Montgomery Boroughs

Until 1727 this constituency was dominated by an alliance of the Tory patrons who controlled the three out-boroughs. Llanidloes lay in the Llwydiarth estate, inherited by Watkin Williams Wynn from Edward Vaughan in 1718; Welshpool and Llanfyllin in that of Powis Castle; Montgomery, the shire town, was controlled by the Whig Herberts of Oakley Park, who challenged the Tory interest represented by John Pugh in 1715 and 1722. On Pugh’s retirement in 1727 there was a double return. Although Wynn’s brother, Robert Williams, had a large majority, William Corbet, the Herbert candidate, was also returned on the ground that he had a majority of 107 to 29 in Montgomery itself. On petition a partisan vote of the House of Commons, in defiance of evidence and precedents, decided that the right of election lay in the freemen of the shire town only, thus seating Corbet. The concern of Welsh Members at this decision was shown by the presence in the minority of five habitual government supporters: John Griffith, Sir Humphrey Howorth, William Owen, Hugh Williams and Sir Nicholas Williams.1P. D. G. Thomas, ‘Montgomery Borough Constituency’ Bulletin of Board of Celtic Studies, xx. 293-304; see WILLIAMS, Watkin, and MASON, Charles. Thereafter Montgomery passed under the control of H. A. Herbert, whose nominees were always returned without opposition.