Honiton had a very wide franchise, and was one of the most venal boroughs in the kingdom. The electorate, which included most adult male inhabitants, was poor, unruly, and of low social standing: the poll book of 17631 does not record a single esquire, and few professional men—most of the voters were labourers, artisans, or small shopkeepers. Candidates were sought out, and even advertised for,2 and contests were frequent and expensive. Voters banded themselves into groups in order to get better terms: one group in 1774 was led by a cobbler known as ‘the King of New Street’, another in 1780 by a currier.

The strongest interest was that of the Yonge family, residing at Colyton, five miles from the borough, who held one seat with short intervals from 1679 to 1796. Next came the Courtenays, lords of the manor, who appointed the returning officer and owned the two principal inns in the town. Oldfield wrote of Lord Courtenay in 1792 that ‘what interest he has is conferred on Sir George Yonge’.3 And Yonge said of his connexion with the borough that he had inherited £80,000, his wife brought him a like amount, and Government had paid him £80,000, but Honiton had swallowed it all.4