Coleraine in 1783 had a mayor, 12 aldermen, 24 burgesses, all non-resident except the mayor. The patrons were Lord Tyrone (0113) and Rt Hon. Richard Jackson (1076), who each returned a member.251 It was a foundation of the Irish Society and intended as a fortified town, and it had a complement of soldiers. At the beginning of the century the Beresfords and the Jacksons appear to have disputed its control, but after a tempestuous election in 1727 they came to an agreement to split the representation between them, and in 1790 it was recorded that:
The dominion of this Borough, which is complete private property and whose electors are composed of a very limited number, is divided between the Marquess of Waterford (0113) and Mr Jackson each of them returning one Member for it. It is never exposed to sale for Mr Jackson chooses to be a Member of the legislature and the Marquess ever nominates one of his dependents to increase his parliamentary consequence. His puppets have never excelled in oratory, but none can exceed them in submission to direction.252
About 1793 the Marquess of Waterford bought out Sir George Jackson (1074), the heir of Richard Jackson. Coleraine retained one seat at the Union, and the Beresfords continued to nominate for it. The number of electors was about 37 in 1784 and 52 in 1832.
