Editing Reform Act 1832 (section)

===Pocket boroughs===

Many constituencies, especially those with small electorates, were under the control of rich landowners, and were known as nomination boroughs or [[pocket borough]]s, because they were said to be in the pockets of their patrons. Most patrons were noblemen or landed gentry who could use their local influence, prestige, and wealth to sway the voters. This was particularly true in rural counties, and in small boroughs situated near a large landed estate. Some noblemen even controlled multiple constituencies: for example, the [[Charles Howard, 11th Duke of Norfolk|Duke of Norfolk]] controlled eleven, while the [[James Lowther, 1st Earl of Lonsdale|Earl of Lonsdale]] controlled nine.<ref>May (1896), vol. I, p. 333.</ref> Writing in 1821, [[Sydney Smith]] proclaimed that "The country belongs to the Duke of Rutland, Lord Lonsdale, the Duke of Newcastle, and about twenty other holders of boroughs. They are our masters!"<ref>Holland and Austin (1855), vol. II, pp. 214–215.</ref> [[T. H. B. Oldfield]] claimed in his ''Representative History of Great Britain and Ireland'' that, out of the 514 members representing England and Wales, about 370 were selected by nearly 180 patrons.<ref>May (1896), vol. I, pp. 361–362.</ref> A member who represented a pocket borough was expected to vote as his patron ordered, or else lose his seat at the next election.{{Citation needed|date=December 2020}} Voters in some constituencies resisted outright domination by powerful landlords, but were often open to corruption.