The Reform Bill (Westminster) of 1831, afterwards known as the Great Reform Act, received royal assent on July 7 1832. The Act removed many of the rotten boroughs and granted new seats to the industrial towns and cities. The franchise was, on the whole, extended being granted to any man who owned property worth £10 or more.
May 24, 1831
PUBLIC MEETING IN STRABANE TO PETITION AGAINST THE PROPOSED BILL OF REFORM
In consequence of the following highly respectable requisition to the Sovereign, a public meeting was held in Strabane, on Thursday last, Sir John James Burgoyne in the Chair
To SIR JOHN JAMES BURGOYNE, Provost of Strabane,
Sir, We, the undersigned, request that you will convene a Public Meeting of the inhabitants of Strabane and its Vicinity, to take into consideration the propriety of Addressing his Majesty, and petitioning both Houses of Parliament against the Reform Bills lately introduced into the House of Commons by his Majesty’s present Ministers.
| Name | Name |
| Stewart HAMILTON, Rector of Strabane, J. P. | Irvine AIKIN |
| Thomas ROLLESTON, Clk. | James JONES, Rector of Urney, J. P. |
| Samuel MONTGOMERY, Clk. | Tasker KEYS |
| William KNOX, J. P. | William CLARKE |
| G. B. HUMPHRY, J. P. | David GWYNNE |
| John COOK | Andrew CLARKE, Jun. |
| Henry STEWART | Edward SHARKEY |
| James GREER | George LITTLE |
| Alexander MCCORMICK | W. A. DENNY |
| James WILSON | T. N. BURGOYNE, Clk. |
| James BRADY | Edward ATKINSON, Curate of Urney |
| Robert KNOX | Samuel MONTGOMERY, Clk. |
| James MEASE | James SLOAN |
| Robert SCOTT, Clk. | Alex. ACHESON, Milltown |
| Castor CLEMENTS | William RUTLEDGE |
| John KEYS, Longvale | James RISK |
| Samuel TAGGART, Woodbrook | Joseph SHARKEY |
| T. K. AUCHINLECK | Cottrell LITTLE |
| E. M. CLARKE, Clk. | Andrew GAMBLE |
| George KNOX | Daniel COOK |
| James HINDMAN | John MCDONALD |
In consequence of the forgoing Requisition, I do hereby request that a Meeting may take place at the Court-house of Strabane, on Thursday, the 19th day of May, at the hour of One o’clock.
JOHN J. BURGOYNE, Provost.
Strabane, 26th April, 1831.
TOWN AND VICINITY OF STRABANE
A notice having appeared in the STRABANE MORNING POST, of the 3d instant, signed by Sir John James Burgoyne, Provost, appointing a meeting of the inhabitants of Strabane and its vicinity, to be held in the Court-house, on Thursday, the 19th day of May, instant, “to take into consideration the propriety of addressing his Majesty, and petitioning both Houses of Parliament against the Reform Bill lately introduced into Parliament; ”and the Provost having refused to convene a meeting, on a Requisition signed by Fifty-three of the respectable inhabitants to petition in favour of Reform: We, the undersigned, invite the inhabitants of Strabane and its vicinity, to attend said Meeting on the 19th instant, and publicly express their sentiments on this important Question.
| Name | Name |
| William ORR | John SMYTH |
| A. G. DOWNING | Robert PORTER |
| William MULLIGAN | A. C. D. L. EDIE |
| Oliver LECKEY | Richard C. CHAMBERS |
| Robert STEWART | Francis O’NEILL |
| John BOYD | John MCCREA, Jun. |
| William HUTTON | William GWYNNE |
| Andrew BAIRD, R. N. | Thomas BROWNE |
| David MITCHELL | James PURSS |
| Isaac GRAHAM | James WILSON, Jun. |
| Robert HOLMES | Frederick MCCORMICK |
| James N. WATSON | Robert BROWN |
| Samuel JACK | George MCCARTER |
| James ADAMS | Robert MCCREA |
| John WILSON | Samuel MARTIN |
| David SMYTH | Thomas SMITH |
| William DOHERTY | Samuel MORTON |
| William TURNER | ANDREW MILLS |
| George CROCKET | John ANDERSON |
| John MCDOUGALL | James PORTER |
| Robert CAMPBELL | Thomas MCNEILLANCE |
| Joseph MCKEE | Jeremiah GILL |
| Andrew DONNELL | James GRAHAM |
| Charles MAXWELL | Samuel STEWART |
| James THOMPSON | George REED |
| JOHN KYLE | William RAMSAY |
| William SPROUL | Thomas MCCARTER |
| Nicholas SIMS | Michael GRAHAM |
| Charles CONWAY | Francis KEYS |
| William SMITH | John DOHERTY |
| Alexander LENEY | Charles MCCORMICK |
| John MCLAUGHLIN | Patrick BOYLE |
| Patrick KERR | George PORTER |
| Hugh HAMILTON | John MAGUIRE |
| Francis O’BRIEN |
Strabane, May 12, 1831