Later than advertised...
From the "Sheffield Iris" 23rd of August 1836:Notwithstanding the withdrawl of Mr Bell's pretensions as a candidate
it was considered necessary to open the poll at various booths appointed
for the purpose, on Saturday morning;the same were kept open to the latest
period the law allows, that was till four o'clock in the afternoon of that
day;and in that evening placards were issued giving notice that the final
state of the poll would be declared on Monday at twelve o'clock in the
New Haymarket.
Accordingly the Master Cutler Mr Wilson, the law clerk to the Cutler's
company Mr Parker and a few other gentlemen attended, to conclude this farce
of a contested election.
On former occasions the sealed poll books have been opened and the numbers
cast up in the presence of agents from the respective candidates;but in this case
as no person appeared on behalf of Mr Bell, the law required them to be opened
on the hustings, in public view, and there also the number of votes to be
ascertained - This being done, the Master Cutler declared the number of votes
given to John Parker Esq amounted to 414 and to Mr John Bell, none !!. He then
declared Mr Parker duly elected as member for the borough.
Mr Parker said - He hoped having enjoyed the joke of the contest for the last
few days , they would now go home in good humour.
Robert Rogers Esq was sorry they had had a most unprecedented contested
election - the opposition arising from a man they did not know. It did
not reflect any credit on the parties who were the cause of it. He would first
congratulate them on the result of the election and next beg them to join with
him in thanking the Master Cutler for his impartial conduct in these
proceedings.
Mr Geo Wells did really believe that it arose from no other motive than
to have a bit of a spree, that induced them to hold up their hands as
they had done on Friday. He believed they had more sense than to support
a man (Loud groans and uproar which prevented a sentence more being
heard from Mr Wells).
The Sheffield Iris was a radical newspaper connected with the Sheffield Society for Constitutional Information, and which had seen several of its editors prosecuted and/or jailed for sedition or libel.
Originally entering the business as an office clerk James Montgomery became its sole proprietor by the time of this story. A published poet, he also wrote the popular carol "Angels from the Realms of Glory".
The newspaper's politics had mellowed by this point and clearly supported a Whiggish line over more radical elements in Sheffield politics. It ceased publication in 1848.
