Frankland entered Parliament at the
1685 English general election as
Member of Parliament for
Thirsk as a substitute for his father who was known as an
exclusionist. He played no part in parliament, but was returned again at the
1689 English general election. He was appointed a Commissioner for
excise in April 1689, but lost the post in October when he was unable to subscribe to a government loan. Frankland was returned again as a Whig MP for Thirsk at the
1690 English general election and in February 1691 was appointed joint Postmaster-General with
Sir Robert Cotton, a
Tory, the post having been split to be shared between a Whig and a Tory. He held the post until 1715 and proved an assiduous postmaster, making many improvements, particularly with regard to overseas mail. However his Parliamentary activity was slight. He did not stand at the
1695 English general election, but was returned instead as MP for
Hedon in a by-election on 7 December 1695. He signed the
Association in February 1696 and voted with the
Court for fixing the price of
guineas at 22 shillings in March. He and Cotton were charged with improving laws related to the post office. He voted for the
attainder of
Sir John Fenwick on 25 November 1696. On the death of his father on 2 August 1697, he succeeded to the
baronetcy. At the
1698 English general election he was returned again as MP for Thirsk. He presented a petition to the House of Commons on 23 February 1699, from the inhabitants and clothiers of
Halifax, with regard to woollen manufacture. Frankland was returned unopposed again for
Thirsk at the two general elections of 1701 and at the
1702 English general election. He started to use his interest in Yorkshire and in the Post Office to influence the results at other constituencies. At the
1705 English general election, he was returned unopposed for Thirsk again. He voted for the
Court candidate for
Speaker on 25 October 1705, and supported the Court in the proceedings on the '
place clause' of the
regency bill on 18 February 1706. He was returned again for Thirsk at the
1708 British general election and supported the
naturalization of the Palatines. He became involved in the attempt of
Dumfries Burgh to have their postal service to
Carlisle established by
Act of Parliament. The issue became wrapped up in the general attempts to improve the
Union and other procedural matters and was lost in that parliament. Meanwhile, Frankland voted for the impeachment of
Dr Sacheverell. He was returned again for Thirsk at the
1710 British general election and on 18 February 1711 he was appointed to the committee to draft a bill to establish a
General Post Office for Great Britain and the
dominions. At about this time he discovered that a clause in the
first Lottery Act made his post as joint postmaster incompatible with a seat in Parliament. After voting against an amendment to the
South Sea bill on 25 May 1711, he vacated his seat in Parliament. Frankland kept his place as joint postmaster-general until 1715 after the accession of
George I, and was appointed as a Commissioner for
customs until 1718 when he was too infirm to carry on. He was then given a pension of £500 a year. He retired from public life. In 1722 he rebuilt the church at
Thirkleby at his own expense. ==Death and legacy==