Co. Longford

County

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1790-1820, ed. R. Thorne, 1986
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Background Information

Number of voters:

about 3,000 in 18151

Elections

DateCandidateVotes
1801SIR THOMAS FETHERSTON, Bt. 
 SIR WILLIAM GLEADOWE NEWCOMEN, Bt. 
15 July 1802HON. THOMAS GLEADOWE NEWCOMEN 
 SIR THOMAS FETHERSTON, Bt. 
25 Nov. 1806SIR THOMAS FETHERSTON, Bt. 
 GEORGE JOHN FORBES, Visct. Forbes 
20 May 1807SIR THOMAS FETHERSTON, Bt. 
 GEORGE JOHN FORBES, Visct. Forbes 
17 Oct. 1812SIR THOMAS FETHERSTON, Bt. 
 GEORGE JOHN FORBES, Visct. Forbes 
26 June 1818SIR THOMAS FETHERSTON, Bt. 
 GEORGE JOHN FORBES, Visct. Forbes 
15 Oct. 1819 SIR GEORGE RALPH FETHERSTON, Bt., vice Fetherston, deceased531
 Luke White342

Main Article

Longford, a small but fertile county with an extensive share in the linen trade, had a confined and predominantly Catholic electorate. The leading proprietary interest was that of the Earl of Rosse (Viscount Oxmantown until 1806), while the Newcomen family and Lord Granard, with estates worth £7,000 and £3,000 p.a. respectively, were next in line. Sir Thomas Fetherston, whose estate was extensive but depressed, cut a figure thanks to Oxmantown’s support, while Lord Longford, whose estate was ‘let much under its value’, was reduced to a minor role. So was Lord Belmore, though he chose to regard his interest as important.2

Fetherston and Thomas Newcomen, who replaced his father Sir William, were unopposed in 1802, but in 1806 the ailing Newcomen was challenged by Granard, who having first proposed his brother, put up instead his son Viscount Forbes, who had meanwhile come of age. Granard, brother-in-law of Lord Moira and a favoured friend of the Grenville ministry, could count on their support for his son and, by ministerial intercession, secured Rosse’s approval. This situation suited Fetherston who already possessed Rosse’s support, but deterred Newcomen, who complained of a coalition against him and declined a poll.3 The Portland ministry looked favourably upon Fetherston’s retaining his seat in 1807, but was anxious to oust Forbes in favour of Newcomen. They even considered supporting Lord Longford’s brother as a running partner for him. As, however, Rosse’s interest was once again given to the sitting Members and Longford remained loyal to Forbes, Newcomen withdrew and nothing came of the scheme.4

There was no further contest, despite Forbes’s political volte-face after 1812, until Fetherston died in 1819. The dowager Lady Rosse who had taken over her late husband’s interest since 1807 supported his son as champion of the protestant interest. He was challenged by Luke White junior, son of the Dublin plutocrat, whose politics were opposition and pro-Catholic, but who gave up after four days. Lady Rosse paid Fetherston’s bills, amounting, so she claimed, to between £7,000 and £8,000, and thereby reinforced her family’s position as the leading county interest.5

Author: P. J. Jupp

Notes

  • 1. The dowager Lady Rosse in a letter to her son of 20 Oct. 1819 estimated 2,000 freeholders, PRO NI, Rosse mss D7/108.
  • 2. Wakefield, Account of Ireland, i. 268; Add. 40248, f. 268.
  • 3. HMC Fortescue, viii. 258, 261, 282, 291, 435; xi. 175; Fortescue mss, Rosse to Grenville, 17 June, Elliot to same, 4 Aug.; Drogheda News Letter, 21-25 Oct.; Dublin Evening Post, 25 Nov. 1806.
  • 4. Wellington Supp. Despatches, v. 18; Wellington mss, Rosse to Wellesley, 4 May 1807; Fortescue mss, Granard to Moira, 8 Feb. 1808.
  • 5. Add. 38575, f. 34; Rosse mss D7/110.