List of counties and boroughs of the unreformed House of Commons in 1800
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This is a list of the counties and boroughs of the unreformed House of Commons.
- In the following tables, the size of the electorate is shown as it was estimated to be in about 1800. These figures are estimates only, particularly in seats which were rarely contested.
- In England, Scotland and Wales, there were 29 general elections between 1700 and the Reform Act of 1832. In Ireland, there were 11 elections between the Act of Union in 1801 and 1832. The figure under "Times contested" is the number of general elections at which the seat was contested during these periods. By-elections are not counted.
- The dominant families in the counties gradually changed over time. They are shown as they were around 1800.
- Monmouthshire was an English county from its formation in 1536, although it is in most respects Welsh and was formally made part of Wales in 1974.
English counties
[edit]County | Voters (1800) | Times contested | Dominant interests | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bedfordshire | 2,000 | 14 | Russell, St John | Under the dominant influence of the Duke of Bedford, head of the Russell family, Bedfordshire was a Whig stronghold. |
Berkshire | 3,000 | 11 | Dundas, Neville, Vansittart | There was no single dominant family. The seats were usually shared between Tories and Whigs. |
Buckinghamshire | 4,000 | 10 | Cavendish Bentinck, Grenville | The Grenvilles, led after 1821 by the Duke of Buckingham, and the Cavendish-Bentincks, led by the Duke of Portland, shared the representation. There was only one contest between 1734 and 1831. |
Cambridgeshire | 3,000 | 9 | Manners, Yorke | The Tory Manners family, led by the Duke of Rutland, dominated the county until 1830, when two Whigs were elected. |
Cheshire | 5,000 | 8 | Cholmondeley, Crewe, Egerton | Uncontested between 1734 and 1831, Cheshire was a Tory stronghold, the representation shared among the leading families by agreement. |
Cornwall | 2,700 | 5 | Lemon, St Aubyn, Tremaine, Vyvyan | Cornwall's 21 boroughs attracted candidates from all over the country, but the county seats were rarely contested, since the Whig Lemons and the Tory Tremaines usually shared the representation. |
Cumberland | 4,000 | 6 | Fletcher, Lowther | The dominant northern family, the Tory Lowthers, always controlled one seat. The other usually went to a Whig family such as the Fletchers. Contests were rare. |
Derbyshire | 3,000 | 4 | Cavendish, Curzon, Mundy | The Whig Cavendish family, led by the Duke of Devonshire, always nominated one member, leaving the other to the local Tory families. As a result of this arrangement contests were very rare. |
Devon | 8,000 | 6 | Acland, Bastard | Despite the large electorate, the county was not contested between 1700 and 1790, being dominated by the Tory Aclands and Bastards. The Tories were dramatically overthrown in 1831 when Lord John Russell won a seat. |
Dorset | 3,000 | 4 | Chaffin, Pitt, Portman, Stangways | There was no one dominant family, although one of the members was usually a Tory Pitt. There was no contest between 1727 and 1806. |
County Durham | 3,500 | 6 | Eden, Vane | Most of the local families were Whigs, and usually shared the representation among themselves, making contests rare. |
Essex | 6,000 | 12 | Abdy, Bullock, Bramston | Essex was a large and wealthy county, close to the metropolis, and saw regular contests, usually when the Whig Bullocks and the Tory Bramstons could not agree on candidates. |
Gloucestershire | 6,000 | 9 | Berkeley, Guise, Somerset | The Tory Somersets, led by the Duke of Beaufort, and two Whig families, the Berkeleys and their cousins the Guises, conducted a long feud in the county, which ended in an agreement in 1783 to share the representation. Thereafter there were no contests until 1832. |
Hampshire | 5,000 | 8 | Heathcote, Jervoise, Thistlethwayte | The Tory Heathcotes and the Whig Jervoises and Thistlethwaytes were regular rivals, with the Whig Duke of Bedford using his influence in the county to assist his allies. But the Tories usually controlled the representation until being overthrown in 1831. |
Herefordshire | 3,500 | 8 | Cornewall, Cotterell, Harley | The Whig Cornewalls and the Tory Harleys dominated the county until 1802, when the Tory Cotterells entered the fray. Thereafter the Tories usually controlled the representation. |
Hertfordshire | 4,000 | 13 | Brand, Plumer, Seabright | Being close to London, Hertfordshire saw regular contests. Despite the presence of the Tory magnate the Marquess of Salisbury, the county families were mostly Whigs and after 1803 they fended off the Tories at every election. |
Huntingdonshire | 1,700 | 9 | Montague | The Tory Montague family, led by the Earl of Sandwich, was the dominant force in this small county, although sometimes rival members of the same family gave the Sandwich interest trouble. Only in 1831 did the Whigs manage to win a seat. |
Kent | 9,000 | 14 | Knatchbull | The Tory Knatchbulls were the leading county family, but the county's size, wealth and proximity to London made it impossible to control and there were frequent contests, often between East Kent and West Kent interests. The government, through the Admiralty's influence in the Kent ports, also had a big say. |
Lancashire | 8,000 | 5 | Blackburn, Stanley | The Stanleys, led by the Earl of Derby (at this time a Whig) dominated the county. One seat was nearly always held by a Stanley relative, the other by one of the leading Tory families. |
Leicestershire | 6,000 | 7 | Keck, Manners, Palmer | The representation was divided between the Tory Manners family, led by the Duke of Rutland, and local families, who were also mostly Tories. |
Lincolnshire | 7,000 | 4 | Chaplin, Heathcote, Pelham | A large agricultural county, Lincolnshire had no dominant interest, but the Pelhams, relatives of the Duke of Newcastle, usually held one seat for the Whigs. The Chaplins were the leading Tory family. There was no contest between 1710 and 1806. |
Middlesex | 6,000 | 14 | None | By 1800 the Middlesex electorate was more than 70% urban as the London suburbs grew, and the remaining landed families lost their influence. The county was frequently and hotly contested, with radicals such as John Wilkes, Sir Francis Burdett, 5th Baronet and Joseph Hume being elected. |
