Tag: Middlesex

19th Century history, Victorian, Victorian Commons

From patent laws and prison reform to a threatened duel: the intriguing life of Benjamin Rotch MP

Untangling the eclectic career of Benjamin Rotch (1793-1854), Whig MP for Knaresborough, 1832-5, proved to be an extremely interesting piece of research for Dr Kathryn Rix of our House of Commons, 1832-1945 project, taking in the Nantucket whaling industry, the complexities of patent law, prison reform and a challenge to a duel. A quirky character, described by one contemporary as a man who ‘would resort … Continue reading From patent laws and prison reform to a threatened duel: the intriguing life of Benjamin Rotch MP

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Georgian Elections Project, 18th Century history, Elections, Georgian

Declaring the result of an Eighteenth Century Election

Today the nation will be casting their votes in the 2024 General Election with most constituencies declaring their results in the early hours of the morning. However, as Dr Robin Eagles explains in our final Georgian Elections Project blog, 18th-Century voters would have had to wait for considerably longer to find out who their new MPs were… Even in a snap election, polling day is … Continue reading Declaring the result of an Eighteenth Century Election

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Georgian Elections Project, 18th Century history, Elections, Georgian, Social history, Women and Parliament

Political Grandstanding in the 18th Century

In an age of social media and immediate news coverage, publicity opportunities have become a central part of political strategy- particularly in the run up to a General Election. But even in the 18th century politicians looked for ways to generate attention when on the campaign trail. Dr Robin Eagles, editor of our House of Lords 1715-1790 project, looks at some of these in the … Continue reading Political Grandstanding in the 18th Century

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Georgian Lords, 18th Century history, Elections, Georgian

Benjamin Franklin and the state of Britain in the time of Wilkes

A new series exploring Benjamin Franklin’s time in Europe launches on streaming services this month, but how did the American ‘Founding Father’ respond to the politics in Britain during the 1760s? In this blog Dr Robin Eagles, editor of our House of Lords 1715-1790 project, looks at Franklin’s opinion of the British political agitator John Wilkes- a man who divided not just his own nation… … Continue reading Benjamin Franklin and the state of Britain in the time of Wilkes

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Georgian Lords, 18th Century history, Elections, Factions, Georgian, Legal history

‘Not voting at all’: the election of an imprisoned MP in 1769

2024 represents the 250th anniversary of John Wilkes’s re-election for Middlesex and election as Lord Mayor of London. It was by any measure a remarkable achievement for a man who had been expelled from Parliament and imprisoned; but what of those who were so determined to cast their votes for someone Parliament deemed incapable of being elected? Dr Robin Eagles looks again at the Wilkes … Continue reading ‘Not voting at all’: the election of an imprisoned MP in 1769

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