Buteshire (UK Parliament constituency)

Last updated

Buteshire
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
17081918
Created from Buteshire
Replaced by Bute and Northern Ayrshire

Buteshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918.

Contents

Creation

The British parliamentary constituency was created in 1708 following the Acts of Union, 1707 and replaced the former Parliament of Scotland shire constituency of Buteshire.

History

From 1708 to 1832 Buteshire and Caithness were paired as alternating constituencies: one of the constituencies elected a Member of Parliament (MP) to one parliament, the other to the next. The areas which were covered by the two constituencies are quite remote from each other, Caithness in the northeast of Scotland and Buteshire in the southwest. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

From 1832 to 1918, Buteshire was represented continuously by its own MP.

Boundaries

From 1708 to 1832, the Buteshire constituency covered the county of Bute (which historically included the islands of Arran, Great Cumbrae and Little Cumbrae) minus the parliamentary burgh of Rothesay, which was a component of the Ayr Burghs constituency. In 1832, Rothesay was merged into the Buteshire constituency.

By 1892, Bute had become a local government county and, throughout Scotland, under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889, county boundaries had been redefined for all purposes except parliamentary representation. 26 years were to elapse before constituency boundaries were redrawn, by the Representation of the People Act 1918, to take account of new local government boundaries.

In 1918, the Bute and Northern Ayrshire county constituency was created, to cover the county of Bute and a northern portion of the county of Ayr. The rest of the county of Ayr was divided between three other constituencies, all entirely within the county: the county constituencies of South Ayrshire and Kilmarnock, and a remodelled Ayr Burghs.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1708 to 1832

ElectionMemberParty
1708 Dugald Stewart
1710 John Montgomerie
1710none
1713 John Campbell, later Duke of ArgyllWhig
1715none
1722 Patrick Campbell
1727none
1734 Patrick Campbell
1741none
1747 James Stuart-Mackenzie
1754none
1761 James Stuart I
1762 Henry Wauchope
1768none
1774 James Stuart II (later Stuart-Wortley-Mackenzie)
1780none
1784 James Stuart II
1790none
1796 Frederick Stuart
1802none
1806 James Stuart-Wortley-Mackenzie
1807none
1812 John Marjoribanks [6]
1818none
1820 Lord Patrick Crichton-Stuart Whig [7]
1826none
1830 Sir William Rae, 3rd Baronet Tory [8]
1831none

MPs 1832 to 1918

ElectionMemberParty
1832 Charles Stuart Conservative
1833 by-election Sir William Rae Conservative
1842 by-election James Stuart-Wortley Conservative
1852 Peelite [9] [10] [11]
1859 David Mure Conservative
1865 by-election George Boyle Conservative
1865 James Lamont Liberal
1868 Charles Dalrymple Conservative
1880 Thomas Russell Liberal
1880 by-election Charles Dalrymple Conservative
1885 James Robertson Conservative
1891 by-election Andrew Murray Conservative
1905 Norman Lamont Liberal
January 1910 Sir Harry Hope Conservative
1918 constituency abolished

Election results

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Buteshire [8] [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Tory William Rae Unopposed
Registered electors 21
Tory gain from Nonpartisan

For the 1831 election, Caithness returned the MP.

General election 1832: Buteshire [8] [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Tory Charles Stuart Unopposed
Registered electors 279
Tory win (new seat)

Stuart resigned, causing a by-election.

