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New Shoreham (UK Parliament constituency)

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New Shoreham
Former borough constituency
for the House of Commons
CountySussex (now West Sussex)
Major settlementsShoreham-by-Sea
1295–1885
SeatsTwo
Replaced byLewes

New Shoreham, sometimes simply called Shoreham, was a parliamentary borough centred on the town of Shoreham-by-Sea in what is now West Sussex. It returned two Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons of England from 1295 to 1707, then to the House of Commons of Great Britain until 1800, and finally to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 until it was abolished by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, with effect from the 1885 general election.

A modern constituency called Shoreham existed from 1974 to 1997.

Boundaries, franchise and boundary changes

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New Shoreham is a part of Shoreham-by-Sea, located around its port. The borough, in 1800, had about 1,000 electors. The qualification for the vote before 1832, unusually for a borough, was the possession of a 40 shilling freehold which was the normal franchise for a county constituency.

The explanation for the franchise qualification was the result of a disputed by-election in 1770. At that time all the electors qualified by paying scot and lot, a local property tax. Stooks Smith provides two notes on what happened, following a result in which Thomas Rumbold received 87 votes and John Purling had 37 votes (a third candidate, William James, received 4 votes).

The Returning Officer on the ground that nearly all the 87 were bribed declared Mr. Purling elected, but Mr. Rumbold was seated on petition. On the 14th Feb. 1771, Mr. Roberts the Returning Officer was brought to the Bar of the House, and on his knees received a very severe reprimand from the Speaker for having taken upon himself to return Mr. Purling.

However, as a result of Mr. Robert's action there had been an investigation.

Parliamentary Elections, New Shoreham Act 1771
Act of Parliament
Long titleAn Act to incapacitate John Burnett, Charles Hannington, Thomas Haselgrove, Ralph Moor, Thomas Parsons, Thomas Snook Junior, Thomas Hannington, John Hannington, John Robinson, William Cheeseman, George Browne, John Parsons, John Curl, Frederick Bean, William Bean, Samuel Tuppen, John Sawyers, Thomas Crowter, Thomas Pockney, Joseph Dedman, John Dean, John Whning, William Stevens. John Bawcomb, Robert Parker, John Hogsflesh, John Purse, John Dean, Thomas Jennings, John Snook Junior, Richard Tilstone, William Turner, Walter Sawyers, Charles Mitchell, John Jarmand, John Wood, Friend Baniel, William Gratwick, Nathaniel Hillman, Thomas Roberts, John Ashman, William Cooter, Thomas Frost, Michael Smith, Richard Carver, Michael Burrant, Emery Churcher, Walter Broad, Richard Stoneham, James Bennett, Clement Freeman, William Jupp, Thomas Crowter, John Barnard, James Mitchell, James Millar otherwise Miller, William Newnham, Jeffery Carver, Randall Button, James Carver, John Martin, John Dedman Senior, William Jennings, William Hards, Thomas Gear, William Rusbridge, Henry Robinson, and Henry Hannington, from voting at Elections of Members to serve in Parliament, and for the preventing Bribery and Corruption in the Election of Members to serve in Parliament, for the Borough of New Shoreham, in the County of Sussex.
Citation11 Geo. 3. c. 55
Dates
Royal assent8 May 1771

The evidence given by the Returning Officer, Mr. Hugh Roberts, before the Committee, was the means of bringing to light a most singular system of wholesale bribery, carried on by a body of Electors, who styled themselves, the "Christian Society", and who had for some time being in the habit of selling seats to the highest bidders. By 11th Geo. III. C. 55,[a] the whole of the members, amounting to 81, were deprived of the right of again voting at any Parliamentary Election, and the old class of voters disfranchised, the right of election being extended to the 40s. freeholders of the Rape of Bramber.

The rapes were traditional subdivisions of Sussex. The six rapes each consisted of a strip of territory from the northern border of the county to its southern coast, so the area involved was considerably larger than that of the normal parliamentary borough.

As a result of the extension of the boundaries the constituency became more like a county one than a typical borough of the era.

