Poll Books 1790 - 1859 Last updated 21.8.2011
The idea of a secret ballot was only introduced in 1872, until then the few voters of Hartley had to vote in public. This would be noted down and later published for all to see in "Poll Books", some of which are available to view in Gravesend Library.
1790
The
winner Edward Knatchbull (1758-1819) was MP for Kent 1790-1802 and 1806-1819.
He was Tory (Conservative), the other candidate elected was Filmer Honywood
was Whig (LIberal)
Living in Kent - voted 2nd day
Freeholders |
Freehold |
Consisting |
Occupiers |
Marsham |
Knatchbull |
Honywood |
Francis Glover |
Hartley |
house & land |
self |
X |
X |
|
Richard Treadwell |
Hartley |
house & land |
self |
|
X |
|
William Goldsmith |
Hartley |
house & land |
self |
X |
X |
|
Freeholders |
Freehold |
Consisting |
Occupiers |
Marsham |
Knatchbull |
Honywood |
George Charrington of Beddington |
Hartley |
house & land |
Goldsmith |
|
|
X |
Result
Candidate |
Result by poll list |
Declared at close of poll |
Marsham |
2,724 |
2,663 |
Knatchbull |
4,285 |
4,196 |
Honywood |
3,101 |
2,957 |
1802
Quite
a swing away from Mr Knatchbull can be seen in Hartley and the rest of Kent,
in the preceding election (1796) he had succeeded in getting Honywood voted
out by getting the second votes to go to William Geary, an independent (1756-1825)
MP 1796-1806, 1812-1818), however the same tactic was to backfire for this election.
But in the next election of 1806 it was Mr Geary's turn to be rejected
at the polls, prompting this poem:
Day Polled |
Freeholder |
Knatchbull |
Geary |
Honywood |
4 |
Richard Treadwell |
|
X |
X |
|
Thomas Cl Bradley |
|
X |
X |
7 |
William Goldsmith |
|
X |
X |
Total:
Knatchbull 3,933
Geary 4,085
Honywood
4,761
1835 - Western Division Poll - Gravesend Division
In
this election the winner was William Richard Powlett Geary (1810-1877, MP 1835-1838),
son of the William Geary above. Thomas Law Hodges (1776-1857, MP 1832-1841)
was the other winner. Thomas Rider (1765-1847, MP 1832-1835) lost his
seat at the election.
Name |
Residence |
Hodges |
Rider |
Geary |
William Bensted, sen |
Hartley |
|
|
X |
William Bensted, jun |
Hartley Court |
|
|
X |
Edward Best |
Hartley |
|
|
X |
Total:
Hodges 2,096
Rider 2,007
Geary
2,565
1852 - West Kent Poll
The winners were
Sir Edmund Filmer and William Masters Smith (of Camer)
Name |
Address |
Filmer |
Smith |
Hodges |
Edmund Aldersley jun |
Bridge Wharf, Strood |
|
|
|
Edward Allen |
Sutton at Hone |
X |
X |
|
William Bensted |
Hartley Court |
X |
X |
|
George Best |
Road from Hartley to Longfield |
X |
X |
|
Thomas Bradley |
Swanscombe |
X |
X |
|
Result (15 July 1852)
Sir Edmund Filmer baronet
3,247
William Masters Smith esq 3,193
Thomas Law Hodges esq 2,652
1857 - Western Division Poll - Gravesend Division
There
were 2 elections this year, a bye-election on 18 Feb 1857 and the general election
of 3 April 1857. In the bye-election Charles Wykeham Martin (1801-1870,
MP 1857-1859) was victorious over Sir Walter B Riddell, and successfully defended
his seat in the general election. However at the general election, the
sitting MP William Masters Smith of Camer, Meopham (MP 1852-1857) was defeated
by James Whatman (1813-1887). Hartley's voters backed the loser on both
occasions, although it is not surprising that they voted for Smith, the local
man. George Best would have had a double reason to vote for him - Mr Smith
was his landlord!
Name |
Abode |
Riddell |
Martin |
Smith |
Martin |
Whatman |
Rev E Allen |
Rectory House, Hartley |
X |
|
X |
|
|
James Armstrong |
North End, Southfleet |
X |
|
X |
|
|
William Bensted |
Hartley Court |
X |
|
X |
|
|
George Best |
Road from Hartley to Longfield |
X |
|
X |
|
|
Thomas Bradley |
Swanscombe |
X |
|
X |
|
|
J T Smith |
Sun Cottage, St Pauls, Deptford |
|
|
|
|
|
William Treadwell |
New House Farm |
X |
|
X |
|
|
James Treadwell |
Fairby Farm |
X |
|
X |
|
|
Result (bye-election)
C Wykeham Martin 3,557
Sir
Walter B Riddell 3,149
Result (general election)
C Wykeham Martin (Liberal)
3,896
James
Whatman (Liberal) 3,578
William Masters Smith (Conservative) 3,171
1859 - West Kent Poll - Gravesend
Two
Hartley based people were qualified to vote in other parishes, viz Thomas Deane
in Ash and William Young in Fawkham. They voted the same way as all the
Hartley voters. Both sitting MPs were defeated by Viscount Holmesdale
(1836-1910, MP 1859-1868) and Sir Edward Filmer (1835-1886, MP 1859-1865). The
Daily News of 9 May 1859 reported on an election riot at Dartford. Interestingly
then the Conservatives colours were orange and purple, while the Liberals campaign
colours were blue (Daily News 4 May 1859)
Name |
Address |
Holmesdale |
Filmer |
Martin |
Whatman |
Rev Edward Allen |
Rectory House, Hartley |
X |
X |
|
|
William Allen |
Court Farm, Hartley |
X |
X |
|
|
James Armstrong |
North End, Southfleet |
X |
X |
|
|
William Bensted |
Fairseat, Stansted |
X |
X |
|
|
George Best |
Middle Farm |
X |
X |
|
|
Thomas Bradley |
Swanscombe |
X |
X |
|
|
James Treadwell |
Fairby Farm |
X |
X |
|
|
William Treadwell |
New House Farm |
X |
X |
|
|
Result (6 May 1859)
Viscount Holmesdale (Conservative)
3,769
Sir
Edward Filmer (Conservative) 3,684
Charles Wykeham Martin (Liberal) 3,584
James Whatman (Liberal)
3,460
1865 - West Kent Poll - Gravesend
Thomas Deane
of Hartley was qualified to vote in Ash; he voted the same way as all the
Hartley voters. George Palmer Evelyn of Hartley Manor and 8 Onslow Street,
Brompton, Middx, voted elsewhere. The two Conservative candidates, Viscount
Holmesdale and W H Dyke were elected, but once again a close run thing between
the Conservatives and Liberals.
Name |
Address |
Holmesdale |
Dyke |
Augerstein |
Lubbock |
Rev Edward Allen |
Rectory House, Hartley |
X |
X |
|
|
William Allen |
Court Farm, Hartley |
X |
X |
|
|
George Best |
Middle Farm |
X |
X |
|
|
William Treadwell |
New House Farm |
X |
X |
|
|
Result (6 May 1859)
Viscount Holmesdale (Conservative) 4,442
W
H Dyke (Conservative) 4,062
Mr Lubbock (Liberal) 3,888
Mr Augerstein (Liberal)
3,849