This occupation franchise was the characteristic of the borough franchise after 1832. As ownership furnished the ordinary qualification for franchise in the counties, so in the boroughs, occupation, actual or constructive, was the basis of the suffrage.
This system of borough franchises, which began after 1832, relied on occupation as the basis for voting rights. This mirrored the practice in counties where ownership was the standard requirement for franchise.  In boroughs, the qualification for suffrage was based on occupation, whether it was a real job or one that was assumed.