Devizes

The franchise at Devizes was vested in the corporation, ‘a narrow self co-opting oligarchy’,1Namier, ‘Charles Garth and his connexions’, in EHR, liv. 446-7. representing the leading local clothiers. In 1715 the Members returned were Josiah Diston, a cloth merchant, M.P. Devizes 1706-10, and Francis Eyles, another merchant with estates near the borough, which his father had represented. From 1721 both seats were held by the Eyles family and their relation by marriage, Benjamin Haskins Stiles, till 1740, when a vacancy caused by the death of Sir Joseph Eyles was filled by John Garth, recorder of Devizes. The Eyles interest came to an end in 1742, when Francis Eyles resigned his seat to provide one for George Lee, a member of the Government. From 1747 the borough was represented by Garth and William Willy, a clothier, till their deaths in 1764-5. All the Members returned were government supporters.