By-election, 4 September 1833: Buteshire [8] [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Tory William Rae Unopposed
Tory hold
General election 1835: Buteshire [8] [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Conservative William Rae Unopposed
Registered electors 310
Conservative hold
General election 1837: Buteshire [8] [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Conservative William Rae Unopposed
Registered electors 345
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Buteshire [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Rae 134 65.0 N/A
Conservative Henry Dunlop [14] 7235.0N/A
Majority6230.0N/A
Turnout 20654.2N/A
Registered electors 380
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Rae was appointed Lord Advocate, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 23 September 1841: Buteshire [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Rae Unopposed
Conservative hold

Rae's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 1 December 1842: Buteshire [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative James Stuart-Wortley Unopposed
Conservative hold

Stuart-Wortley was appointed Judge Advocate General of the Armed Forces, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 7 February 1846: Buteshire [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative James Stuart-Wortley Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1847: Buteshire [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative James Stuart-Wortley Unopposed
Registered electors 410
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Buteshire [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Peelite James Stuart-Wortley Unopposed
Registered electors 491
Peelite gain from Conservative

Stuart-Wortley was appointed Solicitor General for England and Wales, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 12 February 1857: Buteshire [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Peelite James Stuart-Wortley Unopposed
Peelite hold
General election 1857: Buteshire [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Peelite James Stuart-Wortley Unopposed
Registered electors 489
Peelite hold
General election 1859: Buteshire [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative David Mure 138 51.7 N/A
Liberal James Lamont 12948.3New
Majority93.4N/A
Turnout 26755.7N/A
Registered electors 479
Conservative gain from Peelite Swing N/A

Elections in the 1860s

Mure's appointment as a Senator of the College of Justice, becoming Lord Mure, caused a by-election.

By-election, 16 Feb 1865: Buteshire [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative George Boyle 205 51.9 +0.2
Liberal James Lamont 19048.1-0.2
Majority153.8+0.4
Turnout 39577.0+21.3
Registered electors 513
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1865: Buteshire [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal James Lamont 203 51.4 +3.1
Conservative George Boyle 19248.6-3.1
Majority112.8N/A
Turnout 39577.0+21.3
Registered electors 513
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing
General election 1868: Buteshire [15] [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Charles Dalrymple 527 59.3 +10.7
Liberal John William Burns [16] 36240.710.7
Majority16518.6N/A
Turnout 88982.9+5.9
Registered electors 1,073
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +10.7

Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Buteshire [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Charles Dalrymple Unopposed
Registered electors 1,113
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Buteshire [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Thomas Russell 568 50.8 New
Conservative Charles Dalrymple 55149.2N/A
Majority171.6N/A
Turnout 1,11985.4N/A
Registered electors 1,311
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing N/A

Russell was disqualified due to his holding of a government contract at the time of the election, causing a by-election.

By-election, 6 Jul 1880: Buteshire [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Charles Dalrymple 585 52.0 +2.8
Liberal Thomas Russell 54048.02.8
Majority454.0N/A
Turnout 1,12585.8+0.4
Registered electors 1,311
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing N/A

Dalrymple was appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 3 Jul 1885: Buteshire [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Charles Dalrymple Unopposed
Conservative gain from Liberal
General election 1885: Buteshire [17] [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative James Robertson 1,374 55.8 +6.6
Liberal Robert Allan Maclean1,09044.26.6
Majority28411.6N/A
Turnout 2,46483.71.7
Registered electors 2,943
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +6.6
General election 1886: Buteshire [17] [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative James Robertson 1,364 62.5 +6.7
Liberal Nigel MacNeill81937.5-6.7
Majority54525.0+13.4
Turnout 2,18374.2-9.5
Registered electors 2,943
Conservative hold Swing +6.7

Robertson was appointed as Solicitor General for Scotland, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 12 Aug 1886: Buteshire [18] [17]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative James Robertson Unopposed
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1890s

