Bandon-Bridge

Bandon-Bridge was incorporated by a charter of 1614, 11 James I, with a provost, 12 burgesses and freemen.112 This was originally a Burlington/Devonshire borough, but the Bernards had a local interest and appear to have kept their eyes on it. Francis Bernard (0124) sat from 1695 to 1727 and his brother, Arthur (0123), was returned with him in 1713. Stephen Bernard (0128) sat from 1727 to 1760. But in September 1730 Andrew Crotty, one of Lord Burlington's agents, wrote to Henry Boyle that Lord Burlington wanted the vacancy at Bandon-Bridge caused by the death of the sitting MP, Brigadier George Freke (0819), to be promised, because he did not want applications from the Chief Secretary - although parliament would not meet for another year! At this time, if parliament was adjourned, writs could only be issued after it had reconvened, hence the hiatus. Another Francis Bernard (0125) sat from 1766 until 1776, and yet another (0126) from 1783 to 1790, while in 1766 the 2nd Earl of Shannon warned the guardians of the 5th Duke of Devonshire that Bandon-Bridge was in danger of falling into the hands of the Bernards as a result of the neglect of the Duke's current and previous agents. In 1767 Lord Shannon concluded an agreement with James Bernard (0127), father of Francis Bernard, 1st Earl of Bandon, whereby the Bernards and the Devonshires were to divide the borough between them. Lord Shannon appears to have considered himself the guarantor of this agreement, which continued until after the Union despite the continued negligence of the Duke's agents.113 As Bandon-Bridge retained one seat at the Union, the question of compensation did not arise.