Home - Historic Documents - Reform Act of 1832


Reform Act of 1832
REFORM ACT OF 1832
Click document to enlarge



The Reform Act of 1832 is also called the Reform Bill of 1832. Another name for it is the Great Reform Act because it was the first of several reforms concerning the same topic.

The Second Reform Act was passed in 1867.

The Third Reform Act was passed in 1884.



WHAT WAS THE REFORM ACT OF 1832 ALL ABOUT?

The right to vote and the fair number of representatives in the House of Commons in the British Parliament.


WHAT WAS THE BACKGROUND OF THE REFORM ACT OF 1832?
Back in the days, not many people had the right to vote. By the 18th century, many people thought this was completely outdated, that all men should be given the right to vote, and that it was time for parliamentary reforms.

Another point was that industrial developments brought about a change of the distribution of the population. Before, people lived all over the places, more or less evenly spread. Now, the cities grew like mad.

But the laws didn't grow with the cities. So it happened that some large cities like Leeds, Birmingham, or Manchester didn't have a single representative. Whereas other deserted places, also called rotten boroughs, had representatives but almost zero population. Such was the case with Dunwich in Suffolk, who had two representatives and a population of 32.

The government dragged their feet but had to take the French Revolution as an example of what could happen to stubborn governments. The reform was official law on June 4, 1832.


WHO GOVERNED BRITAIN AT THE TIME?
Lord Charles Grey, aka Earl Grey, the leader of the Whig party, was prime minister 1830 - 1834. He was the main man behind the Reform Act of 1832.

William IV
was king of Great Britain and Ireland 1830 - 1837. He was against parliamentary reform because it meant more power for the people and less power for the crown.


And here are the maps for the Reform Act of 1832

England and Wales in 1832
1832 England and Wales
Click map to enlarge


England and Wales: Parliamentary Representation in 1832 Before the Reform Bill
1832 England and Wales before Reform Bill
Click map to enlarge


England and Wales: Parliamentary Representation in 1832 After the Reform Bill
1832 England and Wales after Reform Bill
Click map to enlarge

 


THE TRANSCRIPT

As provided by the National Archives, Surrey. At the end is the list of the boroughs which were to be "disenfranchised".

Le Roy le Veult
soit baillé aux Seigneurs.
A cette Bille avecque des amendemens les Seigneurs sont assentuz.
A ces Amendemens les Communes sont assentuz.

Whereas it is expedient to take effectual measures for correcting divers abuses that have long prevailed in the choice of members to serve in the commons' house of parliament to deprive many inconsiderable places of the right of returning members to grant such privilege to large populous and wealthy towns to increase the number of knights of the shire to extend the elective franchise to many of his majesty's subjects who have not heretofore enjoyed the same and to diminish the expense of elections Be it therefore enacted by the king's most excellent majesty by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal and commons in this present parliament assembled and by the authority of the same That each of the boroughs enumerated in the schedule marked (A) to this act annexed ˆ shall from and after the end of this present parliament cease to return any member or members to serve in parliament in And be it enacted that each of the boroughs enumerated in the schedule marked (B) to this act annexed shall from and after the [.....]

Press 1
Line 24.
After (annexed) insert ---
(that is to say) Old Sarum Newtown St Michaels or Midshall Gatton Bramber Bossiney Dunwich Ludgershall St Mawes Beeralston West Looe St German's Newport Blechingley Aldborough Camelford Hindon East Looe Corfe Castle Great Bedwin Yarmouth Queenborough Castle Rising East Grinstead Higham Ferrers Wendover Weobly Winchelsea Tregoney Haslemere Saltash Orford Gallington Newton Ilchester Boroughbridge Stockbridge New Romney Hedon Plympton Seaford Heytesbury Steyning Whitchurch Wootton Bassett Downton Fowey Milborne Port Aldeburgh Minehead Bishop's Castle Okehampton Appleby Lostwithiel Brackley and Amersham


 

 

 

 


© Copyright 2005 - 2008 Emerson Kent. All rights reserved.