Penryn (UK Parliament constituency)
Encyclopedia
Penryn was a parliamentary borough
in Cornwall
, which elected two Members of Parliament
(MPs) to the House of Commons of England
from 1553 until 1707, to the House of Commons of Great Britain
from 1707 to 1800, and finally to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 to until 1832. Elections were held using the bloc vote
system.
The Reform Act 1832
abolished the parliamentary borough of Penryn. The town of Penryn
was combined with neighbouring Falmouth
to form the new parliamentary borough of Penryn and Falmouth
.
, a market town in the west of Cornwall, two miles from Falmouth
. The right to vote was exercised by all inhabitants paying scot and lot
, which in prosperous Penryn made for a big enough electorate to ensure competitive elections; in the 18th century the number with the right to vote varied between 130 and 200, and by 1831 over 500 were qualified.
Nevertheless, Penryn recognised "patrons", important local landowners who were allowed influence in the choice of MPs. In the mid 18th century, the patrons were Lord Edgcumbe
and Viscount Falmouth, both prominent "election managers" for the Whig
government; but Edgcumbe's influence was much more secure than Falmouth's. Sir Lewis Namier, in his ground-breaking study of the elections of the 1750s and 1760s, took Penryn as one of his case studies. He quotes a contemporary source that Penryn prided itself "upon having had representatives of name and note", and the patrons' continued influence seems to have rested partly on their finding candidates for Penryn who fitted the voters' feeling of self worth.
, challenged the Edgcumbe and Falmouth domination. Edgcumbe had proposed the famous Admiral, George Rodney
, while Falmouth's candidate was the less well-known Sir Edward Turner
. Basset put up two candidates of his own, Edmund Maskelyne and George Clive
, a London banker and cousin of the famous general "Clive of India"
, and there followed a vigorously contested and expensive election. Clive had paid his own expenses in the contest, but four years later still owed his cousin 2,000 guineas which had lent him for the purpose, which gives some idea of the scale of expenditure involved.
The politics of the period was complicated by the accession of King George III the previous year, which had disrupted many of the established party and factional alignments. A forged letter was apparently circulated in Penryn, seeming to show that Prime Minister Newcastle
supported the Basset candidates, and this swayed a number of votes among Customs
officers, who depended on government favour for their livelihood.
The Falmouth and Edgcumbe candidates won, receiving 68 votes each compared to 63 for Clive and 61 for Maskelyne, but from this point onwards the Falmouth influence was broken and in future elections it was Basset who found himself with the power of nomination in Penryn.
, though in the last years before Reform Basset's son (who became Lord de Dunstanville
) was allowed to exercise patronage alone on the understanding that he did not interfere in the Duke's other Cornish borough, Helston
. Elections were generally contested, and the outcome was often a sharing of the representation with one Whig
and one Tory returned. In this final period, elections in Penryn became notoriously corrupt, although as Namier suggests the notoriety may have arisen chiefly from the fact the bribery now involved private citizens on both sides instead of the government being complicit in it. In 1828, two years before the first attempt to pass a general Reform Act, the Whigs picked Penryn as a suitable case for an attempt at more limited reform after an election where voters were reportedly treated to a "breakfast" worth 24 guineas a head; they proposed a bill in the House of Commons
to disfranchise Penryn and transfer its two seats to Manchester, but as there was at this point a Tory majority opposed to Reform the proposal was defeated.
Unlike most of the Cornish rotten boroughs
before 1832, Penryn was a town of reasonable size: in 1831, the population of the borough was 3,251, and contained 654 houses, which would have been big enough for Penryn to retain one of its two MPs under the Reform Act. However, neighbouring Falmouth
was a much larger town and had no borough representation; the decision was therefore taken to extend the borough's boundaries to take in Falmouth, as well as parts of Budock and St Gluvias
, which raised the population to 11,881. This newly delineated borough, which elected two MPs, was renamed Penryn and Falmouth
.
Parliamentary borough
Parliamentary boroughs are a type of administrative division, usually covering urban areas, that are entitled to representation in a Parliament...
in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, which elected two Members of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MPs) to the House of Commons of England
House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of Great Britain...
from 1553 until 1707, to the House of Commons of Great Britain
House of Commons of Great Britain
The House of Commons of Great Britain was the lower house of the Parliament of Great Britain between 1707 and 1801. In 1707, as a result of the Acts of Union of that year, it replaced the House of Commons of England and the third estate of the Parliament of Scotland, as one of the most significant...
from 1707 to 1800, and finally to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 to until 1832. Elections were held using the bloc vote
Plurality-at-large voting
Plurality-at-large voting is a non-proportional voting system for electing several representatives from a single multimember electoral district using a series of check boxes and tallying votes similar to a plurality election...
system.
