Westmorland

County

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

Background Information

Number of voters:

about 1,200 in 1708

Elections

DateCandidateVotes
8 Feb. 1715JAMES GRAHME 
 DANIEL WILSON 
3 Apr. 1722ANTHONY LOWTHER 
 JAMES GRAHME 
16 June 1726LOWTHER re-elected after appointment to office 
7 Sept. 1727ANTHONY LOWTHER 
 DANIEL WILSON 
9 May 1734ANTHONY LOWTHER 
 DANIEL WILSON 
28 May 1741DANIEL WILSON1281
 SIR PHILIP MUSGRAVE1079
 John Dalston845
16 July 1747JOHN DALSTON 
 EDWARD WILSON 

Main Article

Westmorland elections were usually settled without a contest by agreement between the Lowthers, the Wilsons of Dallam Tower, Whigs, and the Grahmes of Levens, Tories, whose estates passed in 1730 to Henry Bowes, 4th Earl of Berkshire, through his wife, the daughter and heiress of James Grahme. The only contest occurred in 1741, when both Lord Berkshire’s son, Lord Andover, and Sir Philip Musgrave of Edenhall laid claim to the seat hitherto held by Anthony Lowther, who died later that year. In a letter of 31 Mar. 1741 to Lord Carlisle,1 Musgrave reported that he had called on Daniel Wilson of Dallam Tower,

who (as Lord Carlisle declares he will not interfere for a second person) seems desirous enough that either Lord Andover or I should stand for the county, but is I believe a little afraid of our joining against him, which I also think would be very imprudent at this time, as Wilson is looked upon as sure, and I think there needs only that Lord Berkshire and I should act in concert to secure the election of either of us. Therefore as I have received many civilities of late from the family, though I am persuaded my Lord Berkshire if I had positively declared would hardly have set up his son against me, I have despatched a special messenger to Charlton to let his Lordship know my desire of taking this opportunity, but at the same time to acquaint him that if he desires Lord Andover should offer his services I will upon no consideration oppose him. But I have let him know my opinion that it is absolutely necessary for Lord Andover to come down immediately if he hath a mind to prevent an opposition from Governor Lowther [Robert Lowther of Maulds Meaburn, M.P. Westmorland 1705-8] who is obstinate enough to give him a great deal of trouble if he once declares ... In the meantime I have desired my friends to promise that either Lord Andover or I shall certainly stand.

Though Andover was withdrawn, it proved impossible to avoid an opposition from John Dalston of Acorn Bank, a connexion of the Lowthers, who was defeated, but was returned unopposed with Wilson’s son in 1747.

Author: Romney R. Sedgwick

Notes

  • 1. Carlisle mss at Castle Howard.