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Corfe Castle
Borough
Available from Boydell and Brewer
Background Information
Right of Election:
in inhabitant householders paying scot and lot
Number of voters:
279 in 1718
Elections
Date | Candidate | Votes | |
---|---|---|---|
2 Feb. 1715 | DENIS BOND | ||
WILLIAM OKEDEN | |||
John Bankes | |||
Richard Fownes | |||
1 Dec. 1718 | vice Okeden, deceased | ||
JOSHUA CHURCHILL | 150 | 121 | |
JOHN BANKES | 129 | 123 | |
Double return. CHURCHILL declared elected, 21 Jan. 1719 | |||
25 Feb. 1721 | JOHN BOND vice Churchill, deceased | ||
26 Mar. 1722 | JOHN BANKES | ||
DENIS BOND | |||
19 Aug. 1727 | JOHN BANKES | ||
JOHN BOND | |||
30 Apr. 1734 | JOHN BANKES | ||
JOHN BOND | |||
7 May 1741 | JOHN BOND | ||
HENRY BANKES | |||
7 Dec. 1744 | THOMAS ERLE DRAX vice Bond, deceased | ||
29 June 1747 | HENRY BANKES | ||
JOHN BOND |
Main Article
Corfe Castle was dominated by the Bonds of Creech Grange, three miles distant, Whigs, and the Bankeses of Kingston Lacy, lords of the manor and castle of Corfe, Tories. In 1715 the Bonds were able to capture both seats, probably through William Ockeden who owned a small property in the borough, out of which he granted 35 leases. A petition alleging ‘that multitudes of pretended votes [presumably these leaseholders] were allowed by the mayor’ as returning officer, was withdrawn. On Okeden’s death in 1718 the legality of these leases was challenged at the ensuing by-election, on which the mayor compromised by making a double return, ‘the difficulty being too weighty ... to take upon him to determine’. Without these votes John Bankes had a majority of two, but the House of Commons upheld their validity and Joshua Churchill was declared elected by 21 votes.1 Thereafter, by amicable arrangement, the Bankeses and Bonds each took one seat, without a contest.
Author: R. S. Lea
Notes
- 1. CJ, xviii. 31, 372; xix. 47, 63.