Electoral Rolls Q

[Merry]

Nothing to add to BK6 from this thread

I have an address for a man for 1920 in Liverpool. It would be helpful if I knew the first name of his wife - how likely is it that his wife's name will be in the electoral roll?

[Margaret in Burton]

Depends how old she was. Didn't woman over 30 get the vote in 1918?

[Merry]

Ah, well I don't know that! lol But the husband was b 1879 so there's a good chance she won't be too young - He was unmarried in 1911, but got caught sometime after that and before 1921 if I'm right in my guess at a 1921 birth reg for his child. Sadly it's all very common names so I've been trying to work out cheap ways of hitting on the right cert first time. :)

[Phoenix]

What I don't know is the percentage take up rate for electors. Was everyone terrified out of their skins if they weren't on the electoral roll, or would there have been some women in 1920 who didn't want to vote or whose husbands missed them off?

It used to irritate me profoundly that one form is sent out per household, so lodgers etc could easily be omitted.

[Merry]

Hmmm, so it's all a bit of a long shot?

Think I need the 1921 census!

[Margaret in Burton]

Looks like you can have the 2011 census if reports it has been hacked are true.

[Olde Crone]

It wasn't compulsory to register to vote in the early years, it was seen as a huge privilege offered to the lower orders who ought to be blinky grateful and rush to register to vote. No one cared if they didn't, and my own mother in the 1960s was very proud of NOT voting - "I leave all that to your father, I don't understand politics".

I would imagine that in the late 1920s only very "modern" women would register to vote and most wouldn't defy their husband if he didn't want them to register.

OC

[Merry]

OK, so that sounds as if it's highly unlikely this married woman would bother. I'll have to think of a different plan, particularly as it's only 1920 I have an address for.

[Olde Crone]

On the other hand, lol, I was stunned to find my 2 x GGM on the Borough Electoral Roll in 1898.(?). She was a widow, a shopkeeper and a forty shilling freeholder, which was I believe the criterion for voting in Borough elections.

OC

[Janet]

OK, so that sounds as if it's highly unlikely this married woman would bother. I'll have to think of a different plan, particularly as it's only 1920 I have an address for.

Well, strictly statistically speaking, all else being equal, there is a 50-50 chance: either she was registered or she wasn't. Michael or somebody will argue with me that all else is not in fact equal, which is what you meant by "unlikely", Merry, but still this individual is not everywoman. You don't know about this particular case. Your method might work. :)

[Olde Crone]

No stone unturned and all that.

OC

[Merry]

I will have to investigate whether Liverpool library charge a fee and decide which way to go from there......

[JayG]

I've just been checking some stuff on my tree ready for a visit to the archives tomorrow night & see i've added into my notes for a great great grandmother that i've found her on the electoral roll for 1923, 1930, 1935 & 1940. I guess she's on other years too but I must of only looked at those years!

Edit - I've also added notes to a great grandmother being listed on the ER for 1923!