Haverfordwest

After the death of John Laugharne, who sat for Haverfordwest as a Tory throughout Anne’s reign, the borough was usually represented by members of three local families, Barlow of Slebech, Philipps of Picton Castle and Edwardes of Johnston. The only exception was John Barlow of Lawrenny, a Whig, who though defeated at the poll, was awarded the seat on petition at the by-election following Laugharne’s death in 1715. In his petition he alleged that the mayor and sheriff, who were both in the interest of Sir George Barlow of Slebech, had illegally created many new voters, the mayor declaring that ‘he would make as many new burgesses as would serve his turn’. The Commons passed a resolution that the ‘proceeding of the mayor and common council in making burgesses without the consent of the commonalty was illegal’.1CJ, xviii. 199. There were no further contests until 1734, when Sir Arthur Owen, the lord lieutenant of Pembrokeshire, whom the Philipps family had opposed in the county election of 1727, set up his nephew, Wyrriott Owen, who was defeated by Erasmus Philipps, an opposition Whig. In an unsuccessful petition Owen alleged that the returning officer, being the servant of the Philipps family, accepted the votes of many electors who, according to the 1715 House of Commons resolution, were not qualified.2CJ, xxii. 332. At the next election Sir Arthur Owen again put up a nephew, Hugh Barlow of Lawrenny, in an unsuccessful attempt to use the 1715 resolution to oust Erasmus Philipps.3CJ, xxiv. 19, 30. Thereafter Tory candidates were returned unopposed. About 1749-50 the 2nd Lord Egmont observed in his electoral survey: ‘The best interest is in Edwardes ... Sir John Philipps has the next best interest’. The Edwardes family held the seat, with one brief interruption, from 1747 to 1818.