Right of election

in inhabitants paying scot and lot

Background Information

Number of voters: about 250

Number of seats
2
Constituency business
Date Candidate Votes
15 Apr. 1754 CHARLES CHURCHILL
81
DANIEL MOORE
81
Charles Sloane Cadogan
75
25 Mar. 17611Ld. Fitzmaurice wrote to Bute on 26 Mar. 1761, Bute mss: ‘Marlow election was determined last night for Mr. Clayton by a great majority, and for Mr. Burt, a West Indian, by about 20. Mr. Moore, a West Indian, thrown out.’ WILLIAM CLAYTON
WILLIAM MATHEW BURT
Daniel Moore
16 Mar. 1768 WILLIAM CLAYTON
150
WILLIAM DICKINSON
113
William Mathew Burt
63
5 Oct. 1774 SIR JOHN BORLASE WARREN
190
WILLIAM CLAYTON
151
William Dickinson
76
6 Sept. 1780 WILLIAM CLAYTON
142
SIR JOHN BORLASE WARREN
128
Paul Benfield
122
12 July 1783 WILLIAM CLAYTON jun. vice William Clayton sen., deceased
31 Mar. 1784 WILLIAM CLAYTON
157
SIR THOMAS RICH
133
Thomas Keating
80
Main Article

Marlow was venal, expensive, and faithless. During this period every election save one was contested; and three out of the eight Members who represented the borough were rejected after having sat for one Parliament only.

The strongest interest was in the Clayton family of Harleyford, two miles from Marlow. ‘Mr. Clayton stands very well here’, wrote Robinson in his survey for the general election of 1780—almost the only Member in this period of whom so much could be said.

In 1787 William Clayton jun. sold his property in the borough to William Antonie Lee, son of William Lee of Totteridge Park. The price asked was £20,000, about half of which was in respect of the electoral interest the property gave at Marlow.2For details see corresp. of John Fiott and Sir Wm. Lee, mss., Bucks. RO.

Author
Notes
  • 1. Ld. Fitzmaurice wrote to Bute on 26 Mar. 1761, Bute mss: ‘Marlow election was determined last night for Mr. Clayton by a great majority, and for Mr. Burt, a West Indian, by about 20. Mr. Moore, a West Indian, thrown out.’
  • 2. For details see corresp. of John Fiott and Sir Wm. Lee, mss., Bucks. RO.