The Reform Act 1832
Reform Act 1832
The Representation of the People Act 1832 was an Act of Parliament that introduced wide-ranging changes to the electoral system of England and Wales...
abolished the parliamentary borough of Penryn. The town of Penryn
Penryn, Cornwall
Penryn is a civil parish and town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated on the Penryn River about one mile northwest of Falmouth...
was combined with neighbouring Falmouth
Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset....
to form the new parliamentary borough of Penryn and Falmouth
Penryn and Falmouth (UK Parliament constituency)
Penryn and Falmouth was the name of a constituency in Cornwall represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 until 1950. From 1832 to 1885 it was a parliamentary borough returning two Members of Parliament , elected by the bloc vote system...
.
Franchise
The borough consisted of the town of PenrynPenryn, Cornwall
Penryn is a civil parish and town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated on the Penryn River about one mile northwest of Falmouth...
, a market town in the west of Cornwall, two miles from Falmouth
Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset....
. The right to vote was exercised by all inhabitants paying scot and lot
Scot and lot
Scot and lot is a phrase common in the records of English medieval boroughs, applied to householders who were assessed for a tax paid to the borough for local or national purposes.They were usually members of a merchant guild.Before the Reform Act 1832, those who paid scot and bore...
, which in prosperous Penryn made for a big enough electorate to ensure competitive elections; in the 18th century the number with the right to vote varied between 130 and 200, and by 1831 over 500 were qualified.
Nevertheless, Penryn recognised "patrons", important local landowners who were allowed influence in the choice of MPs. In the mid 18th century, the patrons were Lord Edgcumbe
Richard Edgcumbe, 2nd Baron Edgcumbe
Richard Edgcumbe, 2nd Baron Edgcumbe PC was a British nobleman and politician.The eldest surviving son of Richard Edgcumbe, 1st Baron Edgcumbe and his wife Matilda Furnese, he was educated at Eton from 1725 to 1732...
and Viscount Falmouth, both prominent "election managers" for the Whig
British Whig Party
The Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule...
government; but Edgcumbe's influence was much more secure than Falmouth's. Sir Lewis Namier, in his ground-breaking study of the elections of the 1750s and 1760s, took Penryn as one of his case studies. He quotes a contemporary source that Penryn prided itself "upon having had representatives of name and note", and the patrons' continued influence seems to have rested partly on their finding candidates for Penryn who fitted the voters' feeling of self worth.
The election of 1761
In 1761, another influential local figure, Francis BassetFrancis Basset (1715–1769)
Francis Basset was a Cornish landowner and politician from Tehidy. He served as Member of Parliament for Penryn .He was born the son of Francis and Mary Basset...
, challenged the Edgcumbe and Falmouth domination. Edgcumbe had proposed the famous Admiral, George Rodney
George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney
George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney, KB was a British naval officer. He is best known for his commands in the American War of Independence, particularly his victory over the French at the Battle of the Saintes in 1782...
, while Falmouth's candidate was the less well-known Sir Edward Turner
Sir Edward Turner, 2nd Baronet
Sir Edward Turner, 2nd Baronet was one of the Turner Baronets of Ambrosden and a Member of Parliament.-Life:Turner was the son of Sir Edward Turner, 1st Baronet and his wife Mary. He received his early education at Bicester Grammar School. He went on to Balliol College, Oxford where he was noted...
. Basset put up two candidates of his own, Edmund Maskelyne and George Clive
George Clive (MP)
George Clive was a British politician.-Background:Clive was the son of Reverend Benjamin Clive, Vicar of Duffield, Derbyshire, and Susannah...
, a London banker and cousin of the famous general "Clive of India"
Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive
Major-General Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive, KB , also known as Clive of India, was a British officer who established the military and political supremacy of the East India Company in Bengal. He is credited with securing India, and the wealth that followed, for the British crown...
, and there followed a vigorously contested and expensive election. Clive had paid his own expenses in the contest, but four years later still owed his cousin 2,000 guineas which had lent him for the purpose, which gives some idea of the scale of expenditure involved.
