Tag: Black voters

Georgian Lords, 18th Century history, Elections, Georgian, Minority Ethnic History, Social history

John London: Britain’s First Black Voter?

At first glance, the 1749 Westminster constituency by-election does not seem to warrant too much attention, with the incumbent, Viscount Trentham, being re-elected following his appointment to office. However, as Dr Gillian Williamson explores, the election provides the earliest known record of a Black person voting in a British parliamentary election – John London. In November 1749 John London walked from his home to vote … Continue reading John London: Britain’s First Black Voter?

History of ParliamentLeave a comment
Minority Ethnic History, 18th Century history, 19th Century history, Elections, Electoral Reform, Georgian, Social history

Profile of an 18th century Black Voter: George John Scipio Africanus

In a second blog for this year’s Black History Month, we are once again hearing from Helen Wilson, PhD candidate with the History of Parliament and the Open University. Within Helen’s research she has been uncovering the previously overlooked presence of Black voters in 18th century Britain, including figures like George Africanus, profiled below… The eighteenth century saw many geo-political expansions and retractions for the … Continue reading Profile of an 18th century Black Voter: George John Scipio Africanus

History of ParliamentLeave a comment
Minority Ethnic History, 18th Century history, 19th Century history, Elections, Electoral Reform, Georgian, History of Parliament Trust, Social history, Victorian

The Presence of Black Voters in the 18th and 19th Centuries

October is Black History Month in the UK, as institutions like the History of Parliament attempt to re-insert and highlight the Black experience into fields of history previously overlooking this. Here, we hear from Helen Wilson, PhD candidate with the History of Parliament and Open University, who is researching the Black and Mixed Ethnicity Presence in British Politics, 1750-1850. As Helen explains, despite significant barriers … Continue reading The Presence of Black Voters in the 18th and 19th Centuries

History of Parliament1 Comment