Thrale history

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much opposition however, and Mr. Lomax, of Childwickbury. St. Michaels, of whom we know so much already, was the main opponent. In spite of this, he held his seat until 1768, when he took a new seat at Boroughbridge. He had been M.P. for twenty-seven years, and persuaded during this time the post to come daily to St. Albans, and for that epoch was a most honourable representative. Thus we see many of the gentry of St. Michaels engaged in politics - the Smiths, the Gapes, the Lomaxes, the Toombes, and the Grimston family, the latter having come to Gorhambury in 1652. Earlier for instance in 1730, the London Evening Post reported that 'yesterday came on the election for the Borough of St. Albans in Hertfordshire, in the room of Caleb Lomax, Esq., deceased: in the morning the Lord Viscount Grimston gave a very elegant breakfast at his seat of Gorhambury to Mr. Gape's friends … later about 300 voters all on horseback rode to St. Albans in order to poll'. It must have been rather impressive. Thomas Gape succeeding with 396 votes, Mr. Brassey 'flinging up' with 136 votes was the result. The report terminates with the pious statement 'the result shows what regard is paid to those gentlemen who are elected with no other view than to serve their country'. Duchess Sarah had the cheek to write similar sentiments about patronage for M.P.'s to the 4th Earl of Manchester, saying that her patronage was only available when the interests of the country demanded it: this was why her Duke was risking his life.²⁰ To comment honestly would perhaps be uncharitable. Even earlier, in 1705, Sarah had taken charge of the elections, but even she was unable to avoid having one of the Gapes unseated for corruption. In 1710 Duke John was worried about his wife's close involvement. The Mayor was promising support to Mr. Lomax, but Sarah pressurised him to supporting her candidates Mr. Clayton and Mr. Gore. The latter was also candidate in 1754. In Sandridge only four men had the vote. There were then three candidates for two Hertfordshire seats. Mr. Thomas George and Mr. John Thrale of Hammonds voted for Paggen Hale and Charles Gore who were elected, but Ralph Thrale of No Mans Land and Mr. William Packham voted for Edward Gardener.

Some twenty years ago Debenhams, old established solicitors in St. Albans, sent many documents to Hertford. They bring further light to bear on the St. Michaels gentry families who exercised so much influence. From 1729 to 1799 many details are given of all these families. Much concerns the admissions of the Smith family with the Manor of Kingsbury.

These gentry families of course enjoyed much local privilege as

Footnotes

20. Sotheby's Sale 1970 lot 356.↩︎