The election of a parish beadle in England: crowds thronging the entrance to the polling station, including supporters of the rival candidates, Spruggins and Bung, who expect to be elected according to the large number of their dependents. Etching by George Cruikshank, 1836.

1836

1 print : etching ; image 12 x 10.5 cm

The election for beadle. George Cruikshank.

Philip V. Allingham, Victorian web http://www.victorianweb.org/ ("The election is somewhat unrealistic since most parishes actually appointed rather than elected their beadles. Dickens uses this parochial contest as yet another opportunity to pit traditionalists against reformers, in this case the Ladies' Bible and Prayer-book Distribution Society versus the Ladies' Child Examination Society; albeit a ridiculous and even venial contest between candidates Smuggins [i.e. Spruggins] ("Ten small children and a wife") and Bung ("Five small children") in which financial need rather than ability is the keynote that appears on the signs of the opposing factions.")

Wellcome Collection 35902i