1724 Taunton by-election

UK parliamentary by-election May 2019 May 2019 1724 Taunton by-election presidential Kingdom of Great Britain 1707 Taunton constituency no 1722 British general election 1722 1727 British general election 1727 1724 01 18 y George Deane Tories (British political party) Abraham Elton Whigs (British political party) William Molyneux Griffith Pugh MP Subsequent MP John Trenchard Whigs (British political party) Abraham Elton Whigs (British political party) The 1724 Taunton by-election to the Parliament of Great Britain was held on 18 January 1724 in Taunton, Somerset, following the death of the incumbent, John Trenchard. The by-election was contested by Abraham Elton, George Deane, William Molyneux and Griffith Pugh. Elton, a Whig who had been a late entrant to the election won, and despite a petition from Deane, was returned as the Member of Parliament for Taunton. Background During the 1722 British general election, two Whigs were elected for the Parliamentary constituency of Taunton, John Trenchard and James Smith. Their Tory opponent petitioned Parliament against their return, but the petition was rejected.https://books.google.com/books?id=ouyiW8s3jUoC&pg=PA174 Religion and the Enlightenment, 1600–1800: Conflict and the Rise of Civic Humanism in Taunton Gibson William Peter Lang AG 978-3-03910-922-7 2007 314–5 Trenchard died on 16 December 1723, leaving a vacancy.http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1715-1754/member/trenchard-john-1668-1723 TRENCHARD, John (?1668-1723), of Abbot's Leigh, Som. The History of Parliament Trust 10 February 2015 George Deane, who had been one of the losing Tories in 1722, stood once again, and was joined by William Molyneux, a secretary to the Prince of Wales and Griffith Pugh, of Covent Garden.http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1715-1754/constituencies/taunton Taunton The History of Parliament Trust 10 February 2015http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000085/17240118/012/0008 From the Weekly Journal Newcastle Courant 18 January 1724 16 February 2015 British Newspaper Archive subscription Then, two days before the election, Abraham Elton revealed himself as a candidate for the Whiggish interest. Result The election was held on 18 January 1724. Two separate returns were made; the mayor declared Elton to have been elected, but the "constables and bailiffs, and several of the inhabitants" suggested that Deane had won. The High Sheriff of Somerset, Walter Robinson, accepted the decision of the mayor, who acted as the returning officer for elections, and Elton was duly elected as the second member for Taunton.https://books.google.com/books?id=jw0jAAAAMAAJ&pg=327 The history of Taunton, in the county of Somerset Toulmin Joshua Joshua Toulmin James Savage (antiquary) Savage James 1822 John Poole & James Savage Taunton 327 751836236http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000253/17240130/011/0008 London, Jan 25 Stamford Mercury 30 January 1724 16 February 2015 British Newspaper Archive subscription Aftermath Deane lodged a petition against the result, which was heard by a committee, and dismissed by a vote of 151 to 104, therefore upholding the election of Elton to parliament.http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000085/17240201/015/0010 From W—'s Letter, London, Jan 28 Newcastle Courant 1 February 1724 16 February 2015 British Newspaper Archive subscription Elton only served Taunton until the general election, in 1727, when he contested the seat vacated by his father in Bristol.https://books.google.com/books?id=t675Zg3oiGAC&pg=PA103 Religion, Revolution and English Radicalism Bradley James E. Cambridge University Press 1990 2002 0-521-38010-3 103 References Category:1724 in England Category:1724 in politics Category:By-elections to the Parliament of Great Britain Category:18th century in Somerset Category:By-elections to the Parliament of the United Kingdom in Somerset constituencies Category:History of Taunton