The principal interests at Liskeard were those of John Trelawny, whose family had long represented it, of Edward Eliot, and of George Dennis, a leading man in the corporation. In 1715 Trelawny was returned with a Tory, Philip Rashleigh. In 1722 Edward Eliot, who had been appointed receiver general of the duchy in March 1715, established a preponderant interest in the corporation in alliance with Dennis. Next year, the corporation pledged themselves ‘to admit no freemen without the consent of the mayor and the majority of the capital burgesses’, and in 1724 this decision was imposed on all future mayors under a penalty of £100.1 In a letter of 25 July 1735, applying to Walpole for his favour on behalf of a leading constituent, Richard Eliot wrote:

Liskeard ... being an inland town, there are no employments to please and make the leading men easy ... not a friend of mine in that town has had so much as a custom house officer’s place these seven years, yet I have hitherto kept them in temper. The gentleman in whose favour I now write, though a very near relation to me, is to have no more of the salary than a deputy, the remaining part is to be distributed amongst such as I think will best deserve it.2

Eliot having gone into opposition with the Prince of Wales in 1737, Thomas Pitt wrote c.October 1740:

The number of votes are about 30. There has been much talk of an opposition in this borough, not to Mr. Eliot, for his own election seems to be secure, but to his friend whoever it shall be. Large offers have been made by Mr. Edgcumbe, to gain some of the principal magistrates, and to persuade them to make more freemen. All proper steps have been taken ... to keep the corporation steady.3

There was no contest, the Prince’s party gaining both seats in 1741 and 1747. The 2nd Lord Egmont noted of Liskeard, c.1749-50: ‘in Mr. Eliot’.