1832

A summary of the constituency changes brought about by the Great Reform Act of 1832, the first step in creating the English democracy that the European Union is currently destroying.

--------------------------------- ---------------------------------

The following tables show the effects, calculated by both region and county, of the 1832 Great Reform Act on English seats (changes to Scottish, Welsh and Irish seats were minor, although in these countries the effects of other changes in the Act were greater). In particular the Act saw the destruction (in England, at least) of rotten (or pocket) boroughs. These were seats with a minimal electorate, often held by the same family. Examples were Old Sarum (15 voters), Newtown (23 voters) and Gatton (1 voter!).

Seats marked with an asterisk (*) first returned members to King Edward I's Model Parliament of 1295, which in turn was based on the parliament called by his uncle Simon de Montfort some thirty years earlier. Edward had hated this idea, but shortage of cash had forced him to copy it, though not before he had defeated his uncle in battle and personally dismembered him! Over five centuries later the distribution of seats had become blatantly unfair, partly because many kings had deliberately created new seats in their own lands (particularly the Duchy of Cornwall, hence the preponderance of seats in the West Country) but mostly because of the advancing Industrial revolution and the huge population shift to the new towns and cities. Other factors had affected individual seats; the village of Gatton had been emparked (destroyed to make way for a park), Old Sarum had been resited to nearby Salisbury, whilst the one-time city of Dunwich had fallen into the sea!

Although the overall picture is confused, there was a general redistribution of seats from the south to the midlands and north with the West Country losing out the most, although it was still vastly over-represented. There was also some redistribution from countryside to town. Middlesex (London did not become a separate county until 1888), Cheshire and Lancashire did particularly well, and new industrial centres like Birmingham and Manchester got MPs for the first time. But in spite of this, there were more county than city MPs after the reform, due to the vast increase in county seats. For example, the people of Somerset outside Bath, Bridgwater, Taunton and Wells now had four seats between them rather than two, although Ilchester and Minehead lost their representation completely. A less noticeable but in the long run more important change was brought about by standardizing the entitlement to vote and reducing the times between the calling of an election and the vote, and the time polling booths remained open. This encouraged party organization, and sharpened divisions between the two main parties, the Tories and Whigs (both named after old words for thieves.....)

Today the Act is criticized because it did not go very far. It meant only one in seven adult men could vote in subsequent elections, women were denied the vote for nearly a century more, and secret ballots were not to be introduced until 1872. However, this misses the point. What is important is that change actually happened - a small change, yes, but once it was done once it could be done again. And again and again until the modern democracy so many people want to surrender to Brussels.

In 1831 there were a number of different types of MP in the Commons:

CITIZENS: Elected by a city. Until the Industrial Revolution cities were of vastly different sizes, usually having become a city by gaining a Royal Charter.

BURGESSES: Elected by a borough (i.e. town or village) or by one of the three great universities; Cambridge, Oxford and Dublin.

KNIGHTS OF THE SHIRE: Elected by a county.

BARONS OF THE CINQUE PORTS: Elected by one of the five original Cinque Ports (ports along the south-east coast originally responsible for defense), the two 'Antient Towns' which later joined this group, or a 'limb' (port which shared the responsibilities of a Cinque Port in return for a share in its tax breaks).

WEST COUNTRY

Constituency

1831

1832

Comments

CORNWALL

2

4

County MPs, two for each district

Bodmin

2

2

Town

Bossinney

2

0

Village

Callington

2

0

Small town

Camelford

2

0

Village

East Looe

2

0

Small town

Fowey

2

0

Small town

Grampound

0

0

Village, disenfranchised 1821 for bribery

Helston

2

1

Small town

Launceston*

2

1

Town

Liskeard*

2

1

Stannary town

Lostwithiel

2

0

Town

Newport (Cornwall)

2

0

Village near Launceston

Penryn

2

2

Small town

St. Germans

2

0

Small town

St. Ives

2

1

Small town

St. Mawes

2

0

Small port in southern Cornwall.

St. Michael Caerhays

2

0

Village near St. Austell

Saltash

2

0

Town

Tregony

2

0

Village between Truro and St. Austell

Truro*

2

2

Stannary town

West Looe

2

0

Small town

CORNWALL

42

14

Lost 28 MPs - 2/3 of its representation!


