In June 1895 the Liberal government led by Lord Rosebery lost a vote of confidence. A general election was duly called, and Dalbiac was chosen by the Conservatives to contest the constituency of Camberwell North, which was held the Liberal Party member of parliament, Edward Hodson Bayley.[8] A third candidate, Nelson Palmer, subsequently entered the contest, claiming to be of "independent of party", but representing the labouring classes. The Conservatives secured a large majority at the election, and Bayley was one of many Liberal MPs to lose their seats. Dalbiac secured a majority of 693 votes over Bayley. Palmer's intervention had no effect, as he received only 32 votes.[9] Dalbiac only served one term in the House of Commons, choosing to step down at the next election in 1900.[10]
Dalbiac resigned his commission in 1912,[15] but with the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 returned to the army,[16] and was given the task of forming a second line duplicate of the supply column for the newly raised 60th Division. He travelled with the new unit to Salonika, and was mentioned in despatches. A partner in the publishing company of Swan Sommenschein & Co., he became a director of George Allen & Unwin Limited in 1914.[3]
Dalbiac married Lillian Seely, fourth daughter of Sir Charles Seely of Brooke House, Isle of Wight, in 1888.[2] They lived in Tooting Common, South London.[3] They had two sons and four daughters. His younger son, Charles James Shelley Dalbiac (1896–1915), was killed in action in the First World War. Sir John Henry D'Albiac (who added the apostrophe back to the French surname) was his nephew.[1][17][18]
Dalbiac wrote a history of his former regiment, the 45th Foot, and a description of the war service of the 60th Division, which was published posthumously. He also worked on two dictionaries of quotations.
