The vacancy had been caused by the death of the borough's 45-year-old Liberal MP Colonel Robert Edward Boyle, who had held the seat since the 1847 general election.

[7] The Earls of Cork had long dominated the borough in alliance with the Conservative-supporting Marquess of Bath, but their support for Dungarvan was controversial.

At the West Somerset by-election in 1851, Dungarvan had stood as a Conservative, opposed to the Liberal government of Lord John Russell.

[10] The election in Frome began on Saturday 21 October, amidst such an uproar from the crowd that even those closest to speakers were unable to hear all that they said.

Dungarvan spoke of his family's long history association with Frome, and how a secret ballot was un-needed because the townspeople were "not slaves".

The disorder escalated, and at 7.15pm the Riot Act was read, and a unit of yeomanry with swords drawn entered the town to disperse the crowd.