1830 Election

The 1830 parliamentary election in Wigan took place amid a surge in political unrest and growing public demand for reforms across Britain. 

This election was part of a wider movement calling for changes to the electoral system, which many viewed as outdated and unrepresentative. In particular, calls for the Reform Act of 1832 were intensifying. 

This landmark legislation, passed two years after the 1830 elections, aimed to address issues like "rotten boroughs" and to expand the electorate by enfranchising more middle-class men In industrial towns like Wigan, where economic changes had drastically altered social structures, the lack of representation for emerging populations fuelled demands for reform. 

The election highlighted frustrations with the entrenched power of the aristocracy and the need for a more representative Parliament. By the time of the Reform Act in 1832, these pressures culminated in significant shifts, granting representation to new urban centres and altering the political landscape.

Richard Potter

Who was and what happened to Richard Potter?

Thanks to Ron Hunt