Election To Parliament
Robert Palk was MP for Ashburton in 1767 and again between 1774 and 1787. In the intervening years he held the office of MP for Wareham, between 1768 and 1774. This was due to the influence of Calcraft, at the time Secretary for War. His brother Walter Palk also became an MP for Ashburton.
Despite living in Torquay and then at Haldon House near Exeter, he remained involved with Ashburton for a long time. He owned land around Ashburton and even supplied the church with a new organ.
Robert Palk took a great interest in political matters, mainly supporting the government, but taking an active interest in any matters concerning India and the British East India Company. Palk was a Tory in sentiment but resented Lord North's Act, passed in 1773, for the regulation of the East India Company.
The Warren Hastings Correspondence in the British Museum contains a large number of letters written by Robert Palk to Warren Hastings between 1767 and 1782. Hastings was the first Governor General of India and often wrote to Palk back in England. Some of the letters in the ‘Palk Manuscripts’ were from Hastings asking favours of Sir Robert. Diamonds were a key issue, which were used as a way of sending large sums of money back to England. One letter concerning the precious stones is dated March 1770:
| “ | Fort St. George. Dear Sir, I must trouble you again to desire that you will not sell the diamonds by an advance on the invoice price, which I understand is the usual method, because they are, I am assured, of a superior quality to most sent to England by this ship. You will be pleased therefore to open the bulses, and rate them by their quality when you dispose of them. I am, dear Sir, your most obedient servant, Warren Hastings. | ” |
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