Drax | |
| 1748 | | Robert Banks Hodgkinson | | | John Pitt | |
| 1751 | | Robert Banks Hodgkinson | | | Henry Drax | |
| April 1754 | Seats vacant after disputed election | Seats vacant after disputed election | Seats vacant after disputed election | Seats vacant after disputed election | Seats vacant after disputed election | Seats vacant after disputed election |
| December 1754 | | William Augustus Pitt | | | Henry Drax | |
| 1755 | | William Augustus Pitt | | | Edward Drax | |
| 1761 | | Thomas Erle Drax | | | John Pitt | |
| March 1768 | | Ralph Burton | | | Robert Palk | |
| November 1768 | | Whitshed Keene | | | Robert Palk | |
| January 1774 | | Thomas de Grey | | | Robert Palk | |
| October 1774 | | William Gerard Hamilton | | | Christopher D'Oyly | |
| 1780 | | John Boyd | | | Thomas Farrer | |
| 1784 | | Charles Lefebure | | | Thomas Farrer | |
| 1786 | | John Calcraft | | | Thomas Farrer | |
| 1790 | | General Richard Smith | | | Lord Robert Spencer | |
| May 1796 | | Charles Ellis | | | Lord Robert Spencer | |
| November 1796 | | Sir Godfrey Vassall | | | Lord Robert Spencer | |
| 1799 | | Sir Godfrey Vassall | | | Joseph Hankey | |
| 1800 | | John Calcraft | Whig | | Joseph Hankey | |
| 1802 | | John Calcraft | Whig | | Andrew Strahan | |
| 1806 | | Jonathan Raine | | | Andrew Strahan | |
| 1807 | | Sir Granby Calcraft | | | Hon. John Ward | Tory |
| 1808 | | Sir Samuel Romilly | Whig | | Hon. John Ward | Tory |
| 1812 | | Robert Gordon | | | Theodore Broadhead | |
| 1818 | | John Calcraft | Whig | | Thomas Denman | Whig |
| 1820 | | John Calcraft | Whig | | John Hales Calcraft | Tory |
| 1826 | | John Calcraft | Whig | | Charles Baring Wall | Tory |
| 1828 | | John Calcraft | Tory | | Charles Baring Wall | Tory |
| 1830 | | John Calcraft | Tory | | James Ewing | Whig |
| 1831 | | Granby Calcraft | Whig | | Charles Wood | Whig |
| 1832 | 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 |

### 1832–1885

| Year | | Member | Party |
| 1832 | | John Hales Calcraft | Tory |
| 1834 | | John Hales Calcraft | Conservative |
| 1841 | | John Erle-Drax | Whig |
| 1852 | | John Erle-Drax | Conservative |
| 1857 | | John Hales Calcraft | Whig |
| 1859 | | John Erle-Drax | Conservative |
| 1865 | | John Calcraft | Liberal |
| 1868 | | John Erle-Drax | Conservative |
| 1880 | | Montague Guest | Liberal |
| 1885 | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished |

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

General election 1830: Wareham :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Tory | John Calcraft | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Whig | James Ewing | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
| Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1831: Wareham :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Whig | Granby Hales Calcraft | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Whig | Charles Wood | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
| Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory |
General election 1832: Wareham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | John Hales Calcraft | 175 | 55.6 |
| | Whig | John Erle-Drax | 140 | 44.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 35 | 11.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 315 | 92.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 339 | |
| | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig |
General election 1835: Wareham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | John Hales Calcraft | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 339 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1837: Wareham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | John Hales Calcraft | 170 | 52.3 |
| | Whig | John Erle-Drax | 155 | 47.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15 | 4.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 325 | 88.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 368 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Wareham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | John Erle-Drax | 211 | 53.0 | +5.3 |
| | Conservative | John Hales Calcraft | 187 | 47.0 | −5.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 24 | 6.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 398 | 90.9 | +2.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 438 | | |
| | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Swing | +5.3 | |
General election 1847: Wareham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | John Erle-Drax | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 442 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Wareham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Erle-Drax | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 418 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig |
General election 1857: Wareham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | John Hales Calcraft | 143 | 50.5 | New |
| | Conservative | John Erle-Drax | 140 | 49.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3 | 1.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 283 | 90.7 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 312 | | |
| | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1859: Wareham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Erle-Drax | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 342 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal |

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Wareham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Calcraft | 125 | 53.4 | New |
| | Conservative | John Erle-Drax | 109 | 46.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16 | 6.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 234 | 85.7 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 273 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1868: Wareham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Calcraft | 314 | 46.0 | −7.4 |
| | Conservative | John Erle-Drax | 301 | 44.1 | −2.5 |
| | Conservative | Thomas Fremantle | 68 | 10.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13 | 1.9 | −4.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 683 | 76.4 | −9.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 894 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −2.5 | |
Calcraft's death caused a by-election.
By-election, 23 December 1868: Wareham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Erle-Drax | 374 | 54.1 | +1.0 |
| | Liberal | William Montagu Calcraft | 305 | 44.9 | −1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 69 | 10.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 679 | 76.0 | −0.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 894 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +1.1 | |

### Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Wareham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Erle-Drax | 502 | 59.9 | +5.8 |
| | Liberal | Montague Guest | 310 | 37.0 | −9.0 |
| | Ind. Conservative | Stephen Henry Emmens | 26 | 3.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 192 | 22.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 838 | 87.9 | +11.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 953 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +12.4 | |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Wareham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Montague Guest | 451 | 52.0 | +15.0 |
| | Conservative | John Erle-Drax | 416 | 48.0 | −11.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 35 | 4.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 867 | 87.8 | −0.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 987 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +13.5 | |