Alt Ref No | CA/126 |
Acc No | 1012 |
Title | Registers of Electors |
Description | This series consists of Burgess Rolls and Registers of Electors for Ashton-under-Lyne, Audenshaw, Denton, Droylsden, Dukinfield, Hyde, Mossley, Mottram in Longdendale and Stalybridge before 1974 and for Tameside after 1974. More information about the parliamentary constituencies for the area can be found in the Administrative History. Burgess Rolls list people entitled to vote in local government elections.
Parliamentary Registers list people entitled to vote in parliamentary elections.
A complete series of electoral registers for the Tameside area has not survived. Our holdings are different for all the Tameside towns and there is considerable variation in the years represented. If you can't find the electoral register in the catalogue, it is because it has not survived. Registers held elsewhere are listed below under Related Material.
We do not hold any Absent Voters Lists for the First World War. In fact, there is only one absent voters list held at Tameside Local Studies and Archives Centre. It dates from 1936 and covers Stalybridge, Hyde, Dukinfield and Longdendale only. The Absent Voters Lists were published as separate volumes to the main electoral registers. An Act of Parliament of 6 February 1918 allowed service men to register so that they could vote in their home constituency. Men had to apply to be put on the absent voters list. A deadline of 18 August 1918 was set and a list compiled from applications up to this date was published on 15 October 1918. A second opportunity to register was offered and a deadline was set at 18 February 1919. The list resulting from applications received during this second wave was published on 15 April 1919. The absent voters lists were prepared by the local Electoral Register and they were published twice a year, as were the general electoral registers. This pattern continued for a little while after the end of the First World War. There are fewer instances of absent voters the further we get from the end of the conflict: this was because of the simple fact that the men were coming home. The Absent Voters Lists are of great interest to military historians and genealogists because they include more information that is usually recorded in the general electoral registers. In addition to the name and home address of an individual, they often include regiment or corps, regimental number, rank, battalion, battery (for artillery units), company or other unit number (for other corps units). You can check the regular electoral register for names of those you suspect to be absent voters. They will have N M by the side of their name. This stands for Naval Military and tells you that they were in the forces. They may also have a in front of their name. This stands for Absent Voter. The electoral registers are arranged by street. There is no name index. |
Date | 1836-2010 |
Extent | 8 linear metres [0.6 cubic metres] |
AdminHistory | A Chronology of Parliamentary Constituencies in Tameside, arranged by township.
Ashton-under-Lyne
1295-1832: represented by two members for Lancashire
1832: Ashton-under-Lyne constituency created
1868: Hurst added
1950: Mossley and Limehurst added from Mossley Division of Lancashire
1955: Droylsden added
1983: Ashton-under-Lyne borough constituency created
1997: Mossley transferred to Stalybridge and Hyde; Failsworth and Hollinwood added
Audenshaw (including Hooley Hill)
1295-1832: represented by two members for Lancashire
1832-1868: included in two member Southern division of Lancashire
1868-1885: included in two member Southeastern division of Lancashire
1885-1918: Prestwich division of Lancashire
1918-1950: Droylsden
1950-1955: Gorton division of Manchester
Denton
1295-1832: represented by two members for Lancashire
1832-1868: included in two member Southern division of Lancashire
1868-1885: included in two member Southeastern division of Lancashire
1885-1918: South East Lancashire, Gorton Division
1918-1950: Mossley Division
1950-1955: Droylsden borough constituency
1955-1983: Gorton Division of Manchester
1983-current: Denton and Reddish
Droylsden
1295-1832: represented by two members for Lancashire
1832-1868: included in two member Southern division of Lancashire
1868-1885: included in two member Southeastern division of Lancashire
1885-1918: Prestwich Division
1918-1950: Mossley Division of Lancashire
1950-1955: Droylsden Borough Constituency
1955-current: Ashton-under-Lyne
Dukinfield
1545-1832: represented by two members from Cheshire
1832-1868: represented by the two member Northeastern division of Cheshire
1868-1885: part of two-member Eastern division of Cheshire
1885-1918: part of Stalybridge
1918-1983: part of Stalybridge and Hyde
1997: transferred to Denton and Reddish
Hyde
1545-1832: represented by two members from Cheshire
1832-1868: represented by the two member Northeastern division of Cheshire
1868-1885: part of two-member Eastern division of Cheshire
1885: Hyde Division of Cheshire created
1918: Stalybridge and Hyde division of Cheshire created
1983-current: new constituency of Stalybridge and Hyde created
Mossley
1295-1832: represented by two members for Lancashire
1832-1868: included in two member Southern division of Lancashire
1868-1885: included in two member Southeastern division of Lancashire
1885-1918: Prestwich Division
1918-1950: Mossley Division of Lancashire
1950-1983: Ashton-under-Lyne constituency
1983-1997: Ashton-under-Lyne borough constituency
1997-current: Stalybridge and Hyde
Mottram-in-Longdale
1545-1832: represented by two members from Cheshire
1832-1868: represented by the two member Northeastern division of Cheshire
1868-1885: part of two-member Eastern division of Cheshire
1885-1918: Hyde Division of Cheshire
1918-1983: Stalybridge and Hyde division of Cheshire
1983-current: new constituency of Stalybridge and Hyde
Stalybridge
1545-1832: represented by two members from Cheshire
1832-1868: represented by the two member Northeastern division of Cheshire
1868-1885: part of two-member Eastern division of Cheshire
1885-1918: Stalybridge Borough Constituency
1918: Stalybridge and Hyde division of Cheshire created
1983-current: new constituency of Stalybridge and Hyde created
Dates of changes to the franchise in boroughs
1832: The traditional franchise of each borough continued, with the addition of householders (i.e. occupier, whether tenant or owner) of property assessed as worth £10 a year.
