Ripon

Ripon remained a close borough, the proprietors since 1781 being the heiresses of William Aislabie. His elder daughter, widow of Charles Allanson of Bramham Biggin, had the major share of his estate, and his younger daughter, the wife of William Laurence, the rest.PCC 222 Webster. Until 1807, while he lived, Laurence arranged the returns and the two families nominated a Member each. Mrs Allanson brought in Sir George Allanson Winn (afterwards Lord Headley) and, during the minority of his heir, John Heathcote. Laurence returned himself, being apparently inaccessible to Treasury pressure when he was in opposition before the election of 1790, and on his death in 1798 his interest passed to his maiden daughter, Elizabeth Sophia, who preferred to spell her surname Lawrence.PRO 30/8/196; PCC 607 Walpole. She returned Sir James Graham, a family friend and local landowner. In 1806, when Mrs Allanson brought in young Lord Headley as Graham’s colleague, the Marquess of Buckingham, the premier’s brother, wrote apropos of a cousin of Miss Lawrence’s: ‘Sir W[illiam] Young tells me that Ripon will certainly not be sold and will certainly return two friends. He cannot interfere beyond a certain point as he hopes she will return his son.’Fremantle mss, box 46, Buckingham to Fremantle [Nov. 1806]. In 1807 one nominee (Robinson) was a kinsman of both sisters and the other (Gipps) stepson of Miss Lawrence’s aunt Elizabeth (second wife of George Gipps I).

On her death in 1808 Mrs Allanson left most of her estate to Miss Lawrence who remained sole patron until her death in 1845. She made no change in her nominees before 1820. She was a devout Anglican and Robinson was at pains to justify his support for Catholic relief to her in 1812, lest it should cost him his seat.PCC 355 Ely; Gent. Mag. (1845), ii. 420; Add. 40862, f. 39. His brother Lord Grantham and he were her ultimate heirs.