Monmouthshire | 1,500 | 4 | Morgan, Somerset | The Tory Somersets, led by the Duke of Beaufort, shared the representation with the leading local Whigs, the Morgans. There were no contests after 1727. |
Norfolk | 7,000 | 8 | Astley, Coke, Wodehouse | Norfolk was a large county and expensive to contest, so the Whig Astleys and Cokes and the Tory Wodehouses usually shared the representation. |
Northamptonshire | 3,000 | 5 | Cartwright, Powys, Spencer | The Whig relatives of Earl Spencer were the most prominent county family, but did not dominate county politics until after 1806, when Viscount Althorp was elected. The Tory Cartwrights usually held the other seat. |
Northumberland | 2,000 | 6 | Grey, Percy | The Tory Percys, led by the Duke of Northumberland, shared the representation with the Whig Greys, led by Charles Grey, who sat for the county until he became Earl Grey in 1807. |
Nottinghamshire | 3,000 | 4 | Bentinck, Pierrepont | The Duke of Newcastle and the Duke of Portland, both Whigs, dominated the county until well into the 19th century, which was why there was no contest after 1722. The Newcastle seat was usually held by a Pierrepont. |
Oxfordshire | 4,000 | 4 | Spencer | The Tory Spencers, family of the Duke of Marlborough, dominated the county from their seat at Blenheim Palace. One seat was usually held by a Spencer, the other by a local family acceptable to the Duke. Between 1700 and 1826 there was only one contest. |
Rutland | 800 | 7 | Finch, Noel | This small county was controlled, not by the Duke of Rutland, but by local Tory families. There was no contest after 1761. |
Shropshire | 4,000 | 7 | Cotes, Hill, Lyster, Powell | Shropshire was a rural county dominated by local families, mostly Tories, although the Whig Coteses sometimes held a seat. |
Somerset | 9,000 | 6 | Acland, Coxe, Dickinson, Langton | Local families shared the representation, usually in a way which meant that one member came from East Somerset and one from the West. The Tory Dickinsons and the Whig Langtons were prominent. |
Staffordshire | 5,000 | 3 | Leveson Gower, Littleton | There were few contests in Staffordshire, despite the county's rapid industrialisation, because the representation was shared between two Whig families, the Leveson Gowers and the Littletons. |
Suffolk | 5,000 | 7 | Bunbury, Davers, Gooch | There was no dominant interest, and local families such as the Whig Bunburys and the Tory Gooches usually shared the representation. |
Surrey | 4,000 | 17 | None | Being close to London and densely settled, Surrey was not open to domination by landed interests, and saw frequent contests, with the Tories usually successful until their final overthrow in 1826. |
Sussex | 5,000 | 12 | Lennox, Pelham | The Pelhams, Whig relatives of the Duke of Newcastle, and the Tory Lennoxes, led by the Duke of Richmond, dominated West and East Sussex respectively, but there were frequent contests. Prime Minister Henry Pelham represented the county from 1722 to 1747. |
Warwickshire | 4,000 | 2 | Dugdale, Lawley, Mordaunt | Warwickshire was contested only in 1705 and 1774. This was because of an agreement that one member should always be a Whig from Birmingham (which had no representation) and the other a Tory from a county family, usually a Mordaunt. |
Westmorland | 2,400 | 11 | Lowther | The Tory Lowther family was completely dominant in the county and usually nominated both members. After 1818 there were regular contests only because Henry Brougham insisted on running against the Lowthers. |
Wiltshire | 5,000 | 5 | Long, Wyndham | There was no aristocratic influence in Wiltshire and the county families, mostly Tories, amicably shared the representation. |
Worcestershire | 3,500 | 5 | Foley, Lygon, Lyttleton, Ward | There were few contests in Worcestershire, because the Tory Lygons, led by Earl Beauchamp, and the Whig Foleys usually shared the representation. |
Yorkshire | 20,000 | 6 | Fitzwilliam, Lascelles | Contests were surprisingly rare in England's largest and most populous county, partly because of the expense. No one family had enough influence to elect a member. Until 1784 there was an agreement between the Whigs and Tories to share the representation, but from 1784 to 1812 William Wilberforce and his personal brand of reforming Toryism dominated the county. In 1830 Henry Brougham stormed the county for the Whigs. |
English boroughs
[edit]In alphabetical order by county
Borough | County | Franchise type | Members | Voters in 1800 | Times contested | Fate in 1832 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bedford | Bedfordshire | Freemen and inhabitant householders |
2 | 1,200 | 13 | Retained two seats |
Abingdon | Berkshire | Scot and lot | 1 | 260 | 18 | Retained one seat |
New Windsor | Berkshire | Scot and lot | 2 | 300 to 400 | 7 | Retained two seats (as Windsor) |
Reading | Berkshire | Scot and lot | 2 | over 800 | 18 | Retained two seats |
Wallingford | Berkshire | Scot and lot | 2 | 200 | 14 | Retained one seat |
Amersham | Buckinghamshire | Scot and lot | 2 | 130 | 3 | Abolished |
Aylesbury | Buckinghamshire | Inhabitant householders. From 1804, freeholders in nearby areas as well. |
2 | 500. After 1804, over 1,000 | 17 | Retained two seats |
Buckingham | Buckinghamshire | Corporation | 2 | 13 | 4 | Retained two seats |
Chipping Wycombe | Buckinghamshire | Freemen | 2 | 50 | 3 | Retained two seats (as Wycombe) |
Great Marlow | Buckinghamshire | Scot and lot | 2 | 220 | 19 | Retained two seats (as Marlow) |
Wendover | Buckinghamshire | Inhabitant householders | 2 | 150 | 9 | Abolished |
Cambridge | Cambridgeshire | Freemen | 2 | 100 | 9 | Retained two seats |
Chester | Cheshire | Freemen | 2 | 1,500 | 11 | Retained two seats |
Dover | Cinque Ports | Freemen | 2 | 1,500 | 15 | Retained two seats |
Hastings | Cinque Ports | Resident freemen | 2 | 20 | 7 | Retained two seats |
Hythe | Cinque Ports | Freemen | 2 | 200 | 17 | Retained one seat |
New Romney | Cinque Ports | Corporation | 2 | 15 | Abolished | |
Rye | Cinque Ports | Scot and lot | 2 | 15 | 9 | Retained one seat |
Sandwich | Cinque Ports | Freemen | 2 | 700 | 12 | Retained two seats |
Seaford | Cinque Ports | Scot and lot | 2 | 120 | 12 | Abolished |
Winchelsea | Cinque Ports | Resident freemen | 2 | very few | 8 | Abolished |
Bodmin | Cornwall | Corporation | 2 | 36 | 9 | Retained two seats |
Bossiney | Cornwall | Freemen | 2 | 10 | 3 | Abolished |
Callington | Cornwall | Scot and lot | 2 | 60 | 8 | Abolished |
