Warwick

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 such persons only as pay to church and poor’1

Number of voters:

about 500

Elections

DateCandidateVotes
15 Apr. 1754Wills Hill, Earl of Hillsborough 
 Henry Archer 
29 Dec. 1755Hillsborough re-elected after appointment to office 
9 Dec. 1756John Spencer vice Hillsborough, called to the Upper House 
27 Mar. 1761Hamilton Boyle, Visct. Dungarvan 
 Henry Archer 
13 Dec. 1762Paul Methuen vice Dungarvan, called to the Upper House 
16 Mar. 1768George Greville, Lord Greville 
 Henry Archer 
20 May 1768Paul Methuen vice Archer, deceased 
20 Apr. 1770Greville re-elected after appointment to office 
21 Jan. 1774Charles Francis Greville vice Lord Greville, called to the Upper House 
7 Oct. 1774Charles Francis Greville 
 Robert Fulke Greville 
12 Sept. 1780Robert Ladbroke212
 Charles Francis Greville203
 Robert Fulke Greville187
15 Apr. 1783Greville re-elected after appointment to office 
6 Apr. 1784Robert Ladbroke242
 Charles Francis Greville235
 William Holbech200

Main Article

Warwick was virtually a scot and lot borough. Oldfield wrote about it in 1792:2 ‘There have been frequent struggles here between the Earl of Warwick ... and the popular party.’ In 1754 its patrons were Lord Brooke (later Earl of Warwick) and Lord Archer. In 1774 both seats went to members of Warwick’s family; which led in 1780 to a revolt of the independent party and the loss of one seat to Robert Ladbroke, a London banker with an estate in Warwickshire. In 1784 Charles Francis Greville, having quarre lled with his brother Lord Warwick, stood on his own interest; and he and Ladbroke were successful against Warwick’s candidate.

Author: John Brooke

Notes

  • 1. CJ, 31 Jan. 1722/3.
  • 2. Boroughs, iii. 80.