Nottinghamshire

‘The idea I gave Lord Rockingham of this county’, wrote Sir George Savile in 1769,1Rockingham Mems. ii. 138. ‘was four dukes [Newcastle, Portland, Kingston, and Rutland], two lords [Willoughby and Howe], and three rabbit warrens [Nottingham, East Retford, and Newark], which I believe in fact takes in half the county in point of space.’ And Oldfield in 1792:2Boroughs, ii. 345. ‘This county is entirely under the influence of aristocracy.’ Throughout this period the Dukes of Newcastle and Portland were closely united on electoral matters, and the other leading interests in the county were content to follow their lead. The fact that Henry, 2nd Duke of Newcastle, supported North’s Administration while Portland was one of the pillars of the Rockingham party made no difference. In December 1774, when Lord Edward Bentinck was threatened with an opposition, Newcastle wrote to Portland:3Portland mss.

The peace of the county, as well as every public and private consideration, makes me most sincerely congratulate your Grace and Lord Edward on Mr. Masters’ declining ... your Grace will ever find me most desirous and ambitious of cementing the strictest cordiality and friendship between our families.

‘The part your Grace took’, replied Portland,4Newcastle (Clumber) mss. ‘contributed so much to ... preserve the peace of the county and preserve the true Whig cause that both as a public and a private man I think myself much obliged to you.’