Newport I.o.W.

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

Number of voters:

24

Elections

DateCandidate
28 Jan. 1715ANTHONY MORGAN
 WILLIAM STEPHENS
25 Apr. 1717JAMES STANHOPE vice Morgan, chose to sit for Yarmouth, I.o.W.
22 July 1717SIR TRISTRAM DILLINGTON vice Stanhope, called to the Upper House
2 Aug. 1721Thomas Stanwix vice Dillington, deceased
23 Mar. 1722Charles Lennox, Earl of March
 Charles Whitworth, Baron Whitworth
29 Oct. 1722Charles Cadogan vice March, chose to sit for Chichester
1 Feb. 1726George Huxley vice Whitworth, deceased
31 Jan. 1727Sir William Willys vice Cadogan, called to the Upper House
21 Aug. 1727George Huxley
 William Fortescue
2 June 1729Huxley re-elected after appointment to office
27 May 1730Fortescue re-elected after appointment to office
27 Apr. 1734William Fortescue
 George Huxley
17 Feb. 1736Gustavus Hamilton, Visct. Boyne, vice Fortescue, appointed to office
27 June 1737Boyne re-elected after appointment to office
8 May 1741Anthony Chute
 Monoux Cope
2 July 1747Bluett Wallop
 Thomas Lee Dummer
20 June 1749Ralph Jenison vice Wallop, deceased
 

Main Article

In 1715 the Newport seats were filled by Anthony Morgan, a government supporter, and William Stephens, a local Tory landowner, without opposition, though Morgan, who had been appointed lieutenant governor of the Isle of Wight after George I's accession, tried to persuade the Government to put up a second candidate, assuring them that 'it will be an easy matter to bring in two Whigs at that corporation'.1 At all subsequent elections both seats were filled on the recommendation of the Administration without a contest. On 30 Jan. 1722 Lord Cadogan, governor of the Isle of Wight, offering to bring in Charles, Lord Whitworth, for Newport, wrote:

I have already engaged the corporation. I shall endeavour to make the terms as easy to you as I can, but in this time of general corruption and that most boroughs sell themselves by inch of candle, it will not be possible to come in anywhere without some expense.2

Whitworth's election cost him £600.3 After 1740 Newport, like the other Isle of Wight boroughs, was managed for the Administration by Thomas Holmes.4

Author: Paula Watson

Notes

  • 1. T. Stephens, The Castle Builders, 41.
  • 2. Add. 37387, f. 377.
  • 3. Whitworth to Geo. Tilson, 10/21 Mar. 1722, Add. 37388, f. 146.
  • 4. Add. 38333, f. 95.