All Topics  
Cornish rotten boroughs

 

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Cornish rotten boroughs
 
 
  Topics Cornish rotten boroughs Topic Home

There were 21 boroughs in Cornwall
Cornwall

Cornwall , constitutional Duchy and palatine, is a metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England of England, United Kingdom, located at the tip of the south-western peninsula of Great Britain....
 prior to 1821, most of which were rotten boroughs. Due to their size and population "rotten boroughs
Rotten borough

The term "rotten" or "decayed" borough referred to a parliamentary borough or constituency in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland which had a very small population and was used by a patron to exercise undue and unrepresentative influence within parliament....
" were "controlled" and used by a patron to exercise undue and unrepresentative influence within parliament. The origins of the Cornish rotten boroughs can be traced back to the Cornish Stannary Parliament, which was the Cornish parliament of 'tinners at large'. With the advent of the Duchy of Cornwall
Duchy of Cornwall

The Duchy of Cornwall is, with the Duchy of Lancaster, one of the two Royal duchy in the United Kingdom. The eldest son of the reigning Monarchy of the United Kingdom inherits the duchy and title of Duke of Cornwall at the time of his birth ....
 in 1337, the tinners at large were ousted in favour of Duchy 'yes' men with the result that the Government of Cornwall controlled the Cornish Parliament.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Cornish rotten boroughs'
Start a new discussion about 'Cornish rotten boroughs'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


There were 21 boroughs in Cornwall
Cornwall

Cornwall , constitutional Duchy and palatine, is a metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England of England, United Kingdom, located at the tip of the south-western peninsula of Great Britain....
 prior to 1821, most of which were rotten boroughs. Due to their size and population "rotten boroughs
Rotten borough

The term "rotten" or "decayed" borough referred to a parliamentary borough or constituency in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland which had a very small population and was used by a patron to exercise undue and unrepresentative influence within parliament....
" were "controlled" and used by a patron to exercise undue and unrepresentative influence within parliament. The origins of the Cornish rotten boroughs can be traced back to the Cornish Stannary Parliament, which was the Cornish parliament of 'tinners at large'. With the advent of the Duchy of Cornwall
Duchy of Cornwall

The Duchy of Cornwall is, with the Duchy of Lancaster, one of the two Royal duchy in the United Kingdom. The eldest son of the reigning Monarchy of the United Kingdom inherits the duchy and title of Duke of Cornwall at the time of his birth ....
 in 1337, the tinners at large were ousted in favour of Duchy 'yes' men with the result that the Government of Cornwall controlled the Cornish Parliament. In the days of the Duchy 'rotten boroughs', a similar situation prevailed in the Westminster
Westminster

Westminster is an area of Central London, within the City of Westminster. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross....
 parliament to such an extent that the Duchy rotten boroughs (there was only one less than the total number in Scotland
Scotland

conventional_long_name = ScotlandAlba|common_name= Scotland|image_flag = Flag of Scotland.svg|flag_width = 130px...
) were affectionately known as the 'Prince's Party' such was the extent of Duchy influence in Westminster
Westminster

Westminster is an area of Central London, within the City of Westminster. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross....
.

The Reform Act 1832
Reform Act 1832

The Representation of the People Act 1832, commonly known as the Reform Act 1832, was an Act of Parliament that introduced wide-ranging changes to the electoral system of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland....
 disenfranchised many of the Cornish rotten boroughs resulting in a loss of many of the 44 Cornish MPs. Before the voting reforms of 1821, Grampound
Grampound (UK Parliament constituency)

Grampound in Cornwall, was a borough constituency of the British House of Commons of the Parliament of England, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1821....
 was a classic rotten borough, returning two MPs and only having two voters ! It was disenfranchised for corruption in 1821 and its two seats transferred and added to Yorkshire
Yorkshire

Yorkshire is a Historic counties of England of northern England and the largest in Great Britain. Because of its great size, over time functions were increasingly undertaken by its subdivisions, which have been subject to History of local government in Yorkshire....
 from 1826. Tregony
Tregony (UK Parliament constituency)

Tregony was a rotten borough in Cornwall which was represented in the Model Parliament of 1295, and returned two Members of Parliament to the Parliament of England and later British Parliament continuously from 1562 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act....
 also elected two members to the Unreformed House of Commons
Unreformed House of Commons

The unreformed House of Commons is the name generally given to the British House of Commons as it existed before the Reform Act 1832.Until the Act of Union 1707 of 1707 joining the Kingdoms of Kingdom of Scotland and Kingdom of England , Scotland had its own Parliament of Scotland, and the term refers to the English House of Commons...
, until 1832, when its rotten borough status was abolished.

Cornish rotten boroughs abolished in 1821

  • Grampound (UK Parliament constituency)
    Grampound (UK Parliament constituency)

    Grampound in Cornwall, was a borough constituency of the British House of Commons of the Parliament of England, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1821....


