Berkshire

The chief interest in Berkshire was that of the 2nd Earl of Abingdon, a Tory, who had previously represented the county. In 1715 both the sitting Tory Members were re-elected unopposed, retaining their seats against a Whig candidate in 1722. In 1727, when they were opposed by Lord Fane, a local Whig landowner, Lady Fane appealed to a friend in London to ask Walpole to obtain the interest of the dean of St. Paul’s, ‘he having an estate belonging to the deanery in this county’, and to find someone ‘to apply to Lady Warwick upon the same occasion, she having a very good estate within three or four miles of us’. She continued:

I fear there will be a strong opposition against us. Lord Abingdon threatens much ... the candidates are Sir John Stonhouse, Mr. Packer, and my Lord, you must lose no time in making these applications for the enemies are hard at work against us. I am sure I need no more to spur you on than tell you upon the success of this election depends either our being this winter in town or country.2To Mrs. Philipps, 25 July 1727, Cholmondeley (Houghton) mss.

A Tory described the election as

the greatest struggle that ever was known in this county, but we have carried the day ... Lord William Powlett ... thought fit to insist upon a scrutiny. But we are in no pain about that. Bad votes and foul management were not on our side.3HMC Portland, vii. 450-1.

Tories continued to represent the county unopposed until 1754.

In September 1729, when Robert Packer’s death seemed imminent, William Archer was informed that ‘in the event of vacancy Mr. Bertie thought there would be four candidates, yourself, Mr. Winchcomb Packer, Mr. Vansittart and Mr. Aston’, of whom probably Vansittart would not stand and ‘Aston might be prevailed on to desist, having but a poor chance’, so that it lay between him and Packer.45th Rep. 364. On Packer’s death an agreement was signed, 21 Apr. 1731, whereby Archer agreed to support Winchcomb Packer at the ensuing by-election in return for the latter’s support of Archer at the next election for the county.5Berks. RO, O.4.