Recent elections have seen the issue of election fraud often being raised but as this fascinating poster from 1885 demonstrates, it is nothing new.
It was produced to warn of three men ‘from Blackburn’ who might try and impersonate voters in Rossendale to skew the vote.
The 1885 General Election was a key moment in British politics as it saw the majority of adult males being able to vote for the first time and new constituencies returning a single MP.
In Rossendale the seat was won by Lord Hartington, Spencer Compton Cavendish the 8th Duke of Devonshire.
He was a fascinating political figure, declining the opportunity to become Prime Minister on three occasions. He also held leading positions in three political parties: leading the Liberal Party, the Liberal Unionist Party and the Conservative Party in either the House of Commons or the House of Lords.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel