TUFTON, Sackville (1688-1753), of Newbottle, Northants.

The Tuftons were a Kent family who had acquired by marriage the vast Clifford estates in Westmorland, including the castle at Appleby, where they controlled one seat. Returned unopposed as a Tory on the family’s interest for Appleby in 1722, Sackville Tufton unsuccessfully attempted to gain control of the other seat at a by-election in 1723, putting up Lord Hillsborough, ‘because he will spend money, by which Tufton saves his own’.Ld. Finch to Ld. Nottingham, 11 Apr. 1723, Finch mss at HMC. In 1725 he concluded an agreement with the 3rd Viscount Lonsdale for their joint lives, under which each of them was to recommend one Member for Appleby and no attempt was to be made to alter the balance of power in the borough.See APPLEBY. His only recorded vote in the Commons before he succeeded to the title was against the Government on the civil list arrears in 1729. He died 4 Dec. 1753, after sending for his tailor to ask him if he could make him a suit of mourning in eight hours; if he could he would go into mourning for his brother-in-law, Lord Burlington (who had died on 3 Dec.), but that he did not expect to live twelve hours himself.Horace Walpole to Bentley, 19 Dec. 1753.