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 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.

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".Page 129, Lewis Namier, The Structure of Politics at the Accession of George III (2nd edition – London: St Martin's Press, 1957)

Members of Parliament 1295–1640

ParliamentFirst memberSecond member1295 Roger de Beauchamp Thomas Pontoyse1298 Godfrey atte Curt Roger le Wake1300 Roger de Beauchamp Richard de Bokyngeham1303 Henry de Burne Roger de Beauchamp1304 Richard Serle Simon Iveny1307 Richard Must Richard Serle1309 John Virley John Frewyn1311 John Virley John Frewyn1313 Henry de Bourne William de Pevense1319 John Loute John Baudefait1325 William Vyvyan Thomas Moraunt1327 Ralph Bovet John le Blake 1328 Henry de Whitewei John Swele1328 Anselm atte Putte John Swele1328 Anselm atte Putte John Swele1329 Robert Apetot Robert le Kenne1331 John de Beauchamp Anselm ante Putte1332 Anselm atte PutteRichard ?1VIoust1332 Anselm atte Putte John atto Grene1333 Anselm atte Putte David Fynian1334 John Beauchamp Germanus Hobelyt 1335 Robert le Puffare John Beauchamp1336 John de Beauchamp John atte Crone1336 Robert Puffer/Simon 1'houto Thomas Fynian 1337 John Beauchamp John Bernard 1339 Robert Puffaro John Bernard 1339 Robert le Puffare John Bernard 1340 John Beauchamp Robert le Puffare1341 John Beauchamp Hugo de Coumbes1344 John Beauchamp Robert Puffero1346 Robert Puffere William L. . .1348John Beauchamp Henry le Puffare1350 John Bernard Thomas Fynian1354 Walter Woxebrugge Thomas Finyan1355 John Bernard Walter Bailiff1357 Walter Woxebrugg Thomas Fynyan1357 Thomas Bokyngham William Snellyng1360 John Bernard Walter Bailiff1360 John Bernard Walter Woxebrugge1362 Thomas Fynyan Thomas Bokyngham1363 John BernardWilliam Snellyng1366 Ralph Iver William Snellyng1368 John Bernard John Barbour1369 Richard Combo John Barbour1371 William Snellyng1372 William Snellyng John Barbour1373 William Taillour Ralph Frore1376 William Taillour Ralph Frere1377 Richard Bernard John Barbour1378 John Barbour William Taillour1379 John Barbour Gregory Fromond1381 Richard Bernard Simon Benefeld1382 William ShirfordRichard Bernard1382 John Barbour John Skully1382 John Lynton Simon Benefeld1383 John Lynton Simon Benefeld1384 Simon Benefeld John Lynton1384 Simon Benefeld Richard Bernard1385 Robert Frye John Lenton1386 Richard BernardWilliam Corveysor1388 (Feb)Richard Bernard Simon Benefeld1388 (Sep) Richard Bernard John Skully1390 (Jan)Richard Bernard Simon Benefeld1390 (Nov)1391 Robert FryeJohn Skully1393 Richard BernardJohn Skully13941395 Richard BernardSimon Benefeld1397 (Jan) Robert FryeSimon Benefeld1397 (Sep)Gregory FromondWilliam Hulle1399 Robert Frye John Soper14011402 William EdeRoger Farmcombe1404 (Jan)1404 (Oct)1406 William HokereWilliam Peck1407 John atte GateJohn Skully141014111413 (Feb)1413 (May)William EdeJohn Draper1414 (Apr)1414 (Nov)William EdeRobert Benefeld1415 1416 (Mar)William AskewithJohn Draper1416 (Oct)1417 Richard DammerAdam Feret141914201421 (May)1421 (Dec)John FindonRichard Roger1423 Richard Dammer William Langlegh1426 Richard Roger Adam Feret1427 John Wrvthere John Waleys1429 William Snellyng William Yongge1430 Adam Feret John Furly1432 Richard Jay Richard Dammer1433 Thomas Hille John Ham1435 Richard Jay John Furly1436 Richard Jay ?John Iiempe1441 Richard Jay Thomas Grevet1446 John Veske John Weston1448 William Redston John Beckwith1449 William Bury John Gloucestre1411 Thomas Gvnnour Edward Raffe1452 Edward RaffeWilliam Say1459 Hugo Till Richard Awger1460 Robert Spert Nicholas Morley1467 Richard Lewkenor William Brandon1472 Peter Veske Richard Farnefold1477 Peter Veske John Cookson1482–1523No names known1529 John Covert John Michell1536 ?1539 ?1542 ? 1545 John GatesHenry Gates 1547 William FitzwilliamAnthony Bourchier, died and repl. by Jan 1552 by Sir Henry Hussey 1553 (Mar) John FowlerThomas Harvey 1553 (Oct) Thomas RoperThomas Elrington 1554 (Apr) Leonard WestWilliam Mody 1554 (Nov) Simon Lowe alias FyfieldWilliam Mody 1555 Francis Shirley Thomas Hogan 1558Anthony HusseyRichard Baker 1558–9 Richard FulmerstonJohn Hussey 1562–3 Henry KnollysNicholas Mynn 1571 William DixJohn Bowles 1572 Edward LewknorEdward Fenner 1584 William NectonThomas Fenner 1586 William NectonJohn Young 1588 William NectonJohn Young 1593 William NectonHerbert Morley 1597 William NectonJohn Young 1601 John Morley Robert Booth 1604–1611 Sir Bernard Whetstone 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 Marlott1629–1640 No Parliaments summoned

