‘The corruption of the best things becomes the worst.’ The Politics of Electoral Registration in Several Midland Boroughs in the Age of Reform, 1832-41

The ‘Great’ Reform Act of 1832 has rightly been acknowledged as having had, in many ways, a profound impact on the course and conduct of subsequent parliamentary elections. This paper will endeavour to argue, however, that the epithet ‘Great’ may also accurately be applied to the consequences the Act’s registration clauses had on local politics across all spheres, from parliamentary to municipal and parochial, and even poor law governance. Although largely ignored by historians, the introduction of voter registration quickly became part of the dynamic political landscape of post-reform Midland boroughs. Indeed, the compilation and formal validation of the lists of parliamentary voters had three main consequences. The first was the shift in attention and political activity away from the frequently notorious proceedings surrounding the hustings, the nomination of candidates, and polling in pre-reform elections, to the yearly revision court. Second, the system of registering electors extended the time in which party agents and other political actors were engaged in political work within their locality. As well as the newly appointed revising barristers who presided over the annual revision courts, registration rejuvenated the roles and significance of existing politically active local personnel, most notably election agents and overseers. Their energy in favour of an interest or party as they sought to seize the advantage through gaining positions of power and influence for their partisans, was often decisive in securing a successful outcome at the poll. Moreover, it placed them firmly at the centre of the borough’s constituency election machinery, whilst simultaneously stimulating parochial and municipal politics.

is a PhD candidate at the University of Warwick. Her thesis focuses on local politics and political culture in the age of reform in three Midland boroughs: Coventry, Leicester, and Northampton. Sarah combines her research with working part-time as a secondary school history teacher.