DEVONSHIRE

2

4

County MPs, two for each district

Ashburton*

2

1

Small town

Barnstaple*

2

2

Town

Bere Alston

2

0

Village

Dartmouth

2

1

Port town

Devonport

0

2

Town, large royal dockyard

Exeter*

2

2

City

Honiton

2

2

Small town

Okehampton

2

0

Town

Plymouth

2

2

City

Plympton Erle

2

0

Town near Plymouth

Tavistock*

2

2

Small town

Tiverton

2

2

Small town

Totnes*

2

2

Small town

DEVONSHIRE

26

22



DORSETSHIRE

2

3

County MPs

Bridport*

2

2

Small town

Corfe Castle

2

0

Village, site of Saxon castle

Dorchester*

2

2

Town

Lyme Regis*

2

1

Town

Melcombe Regis with Weymouth

4

2

Melcombe‘s members were elected jointly with Weymouth's. The top two in the poll were members for Weymouth, the next two members for Melcombe

Milborne Port

2

0

Small town

Poole

2

2

Town

Shaftesbury*

2

1

Small town

Wareham

2

1

Small town

DORSETSHIRE

22

14



GLOUCESTERSHIRE

2

4

County MPs, two for each district

Cheltenham

0

1

Town

Gloucester

2

2

Cathedral city, town

Stroud

0

2

Small town

Tewkesbury

2

2

Small town

GLOUCESTERSHIRE

6

11



City of Bristol*

2

2



SOMERSET

2

4

County MPs, two for each district

Bath*

2

2

Small city

Bridgwater*

2

2

Town

Ilchester

2

0

Village, old Roman town

Minehead

2

0

Small town

Taunton*

2

2

Town

Wells

2

2

Cathedral city, small town

SOMERSET

14

12



WILTSHIRE

2

4

County MPs, two for each district

Calne*

2

1

Small town

Chippenham*

2

2

Town

Cirencester

2

2

Small town, old Roman city

Cricklade*

2

2

Village, old Saxon burh

Devizes*

2

2

Small town

Downton

2

0

Village, site of Saxon parliament

Frome

0

1

Small town

Great Bedwyn

2

0

Village

Heytesbury

2

0

Village

Hindon

2

0

Village

Ludgershall

2

0

Village

Malmesbury*

2

1

Town

Marlborough*

2

2

Town

Old Sarum

2

0

Abandoned Roman town near Salisbury

Salisbury*

2

2

City

Westbury

2

1

Town

Wilton*

2

1

Small town

Wootton Bassett

2

0

Small town

WILTSHIRE

36

21



TOTAL

148

96

52 MEMBERS LOST



SOUTH & SOUTH-EAST

Constituency

1831

1832

Comments

BERKSHIRE

2

3

County MPs

Abingdon

1

1

Town

Reading*

2

2

Large town

Wallingford*

2

1

Small town

Windsor

2

2

Town

BERKSHIRE

9

9



HAMPSHIRE

2

4

County MPs, two for each district

Andover*

2

2

Town

Christchurch

2

1

Small town

Lymington

2

2

Small town

Petersfield

2

1

Small town

Portsmouth*

2

2

Large port and city

Southampton*

2

2

City and port

Stockbridge

2

0

Small town

Whitchurch

2

0

Small town

Winchester*

2

2

City, ancient capital of England

HAMPSHIRE

20

16



ISLE OF WIGHT

0

1


Yarmouth

2

0

Small port

ISLE OF WIGHT

2

1



KENT

2

4

County MPs, two for each district

Canterbury*

2

2

Cathedral (small) city

Chatham

0

1

Town

Dover*

2

2

Cinque Port and town

Greenwich

0

2

Dockyard town south-east of London

Hythe

2

1

Cinque Port and town

Maidstone

2

2

Town

New Romney

2

0

Cinque Port and small town

Queenborough

2

0

Village on the Isle of Sheppey

Rochester*

2

2

Town

Sandwich

2

2

Cinque Port and small town

KENT

18

18



SURREY

2

4

County MPs, two for each district

Bletchingley

2

0

Village

Gatton

2

0

Village near Reigate

Guildford*

2

2

Town

Haslemere

2

0

Town

Reigate

2

1

Small town

SURREY

12

7



SUSSEX

2

4

County MPs, two for each district





EAST SUSSEX

1

2

County MPs

Bramber

2

0

Village near Steyning

Brighton

0

2

Town, seaside resort

East Grinstead

2

0

Small town

Hastings

2

2

Cinque Port and town

Lewes

2

2

Small town

Rye

2

1

Cinque Port ('Antient Town') and small town

Seaford

2

0

Cinque Port 'limb', small town

Winchelsea

2

0

'Antient town' and village

EAST SUSSEX

15

9

County MPs


WEST SUSSEX

1

2

County MPs

Arundel

2

1

Small town

Chichester*

2

2

Small city

Horsham*

2

1

Small town

Midhurst

2

1

Small town

Shoreham*

2

2

Small town

Steyning

2

0

Small town

WEST SUSSEX

13

9






SUSSEX

28

18



TOTAL

89

69

20 MEMBERS LOST



MIDDLESEX

Constituency

1831

1832

Comments

MIDDLESEX

2

2

County MPs

City of London

2

2

'The Square Mile'

