11 - The university as a political institution, 1750–1815

Summary

THE UNIVERSITY IN PARLIAMENT: THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE AS CHANCELLOR

THE UNIVERSITY AS A PARLIAMENTARY CONSTITUENCY

The important contest for this University, which has so long been looked forward to with intense anxiety throughout the country, commenced on Tuesday last, the Candidates being Sir John Copley, Attorney-General, Lord Palmerston, Mr Bankes, and Mr Goulburn. During the whole of Monday, the members of the Senate kept pouring into the town, and by night the streets of the town, the halls of the colleges, and their groves were completely thronged with the sons of science, many of whom had not visited the scenes of Alma Materfor several years. The business was commenced at the usual hour, but with this difference, that the votes after being tendered and accepted by the Vice Chancellor, were all entered in a poll book.

Cambridge and Oxford were the only places where elections were held for three parliamentary constituencies at once: the county, the borough, and the university, each seat of learning being given the right to return two MPs by James VI and I in 1603. Unlike other members, the university representatives did not have to own landed or personal property; the only essential qualifications were membership of their university itself and a place on their college's boards, which they had to be careful to retain; uniquely, they represented their constituency in a very strict sense.