Nominations: Tuesday, 5 August 1856, Polling: Tuesday, 5 August 1856 (No poll held)
Candidate
Votes
Votes %
Weekes, Elias Carpenter (Elected)
Elected unopposed
Cause Category: Qualifications Committee
Notes: This is not a by-election, but a record of a change of Parliamentary representative. The victory of Bourn Russell at the general election was overturned by the Elections and Qualifications Committee, his seat handed to defeated candidate Elias Carpenter Weekes. Weekes claimed people voted who had not been qualified to be listed on the electoral roll. As voters had to put their name and address on the ballot paper before the introduction of the secreat ballot, the EandQ committee was able to re-examine the ballot papers and remove the ballots of people challenged as not qualified to vote. This removed around 20 votes for Russell, resulting in his seat being delivered to Weekes. However, Weekes had been elected to Cumberland (South Riding) after defeat in Northumberland Boroughs. He chose to represent this seat, resigning from Cumberland (South Riding) and causing another by-election.