The chief interest in the venal1 borough of Ilchester was that of the Lockyers, a local family of wealthy business men, with estates in and about the borough, which from 1727 they managed in the government interest. Three of the Members returned during this period— Hopkins, Brown, and Thomas Lockyer— were noted misers.

In 1715 two Whigs were returned, defeating the former Tory Members. In 1722, when all four candidates seem to have been Whigs, the defeated candidates petitioned, alleging partiality on the part of the returning officer, a Lockyer.2 The matter was compromised, one of the sitting Members accepting an office of profit to vacate his seat in favour of his opponent. At each of the next four general elections one of the Lockyer family was returned, bringing in with him a government nominee. About 1749-50 the 2nd Lord Egmont wrote in his electoral survey: ‘Lockyer may absolutely have the command of this borough’.