July
1802
Middlesex
Contested
GENERAL ELECTION
Poll book data from:
Citation: Copy of the poll… (London: E. Rider, 1803)
Source: John Sims (ed.), A Handlist of British Parliamentary Poll Books (Leicester, 1984); Jeremy Gibson and Colin Rogers (eds.), Poll Books, 1696–1872: A Directory of Holdings in Great Britain (4th edn., Bury, 2008); L. W. L. Edwards (ed.), Catalogue of Directories and Poll Books in the Possession of the Society of Genealogists (4th edn., 1984).
Timeline & Key Statistics
Contexts & Remarks
Transcription completed by the London Electoral History 1700-1850 project, undertaken by Penelope J. Corfield, Edmund M. Green, and Charles Harvey.
Dates: Tuesday 13 July-Thursday 29 July 1802.
Poll book reference: Copy of the poll... (London: E. Rider, 1803).
A copy held at the Bodleian Library has the name 'Thomas Roberts' inscribed on the title page, who is possibly one of the Thomas Roberts who appear on p. 220.
Candidates: George Byng (Whig), Sir Francis Burdett (Radical), William Mainwaring (Tory).
George Byng of Wrotham was the son of a former Knight of the Shire for Middlesex and a member of the Whig Club, supported once again by the duke of Portland. He was a returning candidate, having been elected for the county since 1790.
In 1802, Sir Francis Burdett had previously served as MP for Boroughbridge since 1796. The duchess of Devonshire canvassed for him during the campaign.
William Mainwaring was a lawyer and chairman of the Middlesex and Westminster quarter sessions. He was a returning candidate, having been returned since 1784.
The election returned Byng and Burdett as Knights of the Shire. Mainwaring petitioned the result alleging bribery and corruption from Burdett, and he was eventually found to be unduly elected. However, Mainwaring was also found guilty of bribery and the election was declared void in 1804.
Cultural Artefacts
Poll Book
Below is a digitised version of the poll book for this election:
