NONINGTON VOTERS IN THE 1754 PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS.

During the Middle Ages the Knights of the Shire were the most prominent members in the House of Commons with two knights elected for each of the 37 counties under Royal jurisdiction. Elections for Knights of the Shire were conducted by county sheriffs at county courts and in the early days of Parliament all freemen, even those who did not own property, could vote in these county elections. This caused resentment among those who did own land and in 1429 Parliament restricted the right to vote in elections for knights of the shire to those freemen who owned freehold land worth 40 shillings. This 40 shilling franchise was only abolished in 1832 by the Great Reform Act.

The table below records those Nonington residents who qualified to vote in the election of the two Kent Knights of the Shire in 1754.

Poll for the knights of the shire to represent the County of Kent 1754.
Nonington
Freeholders abode	Freeholds	Of what comprising-[h&l is house and land]	Occupiers
William Hammond	Nonington	h & l	Rich. Downing
Robert Matson	ditto	ditto	Will. Elgar
Thomas Ashenden	Sarr	ditto	Mrs. Kennis
Valentine Payne	Elmstone	ditto	Will. Bourne
Thomas Hayward	Mersham	ditto	—— London
Abraham Dunn	Nonington	ditto	his own
John Obday	Buckland	ditto	Rob. Obday
Vincent Payne	Wickh. Brooks	land	John Larkin
Daniel Wood	Nonington	h & l	John Mote
Austen Pain	ditto	ditto	Edw. Rose
William Wood	ditto	ditto	Tho. Durning
John Ukens	Langdon	ditto	Tho. Sharp
Samson Creek	Nonington	ditto	his own
Richard Downing	Kingston	ditto	Edw. Ford
John Sexton	Barham	ditto	his own
Samuel Maxted	Norborn	ditto	Rich. Hogben

Knowlton
William Taylor	St. Nic. Thanet	h&l	Wid. Taylor
Sir Narb. D’aeth Bt	Knowlton	land	his own
Francis D’aeth Cl	ditto	tythe	ditto
Isaac Mackett	ditto	h&l	ditto

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