Northallerton

Borough

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

Background Information

Right of Election:

in burgage holders

Number of voters:

about 200

Population:

(1801): 2,138

Elections

DateCandidate
18 June 1790HENRY PEIRSE
 EDWARD LASCELLES
27 May 1796HENRY PEIRSE
 HON. EDWARD LASCELLES
7 July 1802HENRY PEIRSE
 HON. EDWARD LASCELLES
31 Oct. 1806HENRY PEIRSE
 HON. EDWARD LASCELLES
8 May 1807HENRY PEIRSE
 HON. EDWARD LASCELLES
8 Oct. 1812HENRY PEIRSE
 HON. EDWARD LASCELLES, (Visct. Lascelles)
24 June 1814 JOHN BACON SAWREY MORRITT vice Lascelles, deceased
20 June 1818HENRY PEIRSE
 HENRY LASCELLES, Visct. Lascelles

Main Article

Northallerton remained a close borough (without a corporation) jointly controlled since 1745 by the Peirse and Lascelles families, who returned one Member each. Henry Peirse of Bedale returned himself throughout, serving 50 years in all. Edward Lascelles succeeded his cousin to the other seat. On his becoming Lord Harewood, he returned his heir, at whose death there was an interval during which Peirse’s nephew kept the seat warm for the deceased’s brother. Henry Peirse wrote to the reformer Rev. Christopher Wyvill, 6 Dec. 1798:

Lord Harewood and myself have the majority of votes in the borough of N. Allerton. I have abt. 190 votes or upwards, about 70 of these may now be independent votes. We separately possess about 50 each and the others have been jointly purchased. The majority has certainly been purchased for the last thirty years and it is our union which may bring N. Allerton under the denomination of a closed borough.

Oldfield, Boroughs, ii. 283-5; Rep. Hist. v. 340-1; N. Riding RO, Wyvill mss ZFW7/2/122/25.

Authors: Winifred Stokes / R. G. Thorne

Notes