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SHOWELL'S DICTIONARY OF BIRMINGHAM.
was most impatiently heard, and the show of hands was decidedly against him. The state of the poll showed:—
- Thomas Attwood 1,718 votes ) Returned.
- Joshua Scholefield 1,650 )
- Richard Spooner 915
1837, August.—At this election the late sitting members were opposed by Mr. A. G. Stapleton, but, unsuccessfully, the voting being
- Thomas Attwood 2,145 ) Returned.
- Joshua Scholefield 2,114 )
- A. G. Stapleton 1,046
1840, January.—Mr. Attwood having resigned, Sir Charles Wetherell appeared in the Conservative interest against Mr. G. F. Muntz. Mr. Joseph Sturge, who also issued an address to the electors, retiring on the solicitation of his friends, on the understanding that the whole Liberal party would support him at the next vacancy. The result was in favour of Mr. Muntz, thus—
- Geo. Fred. Muntz 1,454—Returned
- Sir C. Wetherell 915
1841, July.—Mr. Richard Spooner, who opposed Messrs. Muntz and Scholefield, was again defeated, through receiving the suffrages of double the number of electors who voted for him in 1835. The returns were—
- Geo. Fred. Muntz 2,176 { Returned.
- Joshua Scholefield 1,963
- Richard Spooner 1,825
1842, August.—Mr. Joseph Sturge fought Mr. Walter (of The Times) for the honour of representing Nottingham, but the plucky "Birmingham Quaker Chartist," as The Times called him, came off second best, the votes given being 1,799 for Walter,
and 1,725 for Sturge.
1843, March.—Mr. Newdegate was first returned for North Warwickshire, and he retains his seat to the present day.
1844, July.—On the death of Mr. Scholefield, his son William was nominated to fill the vacant seat for Birmingham. Mr. Sturge, relying on the promises made him in 1840, also put in a claim, but his connection with the working classes, and his "complete suffrage" dream, had estranged many of his friends, and the split in the party enabled Mr. Spooner at last to head the poll, and for the first and only time (up to June 1885) a Conservative member went to the House as representative for Birmingham.
- Richard Spooner . . . 2,095 ) Returned.
- William Scholefield .. 1,735 )
- Joseph Sturge .. 346
1847 August—Mr. Spooner this time had to make way for Mr. Scholefield; Mr. Serjeant Allen, who also tried, being "nowhere" in the running, the figures being:—
Mr. Spooner was soon consoled for his defeat here by being returned for North Warwickshire along with Mr. Newdegate, though not without a hard struggle, his opponent, the Hon. W. H. Leigh, polling 2,278 votes against Spooner's 2,454, and Newdegate's 2,915. Mr. Spooner retained his seat for North Warwick until his death in 1864.
- Geo. Fred. Muntz 2,830 ) Returned.
- William Scholefield 2,824 )
- Richard Spooner 2,302
- Serjeant Allen 89
1852, July.—No one opposed the re-election of Messrs. Muntz and Scholefield.
1857, March.—The same gentlemen were again returned without opposition.
1857, August.—On the death of Mr. Muntz, though the names of George Dawson and others were whispered, the unanimous choice fell upon Mr. John Bright, "the rejected of Manchester," and it may be truly said he was at that time the chosen of the people. Birmingham men of all shades of politics appreciating his
