Category: 19th Century history

19th Century history, Victorian, Victorian Commons, Women and Parliament

Josiah Wedgwood (1769-1843): from pottery to politics

Today (3rd August) marks the anniversary of the birth of Josiah Wedgwood MP in 1769. Wedgwood has a special significance for the History of Parliament Trust, being the great-grandfather (and namesake) of our founder. Dr Kathryn Rix of our House of Commons, 1832-1945 project looks at his brief career as MP for Stoke-on-Trent. The name Josiah Wedgwood is commonly associated with pottery. However, the Wedgwood … Continue reading Josiah Wedgwood (1769-1843): from pottery to politics

Kathryn RixLeave a comment
19th Century history, Victorian, Victorian Commons

Defying the Whip: ‘rebel’ MP Swynfen Jervis (1797-1867)

On the anniversary of Swynfen Jervis’s return for Bridport in 1837, Dr Philip Salmon of the Victorian Commons explores the career of this ‘eccentric’ MP, focusing on the way in which he defied the Whig-Liberal government in 1839… One of the themes being explored by the Victorian Commons project is the decline of ‘independence’ in the 19th-century Commons and the rise of party-based voting by … Continue reading Defying the Whip: ‘rebel’ MP Swynfen Jervis (1797-1867)

Philip SalmonLeave a comment
Victorian Commons, 19th Century history, Constituencies, Elections, Electoral Reform, Victorian

The 1872 Secret Ballot and Multiple Member Seats

In this post about the introduction of the ballot in UK elections, based on a seminar talk (click here to view), Dr Philip Salmon examines some of the problems secret voting initially caused and their unintended consequences. The Ballot Act of 1872 sits alongside the three major Reform Acts of the 19th century (and various Corrupt Practices Acts) in helping to transform British elections into … Continue reading The 1872 Secret Ballot and Multiple Member Seats

Philip SalmonLeave a comment
19th Century history, Elections, Electoral Reform, Victorian, Victorian Commons

‘Damn the secret ballot’: the UK’s public voting system before 1872

Today (18 July) marks another anniversary of the 1872 Secret Ballot Act, a topic we examined in more detail in a seminar back in 2022 (click here to view). But secret voting is now so engrained in our political culture that it’s easy to lose sight of the way the public voting system that served Britain for so many centuries worked. We’ve touched on public … Continue reading ‘Damn the secret ballot’: the UK’s public voting system before 1872

Philip Salmon1 Comment
Victorian Commons, 19th Century history, Corruption, Elections, Victorian

A ‘new Canterbury Tale’: George Smythe, Frederick Romilly and England’s ‘last political duel’

Drawing on her research into Canterbury for the House of Commons, 1832-1868 project, our research fellow Dr Naomi Lloyd-Jones looks at the 1852 pre-election duel between the city’s MPs, Frederick Romilly and George Smythe, a notorious would-be duellist, believed to be the last political duel fought in England. In the early hours of 20 May 1852, six weeks before polling in that summer’s general election, … Continue reading A ‘new Canterbury Tale’: George Smythe, Frederick Romilly and England’s ‘last political duel’

Naomi Lloyd-JonesLeave a comment
Victorian Commons, 19th Century history, Victorian, Women and Parliament

‘She, yes, she was the only member of parliament’: Harriet Grote, radical parliamentary tactics and House of Lords reform, 1835-6

In the fifth of his articles on Harriet Grote (1792-1878), our research fellow Dr Martin Spychal explores Harriet’s relationship with the veteran radical Francis Place (1771-1854), her views on radical tactics and her increasingly resourceful strategies for influencing Parliament during the 1835 and 1836 parliamentary sessions. In September 1836 the veteran radical, Francis Place (1771-1854), shared his thoughts on one of his closest Westminster allies, Harriet Grote (1792-1878). … Continue reading ‘She, yes, she was the only member of parliament’: Harriet Grote, radical parliamentary tactics and House of Lords reform, 1835-6

Martin SpychalLeave a comment
19th Century history, Buildings and Architecture, Electoral Reform, Victorian, Victorian Commons, Women and Parliament

Harriet Grote (1792-1878) and the first reformed Parliament, 1833-34: a woman at Westminster

In the third of his articles on Harriet Grote (1792-1878), our research fellow Dr Martin Spychal looks at Harriet’s introduction to politics at Westminster during the first ‘reformed’ Parliament of 1833-34. Harriet Grote (1792-1878) was one of the most important British politicians of the 1830s. As I’ve discussed in my previous articles, she had been a key figure among London’s intellectual radicals during the previous … Continue reading Harriet Grote (1792-1878) and the first reformed Parliament, 1833-34: a woman at Westminster

Martin SpychalLeave a comment
Victorian Commons, 19th Century history, Buildings and Architecture, Victorian, Women and Parliament

The radical hostess of Parliament Street: Harriet Grote (1792-1878), the 1832 election and establishing influence as a woman at Westminster

In the second of his articles on Harriet Grote (1792-1878), our research fellow, Dr Martin Spychal, explores Harriet’s introduction to electoral politics at the 1832 election and her preparations for the 1833 parliamentary session… The 1832 election introduced Harriet Grote (1792-1878) to several of the traditional, and not so traditional, avenues through which a politician’s wife could engage in nineteenth-century electoral politics. As I discussed … Continue reading The radical hostess of Parliament Street: Harriet Grote (1792-1878), the 1832 election and establishing influence as a woman at Westminster

Martin SpychalLeave a comment
19th Century history, Victorian, Victorian Commons, Women and Parliament

‘Had she been a man, she would have been the leader of a party’: Harriet Grote (1792-1878), radicalism and Parliament, 1820-41

In the first of his articles on Harriet Grote (1792-1878), our research fellow Dr Martin Spychal, explores Harriet’s early life, her emergence as a central figure among London’s intellectual radicals during the 1820s and her arrival on the Westminster political scene during the reform crisis of 1830-32… Harriet Grote, née Lewin, grew up in the comfortable surrounds of Ridgeway Castle near Southampton, which her father, … Continue reading ‘Had she been a man, she would have been the leader of a party’: Harriet Grote (1792-1878), radicalism and Parliament, 1820-41

Martin SpychalLeave a comment
Victorian Commons, 19th Century history, Constituencies, Corruption, Elections, Georgian, Minority Ethnic History, Victorian

John Lewis: A Black Sailor at the 1828 Weymouth By-Election

In this guest article Dr Joe Cozens discusses his research into John Lewis, a Black sailor who was arrested during the 1828 Weymouth by-election. Dr Cozens is a Nineteenth Century Social and Political Records Researcher at The National Archives, Kew. On the eve of the February 1828 Weymouth and Melcombe Regis by-election, a Black seaman named John Lewis was arrested for being ‘at the head … Continue reading John Lewis: A Black Sailor at the 1828 Weymouth By-Election

History of ParliamentLeave a comment