The politics of the period was complicated by the accession of King George III the previous year, which had disrupted many of the established party and factional alignments. A forged letter was apparently circulated in Penryn, seeming to show that Prime Minister Newcastle
Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and 1st Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne, KG, PC was a British Whig statesman, whose official life extended throughout the Whig supremacy of the 18th century. He is commonly known as the Duke of Newcastle.A protégé of Sir Robert Walpole, he served...
supported the Basset candidates, and this swayed a number of votes among Customs
Her Majesty's Customs and Excise
HM Customs and Excise was, until April 2005, a department of the British Government in the UK. It was responsible for the collection of Value added tax , Customs Duties, Excise Duties, and other indirect taxes such as Air Passenger Duty, Climate Change Levy, Insurance Premium Tax, Landfill Tax and...
officers, who depended on government favour for their livelihood.
The Falmouth and Edgcumbe candidates won, receiving 68 votes each compared to 63 for Clive and 61 for Maskelyne, but from this point onwards the Falmouth influence was broken and in future elections it was Basset who found himself with the power of nomination in Penryn.
After the 1760s
Later in the century the patronage came to be shared between Basset and the Duke of LeedsDuke of Leeds
Duke of Leeds was a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1694 for the prominent statesman Thomas Osborne, 1st Marquess of Carmarthen...
, though in the last years before Reform Basset's son (who became Lord de Dunstanville
Baron Basset
Baron Basset, of Stratton in the County of Cornwall, was a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1797 for Francis Basset, 1st Baron de Dunstanville, with remainder, failing heirs male of his own, to his daughter the Honourable Frances Basset...
) was allowed to exercise patronage alone on the understanding that he did not interfere in the Duke's other Cornish borough, Helston
Helston (UK Parliament constituency)
Helston, sometimes known as Helleston, was a parliamentary borough centred on the small town of Helston in Cornwall.Using the bloc vote system of election, it returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of England until 1707, then to House of Commons of Great Britain until 1800, and...
. Elections were generally contested, and the outcome was often a sharing of the representation with one Whig
British Whig Party
The Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule...
and one Tory returned. In this final period, elections in Penryn became notoriously corrupt, although as Namier suggests the notoriety may have arisen chiefly from the fact the bribery now involved private citizens on both sides instead of the government being complicit in it. In 1828, two years before the first attempt to pass a general Reform Act, the Whigs picked Penryn as a suitable case for an attempt at more limited reform after an election where voters were reportedly treated to a "breakfast" worth 24 guineas a head; they proposed a bill in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
to disfranchise Penryn and transfer its two seats to Manchester, but as there was at this point a Tory majority opposed to Reform the proposal was defeated.
Unlike most of the Cornish rotten boroughs
Cornish rotten boroughs
The Cornish rotten boroughs were one of the most striking anomalies of the Unreformed House of Commons in the Parliament that ruled Britain before the Reform Act of 1832...
before 1832, Penryn was a town of reasonable size: in 1831, the population of the borough was 3,251, and contained 654 houses, which would have been big enough for Penryn to retain one of its two MPs under the Reform Act. However, neighbouring Falmouth
Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset....
was a much larger town and had no borough representation; the decision was therefore taken to extend the borough's boundaries to take in Falmouth, as well as parts of Budock and St Gluvias
St Gluvias
St Gluvias is a civil parish and settlement in Cornwall, United Kingdom. The village is now a suburb on the northern edge of Penryn which is situated two miles northwest of Falmouth.-Church history:...
, which raised the population to 11,881. This newly delineated borough, which elected two MPs, was renamed Penryn and Falmouth
Penryn and Falmouth (UK Parliament constituency)
Penryn and Falmouth was the name of a constituency in Cornwall represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 until 1950. From 1832 to 1885 it was a parliamentary borough returning two Members of Parliament , elected by the bloc vote system...
.
