In 1715 the chief interests at Scarborough were in John Hungerford, a Tory lawyer, and William Thompson, a Whig country gentleman, who shared the representation of the borough without opposition from 1702 to 1722. The Government had a considerable influence from the customs and the ordnance.

In 1722 and 1727 Hungerford was again returned, but Thompson stood down in favour of another Whig, William Strickland, till 1730, when he was re-elected on Hungerford’s death. The first contest occurred on Strickland’s death in 1735, when the corporation were divided between two rival pro-Administration Whigs, Lord Dupplin, standing on the interest of his first cousin the Duke of Leeds, who had been asked by some of the corporation to name a candidate,3 and William Osbaldeston, a Yorkshire country gentleman, backed by the Government.4 The election turned on whether the franchise was in the corporation, most of whom voted for Osbaldeston, or in the freemen, who voted for Dupplin. Deciding that the right of election was confined to the corporation, the House of Commons awarded the seat to Osbaldeston.

On Thompson’s death in 1744, Savage Mostyn, connected politically with Lords Winchilsea and Granville, was put up by Lord Carlisle,5 against Edwin Lascelles, a Pelhamite. Mostyn was defeated by Lascelles, but in 1747 Lord Carlisle’s candidate, Roger Handasyde, joined with Lascelles to oust Osbaldeston. In the 2nd Lord Egmont’s electoral survey, c.1749-50, Scarborough is described as ‘in Lord Carlisle for one and, if properly managed, both’.