BOSCAWEN, Hon. Hugh (1707-82).

Returned for one of the family seats at Truro, Boscawen voted with the Administration on the civil list arrears in April 1729, but soon went over to the Opposition, voting against the Hessians in February 1730. Succeeding in 1734 to a great electoral interest in Cornwall, he helped Frederick, Prince of Wales, to inflict heavy losses on the Administration at the general election of 1741, informing the Prince correctly, 12 May 1741, that ‘there will be I think 27 members returned in Cornwall on the country [i.e. opposition] interest and 17 courtiers’.1Royal archives. He broke with the Prince in 1742, by refusing to return a nominee of his at Truro,2Walpole to Mann, 10 June 1742. where he chose his own brother, Edward. By 1744 he and his family had rallied to the Pelhams, with the result that only 19 opposition Members were returned for Cornwall in 1747, when the Prince endeavoured unsuccessfully to set up an opposition to him at Truro and Tregony.3See HMC Fortescue, ii. 109, 111-12, 127. In 1747 he was appointed captain of the yeomen of the guard, which he held till his death, 4 Feb. 1782.