Plympton Erle

Double Member Borough

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1754-1790, ed. L. Namier, J. Brooke., 1964
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Background Information

Right of Election:

in the freemen

Number of voters:

about 100

Elections

DateCandidate
20 Apr. 1754George Treby
 William Baker
30 Mar. 1761Sir William Baker
 George Treby
8 Dec. 1761George Hele Treby vice George Treby, deceased
25 Nov. 1763Paul Henry Ourry vice Treby, deceased
22 Mar. 1768Paul Henry Ourry
 William Baker jun.
10 Oct. 1774Sir Richard Philipps
 Paul Henry Ourry
7 Feb. 1775John Durand vice Ourry, appointed to office
8 Apr. 1779William Fullarton vice Philipps, vacated his seat
11 Sept. 1780James Cecil, Visct. Cranborne
 Sir Ralph Payne
30 Nov. 1780James Stuart vice Cranborne, called to the Upper House
3 Apr. 1784Paul Treby Ourry
 John Stephenson
16 Aug. 1784John Pardoe vice Ourry, vacated his seat

Main Article

The power of creating new freemen was in the corporation, which in effect controlled the borough. The corporation was under the influence of two families, the Edgcumbes and the Trebys, who each nominated to one seat. The Edgcumbe seat was (except in 1768) always sold to Administration, the Treby seat when not wanted by the family themselves; and Lord Edgcumbe acted as intermediary with Government.

Author: J. A. Cannon

Notes