The General Election of 1865, which resulted in the ministry of Lord John Russell, was the occasion of a riot in Chippenham. There were then two seats for the Chippenham constituency: Sir John Neeld (Conservative) was elected to one of them; the other was won by Sir Gabriel Goldney (also a Conservative). His defeat of the Liberal candidate (and sitting MP since 1859), William John Lysley (1791–1873), caused a riot, involving some five hundred people and the smashing of a number of windows. The Lysley family are commemorated by the Lysley Arms pub/restaurant in Pewsham, on the A4 not far from Bowood.
