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Huntingdon
Borough
Available from Boydell and Brewer
Background Information
Right of Election:
in the freemen and inhabitant householders paying scot and lot
Number of voters:
about 160
Elections
Date | Candidate | Votes |
---|---|---|
27 Jan. 1715 | EDWARD RICHARD MONTAGU, Visct. Hinchingbrooke | |
SIDNEY WORTLEY MONTAGU | ||
22 Mar. 1722 | EDWARD WORTLEY | |
ROGER HANDASYDE | ||
23 Aug. 1727 | EDWARD WORTLEY | |
ROGER HANDASYDE | ||
25 Apr. 1734 | ROGER HANDASYDE | |
EDWARD MONTAGU | ||
8 May 1741 | EDWARD MONTAGU | 90 |
WILLS HILL | 89 | |
Roger Handasyde | 70 | |
Albert Nesbitt | 58 | |
29 Dec. 1741 | ALBERT NESBIT vice Hill, chose to sit for Warwick | |
29 June 1747 | EDWARD MONTAGU | |
KELLAND COURTENAY | ||
10 Mar. 1748 | JOHN MONTAGU vice Courtenay, deceased |
Main Article
Huntingdon was dominated by the earls of Sandwich, who lived at Hinchingbrooke within the town, nominating both Members, usually without opposition. The only contest that occurred between 1715 and 1754 was in 1741, when the 4th Earl of Sandwich, who on coming of age in 1739 had joined the Opposition, put up two anti-government candidates, Wills Hill and Edward Montagu, against two government candidates, Roger Handasyde and Albert Nesbitt. Lord Sandwich is described as exerting himself in the election
with great vigour and success. He got his two men elected and threw out General Handasyde who has had a long and established interest there. He gained his point by mere good management ... To keep some of his men, who had promised him their votes but were not very steady, out of the way of temptation — for no less than £300 a man was at last offered — he sent them out upon various pretences a-travelling about England from one fine house to another, so well guarded that none of the opposite party could possibly come at them ... I never saw anyone so engaging and affable towards the common people.1
Hill, however, chose to sit for Warwick, where he had also been returned, and at the ensuing by-election Sandwich appears to have been unable to prevent Nesbitt from being returned unopposed.
In 1747 Sandwich, though now a member of the Government, was unable or reluctant to turn out his kinsman, Edward Montagu, a persistent opponent of all Administrations, and unwilling to bring in Nesbitt, on the ground that this would injure his interest.2 He accordingly brought in Edward Montagu again, and filled the other seat by his brother-in-law, Kelland Courtenay, transferring Nesbitt to Mitchell, where he was returned on Courtenay’s interest. After the election Edward Montagu wrote: ‘My Lord Sandwich is entire master both of this town and county. He has so riveted his interest that I believe nobody will venture to oppose as long as he lives.’3