Camelford | Cornwall | Scot and lot | 2 | 25 | 4 | Abolished |
East Looe | Cornwall | Freemen | 2 | 50 | 2 | Abolished |
Fowey | Cornwall | Scot and lot | 2 | 130 | 8 | Abolished |
Grampound | Cornwall | Scot and lot | 2 | 60 | 5 | Disfranchised 1821 |
Helston | Cornwall | Corporation | 2 | 50 | 6 | Retained one seat |
Launceston | Cornwall | Resident freemen | 2 | 20 | 5 | Retained one seat |
Liskeard | Cornwall | Freemen | 2 | 32 | 2 | Retained one seat |
Lostwithiel | Cornwall | Corporation | 2 | 24 | 5 | Abolished |
Mitchell | Cornwall | Scot and lot | 2 | 20 | 9 | Abolished |
Newport | Cornwall | Scot and lot | 2 | 60 | 3 | Abolished |
Penryn | Cornwall | Scot and lot | 2 | 250 | 17 | Retained two seats (as Penryn and Falmouth) |
St Germans | Cornwall | Resident householders | 2 | 10 | 0 | Abolished |
St Ives | Cornwall | Scot and lot | 2 | 250 | 17 | Retained one seat |
St Mawes | Cornwall | Freemen | 2 | 20 | 5 | Abolished |
Saltash | Cornwall | Burgage holders | 2 | 40 | 7 | Abolished |
Tregony | Cornwall | Inhabitant householders | 2 | 200 | 12 | Abolished |
Truro | Cornwall | Corporation | 2 | 25 | 6 | Retained two seats |
West Looe | Cornwall | Freemen | 2 | 70 | 0 | Abolished |
Carlisle | Cumberland | Freemen | 2 | 700 | 16 | Retained two seats |
Cockermouth | Cumberland | Burgage holders | 2 | 200 | 8 | Retained two seats |
Derby | Derbyshire | Freemen | 2 | 650 | 8 | Retained two seats |
Ashburton | Devon | Burgage holders | 2 | 100 | 9 | Retained one seat |
Barnstaple | Devon | Freemen | 2 | 500 | 16 | Retained two seats |
Bere Alston | Devon | Burgage holders | 2 | very few | 0 | Abolished |
Dartmouth | Devon | Freemen | 2 | 40 | 4 | Retained one seat |
Exeter | Devon | Freemen and freeholders | 2 | 1,300 | 13 | Retained two seats |
Honiton | Devon | Householders | 2 | 450 | 17 | Retained two seats |
Okehampton | Devon | Freemen and freeholders | 2 | 250 | 8 | Abolished |
Plymouth | Devon | Freemen | 2 | 200 | 6 | Retained two seats |
Plympton Erle | Devon | Freemen | 2 | 50 | 3 | Abolished |
Tavistock | Devon | Freeholders | 2 | 100 | 5 | Retained two seats |
Tiverton | Devon | Corporation | 2 | 24 | 2 | Retained two seats |
Totnes | Devon | Freemen | 2 | 80 | 11 | Retained two seats |
Bridport | Dorset | Scot and lot | 2 | 250 | 15 | Retained two seats |
Corfe Castle | Dorset | Scot and lot | 2 | 50 | 2 | Abolished |
Dorchester | Dorset | Ratepayers | 2 | 200 | 10 | Retained two seats |
Lyme Regis | Dorset | Freemen | 2 | 40 | 8 | Retained one seat |
Poole | Dorset | Freemen | 2 | 120 | 8 | Retained two seats |
Shaftesbury | Dorset | Scot and lot | 2 | 350 | 18 | Retained one seat |
Wareham | Dorset | Scot and lot | 2 | 120 | 5 | Retained one seat |
Weymouth and Melcombe Regis | Dorset | Freeholders | 4 | 600 | 14 | Retained two seats |
Durham | County Durham | Freemen | 2 | 1,000 | 9 | Retained two seats |
Colchester | Essex | Freemen | 2 | 1,400 | 23 | Retained two seats |
Harwich | Essex | Corporation | 2 | 32 | 5 | Retained two seats |
Maldon | Essex | Freemen | 2 | 150 until 1810, 1,500 after | 14 | Retained two seats |
Bristol | Gloucestershire | Freemen and freeholders | 2 | 5,000 | 19 | Retained two seats |
Cirencester | Gloucestershire | Householders | 2 | 600 | 15 | Retained two seats |
Gloucester | Gloucestershire | Freemen | 2 | 2,000 | 14 | Retained two seats |
Tewkesbury | Gloucestershire | Freemen and freeholders | 2 | 500 | 8 | Retained two seats |
Andover | Hampshire | Corporation | 2 | 24 | 9 | Retained two seats |
Christchurch | Hampshire | Corporation | 2 | 24 | 5 | Retained one seat |
Lymington | Hampshire | Freemen | 2 | 20 | 2 | Retained two seats |
Newport | Hampshire | Corporation | 2 | 24 | 3 | Retained two seats |
Newtown | Hampshire | Burgage holders | 2 | 39 | 2 | Abolished |
Petersfield | Hampshire | Burgage holders | 2 | 50 | 8 | Retained one seat |
Portsmouth | Hampshire | Freemen | 2 | 100 | 7 | Retained two seats |
Southampton | Hampshire | Scot and lot | 2 | 700 | 14 | Retained two seats |
Stockbridge | Hampshire | Scot and lot | 2 | 140 | 9 | Abolished |
Whitchurch | Hampshire | Burgage holders | 2 | 70 | 6 | Abolished |
Winchester | Hampshire | Freemen | 2 | 100 | 8 | Retained two seats |
Yarmouth | Hampshire | Corporation | 2 | 21 | 2 | Abolished |
Hereford | Herefordshire | Freemen | 2 | 1,000 | 14 | Retained two seats |
Leominster | Herefordshire | Scot and lot | 2 | 600 | 20 | Retained two seats |
Weobley | Herefordshire | Burgage holders | 2 | 100 | 8 | Abolished |
Hertford | Hertfordshire | Freemen | 2 | 600 | 12 | Retained two seats |
St Albans | Hertfordshire | Freemen | 2 | 600 | 19 | Retained two seats |
Huntingdon | Huntingdonshire | Freemen | 2 | 200 | 8 | Retained two seats |
Canterbury | Kent | Freemen | 2 | 1,700 | 23 | Retained two seats |
Maidstone | Kent | Freemen | 2 | 700 | 28 | Retained two seats |
Queenborough | Kent | Freemen | 2 | 150 | 15 | Abolished |
Rochester | Kent | Freemen | 2 | 700 | 22 | Retained two seats |
Clitheroe | Lancashire | Burgage holders | 2 | 102 | 5 | Retained one seat |
Lancaster | Lancashire | Freemen | 2 | 2,000 | 10 | Retained two seats |
Liverpool | Lancashire | Freemen | 2 | 3,000 | 24 | Retained two seats |
Newton | Lancashire | Freemen | 2 | 50 | 0 | Abolished |
Preston | Lancashire | Freemen until 1768, inhabitants thereafter | 2 | 2,000 | 16 | Retained two seats |
Wigan | Lancashire | Freemen | 2 | 100 | 10 | Retained two seats |
Leicester | Leicestershire | Scot and lot | 2 | 2,500 | 13 | Retained two seats |
Boston | Lincolnshire | Scot and lot | 2 | 500 | 16 | Retained two seats |
Grantham | Lincolnshire | Freemen | 2 | 800 | 12 | Retained two seats |
Great Grimsby | Lincolnshire | Resident freemen | 2 | 300 | 21 | Retained one seat |
Lincoln | Lincolnshire | Freemen | 2 | 1,200 | 19 | Retained two seats |
Stamford | Lincolnshire | Scot and lot | 2 | 650 | 6 | Retained two seats |
London | Middlesex | Freemen | 4 | 10,000 | 27 | Retained four seats |
Westminster | Middlesex | Scot and lot | 2 | 12,000 | 19 | Retained two seats |
Monmouth Boroughs (Monmouth, Newport, Usk) |
Monmouthshire | Freemen | 1 | 800 | 3 | Retained one seat |
Castle Rising | Norfolk | Burgage holders | 2 | 50 | 1 | Abolished |
Great Yarmouth | Norfolk | Freemen | 2 | 1,200 | 19 | Retained two seats |
King's Lynn | Norfolk | Freeman | 2 | 300 | 5 | Retained two seats |
Norwich | Norfolk | Freemen and freeholders | 2 | 3,000 | 23 | Retained two seats |
