TUFTON, Sackville (1688-1753), of Newbottle, Northants.

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

Constituency

Dates

1722 - 30 July 1729

Family and Education

b. 11 May 1688, 1st surv. s. of Hon. Sackville Tufton by Elizabeth, da. and h. of Ralph Wilbraham of Newbottle. m. 11 June 1722, Lady Mary Saville, da. and coh. of William, and Mq. of Halifax, 2s. 2da. suc. fa. 1721; uncle as 7th Earl of Thanet 30 July 1729.

Offices Held

Biography

The Tuftons were a Kent family who had acquired by marriage the vast Clifford estates in Westmorland, including the castle at Appleby, where they controlled one seat. Returned unopposed as a Tory on the family’s interest for Appleby in 1722, Sackville Tufton unsuccessfully attempted to gain control of the other seat at a by-election in 1723, putting up Lord Hillsborough, ‘because he will spend money, by which Tufton saves his own’.1 In 1725 he concluded an agreement with the 3rd Viscount Lonsdale for their joint lives, under which each of them was to recommend one Member for Appleby and no attempt was to be made to alter the balance of power in the borough.2 His only recorded vote in the Commons before he succeeded to the title was against the Government on the civil list arrears in 1729. He died 4 Dec. 1753, after sending for his tailor to ask him if he could make him a suit of mourning in eight hours; if he could he would go into mourning for his brother-in-law, Lord Burlington (who had died on 3 Dec.), but that he did not expect to live twelve hours himself.3

Ref Volumes: 1715-1754

Author: Romney R. Sedgwick

Notes

  • 1. Ld. Finch to Ld. Nottingham, 11 Apr. 1723, Finch mss at HMC.
  • 2. See APPLEBY.
  • 3. Horace Walpole to Bentley, 19 Dec. 1753.