Description:In 1831, democracy was the new word on everybody's lips.
The proposed Reform Bill was one of the hottest topics of the day - and promised to be a milestone in giving a meaningful vote to a greater number of Britain's people.
It would do this by giving Stoke-on-Trent and other industrial towns MPs of their own, rather than sharing one with Staffordshire.
25 of Burslem's foremost citizens had petitioned the town's Chief Constable, Henry Davenport to allow a meeting to take place on 8 March at 11am.
They believed that the Bill would "benefit all Classes of the Community."
Davenport issued this notice to approve the meeting.
About this document
This document was collected by pottery manufacturer Enoch Wood and is now among the collections at Stoke-on-Trent Museums.