Richard Long (MP 1694)
Encyclopedia
Richard Long was an English
politician.
Baptised in Collingbourne Kingston
, Wiltshire
on 7 April 1668 he was the son of Richard Long of Collingbourne Kingston by his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Edward Long of Rood Ashton
, Wiltshire. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Long of Rowden, Chippenham
. They had two sons including Richard Long (c1691-1760) and one daughter.
He was High Sheriff of Wiltshire
1702-1703.
A member of the Whig party, Long was elected Member of Parliament
(MP) for Chippenham
on 19 November 1694 defeating his opponent Sir Basil Firebrace
by 17 votes. After the election there was an allegation of fraud on the part of Long and his supporters, who, a Committee of Inquiry were told, had bribed and threatened certain voters in order to secure their vote. The committee found that Firebrace's supporters had in fact bribed the witnesses to make false claims, and Long was exonerated.
His representation in Parliament
was brief. As a supporter of the Immorality Bill he believed the remedy for poverty was the suppression of alehouses. "the most... intolerable grievance we have." He died on 19 January 1730.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
politician.
Baptised in Collingbourne Kingston
Collingbourne Kingston
Collingbourne Kingston is a village and civil parish about south of the market town of Marlborough in Wiltshire, England. It is one of several villages on the River Bourne, which is a seasonal river usually dry in summer....
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
on 7 April 1668 he was the son of Richard Long of Collingbourne Kingston by his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Edward Long of Rood Ashton
West Ashton
West Ashton is a village civil parish in Wiltshire, England. It is two miles south of Trowbridge, on the A350 road between Melksham and Yarnbrook bypassing Trowbridge....
, Wiltshire. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Long of Rowden, Chippenham
Chippenham
Chippenham may be:* Chippenham, Wiltshire* Chippenham * Chippenham, Cambridgeshire-See also:* Virginia State Route 150, also known as Chippenham Parkway, USA* Cippenham, Berkshire, UK...
. They had two sons including Richard Long (c1691-1760) and one daughter.
He was High Sheriff of Wiltshire
High Sheriff of Wiltshire
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Wiltshire.Until the 14th century the shrievalty was held ex officio by the castellans of Old Sarum.-To 1400:*1066: Edric*1067-1070: Philippe de Buckland*1085: Aiulphus the Sheriff*1070–1105: Edward of Salisbury...
1702-1703.
A member of the Whig party, Long was elected Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Chippenham
Chippenham (UK Parliament constituency)
Chippenham is a parliamentary constituency, abolished in 1983 but recreated in 2010, and represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
on 19 November 1694 defeating his opponent Sir Basil Firebrace
Firebrace Baronets
The Firebrace Baronetcy, of London, was a title in the Baronetage of England. It was created on 28 July 1698 for Basil Firebrace, Member of Parliament for Chippenham from 1690 to 1692. He was the son of Sir Henry Firebrace. The third Baronet sat as Member of Parliament for Suffolk...
by 17 votes. After the election there was an allegation of fraud on the part of Long and his supporters, who, a Committee of Inquiry were told, had bribed and threatened certain voters in order to secure their vote. The committee found that Firebrace's supporters had in fact bribed the witnesses to make false claims, and Long was exonerated.
His representation in Parliament
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
was brief. As a supporter of the Immorality Bill he believed the remedy for poverty was the suppression of alehouses. "the most... intolerable grievance we have." He died on 19 January 1730.