How Bedfordshire Voted, 1685-1735

by Collett-White, James

• ISBN13: 9780851550718
• ISBN10: 0851550711
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-10-19
• Publisher: Bedfordshire Historical Record Soc

Summary

Poll books tell the story of local people and their link with national history. This book contains transcripts of the poll books for the County and Borough seats of Bedford and some election accounts showing candidates' expenditure. The introductory commentary gives an insight to political influences in Bedfordshire during the seminal period of English history from the Glorious Revolution to the accession of George I. It enables comparisons and political trends to be detected, including allegiances of regions of the county and parishes, the survival of the Tory party, the political allegiance of Anglican clergy and the role of Protestant Nonconformists. Major landowners were important in Bedfordshire politics but not dominant and local gentry played a crucial role. The transcriptions list all those who voted in four county and one borough election. County voters were 40 shilling freeholders; Borough voters were freemen, burgesses and those qualified by 'scot and lot'; and for both seats numerous voters came from London and surrounding counties. The 8,500 names (fully indexed) will help family historians find ancestors between the 1671 Hearth Tax and the 1841 Census and will give unparalleled information on local landholding. A further volume, 1716-1734, will be published in 2008. JAMES COLLETT-WHITE is Archivist at Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service, and Archivist to S. C. Whitbread, Southill Park

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations	viii
List of Tables	ix
Acknowledgements	xi
Abbreviations	xii
General Summary of Election Results	xiii
Introduction	xv
Chapter One 1685 Election	1	(34)
Loyal Address from Bedfordshire 1683	5	(4)
Petition of Congratulation from the County of Bedfordshire 1683	9	(5)
Poll Book for the County 1685	14	(21)
Chapter Two 1695 Election	35	(26)
The generall Accompt of all the charges att Bedford at my Lord Russell's Election, October 31 1695	46	(2)
Poll Book for the County 1695	48	(13)
Chapter Three 1698-1705 Elections	61	(92)
Poll Book for the Borough of Bedford 1705	69	(16)
Poll Book for the County 1705	85	(68)
Chapter Four 1708-1715 Elections	153	(78)
Chernocke and Harvey's Joint Account 1714	155	(5)
William Cater's Election Petition 1715	160	(1)
Poll Book for the County 1715	160	(71)
Tables	231	(18)
Bibliography	249	(2)
Index of Personal Names	251	(27)
Index of Places	278	(7)
Subject Index	285