Bristol's last Poll Book was published in 1852. Poll Books include the personal details of voters such as their names, profession and address. Furthermore, these Poll Books can be valuable pieces of historical evidence. Stevens’ article offers a critical study of the 1852 Bristol Poll Book, shedding light on the voting intentions and political views of different parishes, classes, families and professions.
Tag: conservatives
A Rearguard Action: Bristol Toryism and the Reform Bill, 1830-32
"During the 1810s and 1820s, the Tory merchant and banker Richard Hart Davis rode high in Bristol electoral politics. Elected as one of the city's two MPs at a bye-election in 1812, he retained his seat at the general election of that year and at subsequent elections in 1818, 1820, 1826 and 1830". John Stevens looks at how Toryism was in the ascendancy, restricting the influence of Whiggism in Bristol.