Sheffield's fight for the vote

Chartists, Suffragettes, and their predecessors

Sheffield folk have rarely been shy about fighting for their rights, or rebelling against the powers that be. It won’t be a surprise that the fight to vote was taken up by many here - by both men and women, and over a long period of time. The earliest organised campaign for electoral reform in Sheffield was back in the 1790s, which was a very turbulent time in the city - as well as much of Europe. The French Revolution of 1789 had received a lot of backing amongst ordinary people here in Sheffield, with large demonstrations turning out in support. Very few people were entitled to vote in the eighteenth century - but in Sheffield it wouldn’t have mattered anyway, because despite having a population of around 40,000 the old town had no parliamentary representation. In 1791 there had also been riots here following the enclosures of common land, and as a result the first infantry barracks in Sheffield was established in order to help quell further trouble. The presence of the soldiers was resented by many people, and there existed a fervent atmosphere ripe for further agitation.