John London (victualler)
John London | |
|---|---|
| Born | Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England |
| Died | 1770 |
| Occupation(s) | Victualler, publican |
| Known for | Earliest documented black voter in Great Britain |
John London (deceased 1770) was an English victualler or publican and is recognized as the earliest documented black individual to participate in voting within Great Britain, having cast his vote in the November 1749 London by-election.
Earliest documented black voter
In 2024, archival records from the November 1749 Westminster by-election identified London as the first recorded black voter in Great Britain, preceding Ignatius Sancho by a quarter of a century. At that period, voting rights were restricted to male ratepayers, constituting roughly 14% of the population. Georgian London was home to about 10,000 black inhabitants, within a total population near 700,000. During the by-election, London was among approximately 9,465 men who voted for the Westminster seat, including eligible voters from Hungerford Market. The Poll Book listed him as "John Loudon [sic]," and he cast his vote in favor of Viscount Trentham.
Viscount Trentham secured victory by a slim margin of 157 votes. This narrow result led the runner-up, Sir George Vandeput, 2nd Baronet, to seek a review addressing potentially invalid votes. London's ballot was contested in 1750 due to legal voting qualifications requiring British male ratepayers over the age of 21. Having recently relocated to One Tun Alley, London's payment of rates was confirmed by parish overseer Mr Rybot, who notably described him as a "Blackamoor," emphasizing his ethnic background. London himself verified his birthplace as Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England, thereby fulfilling British citizenship criteria. Ultimately, his vote was validated and his ethnicity officially documented for historical purposes.
Later life
London's name continued to appear in the parish rate book until 1751. His victualling enterprise, presumably an alehouse, operated under the name "The Blackamoor's Head." Following this period, he disappears from records until early 1770 when he was admitted as a pauper to the St Martin in the Fields workhouse. After contracting a fever during his stay there, he passed away.