1891 Buteshire by-election [19] [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Andrew Murray 1,335 57.4 5.1
Liberal John McCulloch [20] 99042.6+5.1
Majority34514.810.2
Turnout 2,32573.60.6
Registered electors 3,159
Conservative hold
General election 1892: Buteshire [21] [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Andrew Murray 1,466 59.1 -3.4
Liberal Robert Earle M Smith1,01340.9+3.4
Majority45318.2-6.8
Turnout 2,47977.6+3.4
Registered electors 3,195
Conservative hold Swing +1.7
General election 1895: Buteshire [22] [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Andrew Murray Unopposed
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Buteshire [22] [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Andrew Murray 1,241 54.3 N/A
Liberal Norman Lamont 1,04645.7New
Majority1958.6N/A
Turnout 2,28767.0N/A
Registered electors 3,412
Conservative hold Swing N/A
1905 Buteshire by-election [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Norman Lamont 1,460 50.6 +4.9
Liberal Unionist Edward Theodore Salvesen 1,42649.44.9
Majority341.2N/A
Turnout 2,88680.7+13.7
Registered electors 3,578
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +4.9
Lamont Norman Lamont.jpg
Lamont
General election 1906: Buteshire [18] [23]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Norman Lamont 1,637 51.9 +6.2
Conservative Guy Thomas Speir1,51748.16.2
Majority1203.8N/A
Turnout 3,15482.7+15.7
Registered electors 3,816
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +6.2

Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Buteshire [24] [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Harry Hope 1,531 52.7 +4.6
Liberal Norman Lamont 1,37247.3-4.6
Majority1595.4N/A
Turnout 2,90381.5-1.2
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing
Mitchell Edward Rosslyn Mitchell.jpg
Mitchell
General election December 1910: Buteshire [18] [24]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Harry Hope 1,569 54.4 +1.7
Liberal Edward Mitchell 1,31645.6-1.7
Majority2538.8+3.4
Turnout 2,88581.9+0.4
Conservative hold Swing +1.7

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References

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  2. "Buteshire". History of Parliament Online (1715-1754). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  3. "Buteshire". History of Parliament Online (1754-1790). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  4. "Buteshire". History of Parliament Online (1790-1820). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  5. "Buteshire". History of Parliament Online (1820-1832). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  6. Marjoribanks,Roger (2014) "Edinburgh Portrait, Sir John Marjoribanks , Bart, MP (1763–1833)" The Book of the Edinburgh Club, Volume 10, Pp 151-156, ISBN   0-9517284-9-0
  7. Escott, Margaret. "CRICHTON STUART, Lord Patrick James Herbert (1794-1859), of Rosemount, nr. Kilmarnock, Ayr and Cardiff Castle, Glam". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Stooks Smith, Henry (1842). The Register of Parliamentary Contested Elections: Containing the Uncontested Elections Since 1830. London: Simpkin, Marshall, & Co. pp. 197–198. Retrieved 8 May 2020 via Google Books.
  9. "Montrose, Arbroath, and Brechin Review" . 23 July 1852. p. 3. Retrieved 11 September 2018 via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. Taylor, James (2013). Boardroom Scandal: The Criminalization of Company Fraud in Nineteenth-Century Britain. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 99. ISBN   978-0-19-969579-9 . Retrieved 11 September 2018 via Google Books.
  11. Foot, M. R. D., ed. (1968). The Gladstone Diaries: Volume One: 1825 - 1832. Oxford: Clarendon Press. p. 586. ISBN   0-19-821370-0 . Retrieved 11 September 2018 via Google Books.
  12. Fisher, David R. "Buteshire". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. ISBN   978-1-349-02349-3.
  14. "Northern Warder and General Advertiser for the Counties of Fife, Perth and Forfar" . 13 July 1841. p. 4. Retrieved 18 August 2019 via British Newspaper Archive.
  15. Debrett's House of Commons, 1870
  16. "To the Electors of the County of Bute" . Greenock Telegraph and Clyde Shipping Gazette . 7 November 1868. p. 2. Retrieved 31 January 2018 via British Newspaper Archive.
  17. 1 2 3 Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1889
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, FWS Craig
  19. The Liberal Year Book, 1908
  20. "Representation of Buteshire" . South Wales Echo . 6 October 1891. p. 3. Retrieved 16 December 2017 via British Newspaper Archive.
  21. Whitaker's Almanack, 1893
  22. 1 2 Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1901
  23. Whitaker's Almanack, 1907
  24. 1 2 Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1916

Sources