1812 United Kingdom general election: Difference between revisions

United Kingdom general election, 1812
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Revision as of 05:40, 10 April 2018

The 1812 United Kingdom general election was the fourth general election to be held after the Union of Great Britain and Ireland.

The fourth United Kingdom Parliament was dissolved on 29 September 1812. The new Parliament was summoned to meet on 24 November 1812, for a maximum seven-year term from that date. The maximum term could be and normally was curtailed, by the monarch dissolving the Parliament, before its term expired.

Political situation

Following the 1807 election the Pittite Tory ministry, led as Prime Minister by the Duke of Portland (who still claimed to be a Whig), continued to prosecute the Napoleonic Wars.

At the core of the opposition were the Foxite Whigs, led since the death of Fox in 1806 by Earl Grey (known by the courtesy title of Viscount Howick and a member of the House of Commons from 1806–07). However, as Foord observes, "the affairs of the party during most of this period were in a state of uncertainty and confusion". Grey was not the commanding leader Fox had been. After Grey inherited his peerage and went to the House of Lords in 1807, the party leadership in the House of Commons was extremely weak.

The Grenvillites, associated with the Whig Prime Minister before Portland, William Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville, were also in opposition but were of less significance than the Foxites. Despite this Grenville was recognised as the first Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords.

A relative of Grey's wife, George Ponsonby, was proposed to Whig MPs by Grey and Grenville as the Whig leader in the House of Commons. Ponsonby was the first person recognised as the official Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons, as opposed to the leader of an opposition faction. He proved to be incompetent but could not be persuaded to resign.

Until 1812 the Tory faction associated with another former Prime Minister, Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth, and were also out of office.^{[clarification needed]}

The smallest component of the opposition were the Radicals, who were a largely middle-class group of reformers. They had philosophical differences with the more aristocratic Whigs, but usually ended up voting with them in Parliament.

In 1809 Portland, whose health was failing, resigned. The new Tory Prime Minister was Spencer Perceval. In April 1812 he brought Sidmouth into the cabinet. A month later, on 11 May 1812, Perceval was assassinated. The premiership passed to the Earl of Liverpool, who failed to attract Grenville. This was a further stage in the development of a two-party system—just about all Tories supported the government and all Whigs opposed it.

The general election of 1812 returned the Tories to power for another term.

Dates of election

At this period there was not one election day. After receiving a writ (a royal command) for the election to be held, the local returning officer fixed the election timetable for the particular constituency or constituencies he was concerned with. Polling in seats with contested elections could continue for many days.

An example of what happened in the 1812 election was the Irish constituency of Westmeath. Walker confirms the date of election was 24 October 1812. Stooks Smith indicates that there were three days of polling, during which time 950 electors came to the hustings and voted. Longer contests were possible. The polling in the Berkshire election of 1812 went on for 15 days (with 1,992 electors voting).

The time between the first and last contests in the general election was 5 October to 10 November 1812.

Summary of the constituencies

Key to categories in the following tables: BC - Borough/Burgh constituencies, CC - County constituencies, UC - University constituencies, Total C - Total constituencies, BMP - Borough/Burgh Members of Parliament, CMP - County Members of Parliament, UMP - University Members of Parliament.

Monmouthshire (1 County constituency with 2 MPs and one single member Borough constituency) is included in Wales in these tables. Sources for this period may include the county in England.

Table 1: Constituencies and MPs, by type and country

Country	BC	CC	UC	Total C	BMP	CMP	UMP	Total MPs
England	202	39	2	243	404	78	4	486
Wales	13	13	0	26	13	14	0	27
Scotland	15	30	0	45	15	30	0	45
Ireland	33	32	1	66	35	64	1	100
Total	263	114	3	380	467	176	5	658

Table 2: Number of seats per constituency, by type and country

Country	BCx1	BCx2	BCx4	CCx1	CCx2	UCx1	UCx2	Total C
England	4	196	2	0	39	0	2	243
Wales	13	0	0	12	1	0	0	26
Scotland	15	0	0	30	0	0	0	45
Ireland	31	2	0	0	32	1	0	66
Total	63	198	2	42	72	1	2	380

References

His Majesty's Opposition 1714-1830, by Archibald S. Foord (Oxford University Press 1964)
(Dates of Elections) Footnote to Table 5.02 British Electoral Facts 1832-1999, compiled and edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher (Ashgate Publishing Ltd 2000).
(Types of constituencies - Great Britain) British Historical Facts 1760-1830, by Chris Cook and John Stevenson (The Macmillan Press 1980).
(Types of constituencies - Ireland) Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland 1801-1922, edited by B.M. Walker (Royal Irish Academy 1978).

