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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 franchise to those freemen who owned freehold land worth 40 shillings had the right to vote in elections for knights of the shire. This  40 shilling franchise was only abolished in 1832 by the Great Reform Act.The following is a list of 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

FreeholdersFreeholdsOf what comprising-[h&l is house and land]Occupiers
William HammondNoningtonh & lRich. Downing
Robert MatsondittodittoWill. Elgar
Thomas AshendenSarrdittoMrs. Kennis
Valentine PayneElmstonedittoWill. Bourne
Thomas HaywardMershamditto—— London
Abraham DunnNoningtondittohis own
John ObdayBucklanddittoRob. Obday
Vincent PayneWickh. BrookslandJohn Larkin
Daniel WoodNoningtonh & lJohn Mote
Austen PaindittodittoEdw. Rose
William WooddittodittoTho. Durning
John UkensLangdondittoTho. Sharp
Samson CreekNoningtondittohis own
Richard DowningKingstondittoEdw. Ford
John SextonBarhamdittohis own
Samuel MaxtedNorborndittoRich. Hogben
Knowlton
William TaylorSt. Nic. Thaneth&lWid. Taylor
Sir Narb. D’aeth BtKnowltonlandhis own
Francis D’aeth Cldittotytheditto
Isaac Mackettdittoh&lditto