Borough

Two interests were dominant in Haverfordwest: those of the Edwardes family of Johnston and of the Philipps family of Picton Castle. But it was generally understood between them that William Edwardes should be allowed to represent the borough, in return for supporting the Philipps family in the county. This arrangement broke down in 1784 when Lord Milford, defeated in Pembrokeshire, canvassed Haverfordwest; and forced Lord Kensington (as Edwardes had become) to decline. When Milford vacated his seat in 1786 in order to stand for the county, Kensington came in again for Haverfordwest.

Pembroke was under the influence of the Owen family of Orielton but their control of the constituency was not complete, for Wiston was ruled by the Wogan family. At the general election of 1761, when Sir William Owen and Sir John Philipps were contesting the county, Charles Townshend was instigated by Philipps and Wogan to make a bid for the boroughs by a large-scale creation of freemen in Wiston. Owen thereupon ceded the county seat to Philipps; Wogan called off Townshend; and the Owens were again secure in Pembroke Boroughs.

Montgomery was a pocket borough of the earls of Powis. The only challenge to their control during this period came in 1761 when Chase Price set up a candidate in retaliation for Powis’s support of Thomas Lewis at New Radnor; but there was no poll.

The eight boroughs were controlled by four patrons. In 1754 these were: the Duke of Beaufort (Swansea and Loughor); Herbert Mackworth of Gnoll (Neath and Aberavon); Thomas Talbot of Laycock (Kenfig); and Lord Windsor (Cardiff, Cowbridge, and Llantrisant). The dominant interest was that of Lord Windsor, which passed in 1766 to Lord Mountstuart, who had married Windsor’s daughter and heir.

The dominant interest in the constituency, based on control of Denbigh and Ruthin, was in the Myddelton family of Chirk Castle; and throughout this period Richard Myddelton and his son represented the constituency unopposed.

The representation of these boroughs was controlled by the local squires. Sir John Glynne retained the seat without opposition until his death in 1777;NLW, Glynne of Hawarden mss, 1, 4, 11, 13. and was succeeded by Watkin Williams, of an influential Flintshire family, whose father had represented the constituency 1742-7. Thomas Hanmer, son of Sir Walden Hanmer, issued an address in 1777 but did not stand; and there seems to have been no opposition to Williams in 1780 or 1784.

Since 1746 a chaotic situation had existed in Carmarthen. The town had two corporations, each claiming to be the only legal one. One corporation was Tory, controlled by Sir John Philipps of Picton Castle; the other, Whig, was controlled by Griffith Philipps of Cwmgwili. At the general election of 1754 each side presented a candidate, and as the writ was sent to the Whig corporation, the Whig candidate, Griffith Philipps, was returned. In 1761 Philipps did not stand, and Lord Verney was returned as the candidate of the Whig corporation.

Cardigan and Aberystwyth were controlled by the Pryses of Gogerddan; Lampeter by the Lloyds of Peterwell. Atpar was no longer of importance during this period: its corporate structure was destroyed in 1741, and by 1774 the number of its freemen had fallen to two.

Thomas Johnes sent wrote to Newcastle about the constituency on 18 Jan. 1760:Add. 32901, f. 359.

By 1754 Caernarvon Boroughs was firmly under the control of the Wynn family of Glynllivon. They held the constableship of Caernarvon castle; the mayoralty of Nevin was hereditary in the family; that of Pwllheli in their allies the Vaughans of Corsygedol; but Criccieth was controlled by the Owens of Brogyntyn. The Wynns were unchallenged until a family dispute opened the way for a rival interest. After the general election of 1780 Glyn Wynn realised that his elder brother, Lord Newborough, who had been defeated for the county, would demand the borough for himself.

Brecon was a pocket borough of the Morgans of Tredegar, and was used by them to provide seats for junior members of the family who could not yet aspire to the honour of a county seat.