List of Cornish rotten boroughs abolished in 1832

  • Bossiney (UK Parliament constituency)
    Bossiney (UK Parliament constituency)

    Bossiney was a parliamentary constituency in Cornwall, one of a number of Cornish rotten boroughs, and returned two Member of Parliament to the British House of Commons from 1552 until 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act....
  • Callington (UK Parliament constituency)
    Callington (UK Parliament constituency)

    Callington was a rotten borough in Cornwall which returned two Members of Parliament to the British House of Commons in the Parliament of England and later British Parliament from 1585 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Reform Act 1832....
     (had 225 houses and 42 voters)
  • Camelford (UK Parliament constituency)
    Camelford (UK Parliament constituency)

    Camelford was a rotten borough in Cornwall which returned two Members of Parliament to the British House of Commons in the Parliament of England and later British Parliament from 1552 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act....
  • East Looe (UK Parliament constituency)
    East Looe (UK Parliament constituency)

    East Looe was a parliamentary borough represented in the British House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected two Member of Parliament by the bloc vote system of election....
     (had 167 houses and 38 voters)
  • Fowey (UK Parliament constituency)
    Fowey (UK Parliament constituency)

    Fowey was a rotten borough in Cornwall which returned two Members of Parliament to the British House of Commons in the Parliament of England and later British Parliament from 1572 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act....
  • Lostwithiel (UK Parliament constituency)
    Lostwithiel (UK Parliament constituency)

    Lostwithiel was a rotten borough in Cornwall which returned two Members of Parliament to the British House of Commons in the Parliament of England and later British Parliament from 1304 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act....
  • Mitchell (UK Parliament constituency)
    Mitchell (UK Parliament constituency)

    Mitchell, or St Michael was a rotten borough consisting of the town of Mitchell, Cornwall. From the first Parliament of Edward VI of England, in 1547, it elected two members to the Unreformed House of Commons....
  • Newport (Cornwall) (UK Parliament constituency)
    Newport (Cornwall) (UK Parliament constituency)

    Newport was a rotten borough situated in Cornwall. It is now within the town of Launceston, Cornwall, which was itself also a parliamentary borough at the same period....
  • Saltash (UK Parliament constituency)
    Saltash (UK Parliament constituency)

    Saltash, sometimes called Essa, was a "rotten borough" in Cornwall which returned two Members of Parliament to the British House of Commons in the Parliament of England and later British Parliament from 1552 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act....
  • St Germans (UK Parliament constituency)
    St Germans (UK Parliament constituency)

    St Germans was a rotten borough in Cornwall which returned two Members of Parliament to the British House of Commons in the Parliament of England and later British Parliament from 1562 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act....
  • St Mawes (UK Parliament constituency)
    St Mawes (UK Parliament constituency)

    St Mawes was a rotten borough in Cornwall which returned two Members of Parliament to the British House of Commons in the Parliament of England and later British Parliament from 1562 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act....
  • Tregony (UK Parliament constituency)
    Tregony (UK Parliament constituency)

    Tregony was a rotten borough in Cornwall which was represented in the Model Parliament of 1295, and returned two Members of Parliament to the Parliament of England and later British Parliament continuously from 1562 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act....
  • West Looe (UK Parliament constituency)
    West Looe (UK Parliament constituency)

    West Looe was a rotten borough represented in the British House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected two Member of Parliament by the bloc vote system of election....


List of Cornish boroughs that retained the right to elect MPs in 1832

  • Bodmin
    Bodmin (UK Parliament constituency)

    Bodmin was the name of a United Kingdom constituencies in Cornwall from 1295 until 1983. Initially it was a parliamentary borough, which returned two Member of Parliament to the British House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until the United Kingdom general election, 1868, when its representation was reduced to one member....
  • Helston
    Helston (UK Parliament constituency)

    Helston was a parliamentary borough centred on the small town of Helston in Cornwall.It returned two Member of Parliament to the British House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until the United Kingdom general election, 1832, when its representation was reduced to one member....
  • Launceston
    Launceston (UK Parliament constituency)

    Launceston, also known at some periods as Dunheved, was a parliamentary constituency in Cornwall which returned two Member of Parliament to the British House of Commons from 1295 until 1832, and one member from 1832 until 1918....
  • Liskeard
    Liskeard (UK Parliament constituency)

    Liskeard was a parliamentary borough in Cornwall, which elected two Member of Parliament to the British House of Commons from 1295 until 1832, and then one member from 1832 until 1885, when the borough was abolished....
  • Penryn
    Penryn (UK Parliament constituency)

    Penryn was a parliamentary borough in Cornwall, which elected two Member of Parliament to the British House of Commons from 1554 until 1832, when its boundaries were extended and the constituency renamed by the Great Reform Act....
     - extended and renamed as Penryn and Falmouth
    Penryn and Falmouth (UK Parliament constituency)

    Penryn and Falmouth was the name of a constituency represented in the British House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 until 1950....
  • St Ives
    St Ives (UK Parliament constituency)

    St Ives is a county constituency represented in the British House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
  • Truro


See also

  • List of former United Kingdom Parliamentary constituencies
    List of former United Kingdom Parliamentary constituencies

    This is a list of former Parliamentary constituencies in the United Kingdom, organised by date of abolition. It is intended for list of Parliamentary constituencies in the United Kingdom which have been abolished, including those which were later revived, but does not include constituencies which were merely renamed....
     (see Constituencies abolished by the 1832 Reform act)
  • Cornwall (UK Parliament constituency)
    Cornwall (UK Parliament constituency)

    Cornwall is a former county constituency covering the county of Cornwall, in the South West of England. It was a United Kingdom constituencies of the British House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832....
  • Cornwall (territorial duchy)
    Cornwall (territorial duchy)

    Cornwall as a territorial Duchy has its roots in 1068 when the Earl of Cornwall was formed and existed until 1336 to maintain a form of independence for Kernow from Wessex ....
  • Stannary Courts and Parliaments
    Stannary Courts and Parliaments

    The Stannary Parliaments and Stannary Courts were legislative and legal institutions in Cornwall and in West Devon , England. The Stannary Courts administered Equity for the region's tin-miners and tin mining interests, and they were also Court of record for the towns dependent on the mines....
  • Stannary town
  • Hundreds of Cornwall
    Hundreds of Cornwall

    Cornwall was from Anglo-Saxon times until the 19th century divided into Hundred , some with the suffix shire as in Pydarshire, East and West Wivelshire and Powdershire which were first recorded as names between 1184-1187....