1842, August.—Mr. Joseph Sturge fought Mr. Walter (of The Times) for the honour of representing Nottingham, but the plucky "Birmingham Quaker Chartist," as The Times called him, came off second best, the votes given being 1,799 for Walter, and 1,725 for Sturge.
1843, March.—Mr. Newdegate was first returned for North Warwickshire, and he retains his seat to the present day.
1844, July.—On the death of Mr. Scholefield, his son William was nominated to fill the vacant seat for Birmingham. Mr. Sturge, relying on the promises made him in 1840, also put in a claim, but his connection with the working classes, and his "complete suffrage" dream, had estranged many of his friends, and the split in the party enabled Mr. Spooner at last to head the poll, and for the first and only time (up to June 1885) a Conservative member went to the House as representative for Birmingham.
| Richard Spooner | 2,095 | }Returned |
| William Scholefield | 1,735 | |
| Joseph Sturge | 346 |
1847, August—Mr. Spooner this time had to make way for Mr. Scholefleld; Mr. Serjeant Allen, who also tried, being "nowhere" in the running, the figures being:—
| Geo. Fred. Muntz | 2,830 | }Returned |
| William Scholefield | 2,824 | |
| Richard Spooner | 2,302 | |
| Serjeant Allen | 80 |
Mr. Spooner was soon consoled for his defeat here by being returned for North Warwickshire along with Mr. Newdegate, though not without a hard struggle, his opponent, the Hon. W.H. Leigh, polling 2,278 votes against Spooner's 2,454, and Newdegate's 2,915. Mr. Spooner retained his seat for North Warwick until his death in 1864.
1852, July.—No one opposed the re-election of Messrs. Muntz and Scholefield.
1857, March.—The same gentlemen were again returned without opposition.
1857, August.—On the death of Mr. Muntz, though the names of George Dawson and others were whispered, the unanimous choice fell upon Mr. John Bright, "the rejected of Manchester," and it may be truly said he was at that time the chosen of the people. Birmingham men of all shades of politics appreciating his eloquence and admiring his sterling honesty, though many differed with his opinions. Addresses were early issued by Baron Dickenson Webster and Mr. M'Geachy, but both were at once withdrawn when Mr. Bright consented to stand and his address appeared.