Wakefield Museums and Castles

Potwallopers comic, Jade Sarsons, 2017

Art by Jade Sarsons

Story by John Whitaker and Dave Evans, Curators

Free copies available at Pontefract Museum

Pontefract, August 1872. It's election time but you wouldn't know it. There's no rioting, no fighting, and hardly any drinking. The only person shouting is the Mayor, and that's because he has to organise the first ever British election by secret ballot.

Pontefract's voters (a few men) will elect their MP by putting an 'X' next to their chosen candidate's name instead of declaring it to everyone in a pub. No bribes. No corruption. It's a big deal and lots of people hope it will catch on.

All eyes are on Pontefract. At least that's what radical feminist, Josephine Butler, hopes. She's brought the first female-led women's rights campaign to town.

How will the mayor cope?

Turn the pages of our exclusive comic to follow the trials and tribulations of Pontefract's big moment! 

(Tap the 'square' button in the bottom right hand corner of the comic widget to bring it full screen)

In the 1700s men were allowed to vote if their home had a fireplace large enough to boil (or “wallop”) a pot. These new voters were called Potwallopers.

Pontefract became a Potwalloper borough in 1783.