The Newcastle Poll Book 1780-84 

The 1780-84 Poll Book is a fascinating and unique record of the voting in the Newcastle Election of 1780. It includes additional manuscript notes from the 1784 election, possibly made by the agent for Andrew Stoney Bowes of Gibside in the 1784 Parliamentary election for Newcastle upon Tyne. In it was noted who had died since the Election of 1780 with “Mort” next to the name. Also noted was who had become a Freeman of Newcastle since the 1780 election and which candidate each Freeman had voted for.  

Newcastle was a “Freeman Borough” of 2,500 voters. This meant that you had to be male, over the age of 21 and a member of a guild (their trade) in order to vote. A voter could at that time “split” his vote between candidates, signified by a “1” in the poll or “plump” for one candidate with an “X” in the Poll Book.   

The Poll book has been fully digitised by the Society, and transcribed by volunteers so that it is searchable for the names of voters. Follow this link to see it.