Aldeburgh was a pocket borough of the Fonnereau family; after Thomas Fonnereau’s death in 1779 it seems to have come under the control of his brother-in-law Philip Champion Crespigny. Chauncy Townsend nibbled at the borough in 1768,
Three families, all seated within a few miles of Bury St. Edmunds, contended for the representation of the borough: the Fitzroys, Dukes of Grafton; the Herveys, Earls of Bristol; and the Davers of Rushbrooke. Between 1754 and 1790 the Fitzroys held one seat for 31 years, the Herveys one seat for 17 years and both seats for four years, and the Davers family one seat for 16 years.
In 1754 two men had an important interest at Tamworth: Lord Weymouth, owner of Drayton Manor, two miles from Tamworth, and George Townshend, owner of the castle. Of lesser importance were Sir Robert Burdett and Simon Luttrell. Burdett, of an old Warwickshire family, M.P. for Tamworth since 1748, had the support of those who feared aristocratic domination.
There was no dominant aristocratic interest in the county; the choice of Members lay with the country gentlemen. Sir Cordell Firebrace and John Affleck, returned unopposed in 1754, ranked as Tories, and so did Rowland Holt. When Affleck declined to stand again in 1761, the Rev. Sir William Bunbury, who had inherited the Suffolk estates of his uncle Sir Thomas Hanmer, M.P. for Suffolk 1710-27, put up his son, Thomas Charles, who was not yet of age and ‘then upon his travels’;Hist. Four Last Elections for Suff. 1772. Sir John Rous was another candidate.
Newcastle wrote about Lichfield in his electoral survey of March 1754: ‘Lord Gower and Lord Anson to name by agreement for seven years.’ This statement anticipates their success. The borough had a complicated franchise; Gower and Anson had systematically bought up freeholds and burgages, and created faggot votes by splitting freeholds and granting annuities. But there was a strong independent party, and it was not until 1762 that they gained control of the borough.J. C. Wedgwood, Staffs. Parlty. Hist. ii.
Stafford was an expensive and difficult constituency, with an electorate composed mostly of tradesmen.
Much depended at Wells on control of the corporation, which could manipulate the franchise by creating honorary freemen. Local families had most influence, and during this period the Tudways came close to being patrons.
In 1753 the two outstanding Staffordshire families, the Leveson Gowers of Trentham (Whigs) and the Bagots of Blithfield (Tories), came to a compromise about the forthcoming general election. ‘I am glad to hear Staffordshire is agreed’, wrote Henry Pelham to Newcastle, 27 July 1753,
Throughout this period the natural interest at Minehead belonged to Henry Fownes Luttrell, who, through his marriage to the heiress of the Luttrell family, had inherited Dunster Castle, an estate in Somerset, and the lordship of the manor of Minehead (with the right of appointing the returning officer). But that interest had been much neglected, and at the general election of 1747 Luttrell had failed to secure the return of his candidate.
Taunton was an open borough, and contests were frequent and violent. Dissenters formed a large part of the population and had considerable influence. In 1754 Lord Egremont had the chief interest; and by alliance with the Dissenters, and having the support of Government, controlled one seat. The other was usually filled by a local man, and there was keen rivalry between the Dissenters in the town and the neighbouring country gentlemen.
