1831

Dates: Friday 6 May-Saturday 7 May 1831.

Poll book reference: A copy of the poll... (Bedford: W. White, 1831).

[According to History of Parliament, polling lasted four days, with Stuart giving up on the Saturday; however, the poll book gives the above dates.]

History of Parliament estimates that Bedfordshire had an electorate of about 2,800 in c.1830, of which 1,869 voted (67 per cent turnout).

Candidates: Francis Russell, marquis of Tavistock (Whig); Sir Peter Payne (Whig); and William Stuart (Tory).

Francis Russell, Lord Tavistock, was the son and heir of the 6th duke of Bedford. He had been elected Knight of the Shire in 1812. He ran in harness with Sir Peter Payne, a long-time supporter of parliamentary reform, spoke in favour of triennial parliaments and the ballot at the Bedford reform meeting in January 1831. He had nominated Tavistock in 1830 and, despite his age, had been persuaded to stand on a Reform ticket with Tavistock in 1831.

William Stuart had been elected Knight of the Shire in 1830.

After one day of polling, a Bedford resident noted that, 'I never witnessed so much enthusiasm as was displayed by the people here on the result being made known. Many ran about like madmen. They have had a band of music all round the town even though at this time of night, which was preceded by enormous flambeaux and followed by a most numerous body of the most respectable trades people'.

Tavistock and Payne were elected as Knights of the Shire.