| Lord Viscount Stormont (C.) | 2016 |
| Sir James Scarlett (C.) | 1962 |
| R. H. Gurney, Esq. (L.) | 1809 |
| H. B. Ker, Esq. (L.) | 1765 |
The contest was a severe one, and the total number polled was 3807, including 2283 freemen, 834 freeholders, and 690 occupiers. Gross bribery prevailed, and a committee of investigation was at once appointed, meetings were held, and subscriptions were collected from house to house throughout the several parishes, in support of a petition to parliament against the return of the sitting members. The petition was presented by Mr. Grote on the 18th of Feb., 1833, and on the 4th of April, intelligence reached the city by mail that a committee of the House had declared the members duly elected, but that they had decided that the petition was neither frivolous nor vexatious. At page 396 we have already given some of the evidence afterwards taken in Norwich on the subject, by the commissioners appointed to enquire into the state of the municipal corporation. The decision of the parliamentary committee was received with great surprise. On June 19th of the same year, the Conservative ladies of Norwich, having previously subscribed for two banners to be presented to Lord Stormont and Sir James Scarlett, the presentation took place in the Council Chamber, in the presence of 150 ladies, with several members of the corporation. Lord Viscount Stormont attended, and Mr. Robert Scarlett was present on behalf of his father, Sir James Scarlett. Mrs. Bignold, the mayoress, and Mrs. Preston presented the banners amid great applause.
The first Reformed Parliament assembled January 29th, 1833. It lasted barely two years, for the dismissal of the Whig ministry by the king, and the placing of Sir Robert Peel at the head of a Conservative government, caused its dissolution on December 10th, 1834.
Election of January 6th and 7th, 1835.
| Lord Viscount Stormont (C.) | 1892 |
| Hon. Robert C. Scarlett (C.) | 1878 |
| Hon. Edward V. Harbord (L.) | 1592 |
| Frank Offley Martin, Esq. (L.) | 1585 |
The second Reformed Parliament assembled, Feb. 19th, 1835, and on the 26th an amendment on the address led to a division with the following result:—for the amendment 309; against 302; majority against ministers, 7. This led to the resignation of the Peel administration; and Lord Melbourne was recalled to the head of the government. The death of the king led to a dissolution, on July 17th, 1837, and then followed the most severe and costly contest that ever took place for the representation of Norwich; bribery, intimidation, and treating, being carried on to a most shameful extent; £40,000 is said to have been spent in the demoralization of the electors.
The Election of July 25th, 1837.
| Marquis of Douro (C.) | 1863 |
| Honorable R. C. Scarlett (C.) | 1865 |
| Benjamin Smith (L.) | 1843 |
| W. Mountford Nurse (L.) | 1831 |
A petition was presented against the return of Lord Douro and Mr. Scarlett, and the result was, that by arrangement the poll was reduced—Douro, 1842; Smith, 1841; Scarlett, 1840; Nurse, 1829. Consequently, Lord Douro and Mr. Smith were declared duly elected.
The third Reformed Parliament assembled on Nov. 15th, 1837, and continued till June 23rd, 1841. Another election took place on June 28th, 1841, when the former members were again candidates. No polling took place at this election, but it was rendered remarkable in consequence of the Chartists and other electors being much opposed to the compromise, which the exhausting contest of 1837 had induced the leaders of the Liberal and Conservative parties to enter into, and an opposition of some kind was resolved upon. Accordingly, after Lord Douro and Mr. Smith had been nominated at the Guildhall, John Dover, a stalwart Chartist freeman, proposed as a candidate, Mr. William Eagle, a barrister of Lakenheath, in Suffolk. John Whiting, a £10-occupier, seconded the nomination, and a show of hands was taken, which the sheriff declared to be in favor of Lord Douro and Mr. Smith. Then Dover demanded a poll for Mr. Eagle, who was not present. The under-sheriff thereupon required a guarantee for the expenses, and some delay occurred. Many persons were applied to in the emergency, but declined to give the guarantee required. Dover ultimately withdrew the nomination on receiving £50 from certain parties, as he alleged, for expenses which had been incurred. This soon became known to the crowd of Chartists outside of the Guildhall, and a riot ensued. When Dover came out they surrounded him, took his money from him, and tore the clothes off his back. He escaped for the time, but on the following day the mob found him again, and threatened to throw him into the river, but he was rescued by the police. A petition was subsequently presented, by Mr. Duncombe, to the House of Commons, signed by 6000 inhabitants of Norwich, complaining of the return of Lord Douro and Mr. Smith, but it led to no result, and they sat in the house till the next election.