There were no secret ballots in early 19th Century elections in England. Voters — and there were not too many of them, only men owning a Freehold assessed as worth more than 40 shillings a year — announced their preference in public, and a public record was kept by the Sheriff of the County.

The Oxfordshire Poll Book, which was commercially published, was created from the Sheriff's records. As well as listing the names of the voters, and who they voted for — and one man could have several votes depending on what, and where, his property was — there is also a detailed analysis, parish by parish, of voting behaviour.

Three candidates stood for election in the Oxfordshire constituency:

William Henry Ashurst, Esq.

John Fane, Esq. 

George Frederick Stratton, Esq. 

The state of the Poll, as given out each day

    A F S

 Friday June 16th 192 192 336

 Saturday June 17th 631 573 661

 Monday June 19th 1304 1238 1059

The numbers who polled, taken from the books of the Sheriff and check clerks:

Ashurst — 13290   Fane — 1268    Stratton — 1058

Oxfordshire being a 2 member constituency, Ashurst and Fane (both Torys) were duly elected.

 

Surnames of Deddington voters:

Adams, Arlidge, Austin, Bennett, Brotherton, Buller, Callcott (Calcut), Castle, Chillingworth, Churchill, Clarke, Dean,  Ell, Fardon, Field, Fidkin, Franklin, Gilkes, Greaves, Harris, Hatten, Hill, Hudson, Hughes, Jarvis, Knibbs, Lymath, Mason, Merry, Ordway, Petty, Poulton, Pritchett, Rose, Rutter, Rymall (Rymill), Strong, Sturch, Tay, Watson, Westcar, Wetton (Whetton), Williams, Woolgrove

Click here to download a PDF containing more details of the Deddington voters 

Follow this link to view the 1826 Poll book for Oxfordshire in the Google Library.