MPs 1553–1629
| First Parliament of 1553 | John Johnson | Humphrey Corbet | |
| Second Parliament of 1553 | John Ayleworth | Ralph Skinner | |
| Parliament of 1554 | William Bendelows | Not known | |
| Parliament of 1554-1555 | James Trewynnard | Thomas Matthew | |
| Parliament of 1555 | John Courtenay John Courtenay (of Tremere) The Courtenay family of Tremere were a cadet line of the influential Devon family seated at Powderham and part of the House of Courtenay. The family is descendants of Sir Philip Courtenay, the son of Hugh de Courtenay, the 10th Earl of Devon... |
Ralph Cooke | |
| Parliament of 1558 | John Gardiner | John Couche, junior | |
| Parliament of 1559 | John Cosworth | John Bowyer | |
| Parliament of 1563-1567 | |||
| Parliament of 1571 | John Killigrew | William Dodington | |
| Parliament of 1572-1581 | Robert Peter | ||
| Parliament of 1584-1585 | William Killigrew William Killigrew (Chamberlain of the Exchequer) Sir William Killigrew was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1571 and 1614. He was chamberlain of the exchequer between 1605 and 1608.... |
||
| Parliament of 1586-1587 | William Onslow | ||
| Parliament of 1588-1589 | Nicholas Saunders | Anthony Dillon | |
| Parliament of 1593 | John Osborne | Edward Philips | |
| Parliament of 1597-1598 | James Killigrew | Edward Jones Edward Jones (died 1609) Edward Jones was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1593 and 1609.Jones was admitted to Gray's Inn on 12 January 1588. In 1593, he was elected Member of Parliament for Grampound. He was elected MP for Penryn in 1597. In 1601 he was elected MP for... |
|
| Parliament of 1601 | Edward Seymour Sir Edward Seymour, 2nd Baronet Sir Edward Seymour, of Berry Pomeroy, 2nd Baronet , MP, was a British gentleman and politician.He was the son of Sir Edward Seymour, 1st Baronet, and wife Elizabeth Champernowne and a descendant of Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset, in the senior line... |
Richard Messenger | |
| Parliament of 1604-1611 | Sir Richard Warburton Richard Warburton Sir Richard Warburton was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1601 and 1610.Warburton was the third son of Peter Warburton of Hefferston Grange in Weaversham, Cheshire and his wife Alice Cooper, daughter of John Cooper of Abbots Bromley, Staffordshire. He was educated... died Sir William Maynard William Maynard, 1st Baron Maynard William Maynard, 1st Baron Maynard was an English politician. He was Lord Lieutenant of Essex 6 August 1635 – 17 December 1640, Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire 17 June 1640 – 17 December 1640 and Custos Rotulorum of Essex in 1640... (1609-1611) |
Thomas Prowse died Sir Edward Conway Edward Conway, 1st Viscount Conway Edward Conway, 1st Viscount Conway PC was an English soldier and statesman.-Life:He was the son and heir of Sir John Conway of Arrow, and his wife Ellen or Eleanor, daughter of Sir Fulke Greville of Beauchamp's Court, Warwickshire.... (1610-1611) |
|
| Addled Parliament (1614) Addled Parliament The Addled Parliament was the second Parliament of England of the reign of James I of England , which sat between 5 April and 7 June 1614... |
Sir William Killigrew William Killigrew (Chamberlain of the Exchequer) Sir William Killigrew was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1571 and 1614. He was chamberlain of the exchequer between 1605 and 1608.... |
(Sir) Francis Crane Francis Crane Sir Francis Crane was the founder of Mortlake Tapestry Works at Mortlake on the south bank of the river Thames in South West London.-Life:... |
|
| Parliament of 1621-1622 | Robert Jermyn | ||
| Happy Parliament (1624-1625) Happy Parliament The Happy Parliament was the fourth and last Parliament of England of the reign of King James I, sitting from 19 February 1624 to 24 May 1624 and then from 2 November 1624 to 16 February 1625... |
Edward Roberts | Sir Robert Killigrew Robert Killigrew Sir Robert Killigrew was an English courtier and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1601 and 1629. He served as Ambassador the the United Provinces.-Life:... |
|
| Useless Parliament (1625) Useless Parliament The Useless Parliament was the first Parliament of England of the reign of King Charles I, sitting only from June until August 1625. It gained its name because it transacted no significant business, making it 'useless' from the king's point of view... |
Sir Edwin Sandys Edwin Sandys (American colonist) Sir Edwin Sandys was an English politician, a leading figure in the parliaments of James I of England. He was also one of the founders of the proprietary Virginia Company of London, which in 1607 established the first permanent English settlement in what is now the United States in the colony of... |
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| Parliament of 1625-1626 | |||
| Parliament of 1628-1629 | William Killigrew William Killigrew Sir William Killigrew was an English court official under Charles I and Charles II.He was the son of Sir Robert Killigrew and Mary Woodhouse, of Kimberley, Norfolk, his wife. He was the elder brother to Thomas Killigrew... |
Sir Thomas Edmunds | |