When an electoral register was first compiled, before the 1832 election, the 1,925 electors included 701 freeholders and 189 scot and lot voters. The remaining electors would have qualified under the occupation franchise introduced for all boroughs by the Reform Act 1832, which also preserved the ancient right franchises of the existing electors. The twentieth century parliamentary historian Lewis Namier said that "New Shoreham was the first borough to be disenfranchised for corruption".[1]

Members of Parliament

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1295–1640

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Parliament First member Second member
1295 Roger de Beauchamp Thomas Pontoyse[2]
1298 Godfrey atte Curt Roger le Wake[2]
1300 Roger de Beauchamp Richard de Bokyngeham[2]
1303 Henry de Burne Roger de Beauchamp[2]
1304 Richard Serle Simon Iveny[2]
1307 Richard Must Richard Serle[2]
1309 John Virley John Frewyn[2]
1311 John Virley John Frewyn[2]
1313 Henry de Bourne William de Pevense[2]
1319 John Loute John Baudefait[2]
1325 William Vyvyan Thomas Moraunt[2]
1327 Ralph Bovet John le Blake[2]
1328 Henry de Whitewei John Swele[2]
1328 Anselm atte Putte John Swele[2]
1328 Anselm atte Putte John Swele[2]
1329 Robert Apetot Robert le Kenne[2]
1331 John de Beauchamp Anselm ante Putte[2]
1332 Anselm atte Putte Richard ?1VIoust[2]
1332 Anselm atte Putte John atto Grene[2]
1333 Anselm atte Putte David Fynian[2]
1334 John Beauchamp Germanus Hobelyt[2]
1335 Robert le Puffare John Beauchamp[2]
1336 John de Beauchamp John atte Crone[2]
1336 Robert Puffer/Simon 1'houto Thomas Fynian[2]
1337 John Beauchamp John Bernard[2]
1339 Robert Puffaro John Bernard[2]
1339 Robert le Puffare John Bernard[2]
1340 John Beauchamp Robert le Puffare[2]
1341 John Beauchamp Hugo de Coumbes[2]
1344 John Beauchamp Robert Puffero[2]
1346 Robert Puffere William L. . .[2]
1348 John Beauchamp Henry le Puffare[2]
1350 John Bernard Thomas Fynian[2]
1354 Walter Woxebrugge Thomas Finyan[2]
1355 John Bernard Walter Bailiff[2]
1357 Walter Woxebrugg Thomas Fynyan[2]
1357 Thomas Bokyngham William Snellyng[2]
1360 John Bernard Walter Bailiff[2]
1360 John Bernard Walter Woxebrugge[2]
1362 Thomas Fynyan Thomas Bokyngham[2]
1363 John Bernard William Snellyng[2]
1366 Ralph Iver William Snellyng[2]
1368 John Bernard John Barbour[2]
1369 Richard Combo John Barbour[2]
1371 William Snellyng[2]
1372 William Snellyng John Barbour[2]
1373 William Taillour Ralph Frore[2]
1376 William Taillour Ralph Frere[2]
1377 Richard Bernard John Barbour[2]
1378 John Barbour William Taillour[2]
1379 John Barbour Gregory Fromond[2]
1381 Richard Bernard Simon Benefeld[2]
1382 William Shirford Richard Bernard[2]
1382 John Barbour John Skully[2]
1382 John Lynton Simon Benefeld[2]
1383 John Lynton Simon Benefeld[2]
1384 Simon Benefeld John Lynton[2]
1384 Simon Benefeld Richard Bernard[2]
1385 Robert Frye John Lenton[2]
1386 Richard Bernard William Corveysor[3]
1388 (Feb) Richard Bernard Simon Benefeld[3]
1388 (Sep) Richard Bernard John Skully[3]
1390 (Jan) Richard Bernard Simon Benefeld[3]
1390 (Nov)
1391 Robert Frye John Skully[3]
1393 Richard Bernard John Skully[3]
1394
1395 Richard Bernard Simon Benefeld[3]
1397 (Jan) Robert Frye Simon Benefeld[3]
1397 (Sep) Gregory Fromond William Hulle[3]
1399 Robert Frye John Soper[3]
1401
1402 William Ede Roger Farmcombe[3]
1404 (Jan)
1404 (Oct)
1406 William Hokere William Peck[3]
1407 John atte Gate John Skully[3]
1410
1411
1413 (Feb)
1413 (May) William Ede John Draper[3]
1414 (Apr)
1414 (Nov) William Ede Robert Benefeld[3]
1415
1416 (Mar) William Askewith John Draper[3]
1416 (Oct)
1417 Richard Dammer Adam Feret[3]
1419
1420
1421 (May)
1421 (Dec) John Findon Richard Roger[3]
1423 Richard Dammer William Langlegh[2]
1426 Richard Roger Adam Feret[2]
1427 John Wrvthere John Waleys[2]
1429 William Snellyng William Yongge[2]
1430 Adam Feret John Furly[2]
1432 Richard Jay Richard Dammer[2]
1433 Thomas Hille John Ham[2]
1435 Richard Jay John Furly[2]
1436 Richard Jay ?John Iiempe[2]
1441 Richard Jay Thomas Grevet[2]
1446 John Veske John Weston[2]
1448 William Redston John Beckwith[2]
1449 William Bury John Gloucestre[2]
1411 Thomas Gvnnour Edward Raffe[2]
1452 Edward Raffe William Say[2]
1459 Hugo Till Richard Awger[2]
1460 Robert Spert Nicholas Morley[2]
1467 Richard Lewkenor William Brandon[2]
1472 Peter Veske Richard Farnefold[2]
1477 Peter Veske John Cookson[2]
1482–1523 No names known[4]
1529 John Covert John Michell[4]
1536 ?
1539 ?
1542 ?
1545 John Gates[5] Henry Gates[4]
1547 William Fitzwilliam Anthony Bourchier, died
and repl. by Jan 1552 by
Sir Henry Hussey[4]
1553 (Mar) John Fowler Thomas Harvey[4]
1553 (Oct) Thomas Roper Thomas Elrington[4]
1554 (Apr) Leonard West William Mody[4]
1554 (Nov) Simon Lowe alias Fyfield William Mody[4]
1555 Francis Shirley Thomas Hogan[4]
1558 Anthony Hussey Richard Baker [4]
1558–9 Richard Fulmerston John Hussey[6]
1562–3 Henry Knollys[7] Nicholas Mynn [6]
1571 William Dix John Bowles[6]
1572 Edward Lewknor Edward Fenner[6][8]
1584 William Necton Thomas Fenner[6][9]
1586 William Necton John Young[6]
1588 William Necton John Young[6]
1593 William Necton Herbert Morley[6]
1597 William Necton John Young[6]
1601 John Morley Robert Booth[6]
1604–1611 Sir Bernard Whetston Sir Hugh Beeston
1614 Lord Howard of Effingham Thomas Shelley
1621 Sir John Morley, died 1622 Sir John Leedes
1624 Anthony Stapley William Marlott
1625 Anthony Stapley William Marlott
1626 John Alford William Marlott
1628 Robert Morley William Marlott
1629–1640 No Parliaments summoned

