UNENFRANCHISED TOWNS.—The Reformer’s Almanack for 1852, in an article on the state of the representation, supplies of the following information :—‟A comparison of the population of towns returning members with others in the same counties, the inhabitants of which are without the franchise, exhibits some startling facts. In Surrey, Guilford and Reigate, with 25,039 and 14,321 inhabitants, have franchise; while Croydon, with 31,901, Epsom, with 19,043, Chertsey with 16,150, and Richmond with 15,906, are without it. In Kent there are eleven towns with more than 15,000 inhabitants, all without the franchise; Canterbury with 14,000 has it; the Isle of Thanet, with more than twice the number, has it not. In Sussex, Rye, with 12,352, has it; nine more populous districts are without it. In Hants, there is Christchurch with but 8,481, and Petersfield with 7,814; and, on the other hand, nine other towns with far greater numbers without the franchise. The only two enfranchised towns in Herts have not more than 18,000; while there are three other unenfranchised with some thousands more. Cambridgeshire has but one borough, and yet has four towns with more than 20,000 inhabitants. In Essex, Harwich, with about 5,000, sends two members, while Romford, Chelmsford, Braintree, and Saffron Walden, each with more than 20,000, send none. As a contrast to these, Wiltshire has nine boroughs, in two of which the population is under 10,000, and in five, under 20,000. In Devon there are eight towns or districts with more than 15,000 inhabitants, all without the franchise. In Cornwall, Launceston, with 16,800 is enfranchised, and Redruth and Penzance, with about 50,000, not. Somersetshire has eight unenfranchised districts, having more than 20,000; Staffordshire and Leicestershire have four, and Lincolnshire nine; Evesham, Worcestershire, sends two members; Stourbridge, with 57,000 none! In the northern counties, unenfranchised towns of considerable size are very numerous. In Lancashire there are eight, and in the West Riding six, with more than 30,000 inhabitants.”
(See also
24-Dec-1851
16-Dec-1851
13-Dec-1851
13-Dec-1851
29-Nov-1851)