Thetford | Norfolk | Corporation | 2 | 31 | 3 | Retained two seats |
Brackley | Northamptonshire | Corporation | 2 | 33 | 6 | Abolished |
Higham Ferrers | Northamptonshire | Freemen | 1 | 50 | 1 | Abolished |
Northampton | Northamptonshire | Householders | 2 | 1,000 | 16 | Retained two seats |
Peterborough | Northamptonshire | Scot and lot | 2 | 400 | 7 | Retained two seats |
Berwick-upon-Tweed | Northumberland | Freemen | 2 | 1,000 | 14 | Retained two seats |
Morpeth | Northumberland | Freemen | 2 | 200 | 8 | Retained one seat |
Newcastle-upon-Tyne | Northumberland | Freemen | 2 | 2,500 | 9 | Retained two seats |
East Retford | Nottinghamshire | Freemen | 2 | 160 | 15 | Seats transferred to Bassetlaw in 1827, retained two seats in 1832. |
Newark-on-Trent | Nottinghamshire | Scot and lot | 2 | 1,000 | 15 | Retained two seats |
Nottingham | Nottinghamshire | Freemen and freeholders | 2 | 4,000 | 22 | Retained two seats |
Banbury | Oxfordshire | Corporation | 1 | 18 | 5 | Retained one seat |
New Woodstock | Oxfordshire | Freemen | 2 | 180 | 9 | Retained one seat (as Woodstock) |
Oxford | Oxfordshire | Freemen | 2 | 1,400 | 14 | Retained two seats |
Bishop's Castle | Shropshire | Resident freemen | 2 | 170 | 12 | Abolished |
Bridgnorth | Shropshire | Freemen | 2 | 700 | 9 | Retained two seats |
Ludlow | Shropshire | Freemen | 2 | 500 | 9 | Retained two seats |
Shrewsbury | Shropshire | Scot and lot | 2 | 750 | 17 | Retained two seats |
Wenlock | Shropshire | Resident freemen | 2 | 400 | 3 | Retained two seats |
Bath | Somerset | Corporation | 2 | 30 | 16 | Retained two seats |
Bridgwater | Somerset | Scot and lot | 2 | 350 | 16 | Retained two seats |
Ilchester | Somerset | Householders | 2 | 100 | 16 | Abolished |
Milborne Port | Somerset | Scot and lot | 2 | 100 | 15 | Abolished |
Minehead | Somerset | Householders | 2 | 300 | 10 | Abolished |
Taunton | Somerset | Householders | 2 | 500 | 15 | Retained two seats |
Wells | Somerset | Freemen | 2 | 250 | 12 | Retained two seats |
Lichfield | Staffordshire | Scot and lot | 2 | 700 | 10 | Retained two seats |
Newcastle-under-Lyme | Staffordshire | Resident freemen | 2 | 700 | 16 | Retained two seats |
Stafford | Staffordshire | Resident freemen | 2 | 600 | 15 | Retained two seats |
Tamworth | Staffordshire | Scot and lot | 2 | 350 | 11 | Retained two seats |
Aldeburgh | Suffolk | Freemen | 2 | 80 | 4 | Abolished |
Bury St Edmunds | Suffolk | Corporation | 2 | 17 | 11 | Retained two seats |
Dunwich | Suffolk | Freemen | 2 | 32 | 5 | Abolished |
Eye | Suffolk | Scot and lot | 2 | 200 | 2 | Retained one seat |
Ipswich | Suffolk | Freemen | 2 | 700 | 21 | Retained two seats |
Orford | Suffolk | Freemen | 2 | 20 | 7 | Abolished |
Sudbury | Suffolk | Freemen | 2 | 750 | 22 | Retained two seats |
Bletchingley | Surrey | Burgage holders | 2 | 90 | 2 | Abolished |
Gatton | Surrey | Scot and lot | 2 | 7 | 1 | Abolished |
Guildford | Surrey | Scot and lot | 2 | 150 | 14 | Retained two seats |
Haslemere | Surrey | Resident freeholders | 2 | 65 | 13 | Abolished |
Reigate | Surrey | Freeholders | 2 | 200 | 5 | Retained one seat |
Southwark | Surrey | Scot and lot | 2 | 2,500 | 24 | Retained two seats |
Arundel | Sussex | Scot and lot | 2 | 300 | 9 | Retained one seat |
Bramber | Sussex | Burgage holders | 2 | 36 | 8 | Abolished |
Chichester | Sussex | Scot and lot | 2 | 600 | 12 | Retained two seats |
East Grinstead | Sussex | Burgage holders | 2 | 36 | 5 | Abolished |
Horsham | Sussex | Burgage holders | 2 | 70 | 9 | Retained one seat |
Lewes | Sussex | Scot and lot | 2 | 300 | 16 | Retained two seats |
Midhurst | Sussex | Burgage holders | 2 | 118 | 2 | Retained one seat |
New Shoreham | Sussex | 40 shilling freeholders | 2 | 1,000 | 13 | Retained two seats |
Steyning | Sussex | Scot and lot | 2 | 150 | 10 | Abolished |
Coventry | Warwickshire | Freemen | 2 | 2,700 | 25 | Retained two seats |
Warwick | Warwickshire | Ratepayers | 2 | 500 | 8 | Retained two seats |
Appleby | Westmorland | Burgage holders | 2 | 200 | 6 | Abolished |
Calne | Wiltshire | Corporation | 2 | 17 | 9 | Retained one seat |
Chippenham | Wiltshire | Burgage holders | 2 | 129 | 12 | Retained two seats |
Cricklade | Wiltshire | Freeholders (in five adjacent hundreds) | 2 | 1,200 | 19 | Retained two seats |
Devizes | Wiltshire | Corporation | 2 | 35 | 7 | Retained two seats |
Downton | Wiltshire | Burgage holders | 2 | 100 | 6 | Abolished |
Great Bedwyn | Wiltshire | Freeholders | 2 | 120 | 8 | Abolished |
Heytesbury | Wiltshire | Burgage holders | 2 | 26 | 2 | Abolished |
Hindon | Wiltshire | Householders | 2 | 200 | 12 | Abolished |
Ludgershall | Wiltshire | Freeholders | 2 | 100 | 7 | Abolished |
Malmesbury | Wiltshire | Corporation | 2 | 13 | 10 | Retained one seat |
Marlborough | Wiltshire | Corporation | 2 | 12 | 7 | Retained two seats |
Old Sarum | Wiltshire | Burgage holders | 2 | 10 | 2 | Abolished |
Salisbury | Wiltshire | Corporation | 2 | 54 | 10 | Retained two seats |
Westbury | Wiltshire | Burgage holders | 2 | 70 | 9 | Retained one seat |
Wilton | Wiltshire | Corporation | 2 | 20 | 3 | Retained one seat |
Wootton Bassett | Wiltshire | Scot and lot | 2 | 250 | 15 | Abolished |
Bewdley | Worcestershire | Freemen | 1 | 13 | 7 | Retained one seat |
Droitwich | Worcestershire | Corporation | 2 | 25 | 1 | Retained one seat |
Evesham | Worcestershire | Freemen | 2 | 700 | 19 |
Retained two seats |
Worcester | Worcestershire | Freemen | 2 | 2,000 | 19 | Retained two seats |
Aldborough | Yorkshire | Scot and lot | 2 | 60 | 3 | Abolished |
Beverley | Yorkshire | Freemen | 2 | 1,400 | 19 | Retained two seats |
Boroughbridge | Yorkshire | Burgage holders | 2 | 64 | 6 | Abolished |
Hedon | Yorkshire | Freemen | 2 | 200 | 10 | Abolished |
Kingston upon Hull | Yorkshire | Freemen | 2 | 2,000 | 17 | Retained two seats |
Knaresborough | Yorkshire | Burgage holders | 2 | 96 | 3 | Retained two seats |
Malton | Yorkshire | Scot and lot | 2 | 500 | 4 | Retained two seats |
Northallerton | Yorkshire | Burgage holders | 2 | 200 | 2 | Retained one seat |
Pontefract | Yorkshire | Householders | 2 | 600 | 15 | Retained two seats |
Richmond | Yorkshire | Burgage holders | 2 | 270 | 4 | Retained two seats |
Ripon | Yorkshire | Burgage holders | 2 | 146 | 2 | Retained two seats |
Scarborough | Yorkshire | Corporation | 2 | 40 | 8 | Retained two seats |
Thirsk | Yorkshire | Burgage holders | 2 | 50 | 0 | Retained one seat |
