Tag: electioneering

19th Century history, Elections, Electoral Reform, Victorian Commons, Women and Parliament

Marrying for the vote: the freedom-by-marriage franchise before 1832

Of all the bizarre voting qualifications in operation before 1832 – from potwallopers to burgage holders – one of the most striking was the freedom-by-marriage franchise. Philip Salmon explains how this system worked and even survived briefly after 1832, contrary to what has been widely assumed. The freeman-by-marriage franchise remains one of the most paradoxical elements of the UK’s pre-democratic voting system. Women may not … Continue reading Marrying for the vote: the freedom-by-marriage franchise before 1832

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
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

Kathryn RixLeave a comment
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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Georgian Lords, 18th Century history, Art, Fashion and Material Culture, Elections, Factions, Georgian

‘True Blue’: the choice of political colours in the 18th century

In British politics, we are now used to the idea of certain parties (or causes) being associated with particular colours. The Conservative party is blue; Labour red; the Greens are green. In the 18th century such notions were by no means fixed and on occasion groups made a point of appropriating their opponents’ colours as Dr Robin Eagles, editor of our Lords 1715-1790 project, explains. There are … Continue reading ‘True Blue’: the choice of political colours in the 18th century

Robin EaglesLeave a comment
Victorian, 19th Century history, Conferences, Seminars and Events, Elections, Electoral Reform, Legal history, Social history

The Secret Ballot: The Secret to Reducing Electoral Violence?

In July 1872, 150 years ago this month, the Ballot Act introduced the secret ballot to all UK parliamentary and local elections. Here guest blogger Dr Gary Hutchison, of the Causes and Consequences of Electoral Violence project, discusses how the secret ballot affected violence at elections. An Interactive Map of over 3,000 violent events, from individual assaults to riots, can be found on their website. … Continue reading The Secret Ballot: The Secret to Reducing Electoral Violence?

History of Parliament2 Comments
Georgian, 18th Century history, Constituencies, Elections, Irish History, Local History

“‘Always rowdy, violent and colourful’?: Eighteenth century elections in the borough of Swords, Co. Dublin

In the second instalment of our local history look at electioneering in Ireland, today we welcome guest blogger Dr Suzanne Forbes, lecturer at the Open University who is currently researching the representative system in 18th century Ireland. In this blog Dr Forbes questions the dangerous reputation of the borough of Swords in Co. Dublin… The potwalloping borough of Swords, located some fourteen kilometres north of … Continue reading “‘Always rowdy, violent and colourful’?: Eighteenth century elections in the borough of Swords, Co. Dublin

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James I to Restoration, 17th Century history, Constituencies, Elections, Interregnum, Irish History, Local History, Oliver Cromwell

Three Bog-Standard Cromwellian Elections: Co. Cork and its boroughs in 1654

We’re continuing our monthly local history case-studies in 2021 and for the first locality this year we’re turning our attention to Ireland. In this first instalment, Dr Patrick Little, senior research fellow in our Commons 1640-1660 project, explores electioneering in County Cork during the first Cromwellian Protectorate… When studying parliamentary elections, historians naturally concentrate on those that went wrong. Electoral contests, faction-fights, even outbreaks of … Continue reading Three Bog-Standard Cromwellian Elections: Co. Cork and its boroughs in 1654

Patrick LittleLeave a comment
Victorian Commons, 19th Century history, Constituencies, Elections, LGBTQ+ History, Local History, Scottish History, Victorian

A Highland canvass in a ‘pocket county’: Ronald Gower (1845-1916) and the 1867 Sutherland by-election

Continuing our series on Scotland and his series on Lord Ronald Gower (1845-1916), Dr Martin Spychal, research fellow for the House of Commons 1832-1868 project, uses Gower’s diaries to provide some rare insights into mid-Victorian electioneering in the ‘pocket county’ of Sutherland. If there was a History of Parliament award for ‘constituency most under the thumb of an aristocratic patron’, the Highland county of Sutherland … Continue reading A Highland canvass in a ‘pocket county’: Ronald Gower (1845-1916) and the 1867 Sutherland by-election

Martin Spychal2 Comments