# Thetford (UK Parliament constituency)

Thetford was a constituency of the British House of Commons. It elected two Members of Parliament (MPs) by the bloc vote system of election. It was disenfranchised under the Representation of the People (Scotland) Act 1868, which had resulted in a net increase of seven seats in Scotland, offset by the disenfranchisement of seven English Boroughs.
Below are those MPs who held the seat from just prior to the Restoration onwards.

## Members of Parliament
### MPs 1529–1660

| Year | First member | Second member |
| 1529 | Giles Heron | William Dauntesey (or Daunce) |
| 1536 | ? |
| 1539 | ? |
| 1542 | ? |
| 1545 | ? |
| 1547 | John Brende | Richard Heydon |
| 1553 (Mar) | Sir John Clere | Henry Northey |
| 1553 (Oct) | William Hunston | Robert Drury |
| 1554 (Apr) | Robert Drury | Nicholas Rookwood |
| 1554 (Nov) | Robert Drury | Nicholas Rookwood |
| 1555 | Nicholas Rookwood | Robert Barker |
| 1558 | Edward Clere | Walter Haddon |
| 1559 | Edmund Gascoigne | Thomas Poley I |
| 1562–3 | Sir Richard Fulmerston | Edward Clere |
| 1571 | Philip Appleyard | Thomas Hogan |
| 1572 | William Humberston, died and repl. Jan 1576 by Sir Valentine Browne | Thomas Colby |
| 1584 | Edward Eden | Robert Whitney |
| 1586 | Sir Roger Woodhouse | Thomas Poley II |
| 1588–9 | William Waad | Philip Gawdy |
| 1593 | Charles Chewte | Bassingbourne Gawdy |
| 1597 | John Crofts | Philip Gawdy |
| 1601 | Henry Warner | Thomas Knyvet, 1st Baron Knyvet |
| 1604 | Bassingbourne Gawdy died and repl. 1606 by Sir William Twysden, 1st Baronet | Sir William Paddy |
| 1614 | Framlingham Gawdy | Sir William Twysden, 1st Baronet |
| 1621 | Framlingham Gawdy | Sir Thomas Holland |
| 1624 | Framlingham Gawdy | Drue Drury |
| 1625 | Sir Robert Cotton, 1st Baronet, of Connington | Framlingham Gawdy |
| 1626 | Sir John Hobart, 2nd Baronet | Framlingham Gawdy |
| 1628 | Edmund Moundeford | Sir Henry Spiller sat for Middlesex and repl.by Sir Henry Vane |
| 1629–1640 | No Parliaments summoned | No Parliaments summoned |
| Apr 1640 | Sir Thomas Wodehouse, 2nd Baronet | Framlingham Gawdy |
| Nov 1640 | Sir Thomas Wodehouse, 2nd Baronet | Framlingham Gawdy secluded 1648 |
| 1648 | Sir Thomas Wodehouse, 2nd Baronet |
| 1653–1658 | Thetford not represented in Barebones and Protectorate Parliaments | Thetford not represented in Barebones and Protectorate Parliaments |
| 1659 | William Stene | Robert Steward |

