The Northumberland poll-book

printed text

  • Title: The Northumberland poll-book : containing a list of the freeholders who voted at the contested elections for the County of Northumberland in the years 1747-8, 1774, and in Feb. and March, 1826 : including a complete collection of the papers which appeared in 1774, and the aauthentic papers, speeches, &c. relating to the election in Feb. and March, 1826.
  • Publication: Alnwick : Printed and published by W. Davison, 1826.

Catalog Record

64 N974 826

Acquired October 2022

Scrap album of printed ephemera

scrapbook

A collection of material relating to the elections for the two Oxford borough and two Oxfordshire county seats in the early nineteenth century, largely focusing on the 1812 General Election, where John Atkyns-Wright, John Ingram Lockhart, Francis Almeric Spencer and John Fane were, respectively, duly elected as Members of Parliament. In addition to the relatively official and perfunctory handbills and posters, addressed to ‘Freemen of the City of Oxford’ that necessarily accompanied Georgian elections, this volume also highlights the cut and thrust of campaigning. Numerous mock wanted or lost notices (for example ‘Wanted, An Upper Servant, a steady Man, to serve in an honourable House’, mocking Francis Almeric Spencer as a Marlborough man), squibs, songsters (often to the tune of the then popular ‘Derry-Down’) and verses.

  • Title: [Scrap album of printed ephemera relating to parliamentary elections in Oxford].
  • Publication: [England], [bulk 1800-1812]

Catalog Record

Quarto 64 Ox3 800

Acquired July 2022

The Liverpool squib book

  • Title: The Liverpool squib book : being a correct and impartial collection of all the addresses, songs, squibs and other papers, issued during the contested election, March, 1820; to which are added the whole of the speeches of the Right Hon. George Canning. Candidates. Right Hon. George Canning, General Gascoyne, Dr. Crompton, Thomas Leyland, Esq.
  • Published: Liverpool : Printed and published by W. Bethell, No. 10, Marshall-Street, 1820.

Catalog Record

64 L221 820

Acquired August 2019

 

 

Chosen candidate

Chosen candidate. Detailed description below.

A caricature on the prevalence of bribery during elections, most probably that of 1826. The successful liberal candidate stands on a platform before a cheering crowd and people waving from the windows of adjoining building. In the ‘Committee Room’ behind him, an official pays a man holding a sign inscribed ‘No bribery or corruption’ with the word ‘and’ between bribery and corruption scored through. On the right is an armchair and behind it stand two large flags; two flowers on the chair match the flower on the lapel of the candidate.

  • Artist: Lane, Theodore, 1800-1828, artist.
  • Title: Chosen candidate [art original] / by Theodore Lane.
  • Production: [London], [ca. 1826]

Catalog Record 

Drawings L265 no. 2 Box D205

Acquired March 2019

Rejected candidate

Rejected candidate. Detailed description below

A caricature on the prevalence of bribery during elections, most probably that of 1826. The distraught rejected candidate, shown full-length and facing left is red in the face and pulling at his hair. His election placard lies on the floor and two notes are visible on the mantelpiece above a grill with fireplace tools: ‘Tavern expenses 500’ and ‘Bringing voters from London 800’. Through the window on the right, with flags flying, a cheering crowd carries the successful candidate in a chair above their heads.

  • Artist: Lane, Theodore, 1800-1828, artist.
  • Title: Rejected candidate [art original] / by Theodore Lane.
  • Production: [London], [ca. 1826]

Catalog Record 

Drawings L265 no. 1 Box D205

Acquired March 2019

To the independent freeholders of the county of Hants

An advertisement for Sir William Heathcote and William Chute in the Hampshire election of 1790.

  • AuthorLover of consistency and peace.
  • TitleTo the independent freeholders of the county of Hants. : How are the mighty fallen!!! …
  • Published[Southampton? : Publisher not identified, 1790].

Catalog Record 

File 63 790 L911+

Acquired October 2017

The Poll for the election of two burgesses

lwlacq000213-703x1024

  • TitleThe Poll for the election of two burgesses, to serve in Parliament for the borough of King’s-Lynn, in the county of Norfolk, on Friday, April the 2d, 1784. : Candidates, the Honourable Horatio Walpole, Crisp Molineux, Esqr ; Brigg Price Fountaine, Esqr ; John Cary, Esquire, mayor.
  • PublishedLynn : Printed and sold by J. Garratt, 1784.

Catalog Record

42 P771 784

Acquired September 2016

Ready mony the prevailing candidate

Click for larger image

 Print shows on the left, a statue of Justice in a niche beneath which a candidate, doffing his hat, offers a purse of money to a voter who replies, “Twill scarce pay, make it twenty more”, beside them a gentleman points to the statue saying “Regard Justice” to another carrying a bundle on his shoulder who replies, “We fell out, I lost money by her”. In the centre, in front of a large crowd are two candidates, both waving their hats, slip coins into two of the many pockets of a voter’s coat; one candidate says, “Sell not your Country” and the voter replies, “No Bribery but Pocketts are free”. Further to the right another candidate, saying “Accept this small acknowledgment”, offers a purse to a gentleman who grovels on the ground for coins that have been thrown down by the prevailing candidate, from his position on a chair supported by poles on the shoulders of four men. On the right, a statue of Folly in a niche empties bags of coins; before the statue is an altar on which a fire burns, a candidate kneels at its base imploring, “Help me Folly or my Cause is lost”; to the left of the altar, is a butcher crying “See here, see here” and to the right, a classical philosopher, saying “Let not thy right hand know what thy left does”, puts his hand behind him to received a bribe from a young man. Beyond is a tavern outside the landlord, wearing horns, calls out “He kist my Wife he has my Vote”; outside the tavern hangs the sign of a bottle with a large globe attached.

  • Title: Ready mony the prevailing candidate, or The humours of an election [graphic].
  • Published: London : Sold at the Print Shop in Grays Inn, [1727]

Catalog Record  & Digital Collection

727.00.00.02

Acquired July 2013