Welsh Journals

Whatever the explanation of this curious episode-and there is nothing in Bayly's career to indicate that he was, or became, a ministerial supporter at any time under George 11-the Anglesey contest of 1741 demonstrates that candidates in the last resort gave preference to personal and family interests over party considerations. It had been a coalition of Tories and Whigs that had defeated Baron Hill, and this electoral revolution appeared to be permanent. John Owen honoured his promise to support the younger Owen Meyrick at the next general election. When this was called early, for July 1747, Lord Bulkeley summoned a meeting of his friends, and this agreed that Bayly, who had succeeded to his father's baronetcy in September 1741, should again be put forward as candidate.21 After a vigorous canvass on both sides, it seemed that Meyrick would have a narrow majority of about a dozen: so calculated his election manager, William Lewis of Llysdulas, on 12 July, four days before the poll was due. Lewis decided to play safe and, without the prior knowledge of his candidate or his father, wrote to Sir Nicholas Bayly to suggest a meeting at Llangefni the next day. Owen refused to attend.22 There Lewis proposed to Lord Bulkeley 'that Sir Nicholas Bayly should desist at this time from standing in opposition to Mr Owen Meyrick, junior, and that both he and his father, together with their friends, should assist Sir Nicholas in order to secure his being returned for the county of Anglesey at the next vacancy; and in case Sir Nicholas Bayly does not stand, that then Lord Bulkeley should have the nomination of a member in his stead'. All those present signed an agreement to this effect.23 But when John Owen heard what had been decided, he was so indignant at his own indefinite exclusion from Parliament that he promptly went to Baron Hill and offered Lord Bulkeley the Presaddfed interest. Although this amounted only to about thirty votes, that was sufficient to tilt the balance, and the Baron Hill party reneged on the arrangement made with Bodorgan. On news of Owen's desertion, the Bodorgan family issued letters on the day before the election asking their friends to boycott it, and Bayly was returned as MP without a poll. Some Meyrick partisans thought this a tactical mistake, since several of Owen's supporters condemned his 'perfidy' and would have voted for Bodorgan, giving Meyrick 'a fair chance for a majority'.24 21 Penrhos MSS., no. 1377. 22 Morris Letters, I, 117. 23 Penrhos MSS., no. 1378. 24 Morris Letters, I, 118.