WORCESTERSHIRE EAST—J. H. H. Foley, Esq., and Captain Rushout reëlected
without opposition.
WORCESTERSHIRE WEST—Hon. General H. B. Lygon and F. W. Knight, Esq.,
reëlected without opposition.
WORCESTER—MAY—(Election on Mr. Rufford’s accepting the Chiltern
Hundreds)—William Laslett, Esq., of Abberton Hall, had some time
previously announced himself as a candidate for the representation
whenever a vacancy should occur, professing Radical opinions. The
Conservatives brought forward Mr. Charles M‘Garel, who declared himself a
supporter of Lord Derby’s Government; but as he was not explicit on the
subject of “Protection,” he found so little favour with the voters, that
after four days’ canvass he left the city. Mr. Laslett was then returned
unopposed. JULY—Mr. Ricardo and Mr. Laslett united the suffrages of the
Whig and Radical parties, and the candidate supported by the
Conservatives was J. W. Huddleston, Esq., the well known barrister on the
Oxford Circuit. He avowed himself a Free Trader, but would support Lord
Derby’s Government in other matters. The Sheriff’s return showed 1,212
votes given for Mr. Laslett, 1,164 for Mr. Ricardo, and 661 for Mr.
Huddleston.
KIDDERMINSTER—Mr. John Best, the former member, was opposed by Robert
Lowe, Esq., a member of the Australian Council from 1843 to 1850, and
member for Sydney in 1848. He professed to be ready to support Lord
Derby’s Government according to their measures, though a thorough Free
Trader. He thus obtained the support of the Whig and Radical parties in
the borough, and also of a section of the moderate Conservatives. He was
returned on the poll by a majority of 94: the numbers being—Lowe, 246;
Best, 152.
BEWDLEY—Sir Thomas E. Winnington, Bart., Liberal, and Joseph Sandars,
Esq., Conservative, were the candidates—Viscount Mandeville having been
previously elected for Huntingdonshire. The votes were—for Winnington,
169; Sandars, 151.
EVESHAM—Lord Marcus Hill retired from the representation, and the
candidates were Charles Lennox Grenville Berkeley, Esq., formerly member
for Cheltenham, Liberal; Sir Henry Willoughby, Bart., Conservative; and
Sergeant Wilkins, Radical. The votes given were—for Willoughby, 189;
Berkeley, 170; Wilkins, 87.
DUDLEY—John Benbow, Esq., the former member, Conservative, and James
Baldwin, Esq., an alderman of Birmingham, Radical, were the candidates.
The votes given were—for Benbow, 400; Baldwin, 231.