Norfolk: Residents voting in other counties
Suffolk Poll Books

Many people resident in Norfolk were entitled to vote in elections held in other counties, but they would have had to travel to the polling place to do so.

Of those entitled to vote many held freeholds in the counties that adjoined Norfolk ie. Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely, Lincolnshire and particularly Suffolk which has a shared boundary of over 60 miles.

These polls should not be overlooked as they can help with some family migration and land owning patterns. Later ones give occupiers names.

Some of the poll books printed before 1836 are given here. The transcriptions contain only those entries with a Norfolk link. Some places split between two counties will be found in full eg. Mendham, Rushford and Thetford are all on the Norfolk/Suffolk border. A few other places like Gorleston (in Suffolk but with later ties to Norfolk) have also been included.

Suffolk County elections.

• 1727/8
  • A copy of the poll for the Knights of the Shire for the county of Suffolk, taken at Ipswich, Aug 30th 1727
    [Ipswich: John Bagnall, 1727]
            (Partial Transcription - Voters names, Freeholds, Residences)
• 1790
  • The Poll for the election of knights of the shire for Suffolk taken at Ipswich on Tue/Wed June 29/30th 1790
    • [Ipswich: Robert Loder & G. Jermyn, 1790]
              (Partial Transcription - Voters names, Freeholds, Residences)
    • [ISBN-10:095881449X, S.A. & M.J.Raymond, 1995]

Notes

• 1. Many people living in Suffolk, voted in elections in Norfolk and these are to be found often at the end of the registers. See the transcriptions of the Norfolk poll books which may give some further pointers.

See also the main Voting page.

Copyright © Mike Bristow.
February 2011