Bath

Borough

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1715-1754, ed. R. Sedgwick, 1970
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Background Information

Right of Election:

in the corporation

Number of voters:

30

Elections

DateCandidateVotes
1 Feb. 1715SAMUEL TROTMAN 
 JOHN CODRINGTON 
 Edward Minshall 
 John Bromhall 
22 Feb. 1720ROBERT GAY vice Trotman, deceased22
 Henry Poole3
 John Pococke2
24 Mar. 1722GEORGE WADE23
 JOHN CODRINGTON20
 Robert Gay11
22 Aug. 1727GEORGE WADE26
 ROBERT GAY17
 John Codrington10
 Richard Skrine1
 Henry Bridges1
1 Feb. 1733WADE re-elected after appointment to office 
30 Apr. 1734GEORGE WADE30
 JOHN CODRINGTON16
 Philip Bennet14
15 May 1741GEORGE WADE27
 PHILIP BENNET16
 John Codrington15
1 July 1747GEORGE WADE29
 ROBERT HENLEY17
 Joseph Langton13
25 Mar. 1748SIR JOHN LIGONIER vice Wade, deceased15
 Joseph Langton14
21 Nov. 1751HENLEY re-elected after appointment to office 

Main Article

The franchise at Bath was in the corporation, a close body, recruited by co-option. In spite of this narrow franchise, against which some of the citizens petitioned unsuccessfully to the House of Commons in 1728,1 Bath was an outstandingly independent and respectable borough. For most of the period it was run by its famous postmaster, Ralph Allen, whose father-in-law, George Wade, held one seat from 1722 till his death in 1748. After Wade’s death Allen persuaded the corporation to elect another distinguished soldier, Sir John Ligonier, honoris causa, though he had no connexion with the city. The other Members were either neighbouring country gentlemen or had strong local connexions.

Author: Romney R. Sedgwick

Notes

  • 1. CJ, xxi. 49.