 The borough consisted of originally of the town of Old Thirsk, and included a population of only 1,378 at the 1831 census.The right to vote was restricted to the holders of burgage tenements, of which there were 50 in 1831.The Frankland family were the local landowners (in 1816 Sir Thomas owned 49 of the 50 burgage tenements), and in effect could nominate whoever they wanted as Members of Parliament; there was no contested election in Thirsk between 1715 and 1832.