| No Parliament summoned 1629-1640 | |||
MPs 1640–1832
| Year | First member | First party | Second member | Second party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 1640 Short Parliament The Short Parliament was a Parliament of England that sat from 13 April to 5 May 1640 during the reign of King Charles I of England, so called because it lasted only three weeks.... |
Sir Richard Vyvyan Sir Richard Vyvyan, 1st Baronet Sir Richard Vyvyan, 1st Baronet was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1640 and 1665... |
Joseph Hall | ||||
| November 1640 Long Parliament The Long Parliament was made on 3 November 1640, following the Bishops' Wars. It received its name from the fact that through an Act of Parliament, it could only be dissolved with the agreement of the members, and those members did not agree to its dissolution until after the English Civil War and... |
Sir Nicholas Slanning Nicholas Slanning Sir Nicholas Slanning was an English soldier and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 to 1642. He was a Royalist army officer active in the West of England, during the English Civil War.-Background:... |
Royalist Cavalier Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration... |
John Bampfylde Sir John Bampfylde, 1st Baronet Sir John Bampfylde, 1st Baronet was an English politician and lawyer.Bampfylde was the third son of John Bampfield of Poltimore House and his wife Elizabeth Drake, daughter of Thomas Drake... |
Parliamentarian Roundhead "Roundhead" was the nickname given to the supporters of the Parliament during the English Civil War. Also known as Parliamentarians, they fought against King Charles I and his supporters, the Cavaliers , who claimed absolute power and the divine right of kings... |
||
| August 1642 | Slanning disabled from sitting - seat vacant | |||||
| December 1648 | Bampfylde excluded in Pride's Purge Pride's Purge Pride’s Purge is an event in December 1648, during the Second English Civil War, when troops under the command of Colonel Thomas Pride forcibly removed from the Long Parliament all those who were not supporters of the Grandees in the New Model Army and the Independents... - seat vacant |
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| 1653 | Penryn was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament Barebones Parliament Barebone's Parliament, also known as the Little Parliament, the Nominated Assembly and the Parliament of Saints, came into being on 4 July 1653, and was the last attempt of the English Commonwealth to find a stable political form before the installation of Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector... |
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| 1654 First Protectorate Parliament The First Protectorate Parliament was summoned by the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell under the terms of the Instrument of Government. It sat for one term from 3 September 1654 until 22 January 1655 with William Lenthall as the Speaker of the House.... |
John Fox | Penryn had only one seat in the First First Protectorate Parliament The First Protectorate Parliament was summoned by the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell under the terms of the Instrument of Government. It sat for one term from 3 September 1654 until 22 January 1655 with William Lenthall as the Speaker of the House.... and Second Second Protectorate Parliament The Second Protectorate Parliament in England sat for two sessions from 17 September 1656 until 4 February 1658, with Thomas Widdrington as the Speaker of the House of Commons... Parliaments of the Protectorate |
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| 1656 Second Protectorate Parliament The Second Protectorate Parliament in England sat for two sessions from 17 September 1656 until 4 February 1658, with Thomas Widdrington as the Speaker of the House of Commons... |
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| January 1659 Third Protectorate Parliament The Third Protectorate Parliament sat for one session, from 27 January 1659 until 22 April 1659, with Chaloner Chute and Thomas Bampfylde as the Speakers of the House of Commons... |
Thomas Silly | |||||
| May 1659 Rump Parliament The Rump Parliament is the name of the English Parliament after Colonel Pride purged the Long Parliament on 6 December 1648 of those members hostile to the Grandees' intention to try King Charles I for high treason.... |
Not represented in the restored Rump Rump Parliament The Rump Parliament is the name of the English Parliament after Colonel Pride purged the Long Parliament on 6 December 1648 of those members hostile to the Grandees' intention to try King Charles I for high treason.... |
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| April 1660 | Samuel Enys Samuel Enys Samuel Enys was an English merchant and politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1660.Enys was the third son of John Enys of Enys and his wife Winifred Rise, daughter of Thomas Rise of Trewardreva, Constantine. When he was 16, he was apprenticed to an English merchant at San Sebastian... |