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 | previous_election = United Kingdom general election, 1807
 | previous_year = 1807
-| previous_mps = MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1807
+| previous_mps = List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1807
 | next_election = United Kingdom general election, 1818
 | next_year = 1818
 | next_mps = MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1818
 | seats_for_election = All 658 seats to the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] | majority_seats=330
-| elected_mps = [[List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1812|Members elected]]
+| elected_mps = List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1812
 | election_date = {{start and end dates|1812|10|5|1812|11|10|df=yes}}
 <!--      Tory      -->
-| image1 = [[File:Earl jenkinson.jpg|150x150px]]
+| image1 = [[File:Earl jenkinson.jpg|160x160px]]
 | leader1 = [[Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool|Earl of Liverpool]]
 | leader_since1 = 8 June 1812
 | party1 = Tories (British political party)
-| leaders_seat1 = [[House of Lords]]
+| leaders_seat1 =
-| seats1 = -
+| seats1 = —
-| popular_vote1 = -
+| popular_vote1 = —
-| percentage1 = -
+| percentage1 = —
 <!--      Whig     -->
-| image2 = [[File:1st Baron Grenville-cropped.jpg|150x150px]]
+| image2 = [[File:1st Baron Grenville-cropped.jpg|160x160px]]
-| leader2 = [[William Wyndham Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville|Lord Grenville]]
+| leader2 = [[William Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville|Lord Grenville]]
 | leader_since2 = 11 February 1806
 | party2 = Whig (British political party)
-| leaders_seat2 = [[House of Lords]]
+| leaders_seat2 =
-| seats2 = -
+| seats2 = —
-| popular_vote2 = -
+| popular_vote2 = —
-| percentage2 = -
+| percentage2 = —
 | title = [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]]
 | posttitle = Appointed Prime Minister
@@ Line 48: / Line 48: @@
 Following the 1807 election the Pittite [[Tory (British political party)|Tory]] ministry, led as Prime Minister by the [[William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland|Duke of Portland]] (who still claimed to be a [[Whig (British political party)|Whig]]), continued to prosecute the [[Napoleonic Wars]].
-At the core of the opposition were the [[Foxite]] Whigs, led since the death of [[Charles James Fox|Fox]] in 1806 by [[Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey|Earl Grey]] (known by the [[courtesy title]] of Viscount Howick and a member of the House of Commons 1806-07). However, as Foord observes "the affairs of the party during most of this period were in a state of uncertainty and confusion". Grey was not the commanding leader Fox had been. After Grey inherited his peerage and went to the House of Lords in 1807, the party leadership in the House of Commons was extremely weak.
+At the core of the opposition were the [[Foxite]] Whigs, led since the death of [[Charles James Fox|Fox]] in 1806 by [[Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey|Earl Grey]] (known by the [[courtesy title]] of Viscount Howick and a member of the House of Commons from 1806–07). However, as Foord observes, "the affairs of the party during most of this period were in a state of uncertainty and confusion". Grey was not the commanding leader Fox had been. After Grey inherited his peerage and went to the House of Lords in 1807, the party leadership in the House of Commons was extremely weak.
-The Grenvillites, associated with the Whig Prime Minister before Portland, [[William Wyndham Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville]] were also in opposition but were of less significance than the Foxites. Despite this Grenville was recognised as the first Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords.
+The Grenvillites, associated with the Whig Prime Minister before Portland, [[William Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville]], were also in opposition but were of less significance than the Foxites. Despite this Grenville was recognised as the first Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords.
-A relative of Grey's wife, [[George Ponsonby]], was proposed to Whig MPs by Grey and Grenville as the Whig leader in the House of Commons. Ponsonby was the first person recognised as the official [[Leader of the Opposition (UK)|Leader of '''the''' Opposition]] in the House of Commons, as opposed to the leader of '''an''' opposition faction. He proved to be incompetent but could not be persuaded to resign.
