About the case study
Before the late 19th century, elections were often subject to bribery, corruption, intimidation and treating. The legitimacy of election results was often challenged through election petitions. These were dealt with by Parliament and, later, by the High Court of Justice, which assessed evidence and decided the outcome.
This project was undertaken by a group of adults who responded to a call for researchers issued by Norfolk Record Office. Participants worked with Norfolk Record Office and the Parliamentary Archives over a period of four months. During this time, the group took part in a workshop at Norfolk Record Office, and undertook a period of independent research.
The group visited Parliament for a day, where they toured the estate and archives, then attended a workshop in which they undertook research using evidence books held in the Parliamentary Archives. The project ended with a final group event at Norfolk Record Office, where the group shared their findings with each other.