FHS Report March 2024 AGM & Talk: ‘An Election Entertainment’ by Stephen Astley

FDLHS. - Report for Parish News Tuesday 12th March AGM. &

 ‘An Election Entertainment’ by FDLHS. member - Stephen Astley 

Foxearth & District Local History Society held its A.G.M. on Tuesday 12th March.

2023-4 was another successful and interesting year with increasing numbers of both Members and Visitors. The committee was re-elected, and Keith Robson was chosen as our new Chairman.

Following a break with refreshments, Stephen Astley, ex-curator at Sir John Soane's Museum, spoke about William Hogarth’s sequence of four paintings (also reproduced later as a series of prints): ’’.  As the UK has an imminent General Election, he felt it a good time to look at the series.

The paintings illustrate the 1754 election of an MP in Oxfordshire. Hogarth mercilessly satirises the process of a Parliamentary election, with candidates vying for the votes of the easily duped electorate - which is desperate to be bribed. There had not been an election there since 1710.

The series demonstrates the corruption endemic in parliamentary elections before the 1832 Great Reform Act. Then, each constituency elected two MPs, and there was a property qualification for voters, so only a minority of the male population was enfranchised. Without secret ballots, bribery and intimidation were rife. Stephen pointed out and explained details and characters in each painting. 

The first painting ‘An Election Entertainment’ depicts a tavern dinner organised by the Whig candidates, while the Tories protest outside. 

In the tavern the two Whig candidates are ingratiating themselves with supporters. One candidate is kissing a conventionally unattractive woman, while a girl tries to steal his ring; the other is listening to a drunken bore. At the other end of the table the mayor is collapsing from over indulgence in oysters, while the election agent is knocked out by a brick thrown through the window by the Tory mob.

‘Canvassing for Votes’, The second painting depicts Tory and Whig agents, both attempting to bribe an innkeeper to vote for them. The crowd outside the tavern is visible in the background.

‘The Polling’, shows voters declaring their support for the Whigs (orange) or Tories (blue). Agents from both sides are using unscrupulous tactics to increase their votes or challenge opposing voters. Even a dying man is being carried to vote. In the background is a woman in a carriage with a broken axle (Britannia). 

‘Chairing the Member’, last in the series, shows the celebrations of and their supporters carrying the victorious Tory candidate through the streets on a chair in a traditional ceremony. He is about to tumble because one of his carriers has just been accidentally hit on the head by a Tory-supporting rural labourer who is attempting to fight off a Whig supporter.

The many now unacceptable practices now seem unlikely but still amusing.  We reflected how far our democracy has progressed and counted our blessings. Of course, such corruption does not feature in today's UK elections!  And at least we are not in Russia…