+A relative of Grey's wife, [[George Ponsonby]], was proposed to Whig MPs by Grey and Grenville as the Whig leader in the House of Commons. Ponsonby was the first person recognised as the official [[Leader of the Opposition (UK)|Leader of {{em|the}} Opposition]] in the House of Commons, as opposed to the leader of {{em|an}} opposition faction. He proved to be incompetent but could not be persuaded to resign.
-Until 1812 the Tory faction associated with another former Prime Minister [[Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth]] were also out of office.
+Until 1812 the Tory faction associated with another former Prime Minister, [[Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth]], and were also out of office.{{clarify}}
-The smallest component of the opposition were the [[Radical Party (UK)|Radicals]], who were a largely middle class group of reformers. They had philosophical differences with the more aristocratic Whigs, but usually ended up voting with them in Parliament.
+The smallest component of the opposition were the [[Radical Party (UK)|Radicals]], who were a largely middle-class group of reformers. They had philosophical differences with the more aristocratic Whigs, but usually ended up voting with them in Parliament.
-In 1809 Portland, whose health was failing, resigned. The new Tory Prime Minister was [[Spencer Perceval]]. In April 1812 he brought Sidmouth into the cabinet. A month later on 11 May 1812 [[Assassination of Spencer Perceval|Perceval was assassinated]]. The Premiership passed to the [[Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool|Earl of Liverpool]] who failed to attract Grenville. This was a further stage in the development of a two party system &ndash; just about all Tories supported the government and all Whigs opposed it.
+In 1809 Portland, whose health was failing, resigned. The new Tory Prime Minister was [[Spencer Perceval]]. In April 1812 he brought Sidmouth into the cabinet. A month later, on 11 May 1812, [[Assassination of Spencer Perceval|Perceval was assassinated]]. The premiership passed to the [[Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool|Earl of Liverpool]], who failed to attract Grenville. This was a further stage in the development of a two-party system—just about all Tories supported the government and all Whigs opposed it.
 The general election of 1812 returned the Tories to power for another term.
@@ Line 65: / Line 65: @@
 At this period there was not one election day. After receiving a writ (a royal command) for the election to be held, the local [[returning officer]] fixed the election timetable for the particular constituency or constituencies he was concerned with. Polling in seats with contested elections could continue for many days.
-An example of what happened in the 1812 election, was the Irish constituency of [[Westmeath (UK Parliament constituency)|Westmeath]]. Walker confirms the date of election was 24 October 1812. Stooks Smith indicates that there were three days of polling, during which time 950 electors came to the [[hustings]] and voted. Longer contests were possible. The polling in the [[Berkshire (UK Parliament constituency)|Berkshire]] election of 1812 went on for fifteen days (with 1,992 electors voting).
+An example of what happened in the 1812 election was the Irish constituency of [[Westmeath (UK Parliament constituency)|Westmeath]]. Walker confirms the date of election was 24 October 1812. Stooks Smith indicates that there were three days of polling, during which time 950 electors came to the [[hustings]] and voted. Longer contests were possible. The polling in the [[Berkshire (UK Parliament constituency)|Berkshire]] election of 1812 went on for 15 days (with 1,992 electors voting).
 The time between the first and last contests in the general election was 5 October to 10 November 1812.

v t e Elections and referendums in the United Kingdom
General elections	1802 1806 1807 1812 1818 1820 1826 1830 1831 1832 1835 1837 1841 1847 1852 1857 1859 1865 1868 1874 1880 1885 1886 1892 1895 1900 1906 1910 (Jan) 1910 (Dec) 1918 1922 1923 1924 1929 1931 1935 1945 1950 1951 1955 1959 1964 1966 1970 1974 (Feb) 1974 (Oct) 1979 1983 1987 1992 1997 2001 2005 2010 2015 2017 2019 2024 Next
Local elections	1889 1890 1892 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
European elections	1979 1984 1989 1994 1999 2004 2009 2014 2019
Referendums	1975 2011 2016
See also Elections in England Northern Ireland Scotland Wales Great Britain

Revision as of 05:40, 10 April 2018

Political situation

Dates of election

Summary of the constituencies

See also

References