346:
241:
24:
216:, merely a "resiance" or residence qualification". Seymour explains why Parliament decided to limit the county franchise: "The Act of 1430, after declaring that elections had been crowded by many persons of low estate, and that confusion had thereby resulted, accordingly enacted that the suffrage should be limited to persons qualified by a freehold of 40s".
544:
franchise and agreed to impose limitations upon it: freehold estates lesser than estates were to confer the vote only under certain conditions; and when the estate was for life (or lives) only, there must be actual and bona fide occupation for it serve as a qualification. The wider interpretation of
557:
A disputed point, on which the Whig majority in the
Commons prevailed, was that freeholders in boroughs who did not occupy their property should vote in the counties in which the borough was situated. The Tories objected that urban interests would affect the representation of agricultural areas. The
672:
predicted as the price for allowing "a few
Catholic gentlemen to be returned to Parliament", the sacrifice of the forty-shilling freeholder and "indifference" it demonstrated to the cause of parliamentary reform would prove "disastrous" for the country. In Ensor's home county Armagh, "Emancipation"
461:
According to
Seymour, "this qualification was broader in practice than would appear at first glance, since the term freehold was applicable to many kinds of property. An explanatory act of parliament, it is true, confined it to lands of purely freehold tenure; but notwithstanding this purely formal
531:
When the question of voting rights came up in 1832, general sentiment in the House of
Commons favoured retaining the qualification in counties, notwithstanding the well known desire of the King who regarded this franchise as too democratic and would have liked to see it raised to £10 value, if it
176:
In 1430, legislation limited the franchise to only those who owned the freehold of land that brought in an annual rent of at least 40 shillings (forty-shilling freeholders). For comparison: In the mid 1340s, a knight received a daily pay of two shillings while on campaign, an ordinary
522:, c. 31). In 1781 the right to vote in counties was made dependent upon a charge, laid within six months of the election, "toward some aid granted or to be granted to His Majesty by a land-tax or an assessment, in the name of the person claiming to vote," (
625:
was restricted to forty-shilling freeholders. This gave anyone who owned or rented land that was worth forty shillings (two pounds) or more, the right to vote. As a consequence they were termed the "forty-shilling freeholders". This included many
540:, on the other hand, looked to the support of the small freeholder in the country districts. Neither party favoured the abolition or the increase in value of the freeholder qualification; instead the Commons voted a continuation of the 40
478:
the electoral rights of clergymen were recognised by statute and church offices were held to confer a county franchise; this interpretation widened commensurately with the financial possibilities and value of a vote. A chorister of
600:
business property owners. They needed respectively a £5 and £10 qualification — the forty shilling qualification ended. Universal adult suffrage was enacted in 1928 and the remaining plural votes were abolished by the
595:
In 1918, with the introduction of a full adult male franchise, property qualifications only affected some of the new women voters (who were not occupiers of a dwelling or the wife of an occupier, in the constituency) and
148:
instigated the
English parliament of 1265, without royal approval. Simon de Montfort's army had met and defeated the royal forces at the Battle of Lewes on May 14, 1264. Montfort sent out representatives to each
211:
discussing the original county franchise, suggested that "it is probable that all free inhabitant householders voted and that the parliamentary qualification was, like that which compelled attendance in the
592:
From 1885 the property-owning franchise became less important than the occupancy one. Only about 20% of the county electorate were freeholders in 1886 and the proportion declined to about 16% in 1902.
705:
102:
The qualification to vote using the ownership and value of property, and the creation of a group of forty-shilling freeholders, was practiced in many jurisdictions such as
653:, raised the franchise qualification to the English threshold level of ten pounds. This eliminated the middling tenantry who had risked much in defying their landlords on
451:. c. 2), which amended and re-enacted the 1430 law to make clear that the resident of a county had to have a forty-shilling freehold in that county to be a voter there.
181:
the half of it, a foot archer was paid two or three pence (12 pennies to the shilling and 20 shillings to the pound). A war-horse could value from five to 100 pounds.
514:
Taxpaying qualifications in connection with the freehold franchise were first required in 1712. In that year the exercise of the franchise became contingent upon the
184:
The legislation did not specify the gender of the property owner, however the franchise became restricted to males by custom. In subsequent centuries, until the 1832
678:
1149:
462:
declaration, the wider interpretation of the meaning of freeholder persisted, and we read of many freehold voters who were enfranchised by such qualifications as
1016:
661:
that helped finally force the issue of
Catholic access to parliament, and it reduced the overall electorate in the country from 216,000 voters to just 37,000.
753:
545:
the meaning of freehold, which admitted as qualifications such holdings as pew rights, annuities and church offices, was not restricted by the Act of 1832.