### MPs 1660–1868

| Year | | First member | First party | | Second member | Second party |
| April 1660 | | Sir Philip Wodehouse | | | Robert Paston | |
| March 1661 | | Sir Allen Apsley | | | William Gawdy | |
| October 1669 | | Sir Allen Apsley | | | Sir Joseph Williamson | |
| February 1679 | | William Harbord | | | Sir Joseph Williamson | |
| March 1685 | | Henry Heveningham | | | William de Grey | |
| January 1689 | | Sir Henry Hobart | Whig | | William Harbord | |
| February 1689 | | Sir Francis Guybon | | | William Harbord | |
| June 1689 | | Sir Francis Guybon | | | John Trenchard | Whig |
| February 1690 | | Sir Francis Guybon | | | William Harbord | |
| May 1690 | | Sir Francis Guybon | | | Baptist May | |
| November 1695 | | Sir Joseph Williamson | | | Sir John Wodehouse | |
| January 1696 | | James Sloane | | | Sir John Wodehouse | |
| July 1698 | | James Sloane | | | Sir Joseph Williamson | |
| January 1699 | | James Sloane | | | Lord Paston | |
| January 1701 | | Sir Joseph Williamson | | | Edmund Soame | |
| March 1701 | | Sir Thomas Hanmer | | | Edmund Soame | |
| November 1701 | | Sir Thomas Hanmer | | | Sir John Wodehouse | |
| July 1702 | | Robert Benson | | | Edmund Soame | |
| May 1705 | | Sir Thomas Hanmer | | | Sir John Wodehouse | |
| May 1708 | | Robert Baylis | | | Thomas de Grey | |
| October 1710 | | Sir Thomas Hanmer | | | Dudley North | |
| December 1710 | | Sir Edmund Bacon | | | Dudley North | |
| August 1713 | | Sir William Barker | Tory | | Dudley North | |
| January 1715 | | John Ward | | | Dudley North | |
| 1722 | | Sir Edmund Bacon | Tory | | Robert Jacomb | |
| 1733 by-election | | Sir Edmund Bacon | Tory | | Charles FitzRoy-Scudamore | |
| 1739 by-election | | Lord Augustus FitzRoy | | | Charles FitzRoy-Scudamore | |
| Dec. 1741 by-election | | Lord Henry Beauclerk | Whig | | Charles FitzRoy-Scudamore | |
| 1754 | | Lord Henry Beauclerk | Whig | | Herbert Westfaling | |
| 1761 | | Henry Seymour Conway | Rockingham Whig | | Hon. Aubrey Beauclerk | |
| 1768 | | Henry Seymour Conway | Rockingham Whig | | John Drummond | |
| Sept. 1774 by-election | | Henry Seymour Conway | Rockingham Whig | | Viscount Petersham | |
| 1774 | | Hon. Charles FitzRoy | | | Charles FitzRoy-Scudamore | |
| 1780 | | Richard Hopkins | | | Charles FitzRoy-Scudamore | |
| 1782 by-election | | Richard Hopkins | | | Earl of Euston | Whig |
| 1784 | | Sir Charles Kent, Bt | | | George Jennings | |
| 1790 | | Robert John Buxton | | | Joseph Randyll Burch | |
| May 1796 | | John Harrison | | | Joseph Randyll Burch | |
| 1802 | | John Harrison | | | Thomas Creevey | |
| 1806 | | Lord William FitzRoy | | | James Mingay | |
| February 1807 | | Lord William FitzRoy | | | Thomas Creevey | |
| 1812 | | Lord John FitzRoy | | | Thomas Creevey | |
| 1818 | | Lord Charles FitzRoy | Whig | | Nicholas Ridley-Colborne | |
| 1826 | | Lord Charles FitzRoy | Whig | | Bingham Baring | Whig |
| 1830 | | Lord James FitzRoy | Whig | | Francis Baring | Whig |
| 1831 | | Lord James FitzRoy | Whig | | Alexander Baring | Tory |
| 1832 | | Lord James FitzRoy | Whig | | Francis Baring | Tory |
| August 1834 by-election | | Henry FitzRoy, Earl of Euston | Whig | | Francis Baring | Tory |
| December 1834 | | Henry FitzRoy, Earl of Euston | Whig | | Francis Baring | Conservative |
| 1841 | | Henry FitzRoy, Earl of Euston | Whig | | Hon. Bingham Baring | Conservative |
| May 1842 | | Sir James Flower, Bt | Conservative | | Hon. Bingham Baring | Conservative |
| 1847 | | William FitzRoy, Earl of Euston | Whig | | Hon. Bingham Baring | Conservative |
| 1848 by-election | | William FitzRoy, Earl of Euston | Whig | | Francis Baring | Conservative |
| 1857 by-election | | William FitzRoy, Earl of Euston | Whig | | Alexander Baring | Conservative |
| 1859 | | William FitzRoy, Earl of Euston | Liberal | | Alexander Baring | Conservative |
| 1863 by-election | | Lord Frederick FitzRoy | Liberal | | Alexander Baring | Conservative |
| 1865 | | Robert Harvey | Conservative | | Alexander Baring | Conservative |
| 1867 by-election | | Robert Harvey | Conservative | | Edward Gordon | Conservative |
| 1868 | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished |

## FitzRoy family

Due to the town's close proximity to Euston Hall (the main residence of the FitzRoy family), the seat for Thetford has been held by various members of the family:
* 1733-54 & 1774-82: Charles FitzRoy-Scudamore
* 1739-41: Lord Augustus FitzRoy
* 1774-80: Hon. Charles FitzRoy
* 1782-84: George FitzRoy, Earl of Euston
* 1806-12: Lord William FitzRoy
* 1812-18: Lord John FitzRoy
* 1818-30: Lord Charles FitzRoy
* 1830-34: Lord James FitzRoy
* 1847-63: William FitzRoy, Earl of Euston
* 1863-65: Lord Frederick FitzRoy

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

General election 1830: Thetford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Lord James FitzRoy | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig | Francis Baring | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 31 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1831: Thetford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Lord James FitzRoy | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Tory | Alexander Baring | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 31 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
| | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig |
General election 1832: Thetford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Lord James FitzRoy | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Tory | Francis Baring | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 146 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
FitzRoy's death caused a by-election.
By-election, 8 August 1834: Thetford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Henry FitzRoy | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1835: Thetford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Henry FitzRoy | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Francis Baring | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 160 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1837: Thetford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Henry FitzRoy | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Francis Baring | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 161 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Thetford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Bingham Baring | 86 | 37.7 | N/A |
| | Whig | Henry FitzRoy | 71 | 31.1 | N/A |
| | Conservative | James Flower | 71 | 31.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 137 | 87.8 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 156 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15 | 6.6 | N/A |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 0 | 0.0 | N/A |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |
| | Conservative win | Conservative win | Conservative win | Conservative win | Conservative win |
Due to the triple return, on petition, one vote was knocked off FitzRoy's total and Flower was declared elected in 1842.
Baring was appointed Paymaster General, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 24 February 1845: Thetford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Bingham Baring | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1847: Thetford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Bingham Baring | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig | William FitzRoy | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 200 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
Baring succeeded to the peerage, becoming 2nd Baron Ashburton and causing a by-election.
By-election, 3 August 1848: Thetford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Francis Baring | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Thetford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Francis Baring | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig | William FitzRoy | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 200 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1857: Thetford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Francis Baring | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig | William FitzRoy | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 218 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
Baring resigned, causing a by-election.
By-election, 9 December 1857: Thetford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alexander Baring | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1859: Thetford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alexander Baring | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal | William FitzRoy | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 231 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1860s

FitzRoy succeeded to the peerage, becoming 6th Duke of Grafton and causing a by-election.
By-election, 21 April 1863: Thetford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Lord Frederick FitzRoy | 93 | 53.4 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Robert Harvey | 81 | 46.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12 | 6.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 174 | 75.0 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 232 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1865: Thetford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Harvey | 193 | 48.4 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Alexander Baring | 137 | 34.3 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Thomas Dakin | 69 | 17.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 124 | 31.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 200 (est) | 89.1 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 224 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
Baring resigned, causing a by-election.
By-election, 2 December 1867: Thetford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Gordon | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal |