# Third Reform Act widens the county franchise (1884)

URL: https://english-history.com/timeline/1884-third-reform-act-widens-the-county-franchise
Categories: main-event

The Representation of the People Act extended voting qualifications used in towns to much of the countryside. Within the broader Victorian Britain period, industrial society, mass politics, public-health reform, global empire and the Irish question dominated public life. This event is placed at 1884 in the chronology so it can be read alongside the political, military, social and cultural changes around it. The reform brought Britain closer to broad male household suffrage.

## Why it matters
The reform brought Britain closer to broad male household suffrage.

Ruler at the time: [Victoria](https://english-history.com/rulers/victoria)

## Sources
- [UK Parliament — Reform Acts](https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/houseofcommons/reformacts/)
- [Wikipedia topic lookup — Third Reform Act widens the county franchise](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search?search=Third+Reform+Act+widens+the+county+franchise&go=Go)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Third Reform Act widens the county franchise](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Third+Reform+Act+widens+the+county+franchise)
- [Wikipedia — Timeline of British history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_British_history_%281800%E2%80%931899%29)
- [The National Archives — Victorian resources](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/)