1867: Every adult male householder resident for a year and heads of families lodging in unfurnished rooms paying £10 a year in rent.
1869: Some women received a vote in local elections.
1884: No change to franchise in boroughs, although 1867 borough changes are applied to counties outside boroughs in this year.
1918: All males over 21 (residents or owners); women over 30 who were householders or wives of householders - 6 women in 10. Plural voting was limited to one residential and one business or university qualification (previously a man could vote in any constituency where he met the property qualification). This amounted to about 5 in 6 people over the age of 21 having the vote.
1928: Every resident or owner over 21 given the vote. This amounted to about 97% of the adult population.
1948: Abolition of business / non-resident ownership vote and university seats.
1969: Everybody over 18 given the vote.
Dates of changes to the franchise in counties outside boroughs
1832: Freeholders with property worth 40s a year. Copyholders renting property at £10 a year. £10 leaseholders with at least 60 years leases. £50 leaseholders with at least 20 years leases. Any tenant paying more than £50 a year.
1867: Any owner or leaseholder of a property rented at £5 a year, or tenant of property rented at £12 a year.
1869: Some women received a vote in local elections.
1884: Same voting qualifications as granted to the boroughs in 1867.
From here on, all changes apply to both boroughs and counties outside boroughs. |
Related Material | For 1841 see also L324. 1 for Poll Book, Ashton. This is not a register, only ephemera.
Some Registers of Electors for the Tameside are are held at Manchester Archives and Local Studies on Microfilm. They include:
1952 Register of Electors for Ashton-under-Lyne and Mossley
1953 Register of Electors Ashton-under-Lyne, Droysden, Failsworth, Audenshaw, Denton & Mossley
1957 Register of Electors Ashton-under-Lyne, Mossely, Droysden
1959-1960 Register of Electors Ashton-under-Lyne, Mossley and Droylsden
The British Library has the national collection of electoral registers from 1832 to the present day. The collection is complete from 1947 onwards, but patchy before World War 2. For more information on access and holdings, please go to http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/findhelprestype/offpubs/electreg/electoral.html
See subject map cabinet at L324.2 for a copy of the map referred to in the (electoral arrangements) Borough of Tameside order, dated 1979. This item is a bound series of ordnance survey maps showing the constituency boundary (barcode 015551429). |
CustodialHistory | Prior to the formation of Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council in 1974, each township held copies of relevant electoral registers. Where copies still existed in 1974, they were transferred to Stalybridge Library for inclusion into the Tameside Local Studies and Archive Collection. The current electoral register is held in the Information Services library and transferred to Local Studies and Archives each year when superceded. |
AccessConditions | Registers of Electors up to and including 2002 may be consulted in the search room and sections from these registers may be copied. Registers of Electors from 2003 onwards may also be consulted in the search room. However, they can only be copied by means of hand-written notes. No photographic, mechanical or electronic copying is allowed by law.
Full Electoral Registers are provided for public consultation and inspection so that:
- people can check that their own details are correctly listed, so that - if they are eligible - they can legally vote. Identification is not required.
-people can verify that the details of other people are correctly listed and that they are entitled to vote e.g. if they believe that someone has been included in the Register who is not legally entitled to vote, they can then report this to the Electoral Registration Officer
- people involved in the democratic and electoral process can carry out their duties (e.g. to assist MPs, MEPs, candidates, elected mayors, and political parties etc.)
- banks and credit agencies can make checks to verify individuals' details, under the 1993 Money Laundering Regulations
-law enforcement, security, and crime prevention bodies can meet their statutory obligations
Legislation:
- Representation of the People Act 2000 Section 9
- Statutory Instrument 2002 no 1871
Please refer any complaints to the Electoral Registration Officer. |
Type | Archive |
Ref No | GB131.1012 |
Code | Set |
NA474 | /Ashton under Lyne/Ashton under Lyne/Lancashire/England |
NA480 | /Audenshaw/Ashton under Lyne/Ashton under Lyne/Lancashire/England |
NA445 | /Denton/Manchester/Lancashire/England |
NA617 | /Droylsden/Manchester/Lancashire/England |
NA618 | /Dukinfield/Stockport/Cheshire/England |
NA716 | Hyde/Hyde/Stockport/Cheshire/England |
NA786 | /Mottram in Longdendale/Mottram in Longdendale/Cheshire/England |
NA448 | /Mossley/Ashton under Lyne/Ashton under Lyne/Lancashire/England |
NA444 | /Stalybridge/Stayley/Mottram in Longdendale/Cheshire/England |
NA647 | /Godley/Mottram in Longdendale/Cheshire/England |
NA927 | /Werneth/Stockport/Cheshire/England |
NA797 | /Newton/Mottram in Longdendale/Cheshire/England |
NA673 | /Hattersley/Mottram in Longdendale/Cheshire/England |
NA1332 | /Delph/Saddleworth/Rochdale/Yorkshire W R/England |