Finsbury

0

2

Collection of towns north of London

Lambeth

0

2

Town near London, site of archbishop's palace

Mary-le-bone

0

2

Collection of towns north-west of London

Southwark*

2

2

Effectively London south of the Thames

Tower Hamlets

0

2

Collection of towns east of London

Westminster

2

2

City now part of London, site of Parliament

MIDDLESEX

8

16

8 MEMBERS GAINED



EAST COUNTRY

Constituency

1831

1832

Comments

CAMBRIDGESHIRE

2

3

County MPs

Cambridge*

2

2

Town

CAMBRIDGESHIRE

4

5



ESSEX

2

4

County MPs, two for each district

Colchester*

2

2

Town

Harwich

2

2

Town and port

Maldon

2

2

Small town

ESSEX

8

10



HUNTINGDONSHIRE

2

2

County MPs. Includes Isle of Ely

Huntingdon*

2

2

Town

HUNTINGDONSHIRE

4

4



LINCOLNSHIRE

2

[4]

County MPs: 2 Lindsey, 1 Holland, 1 Kesteven


HOLLAND

0

1


Boston

2

2

Small town/port

HOLLAND

2

3



KESTEVEN

1

1


Grantham

2

2

Town

Stamford*

2

2

Town

KESTEVEN

5

5






LINDSEY

1

2


Great Grimsby*

2

1

Town

Lincoln

2

2

City

LINDSEY

5

5



LINCOLNSHIRE

12

13



NORFOLK

2

4

County MPs, two for each district

Castle Rising

2

0

Village, site of royal castle

Great Yarmouth*

2

2

Town

King‘s Lynn*

2

2

Town

Norwich*

2

2

City

Thetford

2

2

Town

NORFOLK

12

12



SUFFOLK

2

4

County MPs


WEST SUFFOLK

1

2

County MPs

Bury St. Edmunds

2

2

Town, the only constituency in West Suffolk

WEST SUFFOLK

3

4



EAST SUFFOLK

1

2

County MPs

Aldeburgh

2

0

Small town

Dunwich

2

0

Village, a former city destroyed by the sea

Eye

2

1

Small town

Ipswich*

2

2

Town

Orford

2

0

Small town

Sudbury

2

2

Town

EAST SUFFOLK

13

7



SUFFOLK

16

11



TOTAL

56

55

1 MEMBER LOST



ROYAL COUNTIES

Constituency

1831

1832

Comments

BEDFORDSHIRE

2

2

County MPs

Bedford*

2

2

Town

BEDFORDSHIRE

4

4



BUCKINGHAMSHIRE

2

3

County MPs

Amersham

2

0

Town, also spelt Agmondesham

Aylesbury

2

2

Town

Buckingham

2

2

Town

Great Marlow*

2

2

Small town

Wendover

2

0

Small town

Wycombe

2

2

Town

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE

14

11



HERTFORDSHIRE

2

3

County MPs

Hertford

2

2

Town

St. Albans

2

2

Town, old Roman city

HERTFORDSHIRE

6

7



NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

2

4

County MPs. Includes the Soke of Peterborough

Brackley

2

0

Town

Higham Ferrers

1

0

Town

Northampton*

2

2

Town

Peterborough

2

2

Town

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

9

8



OXFORDSHIRE

2

3

County MPs

Banbury

1

1

Town

Oxford*

2

2

City

Woodstock

2

1

Small town

OXFORDSHIRE

7

7



RUTLANDSHIRE

2

2

County MPs


TOTAL

42

39

3 MEMBERS LOST



MIDLANDS

Constituency

1831

1832

Comments

CHESHIRE

2

4

County MPs, two for each district

Birkenhead

0

1

Town

Chester

2

2

City

Macclesfield

0

2

Town

Stockport

0

1

Town

CHESHIRE

4

10



DERBYSHIRE

2

4

County MPs, two for each district

Derby

2

2

City

DERBYSHIRE

4

6



HEREFORDSHIRE

2

3

County MPs

Hereford*

2

2

City

Leominster*

2

2

Town

Weobley

2

0

Village in west Herefordshire, site of castle

HEREFORDSHIRE

8

7



LEICESTERSHIRE

2

4

County MPs, two for each district

Leicester*

2

2

City

LEICESTERSHIRE

4

6



NOTTINGHAMSHIRE

2

4

County MPs, two for each district

Bassetlaw Hundred

2

0


East Retford

0

2

Town, replacement for Bassetlaw after its franchise was suspended for corruption in 1830

