25th March 1761 Bout. 1 Spanish dollar five shillings


Here is a Spanish coin of the right sort of date. I hope Thomas's purchase was in better condition!


26th Came on Thursday the Election for the City of London for Members of Parliament. Ladbrook Glyn Beckford Fludyer & Harley. I got Drunk Bout this day a wedding Ring of Edward Salter in Cannon Street over against St Swithins Church for Elizabeth & Thos Tye to be married in .....8/-

The City returned 4 members. Thomas would have had a vote as a Freeman, as well as a vote as a landowner in Pinxton, though, with no postal voting, he could only really vote in one place in each election.

The MPs mentioned....

Sir Robert Ladbroke - a previous Lord Mayor of London who founded a bank, now part of RBS. He is commemorated with a memorial in Christ Church Spitalfields

Sir Richard Glyn - a banker who married rather well but doesn't seem to have had a portrait painted (or, if he did, no-one has put it on the web!).

William Beckford became wealthy from plantations in Jamaica.


Sir Samuel Fludyer - He was MP for Chippenham so I'm a bit puzzled that Thomas should mention him. However, he was to be Lord Mayor of London for 1761.

Thomas Harley - the younger son of the Earl of Oxford

And politics has rather distracted me.. Thomas is engaged! This is his first mention of it. One wonders whether buying the ring and being drunk are in any way related! The Jeweller's shop was close to the St Swithin's church



This Wren church was destroyed in 1941.

I haven't found anything about Edward Salter.. yet!

19th March 1761 This Day Thursday the Parliament was Disolved

Election campaigns were short in the 18th century. The actual election took place between 25th March and 5th May with different constituencies voting on different days. Lots more about this election can be found on wikipedia.

22 Went to see Mr Bladon at Tottenham High Cross went ay Hogsdon Newington Butts spt 9d


Tottenham High Cross was given a Gothic makeover in 1809 but the picture below shows it as Thomas would have seen it. Newington Butts was already built on by the time Thomas went there.. it is totally unromantic today (Use Google Maps to see the rather dull housing that is there now).

9 August 1754 Fryday
Judge Burchell Sett Patt Goodall at Liberty. About Rioting in the Election of Member of Parliament tho the Prebiterents was worse then they they took care that non of their side Gang was presicuted. The Grand Jury found no bill against Patt Goodall which mortified the Presbiterents greatly.

Thomas doesn't sound like a dispassionate observer of these riots, does he? Online I can find little about what happened except that a Dissenters' chapel was destroyed and, by way of retaliation, many church windows were broken and "only two men were killed." Thomas calls the Dissenters Presbyterians which is not necessarily an accurate description, but I don't think he approves of them one bit!

Saturday 13th April 1754
Proclaimed to Choose the members for this Town on Thursday 18th of this Aprill 20 Aprill Saturday the Poole Ended . for Lord How 980 for Sir Willoughby Aston 924 for John Plumptree Esqr. 915

1 May Lord Robert Sutton & John Thornough was chared for members for Nottinghamshire
Dined on the Occaison with Bror. Bright and Several other Gentm. from Retford.

This was a General Election. Polling was not all on the same day throughout the country or even all on one day in each constituency. The Returning Officer decided the dates.



Sir Willoughby Aston was the 5th Baronet, born about 1715, died 1772

Lord Robert Sutton was a son of the Duke of Rutland - more about him here
Here he is in his military uniform painted by Joseph Wright of Derby.