James Robyns James Robyns James Robyns was an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1660.Robyns was born before 1625 and became an attorney. He had an estate at Penryn and obtained a reversion of the assay of tin from King Charles I... |
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| 1661 | William Pendarves | John Birch John Birch (soldier) Colonel John Birch was a soldier in the English civil war and later Member of parliament for Leominster and Weobley, Herefordshire.... |
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| 1673 | Sir Robert Southwell Robert Southwell (diplomat) Sir Robert Southwell was an English diplomat. He was Secretary of State for Ireland and President of the Royal Society from 1690.-Background and education:... |
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| February 1679 | Francis Trefusis | |||||
| September 1679 | Sir Nicholas Slanning | Charles Smythe | ||||
| 1685 | Henry Fanshawe | |||||
| 1689 | Anthony Rowe | Alexander Pendarves Alexander Pendarves Alexander Pendarves, MP was an English politician of the Tory party, and a wealthy landowner.-Early life:... |
Tory | |||
| March 1690 | Samuel Rolle | |||||
| April 1690 | Sidney Godolphin | |||||
| 1695 | James Vernon James Vernon James Vernon was an English politician and Secretary of State for both the Northern and the Southern Departments during the reign of William III.-Origins and education:... |
Whig | ||||
| 1698 | Samuel Trefusis | |||||
| 1699 | Alexander Pendarves Alexander Pendarves Alexander Pendarves, MP was an English politician of the Tory party, and a wealthy landowner.-Early life:... |
Tory | ||||
| 1705 | James Vernon James Vernon James Vernon was an English politician and Secretary of State for both the Northern and the Southern Departments during the reign of William III.-Origins and education:... |
Whig | ||||
| 1710 | Alexander Pendarves Alexander Pendarves Alexander Pendarves, MP was an English politician of the Tory party, and a wealthy landowner.-Early life:... |
Tory | ||||
| 1713 | Hugh Boscawen Hugh Boscawen, 1st Viscount Falmouth Hugh Boscawen, 1st Viscount Falmouth was an English Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons for Cornish constituencies from 1702 until 1720 when he was raised to the peerage.-Life:... |
Whig | ||||
| 1714 | Samuel Trefusis | |||||
| 1720 | Viscount Rialton | Whig | ||||
| 1722 | Sidney Meadows | Edward Vernon Edward Vernon Edward Vernon was an English naval officer. Vernon was born in Westminster, England and went to Westminster School. He joined the Navy in 1700 and was promoted to Lieutenant in 1702 and served on several different ships for the next five years... |
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| 1727 | Sir Cecil Bishopp | |||||
| 1734 British general election, 1734 The British general election, 1734 returned members to serve in the House of Commons of the 8th Parliament of Great Britain to be held, after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707. Robert Walpole's increasingly unpopular Whig government lost ground to the... |
Sir Richard Mill | John Clavering John Clavering (MP) John Clavering of Chopwell Hall, Chopwell, formerly County Durham, now Tyne and Wear, was a member of a junior branch of the Clavering family.He was Groom of the Bedchamber at the Court of George II.... |
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| 1741 British general election, 1741 The British general election, 1741 returned members to serve in the House of Commons of the 9th Parliament of Great Britain to be held, after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707... |
John Evelyn | Edward Vernon Edward Vernon Edward Vernon was an English naval officer. Vernon was born in Westminster, England and went to Westminster School. He joined the Navy in 1700 and was promoted to Lieutenant in 1702 and served on several different ships for the next five years... |
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| 1743 by-election | George Boscawen | |||||
| 1747 British general election, 1747 The British general election, 1747 returned members to serve in the House of Commons of the 10th Parliament of Great Britain to be held, after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707. The election saw Henry Pelham's Whig government increase its majority and... |
Henry Seymour Conway Henry Seymour Conway Field Marshal Henry Seymour Conway was a British general and statesman. A brother of the 1st Marquess of Hertford, and cousin of Horace Walpole, he began his military career in the War of the Austrian Succession and eventually rose to the rank of Field Marshal .-Family and education:Conway was... |
Whig | ||||
| 1754 British general election, 1754 The British general election, 1754 returned members to serve in the House of Commons of the 11th Parliament of Great Britain to be held, after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707.... |
Richard Edgcumbe Richard Edgcumbe, 2nd Baron Edgcumbe Richard Edgcumbe, 2nd Baron Edgcumbe PC was a British nobleman and politician.The eldest surviving son of Richard Edgcumbe, 1st Baron Edgcumbe and his wife Matilda Furnese, he was educated at Eton from 1725 to 1732... |
