Go To Section
Great Yarmouth
Borough
Available from Boydell and Brewer
Background Information
Right of Election:
in the freemen
Number of voters:
about 700
Elections
Date | Candidate | Votes |
---|---|---|
27 Jan. 1715 | GEORGE ENGLAND | |
HORATIO TOWNSHEND | ||
22 Mar. 1722 | CHARLES TOWNSHEND | 456 |
HORATIO WALPOLE | 440 | |
Sir John Holland | 94 | |
George England | 77 | |
11 June 1723 | WILLIAM TOWNSHEND vice Charles Townshend, called to the Upper House | |
22 Aug. 1727 | HORATIO WALPOLE | 425 |
WILLIAM TOWNSHEND | 424 | |
John Fuller | 294 | |
John Jermy | 275 | |
14 May 1730 | WALPOLE re-elected after appointment to office | 403 |
— Elles | 113 | |
2 May 1734 | WILLIAM TOWNSHEND | 500 |
EDWARD WALPOLE | 422 | |
Cotton Simond | 131 | |
14 Feb. 1738 | ROGER TOWNSHEND vice William Townshend, deceased | |
4 May 1741 | ROGER TOWNSHEND | 400 |
EDWARD WALPOLE | 391 | |
Hewling Luson | 104 | |
Richard Fuller | 97 | |
30 June 1747 | EDWARD WALPOLE | |
CHARLES TOWNSHEND | ||
19 June 1749 | TOWNSHEND re-elected after appointment to office |
Main Article
Except in 1715, when one Tory was returned, the representation of Yarmouth was monopolized by the Townshends and Walpoles, each family providing one Member. When in 1732 Sir Robert Walpole notified the mayor of Yarmouth that he proposed to put up his son, Edward, vice his brother, ‘old’ Horace, at the next general election, the corporation unanimously expressed their thanks for this ‘extraordinary favour’.1 But the frequent contests showed the existence of a strong Tory element which, in the opinion of a Walpole observer, in 1743, was the natural bent of the majority of the people, and has for many years been kept under by art, difficulty, and expense.2 However, in 1747 the mayor of Yarmouth, Samuel Killett, was able to report that
our Members will be elected without opposition and at very little expense. The town in general are very sensible of the obligations we owe to them and their noble families.3
A few days later Edward Walpole asked for the reversion of the post of naval officer at Barbados for Killett, ‘the person to whom I think my Lord Townshend and my brother Orford chiefly owe their present support at Yarmouth’.4