The February, 1828, election, ‘The Corrupt Election’ returned two members as usual and, this time, they were James Halse (January 28^th) and Hawkins.  Hawkins was subsequently appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and promptly resigned his seat because, since 1707, it had been the rule that newly appointed government ministers were not allowed to also be Members of the Commons unless re-elected to the Chamber after their government appointment. Hawkins appointed Sir Charles Arbuthnot in his place.

The second General Election of 1828 was called when Parliament was dissolved on June 2^nd, to be recalled on July 25^th.  It was up to each returning officer to set the exact date of the election in his borough and,  in St. Ives, the election occurred on this day. Five candidates had initially stood: James Halse; Arbuthnot; a nephew of the Duke of Wellington, The Hon. William Pole-Tylney-Long-Wellesley; a London resident named Mr. Blakemore and another rich London merchant, James Morrison, who only visited St. Ives once but provided 1,500 sovereigns to meet  ‘expenses’.  The day before the election, having been informed that he had no chance of election, Morrison withdrew his candidacy, as did Blakemore who, apparently ‘unavoidably detained in London’ arranged for his friends in St. Ives to resign his candidacy on his behalf.   On the very day of the election, Pole-Tylney-Long-Wellesley resigned his candidacy. Having also stood in  two other constituencies,  he selected one which he preferred to St. Ives. This left only two candidates for the two seats and so no vote was necessary.

The next election (1830) became even more complicated since Hawkins had died and his estate had been purchased by Pole-Tylney-Long-Wellesley, funded by James Morrison on the understanding that these two would become the next two Members for St. Ives.

Pole-Tylney-Long-Wellesley is a fascinating character. He had previously represented St. Ives (1812 – 1818) and did so again in 1830 – 1831.  He was not exactly popular and, following his death (July 1^st, 1857) he was described in the, London-based newspaper, ‘Morning Chronicle’ as ‘A spendthrift, a profligate, and a gambler in his youth, he became debauched in his manhood... redeemed by no single virtue, adorned by no single grace, his life gone out even without a flicker of repentance.’