York | Yorkshire | Freemen | 2 | 2,500 | 12 | Retained two seats |
Welsh counties
[edit]County | Voters in 1800 | Times contested | Dominant interests | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
Anglesey | 700 | 2 | Paget | Anglesey was effectively controlled by the Whig Paget family, led by the Earl of Uxbridge. |
Brecknockshire | 1,700 | 3 | Morgan, Wood | The long-dominant Morgan family, absentee landlords from Tredegar, were displaced in 1806 by the Tory Wood family, who thereafter held the seat with little opposition. |
Cardiganshire | 1,000 | 2 | Johnes, Powell | The Whig Johnes family were displaced by the Tory Powells in 1816. There was no contest after 1741. |
Carmarthenshire | 2,500 | 3 | Rice, Seymour, Vaughan | The seat was passed around among several local families, all Tories, until a Whig breakthrough in 1831. |
Carnarvonshire | 1,100 | 3 | Williams, Wynn | Two local families, the Whig Williamses and the Tory Wynnes, vied for control. Sir Robert Williams held the seat for 36 years from 1790. |
Denbighshire | 2,000 | 1 | Williams Wynn | The Whig Williams Wynn family had unchallenged control of the representation. Sir Watkin Williams Wynn held the seat from 1796 to 1840. |
Flintshire | 1,000 | 1 | Mostyn | The Whig Mostyn family controlled the seat all through the 18th century, and were not defeated until 1837. |
Glamorganshire | 2,000 | 2 | Morgan, Stuart | Glamorgan was the richest county in Wales and the most difficult to control. The Tory Stuarts, the family of the Marquess of Bute, had extensive interests in the county, and supported Tory members such as Thomas Wyndham, MP from 1789 to 1814. |
Merionethshire | 1,000 | 0 | Vaughan | The Tory Vaughans held the seat without opposition through the entire 18th century and were not displaced until 1836. |
Montgomeryshire | 1,400 | 1 | Mostyn, Williams Wynn | The county was not contested between 1700 and 1836. The Williams Wynn family (who in Montgomeryshire were Tories) held the seat without challenge from 1795. |
Pembrokeshire | 3,000 | 3 | Owen, Phillipps | The Tory Owens and the Whig Phillippses, led by Baron Milford, vied for control of the representation. Sir John Owen won the seat in 1812 and held it until 1841. |
Radnorshire | 1,000 | 3 | Johnes, Wilkins | Two Whig families, the Johneses and the Wilkinses, succeeded each other in the representation. |
Welsh boroughs
[edit]Borough | County | Franchise type | Members | Voters in 1800 | Times contested | Fate in 1832 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Beaumaris | Anglesey | Corporation | 1 | 24 | 0 | Retained one seat |
Brecon | Brecknockshire | Freemen | 1 | 12 | 0 | Retained one seat |
Caernarvon Boroughs (Caernarvon, Conway, Criccieth, Nevin, Pwllheli) |
Caernarvonshire | Freemen | 1 | 700 | 2 | Retained one seat |
Cardiff Boroughs (Aberavon, Cardiff, Cowbridge, Kenfig, Llantrisant, Loughor, Neath, Swansea) |
Glamorganshire | Freemen | 1 | 800 | 2 | Retained one seat |
Cardigan Boroughs (Aberystwyth, Cardigan, Lampeter) |
Cardiganshire | Freemen | 1 | 2,500 | 3 | Retained one seat |
Carmarthen | Carmarthenshire | Freemen | 1 | 500 | 5 | Retained one seat |
Denbigh Boroughs (Denbigh, Holt, Ruthin) |
Denbighshire | Freemen | 1 | 24 | 4 | Retained one seat |
Flint Boroughs (Caergwrle, Caerwys, Flint, Overton, Rhuddlan) |
Flintshire | Scot and lot | 1 | 600 | 3 | Retained one seat |
Haverfordwest | Pembrokeshire | Scot and lot | 1 | 500 | 3 | Retained one seat |
Montgomery | Montgomeryshire | Freemen | 1 | 500 | 1 | Retained one seat |
New Radnor Boroughs (Cefnllys, Cnwclas, Knighton, New Radnor, Rhayader) |
Radnorshire | Freemen | 1 | 1,000 | 4 | Retained one seat |
Pembroke Boroughs (Pembroke, Tenby, Wiston) |
Pembrokeshire | Freemen | 1 | 500 | 2 | Retained one seat |
Scottish counties
[edit]County | Voters in 1800 | Times contested | Dominant interests | Comments | Fate in 1832 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aberdeenshire | 140 | 5 | Gordon | The Tory Dukes of Gordon were the dominant interest in the county, retaining control through the creation of fictitious or "parchment" voters. | Retained one seat |
Argyllshire | 45 | 0 | Campbell | The control of the Dukes of Argyll, who until the 1830s were Whigs, was complete and unchallenged. | Retained one seat |
Ayrshire | 140 | 1 | Fergusson, Montgomerie | Ayrshire had a large electorate by Scottish standards, and several local families vied for control. Chief of these were the Tory Montgomeries, led by the Earl of Eglinton. | Retained one seat |
Banffshire | 35 | 1 | Duff, Grant | The Duff family of the Earl of Fife were the strongest influence in the county – Fife (who was technically an Irish peer) sat for the seat himself, then handed it over to his natural son. Later Sir William Grant supplanted the Fife influence. | Retained one seat |
Berwickshire | 120 | 2 | Home, Hume-Campbell | A long rivalry between the Homes and Humes ended in 1784, and thereafter several local Tory families competed for support. The county did not elect a Whig until 1832. | Retained one seat |
Buteshire and Caithness | Buteshire 15, Caithness 20 | 0 | Stuart in Bute, Sinclair in Caithness | These two small counties returned members at alternate elections. The Tory Stuarts, led by the Earl of Bute, controlled Bute, while the Whig Sinclairs dominated Caithness (and still do: John Thurso, the member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross from 2001 until 2015, is a Sinclair). | Bute and Caithness were given one seat each. |
Clackmannanshire and Kinross-shire | Clackmannan 15, Kinross 15 | 0 | Abercromby in Clackmannanshire, Graham in Kinross | These two small counties returned members at alternate elections. The Whig Abercrombys controlled Clackmannan while the Tory Grahams controlled Kinross. There were no contests. | Retained one seat between them |
Cromartyshire and Nairnshire | Cromarty 10, Nairn 20 | 2 | Macleod in Cromarty, Brodie and Campbell in Nairn | These two small counties returned members at alternate elections, tiny Cromarty always struggling to find any voters at all. The Whig Campbells dominated Nairn from the 1760s to the 1830s. | Cromarty was paired with Ross-shire and given one seat, while Nairn was paired with Elgin and given one seat. |
Dumfriesshire | 60 | 1 | Douglas | The Douglas family of the Duke of Queensberry were the dominant force in this their home county, but did not usually represent the county themselves, rather supporting government nominees. | Retained one seat |
