Peter ALSTON [6074]

  General Notes:

Peter a cordwainer, was admitted a Freeman of Sudbury 3 Oct 1812, the Sudbury Poll Book Dec. 1837 places him of 1 Lukes Yard, Cross St Sudbury, Also of Jail St 1815. Mentioned in Jun 1841 Poll for Sudbury.

Bribery at Sudbury
An enquiry reported a sum of L3000 in gold was used in a "systematic and extensive bribery prevailing at the last election (1841) of members of Parliament for this Borough" The election returned two Whig candidates.
Peter Alston of Cross St weaver was found along with many others "to have received bribes in respect of their votes at the last Election", and to have been implicated in illegal practces.
Extracted from the Ipswich Journal 27 April 1844

House of Commons 10 July 1844
Sudbury Disfranchisment Bill.
Debate on this Bill reveals that election bribery was widespread at that time. The Bill, passed after much debate in both Houses, disfranchised the constituency of Sudbury, incorporating it into West Suffolk
Ipswich Journal 13 Jul 1844

Peter was for many years Church Clerk of All Saints, Sudbury.

  Other Records

1. Census: England, 7 Jun 1841, Lukes Yard All Saints Sudbury SFK. Peter is described as a weaver, aged 50 born SFK

Peter married Ruth PECK [5639] [MRIN: 1833] on 14 Oct 1814 in St Peters Sudbury SFK. (Ruth PECK [5639] was born about 1794 and died on 21 Sep 1873.)