Plymouth

Right of election

in the freeholders and freemen till 1739, afterwards in the freemen1CJ, xxiii. 419.

Background Information

Number of voters: about 200

Constituency business
County
Date Candidate Votes
2 Feb. 1715 SIR JOHN ROGERS
SIR GEORGE BYNG
19 Dec. 1720 BYNG re-elected after appointment to office
31 Oct. 1721 PATTEE BYNG vice Sir George Byng, called to the Upper House
22 Mar. 1722 PATTEE BYNG
WILLIAM CHETWYND
1 May 1724 BYNG re-elected after appointment to office
24 Aug. 1727 GEORGE TREBY
ARTHUR STERT
1 Mar. 1728 ROBERT BYNG vice Treby, chose to sit for Dartmouth
21 Jan. 1732 BYNG re-elected after appointment to office
30 Apr. 1734 ROBERT BYNG
ARTHUR STERT
13 June 1739 JOHN ROGERS vice Byng, appointed to office
Charles Vanbrugh
26 Nov. 1740 LORD HENRY BEAUCLERK vice Vanbrugh, deceased
11 May 1741 LORD VERE BEAUCLERK
ARTHUR STERT
31 Dec. 1744 BEAUCLERK re-elected after appointment to office
3 July 1747 LORD VERE BEAUCLERK
ARTHUR STERT
6 Apr. 1750 CHARLES SAUNDERS vice Beauclerk, called to the Upper House
Main Article

<p>The control of Plymouth was in the Admiralty. Under Walpole it was managed for the Government by <a href="/landingpage/58987" title="George Treby" class="link">George Treby</a>, who had property and an interest there.<a class='fnlink' id='t2' href='#fn2'>2<span>Geo. Treby to Walpole, 4 Aug. 1727, 30 Apr. 1734, Cholmondeley (Houghton) mss.</span></a> In 1739 the Commons restricted the right of election, previously by usage in the freemen and freeholders, to the freemen only, unseating <a href="/landingpage/58784" title="John Rogers" class="link">John Rogers</a>, who had been elected largely by the freeholders,<a class='fnlink' id='t3' href='#fn3'>3<span><em>CJ</em>, xxiii. 419; H. F. Whitfield, <em>Plymouth and Devonport in Times of War and Peace</em>, 169.</span></a> thus confirming the government interest in the town.</p>

Author
Notes
  • 1. CJ, xxiii. 419.
  • 2. Geo. Treby to Walpole, 4 Aug. 1727, 30 Apr. 1734, Cholmondeley (Houghton) mss.
  • 3. CJ, xxiii. 419; H. F. Whitfield, Plymouth and Devonport in Times of War and Peace, 169.