Droitwich

Borough

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1715-1754, ed. R. Sedgwick, 1970
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Background Information

Right of Election:

in the corporation of the salt springs1

Number of voters:

about 40 in 1747

Elections

DateCandidateVotes
28 Jan. 1715EDWARD JEFFERIES 
 RICHARD FOLEY 
24 Mar. 1722RICHARD FOLEY 
 EDWARD JEFFERIES 
31 Jan. 1726THOMAS WINNINGTON vice Jefferies, deceased 
21 Aug. 1727RICHARD FOLEY 
 THOMAS WINNINGTON 
25 May 1730WINNINGTON re-elected after appointment to office 
15 Apr. 1732EDWARD FOLEY vice Richard Foley, deceased 
29 Apr. 1734EDWARD FOLEY 
 THOMAS WINNINGTON 
28 May 1736WINNINGTON re-elected after appointment to office 
11 May 1741THOMAS WINNINGTON 
 THOMAS FOLEY 
4 Jan. 1742LORD GEORGE BENTINCK vice Winnington, chose to sit for Worcester 
1 July 1747THOMAS FOLEY19
 SAMUEL MASHAM19
 FRANCIS WINNINGTON19
 Edwin Sandys18
  Double return. FOLEY and WINNINGTON declared elected, 9 Dec. 1747 
 SANDYS vice Foley, on petition, 16 Dec. 1747 

Main Article

In 1715 the right of election at Droitwich was in the freemen who owned a share in an ancient salt pit, called the corporation salt springs, which had dried up by 1725.

From 1708 to 1747 the representation was shared by the Foleys and the Winningtons without a contest. In 1747 Lord Foley took advantage of the death of Thomas Winnington and the minority of his heir to attempt both seats. His candidates, Thomas Foley and Samuel Masham, Tories, were opposed by two Whigs, Francis Winnington and Edwin Sandys, the first three of whom tied and were returned, all four petitioning. On the merits of the return, the House of Commons awarded the seats to Foley and Winnington, but on the merits of the election, Sandys unseated Foley by proving that nine of his voters were freemen with no property in the corporation salt springs.2 Next year Lord Foley gained control of both seats by the creation of additional freemen, whose right to vote was upheld in a legal action brought by the Winningtons.3 The 2nd Lord Egmont noted against Droitwich in his electoral survey, c. 1749-50: ‘Lord Foley will bring in two Tories.’

Author: A. N. Newman

Notes

  • 1. CJ, x. 466-7.
  • 2. CJ, xxv. 424, 427, 463.
  • 3. VCH Worcs. ii. 231; Nash, Worcs. 304.