Peter Stewart

And after they were married, he had an affair with her younger sister. And after her father remarried, he had an affair with Cynthia's stepmother as well. I bet Christmas get-togethers were interesting. Cynthia and Oswald were both Labour MPs. She for Stoke-on-Trent and he for Smethwick in the West Midlands. Now, Cynthia died in 1933 and Oswald went on to marry Diana Midford.

And after they were married, he had an affair with her younger sister. And after her father remarried, he had an affair with Cynthia's stepmother as well. I bet Christmas get-togethers were interesting. Cynthia and Oswald were both Labour MPs. She for Stoke-on-Trent and he for Smethwick in the West Midlands. Now, Cynthia died in 1933 and Oswald went on to marry Diana Midford.

And amongst the guests at the wedding, a certain... Adolf Hitler. Now, if you go back 10 MPs from that, you get to 1885, and Sir Trevor Lawrence is not our main focus, even though he and his wife did create a celebrated garden at Burford Lodge. Ring a bell? It's now the Burford Bridge Hotel at the foot of Box Hill.

And amongst the guests at the wedding, a certain... Adolf Hitler. Now, if you go back 10 MPs from that, you get to 1885, and Sir Trevor Lawrence is not our main focus, even though he and his wife did create a celebrated garden at Burford Lodge. Ring a bell? It's now the Burford Bridge Hotel at the foot of Box Hill.

Well, the main interest is that in 1885, it was the first time for 17 years that Reigate had actually returned an MP, because the seat had been disenfranchised back in 1868. after years of complaints about vote rigging and corruption in local politics, which were mostly ignored because they were investigated by a committee of MPs.

Well, the main interest is that in 1885, it was the first time for 17 years that Reigate had actually returned an MP, because the seat had been disenfranchised back in 1868. after years of complaints about vote rigging and corruption in local politics, which were mostly ignored because they were investigated by a committee of MPs.

The government decided to let judges decide if elections were fair or not. Four constituencies, Cantham Off, Great Yarmouth, Lancaster, Totnes and Reigate, were considered so corrupt that royal commissions were set up to investigate further. Yes, Reigate was one of four boroughs in the whole of the country that was considered really, really corrupt.

The government decided to let judges decide if elections were fair or not. Four constituencies, Cantham Off, Great Yarmouth, Lancaster, Totnes and Reigate, were considered so corrupt that royal commissions were set up to investigate further. Yes, Reigate was one of four boroughs in the whole of the country that was considered really, really corrupt.

So following the passing of the Corrupt Practices Prevention Act, Reigate's seat was removed and the votes included in Guildford's numbers instead. It took until 1885 before another redistribution re-established Reigate as a separate constituency. What sort of corruption was going on to cause these complaints? Well, the main accusations were bribery and treating.

So following the passing of the Corrupt Practices Prevention Act, Reigate's seat was removed and the votes included in Guildford's numbers instead. It took until 1885 before another redistribution re-established Reigate as a separate constituency. What sort of corruption was going on to cause these complaints? Well, the main accusations were bribery and treating.

Now, treating was the offer of any food, drink, gifts or other enticements to get people in the constituency to vote for you. And in 1866, the good people of Reigate presented a petition to Parliament to hold an inquiry and Hansard records that £5 was about the going rate for a vote in Reigate. £5.

Now, treating was the offer of any food, drink, gifts or other enticements to get people in the constituency to vote for you. And in 1866, the good people of Reigate presented a petition to Parliament to hold an inquiry and Hansard records that £5 was about the going rate for a vote in Reigate. £5.

Now in those days elections could extend over a week so voters could look forward to several days of free beer and food just by saying yeah I'll vote for you that's not a problem of course I'm going to vote for you yeah where's my pint. It wasn't just the voting which was a little bit dodgy only a few people were eligible to vote in the first place normally through property ownership.

Now in those days elections could extend over a week so voters could look forward to several days of free beer and food just by saying yeah I'll vote for you that's not a problem of course I'm going to vote for you yeah where's my pint. It wasn't just the voting which was a little bit dodgy only a few people were eligible to vote in the first place normally through property ownership.

Can you see a problem with this? Well, if there was a local landlord who owned most of the properties, they could put their friends and relatives in those properties, sometimes just for the duration of an election, and then get their votes. So they get into Westminster. Or they could just sell the seat to the highest bidder, who could then influence the electorate.

Can you see a problem with this? Well, if there was a local landlord who owned most of the properties, they could put their friends and relatives in those properties, sometimes just for the duration of an election, and then get their votes. So they get into Westminster. Or they could just sell the seat to the highest bidder, who could then influence the electorate.

Even more rotten than Reigate, yeah, I know, even more rotten, was Gatton, which one American commentator noted in his paper, Electoral Corruption in England in the Old Days.

Even more rotten than Reigate, yeah, I know, even more rotten, was Gatton, which one American commentator noted in his paper, Electoral Corruption in England in the Old Days.

Now, one thing which caused all the competition for votes in Reigate was that before 1832, Reigate actually returned two MPs. So the two main families in the district had agreed to take one each. Can you think who those local families might be? I'll give you some clues in a few moments' time.

Now, one thing which caused all the competition for votes in Reigate was that before 1832, Reigate actually returned two MPs. So the two main families in the district had agreed to take one each. Can you think who those local families might be? I'll give you some clues in a few moments' time.