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REFORM ACT OF 1832
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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century, many people thought this was completely outdated, that all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

1832
England and Wales
Click
map to enlarge

1832
England and Wales before Reform Bill
Click map to enlarge

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
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