Talk:Manchester (UK Parliament constituency)

Election Results Source

Normally when I add election results I can depend on my sources 100% In this case however I have grave doubts as to the accuracy of the Manchester City online archive, epecially the info on the 1830's. It has clearly been added online by some one who appears not to understand what the information they are adding means, so what you see currently is rather more a historians 'interpretation' of a jumble of names and and numbers. Having said that I think I have them correctly listed but if any one out there has more 'reliable' info please ammend accordingly. Galloglass 11:00, 12 January 2007 (UTC)

Manchester's Medieval MPs - were there any?

I'm sure I read somewhere that Manchester was represented in a very early parliament - perhaps in 1265, 1275 or 1283? Does anyone know?

Ned of the Hills 217.155.193.205 (talk) 14:46, 9 August 2008 (UTC)

There were no MP's for Manchester until the 1832 Great Reform Act enfranchised the city. Before this electors would have voted in the county franchise for Lancashire from 1290 until 1832. I hope this answers your question. Cheers - Galloglass 15:13, 9 August 2008 (UTC)

Gosh you got back very quickly! Some years ago I mentioned to one of Manchester's blue badge guides Manchester had not elected MPs until 1832. He maintained it had done. I have McKisack's book "Parliamentary Representation of English Boroughs in the Middle Ages" - Manchester isn't mentioned. So where I thought I read Manchester had elected MPs in the Meiddle Ages I just don't know. Just one instance would explain the blue badge guide's contention. 1275 would be a likely year as an exceptional number of boroughs were called on to elect representatives in that year - including Birmingham which never did so again until 1832. McKisack mentions Birmingham's representation - but as I say says naught of Manchester.

Ned of the Hills 217.155.193.205 (talk) 16:55, 9 August 2008 (UTC)

Not Medieval MPs but Cromwellian MPs!

There is a footnote in Erskine May's "The Constitutional History of England Since the Accession of George the Third" which states: "In 1653, Cromwell disfranchised many small boroughs, increased the number of county members, and enfranchised Manchester, Leeds, and Halifax,—a testimony at once to his statesmanship, and to the anomalies of a representation which were not corrected for near1y 200 years...."

Cromwell's reforms I believe were scrapped just before the Restoration. So Manchester's earliest MPs would have been twixt 1653 and 1660.

Ned of the Hills (talk) 07:59, 10 October 2008 (UTC)