1640–1885

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Election 1st member 1st party 2nd member 2nd party
April 1640 William Marlott Parliamentarian John Alford Parliamentarian
November 1640
1646 Herbert Springet
December 1648 Springet and Alford excluded in Pride's Purge – both seats vacant
1653 New Shoreham was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament and the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate
January 1659 John Whaley Edward Blaker
May 1659 Not represented in the restored Rump
April 1660 (Sir) Herbert Springet[10] Edward Blaker
1662 William Quatremaine
1667 John Fagg
1673 Henry Goring
1678 Sir Anthony Deane
February 1679 Robert Fagg John Cheale
August 1679 John Hales
1681 Robert Fagg
1685 Sir Edward Hungerford Sir Richard Haddock
1689 John Monke
1690 John Perry
1695 Henry Priestman
1698 Charles Sergison
1701 Nathaniel Gould
1702 John Perry
1705 John Wicker
May 1708 Anthony Hammond[11] Richard Lloyd
December 1708 Sir Gregory Page
1710 (Sir) Nathaniel Gould
1713 Francis Chamberlayne
1715 Sir Gregory Page
1720 Francis Chamberlayne
1729 Samuel Ongley John Gould
1734 Thomas Frederick John Phillipson
1740 John Frederick
1741 Charles Frederick Thomas Brand
1747 Robert Bristow
1754 Richard Stratton
1758 Sir William Williams
March 1761 The Viscount Midleton
December 1761 The Lord Pollington[12]
1765 Vice-Admiral (Sir) Samuel Cornish[13]
1768 Peregrine Cust
November 1770 John Purling[14]
December 1770 Thomas Rumbold
1774 Charles Goring Whig[15] Sir John Shelley Tory[15]
1780 Sir Cecil Bisshopp Tory[15] John Peachey Tory[15]
1790 Sir Harry Goring Whig[15] John Clater Aldridge Whig[15]
1795 Hon. Charles Wyndham Tory[15]
1796 Sir Cecil Bisshopp Tory[15]
1802 Timothy Shelley Whig[15]
1806 Sir Charles Burrell, Bt Tory[15]
1818 James Lloyd Whig[15]
1826 Henry Howard Whig[15]
1832 Harry Goring[16] Whig[15][17][18]
1834 Conservative[15]
1841 Charles Goring Conservative[15]
1849 Lord Alexander Gordon-Lennox Conservative
1859 Rt Hon. Sir Stephen Cave Conservative
1862 Sir Percy Burrell, Bt Conservative
1876 Sir Walter Burrell, Bt Conservative
1880 Robert Loder Conservative
1885 Constituency abolished

