Tag: Pontefract

19th Century history, Victorian, Victorian Commons

Prisoner, prize-fighter, politician: John Gully’s rise to fame 

Amongst his many endeavours, John Gully’s venture into politics was an unexpected, yet successful, career choice. In this article Dr Kathryn Rix of our House of Commons, 1832-1945 project explores Gully’s life, from his humble beginnings to his sporting fame and his election as MP for Pontefract following the upheaval of the 1832 Reform Act. In March 1833 the cartoonist ‘H.B.’ (John Doyle) chose three … Continue reading Prisoner, prize-fighter, politician: John Gully’s rise to fame 

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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
Victorian Commons, 19th Century history, Elections, Electoral Reform, Local History, Victorian

‘Watched with considerable curiosity’: The first secret ballot in Britain, 15 August 1872

Dr Kathryn Rix, of the Victorian Commons, tells us about the very first election by secret ballot in Britain… Today marks the anniversary of the first occasion on which the secret ballot was used to elect a British MP, under the provisions of the 1872 Ballot Act. The poll, held in the Yorkshire borough of Pontefract on 15 August 1872, was ‘watched with considerable curiosity’ throughout … Continue reading ‘Watched with considerable curiosity’: The first secret ballot in Britain, 15 August 1872

Kathryn Rix9 Comments