Right of election
in the corporation
Background Information
Number of voters: about 70
Number of seats
2
Constituency business
County
| Date | Candidate | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Apr. 1754 | SIR THOMAS ROBINSON | |
| JOHN MORDAUNT | ||
| 21 Nov. 1755 | ROBINSON re-elected after appointment to office | |
| 31 Mar. 1761 | THOMAS ROBINSON | |
| JAMES HARRIS | ||
| 28 Dec. 1762 | HARRIS re-elected after appointment to office | |
| 23 Apr. 1763 | HARRIS re-elected after appointment to office | |
| 18 Nov. 1766 | ROBINSON re-elected after appointment to office | |
| 19 Mar. 1768 | THOMAS ROBINSON | |
| JAMES HARRIS | ||
| 1 Mar. 1770 | ROBINSON re-elected after appointment to office | |
| 20 Nov. 1770 | JAMES HARRIS jun. vice Robinson, called to the Upper House | |
| 8 Oct. 1774 | JAMES HARRIS SEN. | |
| THOMAS VILLIERS | ||
| 15 June 1779 | THOMAS VILLIERS, Lord Hyde, re-elected after vacating his seat | |
| 9 Sept. 1780 | JAMES HARRIS SEN. | |
| SIR JAMES HARRIS | ||
| 29 Jan. 1781 | JOHN FREDERICK vice James Harris sen., deceased | |
| 2 Apr. 1784 | SIR JAMES HARRIS | |
| SIR JOHN FREDERICK | ||
| 23 Oct. 1788 | HANS SLOANE vice Harris, called to the Upper House |
Main Article
According to Oldfield, the corporation had arrogated to themselves the right of election, ‘without any opposition from the inhabitants’,1Boroughs (1792), ii. 277. and Christchurch was in effect a corporation borough. For most of this period it was controlled by Edward Hooper, M.P. for Christchurch 1735-48 and commissioner of customs 1748-93, who returned his cousin, James Harris, and generally placed the other seat at the disposal of Administration. About 1789 George Rose, secretary to the Treasury, who had purchased an estate in Hampshire, succeeded in obtaining control over one seat.
Volume
Notes
- 1. Boroughs (1792), ii. 277.