Newark-on-Trent

2

2

Town

Nottingham*

2

2

City

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE

8

10



SHROPSHIRE

2

4

County MPs, two for each district

Bishop‘s Castle

2

0

Village, site of royal castle

Bridgnorth*

2

2

Small town

Great Wenlock

2

2

Collection of villages and towns in Shropshire

Ludlow

2

2

Town, one-time capital of Wales

Shrewsbury*

2

2

City

SHROPSHIRE

12

12



STAFFORDSHIRE

2

4

County MPs, two for each district

Lichfield

2

2

Cathedral city, town

Newcastle-under-Lyme

2

2

Town

Stafford*

2

2

Town

Stoke-on-Trent

0

2

Town

Tamworth

2

2

Town

Walsall

0

1

Town

Wolverhampton

0

2

City

STAFFORDSHIRE

10

17



WARWICKSHIRE

2

4

County MPs, two for each district

Birmingham

0

2

City

Coventry*

2

2

Warwick*

2

2

Town

WARWICKSHIRE

6

10



WORCESTERSHIRE

2

4

County MPs, two for each district

Bewdley

1

1

Small town

Droitwich Spa

2

1

Town

Dudley

0

1

Town

Evesham

2

2

Town

Kidderminster

0

1

Town

Worcester*

2

2

City

WORCESTERSHIRE

9

12



TOTAL

65

90

25 MEMBERS GAINED



LANCASHIRE & YORKSHIRE

Constituency

1831

1832

Comments

LANCASHIRE

2

4

County MPs, two for each district

Ashton-under-Lyne

0

1

Town

Blackburn

0

2

Town

Bolton

0

2

Town

Bury

0

1

Town

Clitheroe

2

1

Small town

Lancaster*

2

2

City

Liverpool*

2

2

City

Manchester

0

2

City

Newton-le-Willows

2

0

Small town

Preston*

2

2

Town

Rochdale

0

1

Town

Salford

0

1

Town

Warrington

0

1

Town

Wigan*

2

2

Town

LANCASHIRE

14

24



YORKSHIRE

4

[6]

County MPs, redistributed to each Riding


EAST RIDING

[1]

2

County MPs

Beverley

2

2

Town

Hedon

2

0

Small town

Kingston-upon-Hull

2

2

City

EAST RIDING

7

6



NORTH RIDING

[1]

2

County MPs

Malton*

2

2

Small town

Northallerton

2

1

Small town

Richmond

2

2

Small town

Scarborough*

2

2

Town

Thirsk*

2

1

Town

Whitby

0

1

Town

NORTH RIDING

11

11



WEST RIDING

[2]

2

County MPs

Aldborough

2

0

Village, old Roman city

Boroughbridge

2

0

Small town

Bradford

0

2

City

Halifax

0

2

Town

Huddersfield

0

1

Town

Knaresborough

2

2

Small town

Leeds

0

2

City

Pontefract*

2

2

Town

Ripon*

2

2

Cathedral city, small town

Sheffield

0

2

City

Wakefield

0

1

Town

WEST RIDING

12

18



City of York

2

2

City


YORKSHIRE

32

37



TOTAL

46

61

15 MEMBERS GAINED



SCOTTISH MARCH

Constituency

1831

1832

Comments

CUMBERLAND

2

4

County MPs, two for each district

Carlisle*

2

2

City

Cockermouth*

2

2

Town

Whitehaven

0

1

Town and port

CUMBERLAND

6

9



DURHAM

2

4

County MPs, two for each district

Durham

2

2

Cathedral city, enfranchised 1677

Gateshead

0

1

Town

South Shields

0

1

Town

Sunderland

0

2

City

DURHAM

4

10



NORTHUMBERLAND

2

4

County MPs, two for each district

Berwick-on-Tweed

2

2

Frontier town

Morpeth

2

1

Town

Newcastle-upon-Tyne*

2

2

City

Tynemouth

0

1

Town

NORTHUMBERLAND

8

10



WESTMORLAND

2

2

County MPs

Appleby

2

0

Town

Kendal

0

1

Small town

WESTMORLAND

4

3



TOTAL

22

32

10 MEMBERS GAINED



ENGLISH UNIVERSITIES

Constituency

1831

1832

Comments

Cambridge University

2

2


Oxford University

2

2


UNIVERSITY SEATS

4

4

Finally disenfranchised in 1949!



REGIONAL SUMMARY

REGION

1831 seats

1832 seats

Change


1831..%

1832..%

WEST COUNTRY

148

96

-52


30.8

20.8

SOUTH & SOUTH-EAST

89

69

-20


18.5

14.9

MIDDLESEX

8

16

8


1.7

3.5

EAST COUNTRY

56

55

-1


11.7

11.9

ROYAL COUNTIES

42

39

-3


8.7

8.4

MIDLANDS

65

90

25


13.5

19.4

LANCASHIRE & YORKSHIRE

46

61

15


9.6

13.2

SCOTTISH MARCH

22

32

10


4.6

6.9

ENGLISH UNIVERSITIES

4

4

0


0.8

0.9

TOTAL

480

462

-18






--------------------------------- ---------------------------------