Election results

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Elections in the 1830s

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General election 1830: New Shoreham[15][19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Tory Charles Burrell Unopposed
Whig Henry Howard Unopposed
Tory hold
Whig hold
General election 1831: New Shoreham[15][19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Tory Charles Burrell Unopposed
Whig Henry Howard Unopposed
Registered electors 1,600
Tory hold
Whig hold
General election 1832: New Shoreham[15][20]
Party Candidate Votes %
Tory Charles Burrell 785 39.9
Whig Harry Goring 774 39.4
Tory George Frederick Jones 406 20.7
Turnout 1,154 59.9
Registered electors 1,925
Majority 11 0.5
Tory hold
Majority 368 18.7
Whig hold
General election 1835: New Shoreham[15][20]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Charles Burrell Unopposed
Whig Harry Goring Unopposed
Registered electors 1,910
Conservative hold
Whig hold
General election 1837: New Shoreham[15][20]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Harry Goring 850 37.9
Conservative Charles Burrell 773 34.5
Whig David Salomons 619 27.6
Turnout 1,322 68.1
Registered electors 1,940
Majority 77 3.4
Whig hold
Majority 154 6.9
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1840s

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General election 1841: New Shoreham[15][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Burrell 959 38.5 +21.3
Conservative Charles Goring 856 34.4 +17.2
Whig Edward Fitzalan-Howard 673 27.0 −38.5
Majority 183 7.4 +0.5
Turnout 1,581 (est) 82.4 (est) c. +14.3
Registered electors 1,918
Conservative hold Swing +20.3
Conservative gain from Whig Swing +18.2
General election 1847: New Shoreham[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Burrell Unopposed
Conservative Charles Goring Unopposed
Registered electors 1,864
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Goring's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 28 December 1849: New Shoreham[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Lord Alexander Gordon-Lennox Unopposed
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1850s

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General election 1852: New Shoreham[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Burrell Unopposed
Conservative Lord Alexander Gordon-Lennox Unopposed
Registered electors 1,865
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
General election 1857: New Shoreham[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Burrell 991 43.4 N/A
Conservative Lord Alexander Gordon-Lennox 806 35.3 N/A
Independent Liberal Henry Williams Pemberton[21][22] 487 21.3 New
Majority 319 14.0 N/A
Turnout 1,386 (est) 77.0 (est) N/A
Registered electors 1,800
Conservative hold Swing N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 1859: New Shoreham[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Burrell Unopposed
Conservative Stephen Cave Unopposed
Registered electors 1,843
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1860s

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Burrell's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 5 February 1862: New Shoreham[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Percy Burrell Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1865: New Shoreham[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Stephen Cave 972 39.6 N/A
Conservative Percy Burrell 891 36.3 N/A
Liberal James Hannen[23] 592 24.1 New
Majority 299 12.2 N/A
Turnout 1,524 (est) 77.0 (est) N/A
Registered electors 1,978
Conservative hold Swing N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Cave was appointed Vice-President of the Board of Trade, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 14 July 1866: New Shoreham[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Stephen Cave Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1868: New Shoreham[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Percy Burrell Unopposed
Conservative Stephen Cave Unopposed
Registered electors 4,774
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1870s

