In medieval England each county sent two representative Knights of the Shire to join the nobility and aristocracy in parliament. From 1265, following Simon de Montfort's victory over Henry III's forces at the Battle of Lewes, each borough was also entitled to return to burgesses. They and the Knights were now to be elected. From the time of the Model Parliament on 1295 parliament was divided into two chambers: the hereditary House of Lords and the elected House of Commons.
At first it seems any free man was eligible to vote but from 1430 a residential qualification was introduced, restricting the franchise to 'forty shilling freeholders'—only those residents who inhabited property worth an annual rent of at least 40s (£2.00).1 This move, to deny voting rights to the lower orders, was gradually modified over the years to include annuitants, holders of rent charges and the clergy.
In 1837 the Brighton Polling District comprised Brighthelmston, East Aldrington, Fulking, Hangleton, Hove, Newtimber, Ovingdean, Patcham, Piecombe, Portslade, Poynings, Preston and West Blatchington.3
Under the Great Reform Act, Brighton was created a parliamentary borough in 1832 and began to return two MPs in its own right. However, it continued to participate in the East Sussex Knights of the Shire elections. The East Sussex constituency was abolished in 1885
date
candidates
party
votes
share
n
%
1832 Dec 11-12
Hon Charles Compton Cavendish
Whig
2,388
47.79
Govt: Whig
*Herbert Barrett Curteis
Whig
1,941
38.84
PM: Grey
George Darby
Conservative
668
13.37
Charles Cavendish (1793-1863) was an MP from 1814 (aged 21) to 1818 and 1821 to 1857, including for East Sussex 1832 to 1841. He was elevated as Baron Chesham in 1858.
Herbert Barrett Curteis (1793-1847) had been MP for Sussex from 1820 until the new East Sussex constituency was created. George Darby (1798-1877) was MP for East Sussex from 1837 to 1846.
At this election the numbers of electors, based on location of property ownership (with the number who voted in brackets) were Brighton 299 (259), Falmer 11 (9), Hangleton 1(1), Hove 16 (13), Ovingdean 2 (2), Patcham 9 (6), Portslade 12 (11), Preston 4 (1), Rottingdean 10 (10). In Brighton only four voted for Darby alone (including Rev H M Wagner), while 45 voted for Cavendish and Darby.
1Consolidated in the Electors of Knights of the Shire Act 1432 (10 Henry VI, c 2) 22&3 William IV, ch 64 3East Sussex Election. List of the Registered Electors, with the votes of those who actually polled on the 4th and 5th days of August 1837 for the election of Knights of the Shire to represent the Eastern Division of the County of Sussex. Lewes: R W Lower and Brighton: W Leppard, 1837 4Representation of the People (Equal Franchise) Act 1928, 18&19 Geo V, ch12 511&12 Geo VI, ch65