1640–1885 Election1st member1st party2nd member2nd partyApril 1640 William MarlottParliamentarian John AlfordParliamentarianNovember 16401646Herbert SpringetDecember 1648Springet and Alford excluded in Pride's Purge – both seats vacant1653New Shoreham was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament and the First and Second Parliaments of the ProtectorateJanuary 1659John WhaleyEdward BlakerMay 1659Not represented in the restored RumpApril 1660 (Sir) Herbert SpringetCreated a baronet, January 1661 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 HammondIn 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 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 PollingtonCreated Earl of Mexborough (in the Peerage of Ireland), February 1766 1765 Vice-Admiral (Sir) Samuel CornishCreated a baronet, February 1766 1768 Peregrine Cust November 1770 John PurlingOn 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. December 1770 Thomas Rumbold 1774 Charles Goring Whig Sir John Shelley Tory 1780 Sir Cecil Bisshopp Tory John Peachey Tory 1790 Sir Harry Goring Whig John Clater Aldridge Whig 1795 Hon. Charles Wyndham Tory 1796 Sir Cecil Bisshopp Tory 1802 Timothy Shelley Whig 1806 Sir Charles Burrell, Bt Tory 1818 James Lloyd Whig 1826 Henry Howard Whig 1832 Harry GoringGoring 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". Whig 1834 Conservative 1841 Charles Goring Conservative 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 Conservative1885 Constituency abolished

Election results Elections in the 1830s

Elections in the 1840s

Goring's death caused a by-election.

Elections in the 1850s

Elections in the 1860s Burrell's death caused a by-election.

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

Elections in the 1870s

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

Burrell's death caused a by-election.

Elections in the 1880s

See also Unreformed House of Commons

Notes and references

Sources Victoria History of the County of Sussex – south part of the Rape of Bramber Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885–1972, compiled and edited by F. W. S. Craig (Parliamentary Reference Publications 1972) British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (The Macmillan Press 1977) The Parliaments of England by Henry Stooks Smith (1st edition published in three volumes 1844–50), second edition edited (in one volume) by F.W.S. Craig (Political Reference Publications 1973) out of copyright Who's Who of British Members of Parliament: Volume I 1832–1885, edited by M. Stenton (The Harvester Press 1976) D. Brunton & D. H. Pennington, Members of the Long Parliament (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1954) Cobbett's Parliamentary history of England, from the Norman Conquest in 1066 to the year 1803 (London: Thomas Hansard, 1808) Maija Jansson (ed.) Proceedings in Parliament, 1614 (House of Commons) (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, 1988) J E Neale, The Elizabethan House of Commons (London: Jonathan Cape, 1949)