Dunbartonshire | 50 | 5 | Campbell, Elphinstone, Graham | The Duke of Argyll and the Grahams led by the Duke of Montrose both had an interest in the county, which they used to install relatives and supporters, causing more contests than usual in a Scottish county. | Retained one seat |
Edinburghshire (or Midlothian) | 100 | 2 | Dundas | The Dundas family, led by the Tory party's Scottish manager Henry Dundas, had complete control of the county. Dundas held the seat himself from 1774 to 1790, when he was succeeded by his son. | Retained one seat |
Elginshire (or Morayshire) | 40 | 1 | Grant | The Tory Grant family monopolised the representation all through the 18th century, and usually nominated family members. | Retained one seat, with Nairnshire |
Fifeshire | 160 | 4 | None | Fife was one of the largest and wealthiest counties, and there were no dominant local interests. The government, represented by Henry Dundas, was usually able to muster enough support for the Tory nominee, but in 1820 the Whigs won the seat and generally retained it thereafter. | Retained one seat |
Forfarshire (or Angus) | 100 | 1 | Douglas, Maule | The Whig Maule family, led by the Earls of Panmure, dominated the representation from the 1740s to 1831. | Retained one seat |
Haddingtonshire (or East Lothian) | 70 | 2 | Hamilton | The Hamilton family led by the Earl of Haddington had a strong but not controlling interest in the county. The government, represented by Henry Dundas, was often able to nominate the member, including Dundas's brother-in-law. | Retained one seat |
Inverness-shire | 50 | 1 | Fraser, Gordon, Grant | Inverness was a large county and difficult to control, particularly since the Fraser clan created many "parchment" voters to support their claims. From 1802, however, the Tory Grants dominated the county. | Retained one seat |
Kincardineshire | 40 | 4 | Adam, Drummond, Irvine | There was no dominant influence in the county, and the represented by Henry Dundas, controlled the representation until 1806, when a Whig was elected. | Retained one seat |
Kirkcudbright Stewartry (or Kirkcudbrightshire) | 140 | 3 | Murray, Stewart | The Stewarts, led by the Earl of Galloway, were the most influential family, but rarely nominated family members, instead bargaining with Henry Dundas for government favours in exchange for supporting his nominee. The seat fell to the Whigs in 1826. | Retained one seat |
Lanarkshire | 100 | 8 | Hamilton | The Duke of Hamilton was the dominant influence in the county, and from 1802 he installed his son, a Whig, in the seat. The Tories were unable to regain the seat until 1830. | Retained one seat |
Linlithgowshire (or West Lothian) | 60 | 3 | Hope | In 1790 the Tory manager Henry Dundas installed his brother-in-law John Hope in the seat, and the Hopes then held it without a break until 1847. | Retained one seat |
Orkney and Shetland | 26 | 3 | Balfour, Dundas, Honyman | The Dundas family influence was strong but not enough to shut out the rival Balfour and Honyman interests, leading to several contests. The Whigs won the seat in 1826. | Retained one seat |
Peeblesshire | 38 | 0 | Douglas, Montogomery | The Dukes of Queensberry had a controlling interest, and allowed their friends the Montgomerys to sit as Tory members from 1768 to 1832. | Retained one seat |
Perthshire | 150 | 7 | Murray | The Murray family led by the Duke of Atholl were the dominant influence, but the relatively large electorate made the county difficult to control for the Tories. The sitting member was usually a Murray or a related Drummond. | Retained one seat |
Renfrewshire | 80 | 3 | McDowell, Stewart | The county was dominated by the rivalry between the Whig Stewarts and the Tory McDowells, who had the powerful support of the Tory manager Henry Dundas. Nevertheless, the Whigs usually held the seat. | Retained one seat |
Ross-shire | 70 | 2 | Mackenzie, Ross | The Whig Mackenzies, led by the Earl of Seaforth, were the leading family, but the Tory Rosses won the seat in 1796, and the Tories then held it until 1831. | Retained one seat, paired with Cromarty |
Roxburghshire | 120 | 3 | Elliot, Ker, Scott | The Whig Elliot family dominated the representation, although the Tory Scotts, led by the Duke of Buccleuch, were frequent challengers. | Retained one seat |
Selkirkshire | 40 | 0 | Scott | the Tory Scotts, led by the Duke of Buccleuch, controlled the county, and their nominees held the seat until 1832. | Retained one seat |
Stirlingshire | 80 | 4 | Dundas, Hamilton | The Stirlingshire Dundases were Whigs and enabled the Whigs to hold the seat until 1812, when the Tories won with the support of the Duke of Hamilton. | Retained one seat |
Sutherlandshire | 25 | 1 | Leveson-Gower | The Duke of Sutherland owned most of the county and his influence, placed at the service of the government, was unchallengeable. | Retained one seat |
Wigtownshire | 50 | 2 | Stewart | The Stewarts, led by the Earl of Galloway, were the most influential family, and usually supported Tories. The Whigs won the seat in 1830. | Retained one seat |
Scottish burghs
[edit]Borough | County | Members | Times contested | Fate in 1832 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Aberdeen Burghs (Aberdeen, Arbroath, Brechin, Inverbervie, Montrose) |
Aberdeenshire, Forfarshire, Kincardineshire | 1 | 1 | Aberdeen was given one seat, the other burghs retained one seat as Montrose Burghs. |
Anstruther Burghs (Anstruther Easter, Anstruther Wester, Crail, Kilrenny, Pittenweem) |
Fifeshire | 1 | 1 | Abolished |
Ayr Burghs (Ayr, Campbeltown, Inverary, Irvine, Rothesay) |
Argyllshire, Ayrshire, Buteshire | 1 | 0 | Retained one seat |
Dumfries Burghs (Annan, Kirkcudbright, Lochmaben, Sanquhar) |
Dumfriesshire, Kirkcudbrightshire | 1 | 1 | Retained one seat |
Dysart Burghs (Burntisland, Dysart, Kinghorn, Kirkcaldy) |
Fifeshire | 1 | 2 | Retained one seat |
Edinburgh | Edinburghshire | 1 | 3 | Given two seats |
Elgin Burghs (Banff, Cullen, Elgin, Inverurie, Kintore) |
Aberdeenshire, Banffshire, Elginshire | 1 | 1 | Retained one seat |
Glasgow Burghs (Dumbarton, Glasgow, Renfrew, Rutherglen) |
Dunbartonshire, Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire | 1 | Abolished: Glasgow was given two seats in its own right. | |
Haddington Burghs (Dunbar, Haddington, Jedburgh, Lauder, North Berwick) |
Berwickshire, Haddingtonshire, Roxburghshire | 1 | 3 | Retained one seat |
