TYNE & WEAR ARCHIVES
USER GUIDE 17 VOTING RECORDS
This User Guide details land tax assessments, electoral registers and poll books held at
TWAS, which can be used to locate individuals and find out about their economic
situation, and are especially useful where census records do not exist.
LAND TAX RECORDS
The Land Tax was introduced in 1692 and was a tax on the land which people owned.
Land Tax assessments are a record of all taxpayers in each parish or township, and give
the names of the owner and occupiers of the land, a description of the property and the
tax levied. From 1780 to 1832 the assessments were the only means of listing voters, with
those who owned property worth two pounds or more annually qualifying to vote.
From 1798 landowners were able to redeem the tax with a payment equal to 15 years tax,
and the Land Tax Redemption Certificates describe the property, the occupiers and the
sum redeemed. However, the names of these owners remained in the assessments for
voting purposes.
In 1832 land tax assessments lost their electoral function when separate electoral
registers were introduced. This meant that the assessments became only partial lists of
owners and occupiers and may not be reliable. In 1949 redemption became compulsory
on property changing hands, and the tax was abolished in 1963.
ELECTORAL REGISTERS
From 1832 separate electoral registers began to be kept. The registers are arranged by
wards within the county or borough, and then alphabetically by name or by street within
the wards. A map showing the boundaries of the Newcastle wards is available for
consultation in the searchroom.
Durham County Record Office holds registers covering parts of County Durham now in
Tyne and Wear, Northumberland Record Office holds registers for Northumberland county
and central libraries have the registers for their respective boroughs.
The registers, compiled annually except in wartime, give the name, address and voting
qualification plus any land owned within the area by the voter, but voting qualifications
were restricted as follows:
1832 Men owning property worth at least 2 per year
1867 Men owning or renting property worth at least 5 per year
1884 Men owning or lodging in property worth at least 10 per year
1918 Men over 21, women over 30, soldiers and sailors over 19.
1928 All men and women over 21
1969 All men and women over 18
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