SCAWEN, Thomas (d.1774), of Carshalton, Surr.

At the end of the 1727 Parliament, Scawen was returned as an opposition Whig for Surrey, where he had inherited the property of his uncle, Sir William Scawen. At the ensuing general election he joined interests with the other outgoing Member, John Walter, against Arthur Onslow. When it became clear that the poll was going in Onslow’s favour, Walter agreed to give up, apparently on condition that his expenses should be paid by Scawen. The sheriff however ruled that the poll must proceed, with the result that Scawen obtained a small majority over Walter by the second votes of Onslow’s supporters.1HMC 14th Rep. IX, 518-19. Re-elected unopposed with Onslow in 1734, he voted regularly with the Opposition. He did not stand again but in 1747 he used his interest at Mitchell (see under Scawen, Sir William) to bring in Thomas Clarke for that borough at the request of Lord Chancellor Hardwicke. He died 11 Feb. 1774.