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| 1758 | John Plumptre | |||||
| 1761 British general election, 1761 The British general election, 1761 returned members to serve in the House of Commons of the 12th Parliament of Great Britain to be held, after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707... |
Sir Edward Turner Sir Edward Turner, 2nd Baronet Sir Edward Turner, 2nd Baronet was one of the Turner Baronets of Ambrosden and a Member of Parliament.-Life:Turner was the son of Sir Edward Turner, 1st Baronet and his wife Mary. He received his early education at Bicester Grammar School. He went on to Balliol College, Oxford where he was noted... |
Whig | George Brydges Rodney George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney, KB was a British naval officer. He is best known for his commands in the American War of Independence, particularly his victory over the French at the Battle of the Saintes in 1782... |
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| 1766 by-election | Francis Basset Francis Basset (1715–1769) Francis Basset was a Cornish landowner and politician from Tehidy. He served as Member of Parliament for Penryn .He was born the son of Francis and Mary Basset... |
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| 1768 British general election, 1768 The British general election, 1768 returned members to serve in the House of Commons of the 13th Parliament of Great Britain to be held, after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707.-Summary of the Constituencies:... |
Hugh Pigot Hugh Pigot (18th century admiral) Admiral Hugh Pigot , of Wychwood Forest in Oxfordshire, was a British naval leader who rose from the ranks to become an admiral. He also served as a Member of Parliament .Pigot joined the navy in 1734 as an able seaman... |
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| 1770 by-election | William Lemon | |||||
| 1774 British general election, 1774 The British general election, 1774 returned members to serve in the House of Commons of the 14th Parliament of Great Britain to be held, after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707.-Summary of the Constituencies:... |
Sir George Osborn Sir George Osborn, 4th Baronet Sir George Osborn, 4th Baronet was born into the British aristocracy. He fought in the American Revolutionary War as a British officer. He served as a Member of Parliament before, during, and after that conflict. In 1777 he led a detachment of the Guards Brigade at the battles of Brandywine and... |
William Chaytor | ||||
| 1780 British general election, 1780 The British general election, 1780 returned members to serve in the House of Commons of the 15th Parliament of Great Britain to be held after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707... |
Sir Francis Basset Francis Basset, 1st Baron de Dunstanville and Basset Francis Basset, 1st Baron de Dunstanville and Basset FRS was an English nobleman and politician. He was the first son of Francis Basset and Margaret St... |
John Rogers | ||||
| 1782 by-election | Reginald Pole-Carew Reginald Pole Carew Reginald Pole Carew was a British politician.Rt. Hon. Reginald Pole-Carew was born 28 July 1753, the son of Reginald Pole and Anne Buller. He lived at Antony House, Cornwall.-Career:... |
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| 1784 British general election, 1784 The British general election of 1784 resulted in William Pitt the Younger securing an overall majority of about 120 in the House of Commons of Great Britain, having previously had to survive in a House which was dominated by his opponents.-Background:... |
Sir John St Aubyn Sir John St Aubyn, 5th Baronet Sir John St Aubyn, 5th Baronet , was a British Member of Parliament, High Sheriff of Cornwall and Grand Master of the Freemasons.... |
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| 1790 British general election, 1790 The British general election, 1790 returned members to serve in the House of Commons of the 17th Parliament of Great Britain to be held, after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707.-Political Situation:... |
Richard Glover | |||||
| 1796 British general election, 1796 The British general election, 1796 returned members to serve in the 18th and last House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain to be held before the formation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland on 1 January 1801... |
Thomas Wallace Thomas Wallace, 1st Baron Wallace Thomas Wallace, 1st Baron Wallace PC was an English politician.-Background:Wallace was the son of James Wallace , a barrister who served as Solicitor General for England and Wales and as Attorney General, by Elizabeth, only daughter and sole heiress of Thomas Simpson, Esquire, of Carleton Hall,... |
Tory | William Meeke William Meeke William Meeke was a Member of Parliament for Penryn, Cornwall, in the House of Commons of Great Britain and then of the United Kingdom from 1796 to 1802.-References:... |
