The borough consisted of the town of
Brackley, a market town where the main economic interests were making lace and footwear. In 1831, the population of the borough was 2,107, and the town contained 378 houses. While this by no means put it among the smallest of the
rotten boroughs, it was barely the half the size which was eventually required to retain representation after 1832. Brackley was a corporation borough, the right to vote having been restricted to the Mayor, 6
aldermen and 26 "burgesses" (the remaining members of the corporation), a total electorate of 33, in the reign of
James II. The Mayor was appointed by the
Lord of the Manor, and the major local landowners or "patrons" had total control over the election of MPs. In the mid 18th century the
Duke of Bridgewater was able to nominate both MPs; by the time of the Reform Act, the
Earl of Bridgewater nominated to one seat and the
Marquess of Stafford to the other. Brackley lost both its MPs under the provisions of the Reform Act. == Members of Parliament ==