An evening of celebrations were held to mark the 200th anniversary of the first election to Parliament of Thomas Foxwell Buxton.

Earlier this month approximately 60 people gathered in the Attlee Suite at Portcullis House, Westminster to mark the occasion.

Mr Buxton was the MP for Weymouth and Melcombe Regis from 1818 to 1837.

The event was chaired by Charles Walker MP, a Buxton descendant. The evening’s programme began with a presentation in praise of Buxton by the speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow. He was followed by a talk on the parliamentary achievements of Thomas Fowell Buxton by the Thomas Fowell Buxton Society representative, Joyce Fannon.

Other contributions in praise of Buxton included those of Lord Sheikh, Lord Knight (Former MP for South Dorset), Baroness Hamwee, and MP Bim Afolami. Victoria Atkins MP with a portfolio on trafficking spoke on modern slavery, as did the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Cressida Dick. She is also a Buxton descendant.

Question time was largely taken up with questions and comments on trafficking and modern day slavery. The Buxton Society’s networking partners Purple Teardrop Campaign and Fairtrade were mentioned in this context.

The evening, as an acknowledgement of the importance of Buxton’s parliamentary career, followed on from a tribute display in April and May on the Glass Wall in the atrium of Portcullis House, where Lords and MPs have their offices. Locally the Thomas Fowell Buxton Society fielded a presentation by Professor Carl Whitehouse on Georgian Elections, followed by a themed Evensong with organist Paul Selby at St Mary’s in Weymouth.

On Wednesday, August 1 there will be a picnic in Victoria Park Gardens at the Buxton Fountain before people will venture into Westminster Abbey for Evensong and a special 200th anniversary short service at the Buxton Statue in the North Aisle of the Abbey. A floral tribute will be laid by Mayor of Weymouth, Gill Taylor, representing the Borough and a second one will be laid by a Society member.

The 2018 celebrations will end on Thursday, October 18 at the Thomas Fowell Buxton Society Black History Month event at 2pm at Weymouth Community Firestation on Radipole Lane in Weymouth.