A Whig Medal, evidently issued by the city, to Commemorate the Passage of the 2nd Reform Bill, 1832 1832

This medal was designed by Benjamin Wyon around 1832 to commemorate the passage of the 2nd Reform Bill in Britain. This act was a pivotal moment in British history as it expanded the electorate, granting voting rights to a larger portion of the male population, though still excluding women and significant parts of the working class. The medal presents us with an allegory of the Reform Bill, where Britannia extends her hand in support of a kneeling figure who represents the newly enfranchised people. Note the almost neoclassical style: these figures embody ideas of liberty and progress, concepts central to Whig ideology. The names "Grey, Brougham, Althorp, Russell" are inscribed, honoring the key Whig leaders who championed the bill. However, the medal simplifies a deeply complex social and political landscape. While the Reform Bill was a step towards broader representation, it also highlights the gendered nature of citizenship at the time, and the limits of enfranchisement based on property and class. It's a reminder that progress is often incremental, and that the fight for full and equal rights is ongoing.