Cricklade

Owing to the nature of the local franchise Cricklade was an independent borough, subject to no predominant interest, but usually returning neighbouring landowners. From 1713 to 1747 one of the seats was held by Sir Thomas Reade, a wealthy placeman; the other was contested between government candidates and the Gores, Tories till they went over to the government in 1744, who owned the manor of Cricklade, carrying with it the appointment of the returning officer. Out of seven election petitions between 1721 and 1741, six were based on the returning officer’s alleged misconduct and partiality. That of 1734 was responsible for a new standing order of the House providing that on the petition of any elector, complaining of an undue election and alleging that some other person was duly elected, the sitting Member might demand and examine into the qualification of such person. According to Edward Harley’s diary, ‘this order was made upon the petition of the voters of Cricklade ... against Mr. Gore, Member, in behalf of Lord Tullamore, who declined petitioning in his own name, being not qualified’.1Harley Diary, 6 Feb. 1735.

When Reade retired in 1747 Leicester House opened negotiations for his seat with the Cricklade authorities on behalf of a prospective candidate. The price fixed was £1,400, not to be paid till the candidate ‘had sat fourteen days in the House of Commons [the time within which petitions had to be presented] without a petition being presented against him, or been confirmed in his seat in the case of a hostile petition’. A further condition was that the out-of-pocket expenses of the election, not exceeding £50, should be advanced by the candidate.2HMC Fortescue, i. 117-18. In the event the seats were filled by ministerial supporters without a contest. The 2nd Lord Egmont, in his electoral survey, c.1749-50, described Cricklade as ‘very venal’.