Inverness Burghs (Forres, Fortrose, Inverness, Nairn) |
Inverness-shire, Nairnshire, Ross-shire | 1 | 1 | Retained one seat |
Linlithgow Burghs (Lanark, Linlithgow, Peebles, Selkirk) |
Lanarkshire, Linlithgowshire, Peeblesshire, Selkirkshire | 1 | 2 | Retained one seat as Falkirk Burghs |
Perth Burghs (Cupar, Dundee, Forfar, Perth, St Andrews) |
Fifeshire, Forfarshire, Perthshire | 1 | 1 | Dundee and Perth were given one seat each, the other burghs retained one seat as St Andrews Burghs. |
Stirling Burghs (Culross, Inverkeithing, Queensferry, Stirling) |
Fifeshire, Linlithgowshire, Perthshire, Stirlingshire | 1 | 3 | Retained one seat |
Tain Burghs (or Northern Burghs) (Dingwall, Dornoch, Kirkwall, Tain, Wick) |
Caithness, Orkney, Ross-shire, Sutherlandshire | 1 | 2 | Retained one seat |
Wigtown Burghs (New Galloway, Stranraer, Whithorn, Wigtown) |
Kirkcudbrightshire, Wigtownshire | 1 | 2 | Retained one seat |
Irish counties
[edit]County | Voters in 1800 | Times contested | Dominant interests | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
County Antrim | 8,000 | 1 | O'Neill, Seymour | The O'Neills, led by Earl O'Neill, and the Seymours led by the Earl of Hertford, were the leading families of the county, and since both were Tories they usually agreed to share the representation. |
County Armagh | 6,000 | 2 | Acheson, Brownlow, Caulfeild | The Tory Achesons (led by Earl Gosford) and Brownlows generally shared the representation with the Whig Caulfeilds (led by the Earl of Charlemont). |
County Carlow | 4,000 | 1 | Kavanagh, Latouche | The Kavanaghs were the most influential family, but as Catholics could not be elected, so they supported the Whig Latouches. In 1812, however, Thomas Kavanagh converted to both Protestantism and Toryism, and the county remained Tory until 1835. |
County Cavan | 4,000 | 3 | Maxwell | The Tory Maxwells, led by the Earl of Farnham, were the strongest influence in the county. One seat was usually held by a Maxwell relative, the other by other local families, also Tories, until a Whig breakthrough in 1826. |
County Clare | 6,000 | 5 | Burton, Fitzgerald, O'Brien | Clare had a large and turbulent electorate, and no one interest was strong enough to control it. Various branches of the O'Briens had great prestige. Until 1828 they shared the representation with the Burtons and Fitzgeralds. In that year Daniel O'Connell, the Catholic leader, won two famous by-elections, forcing the pace of Catholic Emancipation. |
County Cork | 7,000 | 1 | Bernard, Boyle, King | Cork was a large county with many landed interests, the most important being the Boyle family, led by the Earl of Shannon, who controlled the representation until 1812 and generally supported the Tory government. After 1812 the Duke of Devonshire used his influence to support the Whigs, who won both seats in 1830. |
County Donegal | 6,000 | 2 | Conyngham, Hamilton, Montgomery | Donegal was dominated by rivalry between the Tory Hamiltons, led by the Marquess of Abercorn, and the Whig Conynghams led by the Marquess of Conyngham. After 1812 they shared the representation. |
County Down | 13,000 | 4 | Hill, Stewart | Down was dominated the Whig Hill family, led by the Marquess of Downshire, and the Tory Stewarts, led by the Marquess of Londonderry and his son Viscount Castlereagh, the Foreign Secretary, who held the seat until 1821. The other member was nearly always a Hill. |
County Dublin | 900 | 8 | Hamilton, Talbot, White | Dublin was a small county without large landed interests, and both the government and the Church of Ireland influenced elections. Whigs and Tories shared the representation until 1826, when the Whigs won both seats. |
County Fermanagh | 7,000 | 5 | Archdall, Brooke, Cole | Fear of the Catholic majority made all the leading interests firm Tories, and Protestant families such as the Coles, led by the Earl of Enniskillen, dominated the representation. |
County Galway | 13,000 | 4 | De Burgh, Martin, Trench | A large and poor Catholic county, Galway was dominated by large Protestant landowners, led by the de Burgh family of the Earl of Clanricarde and Trench family, created Earls of Clancarty in 1803. The county was firmly Tory until 1830. |
County Kerry | 5,000 | 3 | Browne, Crosbie, Mullins | The largest landowner in Kerry was the Catholic Earl of Kenmare, who used his influence in support of the Whig Maurice Fitzgerald, who held the seat until 1831. The Protestant Crosbies (the Earls of Glandore) usually nominated the other member. |
County Kildare | 2,000 | 1 | FitzGerald, Latouche | The FitzGerald family, headed by the Duke of Leinster, owned about one-fifth of the county, and used this influence to nominate one member. The other member was usually a Latouche. Both families were Whigs. |
County Kilkenny | 2,000 | 2 | Butler, Ponsonby | Two families dominated Kilkenny politics, the Butlers (Earls of Ormonde) and the Ponsonbys (Earls of Bessborough). Both families were Whigs, and they shared the representation. |
King's County | 2,000 | 1 | Parsons | The Tory Parsons family, headed by the Earl of Rosse, were the dominant interest in the county, and kept it safely Tory until 1826. |
County Leitrim | 5,000 | 5 | Clements, Latouche, White | The Tory Clements family, led by the Earl of Leitrim, were the strongest influence in the county, and usually nominated a family member to one of the seats. The Whig Latouches and Whites usually filled the other seat. |
County Limerick | 8,500 | 5 | FitzGibbon, Odell, O'Grady | The Whig FitzGibbons, led by the Earl of Clare, were the largest, but far from dominant, interest in the county. The FitzGibbons usually filled one seat, while the other county families, some of them Tories, held the other. |
County Londonderry | 8,500 | 2 | Beresford, Stewart | Two Tory Protestant families, the Stewarts, led by the Marquess of Londonderry, and the Beresfords, led by the Marquess of Waterford, dominated the county, and usually shared the representation. |
County Longford | 3,000 | 2 | Parsons | The Tory Parsons family, headed by the Earl of Rosse, were the dominant interest in the county, and used their position to support Tory members such as Sir Thomas Fetherston. |
County Louth | 600 | 2 | Foster | The Tory Foster family were the most powerful influence in this small county, and kept both seats in Tory hands until 1826. |
