Wilton was a pocket borough of the 10th and 11th Earls of Pembroke, who used it to return relatives or close friends of the family, of which the corporation was likewise composed. A potentially embarrassing situation arose in 1789, when William Gerard Hamilton offended his patron by joining opposition over the Regency and still expected to be confirmed in his seat, but it was resolved by a firm refusal to yield and Hamilton found a seat elsewhere.
Volume
Right of election
in the ‘corporation’, though the mayor was entitled to create burgesses
Background Information
Number of voters: over 20
Constituency Type
Constituency ID