Baltimore was a potwalloper constituency represented in the Irish House of Commons from 1614 to 1801.

Borough

This constituency was a parliamentary borough based in the town of Baltimore in County Cork.

Potwalloper

A potwalloper (sometimes potwalloner or potwaller) is an archaic term referring to a borough constituency returning members to the British House of Commons before 1832 and the Reform Act created a uniform suffrage. Several potwalloper constituencies were also represented in the Irish House of Commons, prior to its abolition in 1801. A potwalloper borough was one in which a householder had the right to vote if he had, in his house, a hearth large enough to boil, or wallop, a cauldron, or pot. The electors for Baltimore were tenants at will of the Freke family.^[1]

History

In the Patriot Parliament of 1689 summoned by King James II, Baltimore was represented with two members.^[2]

Members of Parliament, 1613–1801

Baltimore, Incorporated 25 March 1613.

• 1613–1615
  • 1613 Sir Thomas Crooke, 1st Baronet
  • 1613 Henry Piers
• 1634–1635
  • 1634 Lott Peere, absent in England and replaced 1634 by James Travers
  • 1634 Edward Skipwith,
• 1639–1641
  • 1639 Bryan Jones
  • 1639 Henry Knyveton
• 1661–1666
  • 1661 Sir Nicholas Purdon
  • 1661 Richard Townsend

1689–1801

Notes