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General election 1874: New Shoreham[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Percy Burrell 2,527 43.3 N/A
Conservative Stephen Cave 2,414 41.4 N/A
Liberal William Lyon 896 15.4 New
Majority 1,518 26.0 N/A
Turnout 3,367 (est) 67.4 (est) N/A
Registered electors 4,998
Conservative hold Swing N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Cave was appointed Judge Advocate General of the Armed Forces and Paymaster General, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 13 Mar 1874: New Shoreham[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Stephen Cave Unopposed
Conservative hold

Burrell's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 5 Aug 1876: New Shoreham[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Walter Burrell 2,152 60.7 −24.0
Liberal William Egerton Hubbard[24] 1,394 39.3 +23.9
Majority 758 21.4 −4.6
Turnout 3,546 69.1 +1.7
Registered electors 5,129
Conservative hold Swing −24.0

Elections in the 1880s

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General election 1880: New Shoreham[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Walter Burrell 2,445 37.6 −5.7
Conservative Robert Loder 2,195 33.8 −7.6
Liberal William Egerton Hubbard[24] 2,059 31.7 +16.3
Majority 136 2.1 −23.9
Turnout 4,379 (est) 79.9 (est) +12.5
Registered electors 5,480
Conservative hold Swing −6.9
Conservative hold Swing −7.9

See also

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Notes and references

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  1. ^ Parliamentary Elections, New Shoreham Act 1771 (11 Geo. 3. c. 55)
  1. ^ Page 129, Lewis Namier, The Structure of Politics at the Accession of George III (2nd edition – London: St Martin's Press, 1957)
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca "The Story of Shoreham" (PDF). Retrieved 26 December 2011.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  5. ^ "Gates, Sir John". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/10448. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "History of Parliament". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  7. ^ "Knollys, Sir Francis (1511/12–1596)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  8. ^ "Fenner, Sir Edward". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  9. ^ "Fenner, Thomas". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  10. ^ Created a baronet, January 1661
  11. ^ In December 1708 Hammond, who was a Commissioner of the Navy, was voted by the House of Commons to be therefore ineligible for election, and a writ for a by-election was immediately issued
  12. ^ Created Earl of Mexborough (in the Peerage of Ireland), February 1766
  13. ^ Created a baronet, February 1766
  14. ^ On petition, Purling was declared not have been duly elected, and his opponent Rumbold was declared to have been elected instead. Furthermore, the House voted that "the most corrupt practices had been used", and an Act of Parliament was passed in 1771 to permanently disqualify the returning officer and 80 other voters from ever voting again in a Parliamentary election, and to extend the right to vote for the Members for New Shoreham to all the 40 shilling freeholders of the Rape of Bramber.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Stooks Smith, Henry (1845). The Parliaments of England, from 1st George I., to the Present Time. Vol II: Oxfordshire to Wales Inclusive. London: Simpkin, Marshall, & Co. pp. 93–95. Retrieved 1 December 2018 – via Google Books.
  16. ^ Goring was classified by Craig as a Liberal, although his entry in Dod's Parliamentary Companion (reprinted in Stenton) describes him as "inclined to Conservative principles".
  17. ^ Churton, Edward (1838). The Assembled Commons or Parliamentary Biographer: 1838. p. 102. Retrieved 1 December 2018 – via Google Books.
  18. ^ Mosse, Richard Bartholomew (1838). The Parliamentary Guide: a concise history of the Members of both Houses, etc. p. 168. Retrieved 1 December 2018 – via Google Books.
  19. ^ a b Jenkins, Terry; Spencer, Howard. "New Shoreham". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. pp. 275–276. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
  21. ^ "Election for the Borough of New Shoreham and Rape of Braniber". West Sussex Gazette. 2 April 1857. p. 2. Retrieved 9 July 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  22. ^ "Dublin Daily Express". 24 March 1857. pp. 3–4. Retrieved 9 July 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  23. ^ "Representation of Shoreham and Bramber Rape". Sussex Advertiser. 20 June 1865. p. 4. Retrieved 11 March 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  24. ^ a b "Nominations". Belfast Telegraph. 3 April 1880. p. 3. Retrieved 21 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.

Sources

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