How Bedfordshire Voted

BHRS's 2008 volume, published in September, is the second in the series of Bedfordshire poll books published under the title How Bedfordshire voted: the evidence of local poll books.

The aim is to make Bedfordshire people's voting record in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries available for study. A review of volume 1 says that it shows "how county politics actually functioned at the level of the individual voter.” and that "this edition … will be absolutely essential for those with specific political, local or familial interests in late seventeenth-century Bedfordshire, as well as those seeking material for a comparative analysis.”

(H R French in History, volume 93, no 311, July 2008, p428-9)

HBV1 covers five elections from 1685 to 1715. HBV2 continues the poll book transcriptions for 1722 to 1735 covering the elections for two representatives of the borough of Bedford for 1722, 1725 (a by-election to elect one representative), 1727 and 1730/1 (another election of one representative) and for two knights of the shire for 1722, 1727 and 1734.

Accompanying text sets the elections in their local, county and national context and demonstrates that political calculations in selecting candidates and how many votes could be counted on are not a new phenomenon. This volume needs to be read with volume 1 where the electoral system and method of voting are explained.

HBV1 and 2 contain around 20,000 names of Bedfordshire voters in 12 elections for the half century from James II’s reign. Three of the poll books were printed at the time and the texts may be found on the internet, but most of the poll books are in manuscript only, so these two volumes make available a massive amount of new information for the historian of Bedfordshire. They give a vivid – and changing – picture of life in the county at a time of social and political upheaval.

Last word to the reviewer “Given the work involved in editing, checking and indexing these lists, the retail price [£25] offers good value, as is usually the case for county record society volumes.” Both volumes are available from the publisher, Boydell & Brewer, and bookshops (see side panel.)

Born at Luton Hoo?

Recently I received a plea for help in tracking down information about Luton Hoo being used as a maternity home for London evacuees during World War II. The enquirer believed that she had been born there but could find no information about Luton Hoo as a maternity home other than a posting on the BBC's WW2 People's War site


With the help of the Luton hospital historian and other documentary sources, it became clear that Luton Hoo was never a maternity home. For most of the war, it was the HQ of Eastern Command, although the King Edward VII Hospital for Officers was evacuated there for a short time in 1939.


So where was this enquirer born, if not at Luton Hoo?

A bit of delving revealed that the place of birth was The Hoo and that The Hoo in question was Gaddesden Hoo in Hertfordshire. For someone not familiar with local placenames in the Beds/Herts area, the identification of The Hoo with Luton Hoo is understandable.

Hoo is not an uncommon place name and also occurs in Kempston, Pertenhall, Wootton, Meppershall and Clifton, although undoubtedly Luton Hoo is the best known. But Great Gaddesden, just north of Hemel Hempstead, also has a house called The Hoo, and Hoo Lodge, Hoo Cottages, and Hoo Wood - in fact, an estate with a large house, although not of the order of Luton Hoo.

The enquiry raises the whole question of maternity homes for Second World War evacuees. Were there any in Bedfordshire? If so, where were they?

BHRS - lucky winner

Recently BHRS's secretary, Richard Smart, took part in an ICT survey run by Community and Voluntary Service Mid and North Beds. His response to the questionnaire was one of 157 from organisations around the area that looked at requirements for IT support.

A full report will be published soon. Meanwhile general findings are that around half the respondents felt that more help was needed by the voluntary sector in supporting the use of computers in their voluntary work.

The names of survey participants were entered in a prize draw and - Richard won an HP all-in-one printer, scanner and copier for the Society.