646:
487:, the bell-ringer, the gardener, the cook and the organ-blower, all voted by virtue of their supposedly ecclesiastical offices. In 1835 the members of a
463:
729:
145:
1077:"Laying the Foundations of the Modern Voting System: The Representation of the People Act 1918: Laying the Foundations of the Modern Voting System"
368:
263:
939:
833:
689:
602:
506:) the number of qualified voters gradually expanded. Tempering this extension to the franchise were laws proposed by objectors (such as King
416:
311:
606:
45:
498:
Because of the above interpretations and as the qualifying figure was not uplifted or based on backdated valuations (to take account of
188:
specified 'male persons', a few women were able to vote in parliamentary elections through property ownership, although this was rare.
905:
684:
The forty-shilling qualification continued after 1829 in the comparatively small number of Irish boroughs which had the status of a
67:
532:
were not to be entirely . Royal wishes did not however coincide with the interests of either party. The electoral strength of the
925:
507:
639:
1154:
1059:
992:
650:
631:
709:
including a summary of the qualifications for the forty-shilling freehold franchise during the final years of its existence
510:
in 1832) who deemed the non-landowning office holders and smallest landowners/investors as a dangerously large franchise.
150:
1009:
769:
38:
32:
627:
49:
115:
961:
Electoral Reform in
England and Wales: The Development and Operation of the Parliamentary Franchise, 1832-1885
714:
135:
869:
658:
635:
559:
959:
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in many county constituencies depended upon the freeholder vote of large urban communities, whereas the
432:
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rejected the new
Parliament and resumed his war against Montfort, who was killed later that year at the
1076:
141:
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197:
170:
162:
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475:
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as representatives of the counties, and burgesses from the boroughs, became a permanent feature.
558:
Whigs pointed out this had always been the case with urban areas not previously represented as
1055:
988:
935:
901:
895:
829:
798:
688:. But the ten-pound threshold remained the basis of the county franchise in Ireland until the
484:
396:
291:
166:
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as in
Scotland, where to be a shire elector required ownership of land worth forty shillings
1088:
969:
685:
185:
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734:
674:
586:
208:
88:
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It was found that about 70% of the county constituency electorate after passage of the
363:
Certain things required in him who shall be a chooser of the knights of the parliament.
96:
84:
258:
What Sort of Men shall be
Choosers, and who shall be chosen Knights of the Parliament.
1143:
1092:
931:
597:
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succeeded in qualifying as electors from a burial ground attached to the parish...".
480:
800:
The history of Scotland, from the earliest period to the accession of Queen Victoria
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669:
386:
281:
213:
1052:
The Dissenting Voice: Protestant Democracy in Ulster from Plantation to Partition
823:
467:
454:
Over the course of time many different types of property were accepted as being
178:
157:, asking each to send two representatives, and insisted the representatives be
83:
were those who had the parliamentary franchise to vote by virtue of possessing
571:
563:
537:
492:
673:
reduced an electorate of over 8,000 by three quarters so that even after the
773:
523:
499:
448:
373:
119:
196:
Until legislation in the fifteenth century the franchise for elections of
440:
268:
158:
107:
92:
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519:
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of the land or tenements, in respect of which the vote was conferred, (
154:
111:
103:
693:
665:
575:
488:
411:
306:
123:
1010:"The History of the Parliamentary Franchise (Research Paper 13-14)"
567:
471:
927:
A History of Britain 1: 3000 BC-AD 1603 At the Edge of the World?
609:
no voters have qualified on the basis of the ownership of land.
562:(which had included major centres of wealth and population like
17:
1128:
The Statutes: Revised Edition, Vol. I Henry III to James II
696:
qualifications as existed in the towns to the countryside.
857:
Arms, armies and fortifications in the Hundred Years War.
1134:
The Statutes: Second Revised Edition, Vol. XVI 1884-1886
706:
Parliamentary franchise in the United Kingdom 1885–1918
1110:
Chronological Table of the Statutes: Part 1 1235-1962
435:
legislated the new uniform county franchise, in the
876:, House of Commons Library, 1 March 2013, p. 6
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200:to serve as the representatives of counties in the
204:was not restricted to forty-shilling freeholders.
1124:(printed by authority in the Statutes for 1918)
578:). This provision proved to be damaging to the
529:
512:
8:
900:. Edinburgh University Press. p. 107.
754:Elections (Fraudulent Conveyances) Act 1711
458:and the residence requirement disappeared.
1054:. Belfast: Blackstaff Press. p. 157.
874:The History of the Parliamentary Franchise
647:Parliamentary Elections (Ireland) Act 1829
574:as well as the rapidly growing suburbs of
437:Electors of Knights of the Shires Act 1429
328:
228:Electors of Knights of the Shires Act 1429
223:
474:of wives and pews in churches. After the
445:Electors of Knights of the Shire Act 1432
333:Electors of Knights of the Shire Act 1432
68:Learn how and when to remove this message
987:. London: Allen Lane. pp. 301–302.
730:Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester
681:, acts of 1832, it stood at just 3,487.
