Category: Victorian Commons

Victorian Commons, 19th Century history, Victorian

‘The son of one of the best men who ever adorned the country’: William Wilberforce (1798-1879)

Our House of Commons, 1832-1868 project has found many examples of sons who followed their fathers into Parliament. Dr Kathryn Rix looks at William Wilberforce (1798-1879), whose political career failed to live up to that of his far more famous father. Trading heavily on his family name, William Wilberforce (1798-1879), eldest son and namesake of the noted anti-slave trade campaigner, was elected in 1837 as … Continue reading ‘The son of one of the best men who ever adorned the country’: William Wilberforce (1798-1879)

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Victorian Commons, 19th Century history, Health and Medicine, Local History, Parliamentary Life, Victorian

‘I shall persist’: Joseph Brotherton (1783-1857) and late hours in the Commons

Among the new constituencies created by the 1832 Reform Act was Salford, whose first MP, Joseph Brotherton, proved to be a notably hard-working member of the Commons. Dr Kathryn Rix, Assistant Editor of our House of Commons, 1832-1945 project, examines the career of this diligent backbencher, shedding light on the timetable of the parliamentary day. In 1832 the borough of Salford elected its first MP, … Continue reading ‘I shall persist’: Joseph Brotherton (1783-1857) and late hours in the Commons

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19th Century history, Corruption, Elections, Electoral Reform, Parties, Victorian, Victorian Commons

The evolving electoral system: the 1835 and 1865 general elections compared

This year marks the 190th anniversary of the 1835 general election and the 160th anniversary of the 1865 general election. Our assistant editor Dr Kathryn Rix looks at some of the ways in which the electoral system had evolved in the thirty years between them. The 1835 and 1865 general elections both took place under the electoral system established by the 1832 Reform Act, with … Continue reading The evolving electoral system: the 1835 and 1865 general elections compared

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19th Century history, Buildings and Architecture, Victorian, Victorian Commons

A Westminster Boy Made Good: Charles Barry (1795-1860)

In this guest post, previously published on the Victorian Commons, Dr Caroline Shenton, formerly the Director of the Parliamentary Archives and author of The Day Parliament Burned Down (2012) and Mr Barry’s War (2016), reflects on an often-forgotten aspect of the background of Charles Barry, architect of the New Houses of Parliament. On the night of 16 October 1834, thirty-nine year old Charles Barry was travelling … Continue reading A Westminster Boy Made Good: Charles Barry (1795-1860)

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Victorian Commons, 19th Century history, Corruption, Elections, Victorian

‘Those dark little rooms’: Cecil Forester, the Carlton Club and electoral corruption

Drawing on her first biography for the House of Commons, 1832-1868 project, our new research fellow Dr Naomi Lloyd-Jones looks at the behind the scenes involvement of the long-serving Conservative MP Cecil Forester in the electioneering activities of the Carlton Club and the murky world of electoral corruption. George Cecil Weld Forester (1807-86), or Cecil Forester as he was known, was Conservative MP for the … Continue reading ‘Those dark little rooms’: Cecil Forester, the Carlton Club and electoral corruption

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Victorian Commons, 19th Century history, Scottish History, Victorian

James Lamont (1828-1913), Arctic explorer and scientist

Our 1832-68 House of Commons project has researched many MPs who were better known for their exploits outside Parliament than in the Commons. In this guest article, Dr Matthew McDowell, of the University of Edinburgh, who has contributed to our 1832-68 project with articles on Buteshire and its MPs, explores the career of the noted Arctic explorer James Lamont. At only four years old, a … Continue reading James Lamont (1828-1913), Arctic explorer and scientist

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Victorian Commons, 19th Century history, Benjamin Disraeli, Social history, Victorian

Disraeli and One Nation Conservatism

In this article our former colleague Dr Henry Miller explores the origins of the phrase ‘One Nation’, which is famously associated with the 19th century Conservative leader and prime minister Benjamin Disraeli (1803-81). He also explains its relevance to Disraeli’s career and its political legacy. The term ‘One Nation’ comes from Disraeli’s 1845 novel Sybil; or the two nations. After the young aristocrat Charles Egremont … Continue reading Disraeli and One Nation Conservatism

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Victorian Commons, 19th Century history, Elections, Victorian

Joseph Holdsworth (1789-1857): candidate or returning officer?

In this article Dr Kathryn Rix of our House of Commons 1832-1945 project looks at a very unusual case – the MP who lost his seat in Parliament because he had technically also been the returning officer for his constituency at the time of his election. In July 1841 Joseph Holdsworth (1789-1857), a prosperous local dyer, was elected as Liberal MP for his native town … Continue reading Joseph Holdsworth (1789-1857): candidate or returning officer?

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19th Century history, Constituencies, Victorian, Victorian Commons

Conscience versus constituency: the dilemma facing Henry Charles Sturt MP

On the anniversary of his death on 14 April 1866, Dr Philip Salmon of the Victorian Commons reflects on the parliamentary career of Henry Charles Sturt, an MP with first-hand experience of the emerging pressures that pitted the needs of a constituency against toeing the party line … The Victorian Commons, as some of our recent articles have shown, was an important testing ground for … Continue reading Conscience versus constituency: the dilemma facing Henry Charles Sturt MP

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Victorian Commons, 19th Century history, Irish History, Religious history, Victorian

Catholics in the Commons after emancipation

Today (13 April) marks the anniversary of the Roman Catholic Relief Act gaining royal assent in 1829, which removed many of the barriers restricting Roman Catholics from sitting in Parliament. However, as Dr Philip Salmon of the Victorian Commons explores, hostility to Catholics continued despite their emancipation … It may seem surprising to some that popular anti-Catholic sentiment continued to flourish in the decades after … Continue reading Catholics in the Commons after emancipation

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