{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = | office = MP for Cockermouth | term_end = 12 December 1918 | term_start = 2 March 1916 | successor = constituency abolished | predecessor = Sir Wilfrid Lawson, 3rd Baronet, of Brayton | party = Liberal | birth_date = 1853 | death_date = 12 December 1939 }} '''Joseph Bliss''' (1853 – 12 December 1939)<ref>{{Rayment-hc|c|5|date=March 2012}}</ref> was a British Liberal Party politician.

He was elected as member of parliament (MP) for Cockermouth at an unopposed by-election in March 1916, following the resignation of the Liberal MP Sir Wilfrid Lawson.<ref name="craig1885-1918">{{Cite book |last=Craig |first=F. W. S. |author-link= F. W. S. Craig |title=British parliamentary election results 1885–1918 |orig-year=1974 |edition= 2nd |year=1989 |publisher= Parliamentary Research Services |location=Chichester |isbn= 0-900178-27-2 |page=244 }}</ref> He had previously stood unsuccessfully in the North Lonsdale at the general elections in January 1910 and December 1910, losing narrowly on both occasions.<ref name="craig-nl">Craig, ''British parliamentary election results 1885–1918'', page 324</ref> In January 1910, Bliss's campaign team asked for a recount after the vote was declared, but were told that the ballot boxes had already been sealed and sent by train to London.<ref name="times-1910-01-31">{{Cite news |title=Election Notes: Petition for a recount |date=31 January 1910 |work=The Times |page=7 }}</ref> He lodged a petition,<ref name="times-1910-02-16">{{Cite news |title=The Political Outlook: Election Petitions |date=16 February 1910 |work=The Times |page=8 }}</ref> which claimed that invalid votes for Haddock had been allowed while valid votes for Bliss had been disallowed.<ref name="times-1910-02-18">{{Cite news |title=Election Intelligence: The North Lonsdale Petition |date=18 February 1910 |work=The Times |page=10 }}</ref> The petition was heard in the King's Bench Division of the High Court, before Justice Lawrence and Justice Phillimore. They allowed a recount, in which the Conservative George Haddock's majority was increased to 169 votes (2.0%), and Bliss was required to pay the costs of the hearing.<ref name="craig1885-1918" /><ref name="times-1910-04-23">{{Cite news |title=The Law Courts |date=23 April 1910 |work=The Times |page=15 }}</ref>

The Cockermouth constituency was abolished at the 1918 general election when Bliss was one of two sitting MPs who contested the new Lonsdale constituency. The Coalition Coupon went to his Conservative opponent Claude Lowther, who won the seat.<ref name="craig1918-1949">{{Cite book |last=Craig |first=F. W. S. |author-link= F. W. S. Craig |title=British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 |orig-year=1969 |edition=3rd |year=1983 |publisher= Parliamentary Research Services |location=Chichester |isbn= 0-900178-06-X |page=400 }}</ref> Bliss did not stand for Parliament again.

Bliss had spent several years living in the Ottoman Empire.

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{Hansard-contribs | mr-joseph-bliss | Joseph Bliss }}

{{S-start}} {{S-par|uk}} {{S-bef| before = Sir Wilfrid Lawson }} {{S-ttl | title = Member of Parliament for Cockermouth | years = 1916 – 1918 }} {{s-non | reason = Constituency abolished }} {{S-end}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bliss, Joseph}} Category:1853 births Category:1939 deaths Category:Cumbria MPs Category:British expatriates in the Ottoman Empire Category:Liberal Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies Category:UK MPs 1910–1918

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