Elections of Members of Parliament in Norfolk

Voters as a percentage of the population aged over 20 years are given. Women did not start getting a vote until 1918. Acts of Parliament which affected voting are shown in italics.

• Up to 1831 - 5.0%
  • The county of Norfolk returned 2 members.
  • Borough of Castle Rising returned 2 members.
    • This was a burgage Borough (sometimes called a Rotten Borough) where the right to vote was only available to owners of specific properties, called burgage tenements.
  • Borough of Great Yarmouth returned 2 members.
  • Borough of Kings Lynn returned 2 members.
  • City of Norwich returned 2 members.
  • Borough of Thetford returned 2 members.
  • 12 members in total.
  • Open ballot so you can see who voted for whom.
  • In general to be able to vote you had to be a man of 21 and over who held land/buildings of annual value of 40 shillings or more as valued in 1429.
  • People anywhere in the County (except for Norwich) could vote in County elections.
  • Voting took place at Norwich for the County and City elections.
  • 1780-1831
    • No person could vote unless assessed for the Land tax. These assessments can be used as electoral registers subject to the condition that:-
      • Not everyone registered could vote as one still has to comply with the 40 shillings condition as already described (so occupiers were still excluded).
• 1832 - 7.1%
  • First Reform Act
    • Vote given to additional 250,000 property owners.
    • Castle Rising was disfranchised - lost its right to send 2 members to Parliament.
    • The county, for Parliamentary purposes, was divided into East and West Norfolk, where each of these divisions returned 2 members.
      • The eastern division contains the following 18 hundreds:
        Blofield, Clavering, Depwade, Diss, Earsham, Erpingham North, Erpingham South, Eynesford, Flegg West, Flegg East, Forehoe, Happing, Henstead, Humbleyard, Loddon, Taverham, Tunstead, Walsham.
      • The western division contains the following 15 hundreds:
        Brothercross, Clackclose, Freebridge-Lynn, Freebridge-Marshland, Gallow, Greenhoe North, Greenhoe South, Grimshoe, Guiltcross, Holt, Launditch, Mitford, Shropham, Smithdon, Wayland.
  • Polling places.
    • Eastern division polling places are Norwich(*), Great Yarmouth(*), Reepham, North Walsham, Long Stratton and Loddon.
    • Western division polling places are Kings Lynn(*), East Dereham, Fakenham, Downham Market, Thetford(*) and Swaffham.
    • Places marked thus (*) as well as returning their own MP's were also used as division voting places.
• 1867 - 16.4%
  • Second Reform Act
    • Anyone in the boroughs (large towns), householders or lodgers paying more than 10 pounds a year was given a vote. Added a million people to lists.
    • Norfolk split into 3 divisions each returning 2 members. These were
      • North East or northern division contained the following hundreds:
        Erpingham North, Erpingham South, Eynesford, Flegg West, Flegg East, Great Yarmouth Borough, Greenhoe North, Happing, Holt, Tunstead.
      • South East or southern division contained the following hundreds:
        Blofield, Clavering, County of the City of Norwich, Depwade, Diss, Earsham, Forehoe, Guiltcross, Henstead, Humbleyard, Loddon, Mitford, Shropham, Taverham, Thetford Borough, Walsham.
      • West or western contained the following hundreds:
        Brothercross, Clackclose, Freebridge-Lynn, Freebridge-Marshland, Gallow, Greenhoe South, Grimshoe, Kings Lynn Borough, Launditch, Smithdon, Wayland.
  • Representation of the People Act.
    • Great Yarmouth disfranchised - lost its right to send 2 members to Parliament.
• 1868
  • Boundary Act.
    • North East became North division.
    • South East became South division.
  • Representation of the People (Scotland) Act.
    • By this Act England lost 7 seats to Scotland and Thetford was one place which lost both of its members.
• 1872
  • Ballot Act.
    • Secret Ballot introduced.
  • Polling places.
    • Northern division polling places are Aldborough, Aylsham, Coltishall, Cromer,Hindringham, Holt, North Walsham, Ormesby St.Margaret, Reepham, Stalham, Wells and Great Yarmouth.
    • Southern division polling places are Attleborough, Blofield, East Dereham, Diss, Freethorpe, Harleston, East Harling, Hingham, Horsham St. Faiths, Loddon, Norwich(*), Stratton St. Mary (Long Stratton), Thetford, Toft Monks and Wymondham.
    • Western division polling places are Docking, Downham Market, Fakenham, Kings Lynn(*), Great Massingham, Methwold, Mileham, Swaffham, Terrington St. John and Watton.
    • Places marked thus (*) as well as returning their own MP's were also used as division voting places.
• 1884 - 28.5%
  • Third Reform Act.
    • Extra 2 million voters added by extending to the countryside the 10 pound 1867 condition.
• 1885
  • From 3 divisions returning 2 members each were created 6 divisions each returning one member.
  • Western Division abolished.
  • Northern and Southern Divisions now return 1 member each. Note also probable boundary changes.
  • Mid Norfolk Division created returning one member.
  • South West Division created returning one member.
  • North West Division created returning one member.
  • Mid Norfolk Division created returning one member.
• 1918 - 74.0%
  • Representation of the People Act.
    • All men over 21 given a vote.
    • All women over 30 given a vote.
  • Further constituency changes.
• 1928 - 96.9%
  • Equal Franchise Act.
    • All women over 21 given a vote.

See also -

• The main Voting page.
• The Norfolk Politics and Government page.
• Wikipedia entry for Norfolk.

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Copyright © Mike Bristow.
July 2012