Bramber

At George I’s accession 18 of the 36 Bramber burgages belonged to Sir Richard Gough, a Whig; 13 were owned by Lord Windsor, a Tory; 5 were independent. In 1715 Gough and a Windsor candidate, Style, were returned, but Style was unseated in favour of Minshull, the Gough candidate, who petitioned successfully on the ground of partiality by the returning officer.1CJ, xviii. 24. At both the next general elections Gough’s candidates were successful, in 1722 after a contest and in 1727 unopposed. At a by-election caused by Gough’s death in 1728, when his son, Henry, was under age, the Gough candidate was defeated, but the seat was recovered on petition. Soon afterwards Sir Henry Gough bought two more burgages, thus gaining complete control of the borough.2‘A state of ... Bramber’, Lowndes mss, W. Suss. RO. In 1734 he returned himself and a cousin, after a final contest with the Windsors. In 1741 he stood down in favour of Thomas Archer, to whom he subsequently leased the borough.3Namier, Structure, 144 n.