Go To Section
New Ross
Borough
Available from Boydell and Brewer
Background Information
Right of Election:
in the freemen
Number of voters:
38 in 1831
Population:
(1821): about 5,700
Elections
Date | Candidate |
---|---|
1801 | ROBERT LEIGH |
10 July 1802 | CHARLES TOTTENHAM |
26 July 1805 | PONSONBY TOTTENHAM vice Tottenham vacated his seat |
10 Nov. 1806 | CHARLES LEIGH |
21 May 1807 | WILLIAM WIGRAM |
16 Oct. 1812 | CHARLES LEIGH |
26 June 1818 | JOHN CARROLL |
Main Article
Before the Union the two leading interests in this close borough, the Tottenham and Leigh families who were intermarried, returned a Member each. From 1801 there was only one Member, so they maintained their agreement by nominating in turn and by practically restricting the electorate to the burgesses of the corporation.1 Francis Leigh of Rosegarland returned members of his family. Charles Tottenham returned his son Charles and brother Ponsonby, in succession. In 1807 when he returned a brother of his son’s wife, and in 1818 when another kinsman came in, he gave the head of their family, the Marquess of Ely, a say in the nomination. The chief secretary believed and hoped in 1812 that Wigram would be returned again, having ‘an engagement for the seat for years and not for parliaments, which will expire in the year 1814’, but that did not transpire.2
The patrons were unchallenged and government, being supported by both, had no wish to interfere. They showed no interest in Lord Mountnorris’s bid in 1806 to secure the return of a friend of his for Ross in exchange for support for Ely’s interest in the county, and, before the ensuing election, repudiated a bid by Colclough, candidate for the county, to deprive the Tottenhams of the borough patronage. Chief Secretary Elliot reported:
Both the chancellor and myself thought it most advantageous for government that the interest of the borough of Ross should be considered as separate from that of the county. The Leigh and Tottenham interest there cannot be easily overturned, and we must make the best arrangement we can about it.3