L30/12/9/29

Letter from Thomas Bland [to Alexander Hume-Campbell, 1st Baron Hume of Berwick]. Sent from Berkhamsted. [Typed transcript available] Congratulates his Lordship on having got through a second severe operation. Reference to recent elections.

21 Sep 1780

From: 1780 To: 1780

‘This county has happily been unanimous in the choice of their old members, but we had … a good deal of bustle upon the occasion to prevent any opponent from standing at the post. I wish you joy of Mr Yorke having carried his election with so high a hand over the Jew, which I dare say gives great pleasure to all the family.’ Annual Ball at Berkhamsted was last Monday. It was fuller than of late, though Mrs Yorke could not attend as Lady Beauchamp was ill and unable to accompany her. Lady M [Marchmont?] and Mrs Barker attended, but went before supper. Daughter Charlotte sent an account of the election in Colchester. Six candidates started and they had begun polling for three of them when Sir Robert Smyth happened to go through the town on his way to the election in Cambridge, and was pressed to go upon the hustings and declare himself. This he did, and in a few hours was elected with the old member Mr [Isaac Martin] Rebow, to the mortification of Mr [Alexander] Forycee, who was so dejected that he declared he would never more appear in public and would retire to Scotland and live in a garret.

item

Bland, Thomas,
Hume-Campbell, Alexander (1st Baron Hume of Berwick),
Barker (d),
Hume-Campbell, Elizabeth,
Smyth, Charlotte,
Smyth, Robert,
Rebow, Isaac Martin,
Fordyce, Alexander

CORRESPONDENCE, Berkhamsted, elections, balls, Colchester