in burgage holders
Number of voters: 36
| Date | Candidate | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Apr. 1754 | JOSEPH YORKE | |
| SIR WHISTLER WEBSTER | ||
| 31 Mar. 1761 | CHARLES SACKVILLE, Earl of Middlesex | |
| LORD GEORGE SACKVILLE | ||
| 8 Dec. 1761 | SIR THOMAS HALES vice Lord George Sackville, chose to sit for Hythe | |
| 30 Nov. 1762 | JOHN IRWIN vice Hales, deceased | |
| 30 Dec. 1765 | SIR CHARLES FARNABY vice Middlesex, called to the Upper House | |
| 18 Mar. 1768 | LORD GEORGE SACKVILLE | |
| JOHN IRWIN | ||
| 10 Oct. 1774 | LORD GEORGE GERMAIN (FORMERLY SACKVILLE) | |
| JOHN IRWIN | ||
| 15 Nov. 1775 | GERMAIN re-elected after appointment to office | |
| 8 Sept. 1780 | LORD GEORGE GERMAIN | |
| SIR JOHN IRWIN | ||
| 19 Feb. 1782 | HENRY ARTHUR HERBERT vice Germain, called to the Upper House | |
| 3 May 1783 | GEORGE MEDLEY vice Irwin, vacated his seat | |
| 30 Mar. 1784 | HENRY ARTHUR HERBERT | |
| GEORGE MEDLEY | ||
| 3 Mar. 1786 | JAMES CUNNINGHAME vice Herbert, vacated his seat | |
| 8 Oct. 1788 | ROBERT CUNNINGHAME vice James Cunninghame, deceased | |
| 27 Feb. 1789 | RICHARD FORD vice Cunninghame, vacated his seat |
The Dorset family owned a majority of the burgages and had absolute control of the borough.
In 1754 Lionel, 1st Duke of Dorset, conveyed 14 burgages to his younger son, Lord George Sackville; and on his death in 1765 left Lord George the remainder of his holding. Shortly afterwards Lord George wrote to his brother Charles, Lord Middlesex, now 2nd Duke:1HMC Stopford-Sackville, i. 46-47.
The interest of East Grinstead requires an immediate consideration, and though Lord George understands that he is entitled to all the burgage holds which the Duke of Dorset died possessed of, yet as Lord Middlesex apprehends that under his settlement he has a claim to some of them, Lord George is willing to give up the recommending any particular friend of his own, upon the present vacancy, and will join in supporting some gentleman in this neighbourhood of fortune and independency, whose principles and connexions have induced him to act with this family.
And on 27 Mar. 1766 to John Irwin:2Germain mss, William L. Clements Lib.
I have settled my business at East Grinstead entirely to my satisfaction, his Grace having joined with me in directing Bale to convey all the votes to Wedderburn, who declares he receives them in trust for the uses of the late Duke’s will. So that there is no notice taken of the settlement upon Lord Middlesex’s marriage, the words of which certainly in law would have carried many of the votes, but my title in equity was strong ... which when I communicated to the Duke he very handsomely declared he would have no dispute with me, and immediately joined in ordering the conveyance.
Sackville controlled the borough until his death in 1785.
In 1780 Sackville bought the burgages belonging to Godfrey Webster, the second largest holder.3Sackville to John Frederick, 3rd Duke of Dorset, Sackville mss, Kent RO. These were Sackville’s personal holding, and were bequeathed to his son; the remainder were inherited by his nephew, John Frederick, 3rd Duke of Dorset, who controlled the borough after Sackville’s death.