T. H. B. Oldfield

Thomas Hinton Burley Oldfield (1755–1822) was an English political reformer, parliamentary historian and antiquary. His major work, The Representative History, has been called "a domesday book of corruption".

He was born in Derbyshire, and reputedly an attorney. During the 1780s he lived in Hoxton Square, east of London. Oldfield joined the Society for Constitutional Information in 1782, when he was proposed by John Jebb and seconded by Thomas Brand Hollis. He was very active with Richard Brocklesby at the time of The Case of the Dean of St Asaph in 1784, Subsequently he joined the Society of Friends of the People. He died at Exeter on 25 July 1822.

Over a long period, Oldfield operated as an election agent or manager. He was secretary of the Westminster electoral committee in 1780; and again secretary of the Westminster Association in 1783/4. In 1785 he introduced Henry Flood at Seaford. Over numerous procedural difficulties, Flood was elected in 1786.

At East Retford in 1812 Oldfield offered himself as election manager to George Osbaldeston. His candidate was elected, but then refused to settle financially with Oldfield. Oldfield then turned informer on the electoral corruption that had been involved.

Oldfield took the view that participation in deliberation and legislation was an inherent ancient right. In this he had something in common with Gilbert Stuart. This attitude was contested by the British Review in 1818, taking the line that rights had been attained by struggle. Oldfield mixed the concepts of historic right and natural right freely.

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