470:issuing out of freehold lands, and even
146:Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester
31:This article includes a list of general
859:Boydell & Brewer, Woodbidge. p. 24.
789:
746:
550:
679:Representation of the People (Ireland)
91:, of an annual rent of at least forty
1150:Political history of medieval England
1122:Representation of the People Act 1918
825:Electoral Reform in England and Wales
690:Representation of the People Act 1884
603:Representation of the People Act 1948
417:Representation of the People Act 1918
312:Representation of the People Act 1918
99:2 or 3 marks), clear of all charges.
7:
1118:(William Blackstone & Sons 1900)
1022:from the original on 3 November 2021
607:1950 United Kingdom general election
1075:Blackburn, Robert (February 2011).
930:(Paperback 2003 ed.). London:
822:Charles Seymour, Jr. (March 2010).
803:. Oliver & Boyd. pp. 338–
37:it lacks sufficient corresponding
14:
1116:The Constitutional Year Book 1900
897:Citizenship in Britain: A History
649:, enacted on the same day as the
1112:(The Stationery Office Ltd 1999)
1093:10.1111/j.1750-0206.2010.00237.x
770:Parliamentary Elections Act 1780
630:who obtained the vote under the
344:
239:
22:
1008:Johnston, Neil (1 March 2013).
640:United Kingdom House of Commons
89:lands held directly of the king
1136:(printed by authority in 1900)
1130:(printed by authority in 1876)
664:O'Connell's erstwhile ally in
651:Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829
632:Roman Catholic Relief Act 1793
621:before 1829 the franchise for
1:
582:cause later in the century.
483:, the butler and brewer of
169:, but the idea of electing
1171:
1040:MacAtasney (2007), p. 176.
326:United Kingdom legislation
221:United Kingdom legislation
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81:Forty-shilling freeholders
985:Modern Ireland, 1600-1972
605:so that by and since the
589:still qualified to vote.
343:
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238:
233:
1050:Campbell, Flann (1991).
692:which extended the same
456:forty-shilling freeholds
153:and to a select list of
116:United States of America
870:"Ancient voting rights"
855:Curry, A. (ed.) (1994)
797:Robert Simpson (1839).
52:more precise citations.
894:Heater, Derek (2006).
659:1828 Clare by-election
636:Irish House of Commons
560:borough constituencies
555:
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1155:Parliament of England
1081:Parliamentary History
983:Foster, R.F. (1988).
966:Yale University Press
715:Montfort's Parliament
623:county constituencies
433:Parliament of England
351:Parliament of England
246:Parliament of England
202:Parliament of England
136:Montfort's Parliament
725:Henry III of England
720:Knights of the Shire
198:knights of the shire
171:knights of the shire
638:(from 1801 for the
207:The Yale historian
142:Second Barons' War
941:978-0-563-48714-2
835:978-1-154-34110-2
828:. General Books.
657:'s behalf in the
485:Westminster Abbey
429:
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406:Other legislation
339:Act of Parliament
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1104:Bibliography
1087:(1): 33–52.
1084:
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1045:
1036:
1024:. Retrieved
1003:
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978:
968:– via
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878:, retrieved
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839:. Retrieved
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468:rent charges
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397:Commencement
391:17 July 1432
387:Royal assent
292:Commencement
282:Royal assent
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214:county court
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58:October 2013
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526:, c. 17)...
476:Restoration
412:Repealed by
401:12 May 1432
307:Repealed by
179:man-at-arms
140:During the
50:introducing
1144:Categories
1061:0856404578
994:0713990104
841:20 January
807:20 January
784:References
677:, and the
572:Manchester
564:Birmingham
516:assessment
508:William IV
493:Marylebone
359:Long title
254:Long title
33:references
774:20 Geo. 3
628:Catholics
500:inflation
464:annuities
449:10 Hen. 6
374:10 Hen. 6
163:Henry III
120:Australia
93:shillings
1017:Archived
958:(1915).
924:(2003).
880:16 March
776:. c. 17)
700:See also
634:for the
548:—
441:8 Hen. 6
369:Citation
269:8 Hen. 6
264:Citation
155:boroughs
108:Scotland
85:freehold
1026:21 June
758:10 Ann.
619:Ireland
613:Ireland
580:Liberal
520:10 Anne
159:elected
130:History
112:Ireland
104:England
46:improve
1058:
991:
938:
904:
832:
760:c. 31)
694:voting
675:Reform
666:Ulster
576:London
538:Tories
489:vestry
472:dowers
376:. c. 2
271:. c. 7
151:county
124:Canada
122:, and
114:, the
95:(i.e.
35:, but
1020:(PDF)
1013:(PDF)
741:Notes
568:Leeds
534:Whigs
381:Dates
276:Dates
1056:ISBN
1028:2023
989:ISBN
936:ISBN
902:ISBN
882:2016
843:2013
830:ISBN
809:2013
645:The
570:and
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