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| 1802 United Kingdom general election, 1802 The United Kingdom general election, 1802 was the election to the 2nd Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was the first to be held after the formation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland... |
Sir Stephen Lushington, Bt Sir Stephen Lushington, 1st Baronet Sir Stephen Lushington, 1st Baronet , of South Hill Park in Easthampstead, Berkshire, was an English Member of Parliament and Chairman of the East India Company.... |
Tory | Sir John Nicholl John Nicholl Sir John Nicholl was a Welsh Member of Parliament and judge. As a judge he was noted 'for inflexible impartiality and great strength and soundness of judgement'.-Early history:... |
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| 1806 United Kingdom general election, 1806 The United Kingdom general election, 1806 was the election of members to the 3rd Parliament of the United Kingdom. This was the second general election to be held after the Union of Great Britain and Ireland.... |
Henry Swann Henry Swann Henry Swann was a British Tory politician. He sat in the House of Commons for three periods between 1803 and 1824.... |
Tory | Sir Christopher Hawkins | Tory | ||
| February 1807 | John Bettesworth-Trevanion John Bettesworth-Trevanion John Trevanion Purnell Bettesworth-Trevanion, MP, OW was a Cornish politician. He rebuilt Caerhays as a Gothic-style castle.-Early years:... |
Tory | ||||
| May 1807 United Kingdom general election, 1807 The election to the 4th Parliament of the United Kingdom in 1807 was the third general election to be held after the Union of Great Britain and Ireland.... |
Charles Lemon | Whig | ||||
| 1812 United Kingdom general election, 1812 The election to the 5th Parliament of the United Kingdom in 1812 was the fourth general election to be held after the Union of Great Britain and Ireland.... |
Philip Gell | Tory | ||||
| 1818 United Kingdom general election, 1818 The 1818 general election of the United Kingdom saw the Whigs gain a few seats, but the Tories under the Earl of Liverpool retained a majority of around 90 seats... |
Sir Christopher Hawkins | Tory | ||||
| 1819 | vacant | |||||
| 1820 United Kingdom general election, 1820 The 1820 UK general election, held shortly after the Radical War in Scotland and the Cato Street Conspiracy. In this atmosphere, the Tories under the Earl of Liverpool were able to win a substantial majority over the Whigs.... |
Henry Swann Henry Swann Henry Swann was a British Tory politician. He sat in the House of Commons for three periods between 1803 and 1824.... |
Tory | Pascoe Grenfell Pascoe Grenfell Pascoe St Leger Grenfell was a British business man and politician.-Biography:He was born at Marazion, in Cornwall. His father and uncle were merchants in the tin and copper business. Grenfell studied at Truro Grammar School before joining his father's business in London... |
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| 1824 by-election | Robert Stanton | Tory | ||||
| 1826 United Kingdom general election, 1826 The 1826 United Kingdom general election saw the Tories under the Earl of Liverpool win a substantial and increased majority over the Whigs. In Ireland, Home Rule candidates, working with the Whigs, won large gains from Unionist candidates.... |
David Barclay David Barclay (MP) David Barclay was an English Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1826 and 1847.At the 1826 general election Barclay was elected as a Member of Parliament for Penryn in Cornwall... |
Whig | William Manning | Tory | ||
| 1830 United Kingdom general election, 1830 The 1830 United Kingdom general election, was triggered by the death of King George IV and produced the first parliament of the reign of his successor, William IV. Fought in the aftermath of the Swing Riots, it saw electoral reform become a major election issue... |
Sir Charles Lemon | Whig | James William Freshfield James William Freshfield James William Freshfield was an English lawyer and founder of the international law firm of Freshfields. He was also a Conservative politician and Member of Parliament, representing the seats of Penryn and Boston.-Early life:... |
Tory | ||
| 1831 United Kingdom general election, 1831 The 1831 general election in the United Kingdom saw a landslide win by supporters of electoral reform, which was the major election issue. As a result it was the last unreformed election, as the Parliament which resulted ensured the passage of the Reform Act 1832. Polling was held from 28 April to... |
Charles Stewart | Tory | ||||
| 1832 United Kingdom general election, 1832 -Seats summary:-Parties and leaders at the general election:The Earl Grey had been Prime Minister since 22 November 1830. His was the first predominantly Whig administration since the Ministry of all the Talents in 1806-1807.... |
Constituency renamed Penryn and Falmouth Penryn and Falmouth (UK Parliament constituency) Penryn and Falmouth was the name of a constituency in Cornwall represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 until 1950. From 1832 to 1885 it was a parliamentary borough returning two Members of Parliament , elected by the bloc vote system... |
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