Brecon

The control of Brecon was disputed between two local Whig families, Morgan of Tredegar and Jeffreys of the Priory. In 1715 the sitting Member, supported by the Tredegar interest, was returned unopposed. In 1722 William Morgan of Tredegar was returned without a contest, but made his election for Monmouthshire, putting up his younger brother, Thomas, who was returned both on this occasion and in 1727 against Priory candidates. On both occasions petitions were presented against his return on the ground that the Priory candidates had a majority of legal voters, but that the returning officer had refused to poll many of them and had also accepted unqualified, i.e. non-resident, voters for Morgan, 60 in 1723 and 39 in 1727.2CJ, xx. 232; xxi. 26. No decision was reached on either petition. In 1727 Morgan’s opponents brought an action in the court of King’s bench, who ruled that residence was a necessary qualification for the franchise. On appeal the ruling was upheld by the House of Lords. Nevertheless the Morgans continued to return their candidates, though at a by-election in 1740 by only 3 votes. A list of voters in 1744 shows 44 for Tredegar and 25 for the Priory.3Tredegar mss 124/430.