Election 1831

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The following is a list of freeholders of Hanslope who voted in the election which took place in May 1831. For background to the election see below.

Freeholders' Names Place of Abode
Chandos
Smith
Grenfell
Allen, Joseph Hanslope
 
 
Bishop, Charles Ditto
 
 
Bishop, James Ditto
 
 
Castledine, Matthew Newport Pagnell
 
Clark, George Hanslope
 
 
Cox, Joel Ditto
 
 
Crick, James Ditto
 
 
Crick, Charles Ditto
 
Curl, Benjamin Ditto
 
Dawkes, Henry Ravenstone
 
Fretter, John Hanslope
 
 
Garrett, Thomas Ditto
 
 
Garrett, Thomas Northampton
 
Gregory, Joseph Hanslope
 
 
Gregory, George Ditto
 
 
Heygate, James Ditto
 
Hindes, Thomas Ditto
 
Latimer, William Ditto
 
Mayhew, James Ditto
 
 
Singleton, Rev. Wm. Ditto
 
 
Smith, Robt. Ditto
 
Stanton, Thomas Great Woolstone
 
 
Stimpson, Joseph Hanslope
  
 
Watts, William Esq. Ditto
 
 

The last three columns indicate the candidate(s) for whom each elector voted.  Chandos was the Marquess of Chandos, heir to the Duke of Buckingham, and a Tory.  John Smith was a brother of the 1st Baron Carrington, and also a Tory.  Pascoe Grenfell was a member of a powerful tin an copper merchanting family, and a Whig.  There were two seats available, and each voter could either vote for one candidate, or for two.  This was not a secret ballot.

The following is taken from the cover page of the record of the election results.

A     P O L L
OF THE
Freeholders
OF THE
COUNTY OF BUCKINGHAM
AT THE
ELECTION
OF
TWO KNIGHTS OF THE SHIRE,
To serve in the Parliament, appointed to be holden at the City of WESTMINSTER on
the 14th Day of June, in the 1st Year of the Reign of King WILLIAM
the Fourth, A.D. 1831.
TAKEN AT
AYLESBURY,
ON
Thursday,.............5th,
MAY,1831,
Friday,.................6th,
Saturday,..............7th,
and Monday,.........9th,
BEFORE
HENRY ANDREWES UTHWATT, ESQUIRE,
Sheriff of the said County.
______________________________
CANDIDATES,
THE MARQUIS OF CHANDOS.
JOHN SMITH, ESQUIRE.
PASCOE GRENFELL, ESQUIRE.
_____________________
Printed and Sold by J. H. Marshall, Temple-Street, Aylesbury.
1831.

The following summary is taken from the above record of the election.

    
Plumpers.
Divided.
 
 
C.
S.
G.
C.
S.
G.
C&S
C&G
S&G
No.Polled
Aylesbury Three Hundred
473
378
205
325
43
..
139
9
196
712
Ashendon Three Hundreds
186
38
20
171
3
..
15
..
20
209
Buckingham Three Hundreds
196
58
31
177
8
..
19
..
31
235
Burnham Hundred
137
148
110
119
20
..
18
..
110
267
Cottesloe Three Hundred
195
139
86
150
13
1
43
2
83
292
Desborough Hundred
80
182
159
66
19
..
9
5
154
253
Newport Three Hundreds

275

261
141
232
82
1
41
2
138
496
Stoke Hundred

52

80
74
49
3
..
3
..
74
129
 
1594
1284
826
1289
191
2
287
18
806
2593
 
191
 
18
 
2
806
1482
Plumpers.
1111
Divided Votes.
1111
 
2593
No. Polled.

The election of 1831 was fought on the issue of parliamentary reform. In 1830, the Whig party had finally achieved office after a generation spent largely in opposition.  Their proposals for reform, although given a second reading on 22 March 1831, were attacked during the committee stage when destructive amendments were passed.  The government persuaded the king to dissolve parliament and call an election.

Although the 1831 election was fought on the old distribution of seats, it produced a clear-cut majority in favour of reform.  By September 1831, the Reform Bill completed all stages in the House of Commons.  On 8 October, it was rejected by the House of Lords.

In December 1831 a third Reform Bill was introduced, modified in some slight respects. King William IV was brought to accept in January 1832 that it it might be necessary to create new peers.  Faced with this threat enough Tory peers yielded to allow the Reform Bill to pass.  On 7 June 1832 the Great Reform Act received the royal assent.

The main elements of the reforms were a diminution in the number of pocket and rotten boroughs (each with only a handful of electors), and an extended representation of the growing towns.  The reform widened the eligibility to vote, but nevertheless restricted the vote to the wealthier male members of the population.  Eligibility was based on ownership, renting or occupation of property over specified values.

The candidates in Buckinghamshire

The Marquess of Chandos
(photograph from Wikipedia)


Later succeeded his father as 2nd Duke of Buckingham.  Stood as a Tory.

Some years later, after succeeding to the Buckingham title, he served under Sir Robert Peel as Lord Privy Seal.

In 1847 he was declared a bankrupt, triggering the sale of Stowe House.

John Smith, Esquire

(more information: Wikipedia)

Had been a Tory Member of Parliament since 1802 for various seats (Wendover, Nottingham, Midhurst, and Chichester).

He was the son of a Nottingham banker who also became a member of Parliament.  His brother became 1st Baron Carrington.

Pascoe Grenfell, Esquire

(photograph from Grenfell family site)

Born in Cornwall in 1761, he joined his father's tin and copper merchanting business in London.  He went on to a career in business, serving as Governor of the Royal Exchange Assurance Company, and working closely with Thomas William of Great Marlow, managing the development off industries in Anglesey and Cornwall.  He succeeded Thomas Williams as member of parliament for Great Marlow from 1802 to 1820, and for Penryn to 1826.

He did not gain a seat at this election.  He died in 1838.

One of his daughters married George Glyn, a banker and an important backer of the development of railways, who later became 1st Baron Wolverton.

 

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