County Mayo | 12,000 | 4 | Browne | The Tory Browne family headed by the Marquess of Sligo and the Whig Dillon family headed by Viscount Dillon were the leading influences in this large Catholic county. They usually shared the representation. |
County Meath | 4,300 | 2 | Bligh, Somerville, Taylour | The county was dominated by Whig families, of which the Taylours (led by the Marquess of Headfort) were the most important and usually controlled one seat. Sir Marcus Somerville held the other from 1801 to 1831. |
County Monaghan | 3,500 | 2 | Dawson, Leslie, Westenra | The Dawson family, led by Baron Cremorne, who were politically independent, usually shared the representation with the Tory Leslies. The Whig Westenras (Baron Rossmore) won a seat from 1818. |
Queen's County | 6,000 | 3 | Parnell, Wellesley Pole | The Tory Wellesley Poles, relatives of the Duke of Wellington, nearly always held one seat. The Whig Parnells held the other from 1806. |
County Roscommon | 6,000 | 1 | French, King, Mahon | The King family, headed by the Earl of Kingston, were the largest interest, although they seldom contested the seats themselves, instead supporting their close Whig allies, the Frenches and Mahons. |
County Sligo | 2,000 | 0 | Cooper, O'Hara, Temple | There was no dominant interest in this poor and Catholic county. Two local families, the Tory Coopers and the Whig O'Haras, shared the representation until 1823, when the King family, headed by the Earl of Kingston, intervened. |
County Tipperary | 18,000 | 4 | Bagwell, Caher, Mathew, Prittie | Two Whig families, the Mathews, led by the Earl of Llandaff, and the Pritties, shared the representation until 1818, when they were challenged by the Tory Bagwells and Cahers. |
County Tyrone | 20,000 | 0 | Lowry-Corrie, Stewart | The Tory Hamiltons, led by the Marquess of Abercorn, used their influence in support of the Lowry-Corries (related to the Earl of Belmore), who usually held one of the seats. The Whig Stewart family held the other seat until 1835. |
County Waterford | 3,300 | 4 | Cavendish | The Whig Cavendish family, led by the Duke of Devonshire, were the leading landowners in the county, but as non-residents their influence was limited. They usually nominated one member, while the local Tory Beresfords nominated the other |
County Westmeath | 3,000 | 3 | Pakenham, Rochfort, Smyth | All the leading local families were Tories – the Rochforts (Earls of Belvidere), the Pakenhams (Earls of Longford) and the Smyths. These three families dominated the representation until 1830. |
County Wexford | 7,500 | 5 | Alcock, Carew, Loftus, Ram | The Loftus family led by the Marquess of Ely were the largest interest in the county, but after 1806 they did not represent the county themselves. The Tory Alock and Ram families held the seats until 1812, but later the Whig Carews gained the upper hand. |
County Wicklow | 3,000 | 0 | Fitzwilliam | The Whig Earl Fitzwilliam was landlord to about half the county's voters and his influence was dominant. He directly nominated one member and had a right of veto over the other. |
Irish boroughs
[edit]Borough | County | Franchise type | Members | Voters in 1800 | Times contested | Fate in 1832 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Armagh | Armagh | Corporation | 1 | 13 | 0 | Retained one seat |
Athlone | Westmeath | Freemen | 1 | 80 | 0 | Retained one seat |
Bandon Bridge | Cork | Corporation | 1 | 13 | 0 | Retained one seat |
Belfast | Antrim | Corporation | 1 | 13 | 0 | Given two seats |
Carlow | Carlow | Corporation | 1 | 13 | 0 | Retained one seat |
Carrickfergus | Antrim | Freemen | 1 | 800 | 5 | Retained one seat |
Cashel | Tipperary | Freemen | 1 | 20 | 0 | Retained one seat |
Clonmel | Tipperary | Freemen | 1 | 90 | 0 | Retained one seat |
Coleraine | Londonderry | Freemen | 1 | 40 | 0 | Retained one seat |
Cork | Cork | Freemen | 2 | 1,700 | 6 | Retained two seats |
Downpatrick | Down | 5 pound householders | 1 | 300 | 6 | Retained one seat |
Drogheda | Louth | Freemen | 1 | 600 | 6 | Retained one seat |
Dublin | Dublin | Freemen | 2 | 3,000 | 5 | Retained two seats |
Dundalk | Louth | Freemen | 1 | 30 | 0 | Retained one seat |
Dungannon | Tyrone | Corporation | 1 | 13 | 0 | Retained one seat |
Dungarvan | Waterford | 5 pound householders | 1 | 250 | 2 | Retained one seat |
Ennis | Clare | Corporation | 1 | 13 | 0 | Retained one seat |
Enniskillen | Fermanagh | Freemen | 1 | 14 | 0 | Retained one seat |
Galway | Galway | Freemen | 1 | 500 | 4 | Given two seats |
Kilkenny | Kilkenny | Freemen | 1 | 1,200 | 4 | Retained one seat |
Kinsale | Cork | Freemen | 1 | 176 | 1 | Retained one seat |
Limerick | Limerick | Freemen | 1 | 1,000 | 4 | Given two seats |
Lisburn | Antrim | 5 pound householders | 1 | 75 | 0 | Retained one seat |
Londonderry | Londonderry | Freemen | 1 | 1,000 | 2 | Retained one seat |
Mallow | Cork | 40 shilling freeholders | 1 | 524 | 2 | Retained one seat |
New Ross | Wexford | Freemen | 1 | 38 | 0 | Retained one seat |
Newry | Down | 5 pound householders | 1 | 500 | 4 | Retained one seat |
Portarlington | Queen's | Freemen | 1 | 12 | 0 | Retained one seat |
Sligo | Sligo | Corporation | 1 | 13 | 0 | Retained one seat |
Tralee | Kerry | Corporation | 1 | 13 | 0 | Retained one seat |
Waterford | Waterford | Freemen | 1 | 1,000 | 2 | Given two seats |
Wexford | Wexford | Freemen | 1 | 150 | 1 | Retained one seat |
Youghal | Cork | Freemen | 1 | 263 | 0 | Retained one seat |
University seats
[edit]University | Franchise type | Members | Voters in 1800 | Times contested | Fate in 1832 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cambridge University | Holders of doctoral and master's degrees | 2 | 800 | 8 | Retained two seats |
Dublin University | Provost, fellows and foundation scholars | 1 | 70 | 5 | Given two seats |
Oxford University | Holders of doctoral and master's degrees | 2 | 1,100 | 2 | Retained two seats |
References
[edit]- Edward Porritt, The Unreformed House of Commons - Parliamentary representation before 1832 (Cambridge University Press, 1903 - Reprint: Augustus M. Kelley, 1963) - Volume I - England and Wales - Volume II - Scotland and Ireland
- John Brooke, The House of Commons 1754-1790 (Oxford University Press, 1964)
- John Cannon, Parliamentary Reform 1640-1832 (Cambridge University Press, 1973)
- J.E. Neale, The Elizabethan House of Commons (Jonathan Cape, 1949)
- R.G. Thorne, The House of Commons 1790-1820 (Volume II, Constituencies) (Secker and Warburg, 1986)