Constituencies
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‘We approached each other slowly like medieval knights with lances’: Hamilton versus Bell, Tatton, 1997
One of the highlights of the 1997 general election was the contest in Tatton. The Conservative Neil Hamilton, then under…
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Reappraising England’s reformed electoral map, 1832-1868: the impact of the 1832 Reform Act
Dr Martin Spychal, Senior Research Fellow on our House of Commons 1832-1868 Commons project, discuses the impact of the 1832…
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Who could vote? From potwallopers to ten-pounders: post-1832 franchises explained
Clarifying the workings of England’s historic electoral system, Philip Salmon examines who could vote following the changes made by the…
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How does an MP resign? The Chiltern Hundreds & the Manor of Northstead
Have you just heard that an MP has resigned by ‘taking the Chiltern Hundreds’? Our Senior Research Fellow, Dr Martin…
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The ‘Bifrons Purse’: Elizabeth, Marchioness Conyngham and aristocratic women’s participation in nineteenth-century elections
Drawing on her research into Canterbury for the House of Commons, 1832-1868 project, our research fellow Dr Naomi Lloyd-Jones explores…
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Christchurch 1993: By-election Campaigning in the Glare of the Media
On Thursday the voters of Gorton and Denton will elect their new MP after weeks of media speculation. This by-election had…
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How many people could vote in the UK after the 1832 Reform Act?
As part of our series of ‘explainer’ articles, aimed at clarifying the workings of the United Kingdom’s historic political system,…
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Crossing the Floor: Tales from the Oral History Project
Following some recent, high-profile, political defections, Alfie Steer and Dr Emma Peplow have delved into the History of Parliament’s Oral…
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Steps towards identifying new Black voters in 18th-century Westminster and Hertfordshire
A few months ago, the History welcomed a guest post by Dr Gillian Williamson with her groundbreaking research into John…
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Happy New Year from the Victorian Commons for 2026!
Here’s wishing all our readers a very enjoyable New Year! 2025 was a particularly memorable year for our 1832-68 House…
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Descended from a giant: the Worsleys of Hovingham
The recent death of HRH the Duchess of Kent, who was married to the late queen’s cousin at York Minister…
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The 1872 Secret Ballot and Multiple Member Seats
In this post about the introduction of the ballot in UK elections, based on a seminar talk (click here to…