Edward Dawes

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}

{{Use British English|date=March 2018}}

Edward Dawes (1805 – 27 January 1856){{Rayment-hc|i|date=March 2012}} was an English Radical politician who served for one year as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Isle of Wight. Born into modest circumstances on the island, he was provided for by his aunt Sophie Dawes, Baronne de Feuchères, who was the mistress of Duke of Bourbon.

He was elected at a by-election in May 1851,{{London Gazette

|issue= 21214

|date= 30 May 1851

|page=1418

|city=London

}}{{cite book

|last=Craig

|first=F. W. S.

|authorlink= F. W. S. Craig

|title=British parliamentary election results 1832–1885

|origyear=1977

|edition= 2nd

|year=1989

|publisher= Parliamentary Research Services

|location=Chichester

|isbn= 0-900178-26-4

|page=402

}} after the sitting Whig member John Simeon had resigned his seat.{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons/lib/research/briefings/snpc-04731.pdf |title=Appointments to the Chiltern Hundreds and Manor of Northstead Stewardships since 1850 |author=Department of Information Services |publisher=House of Commons Library |date=9 June 2009 |accessdate=30 November 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110206041753/http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons/lib/research/briefings/snpc-04731.pdf |archivedate=6 February 2011 }} The election was extremely unruly, with a violent mob causing damage and the death of one voter from a heart attack. The Times reported "The constituency of the isle has been in a perfect ferment during the whole of the election and broken panes and broken heads have been among the results".{{cite news|title=Isle of Wight Election|date=28 May 1851|work=The Times|page=7}} Dawes (running on a policy of free trade) defeated his Conservative challenger Captain Hammond (who advocated protectionism) by 46 votes.{{cite news|title=Isle of Wight Election|date=24 May 1851|work=The Times|page=8}}

However, at the general election in July 1852 Dawes was defeated by the Conservative Party candidate, Francis Venables-Vernon-Harcourt, who secured a majority of 101 votes.{{cite news|title=Election Intelligence|date=24 July 1852|work=The Times|page=5}} Dawes did not stand for Parliament again, but devoted himself to the study of agricultural chemistry. He was the author of a number of tracts on the subject.{{cite news|title=Death of Edward Dawes Esq.|date=2 February 1856|work=Isle of Wight Observer}}

Dawes suffered from heart disease, and died while on a visit to the health resort of Sidmouth, Devon in January 1856. He was buried in the family vault at St Helens, Isle of Wight.