Elginshire and Nairnshire (UK Parliament constituency)

Last updated

Elginshire and Nairnshire
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
Subdivisions of Scotland Elginshire and Nairnshire
1832–1918
SeatsOne
Created from Elginshire
Nairnshire
Replaced by Moray & Nairn

Elginshire and Nairnshire was a county constituency in Scotland. From 1832 to 1918, it returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first-past-the-post voting system.

Contents

Boundaries

The constituency was created in 1832 by the Scottish Reform Act 1832 by a merger of two former constituencies: Elginshire and Nairnshire. It extended to the counties of Elginshire and Nairnshire, with the exception of the burghs of Elgin, Nairn and Forres which were instead part of Inverness Burghs and Elgin Burghs.

It was replaced in 1918 by the new Moray and Nairn constituency, which included all of Elginshire and Nairnshire, including the burghs of Elgin, Nairn and Forres.

Members of Parliament

ElectionMember [1] Party
1832 Francis Ogilvy-Grant Tory
1834 Conservative
1840 by-election Charles Cumming-Bruce Conservative
1868 James Ogilvy-Grant Conservative
1874 Alexander Duff Liberal
1879 by-election Sir George Macpherson-Grant Liberal
1886 Charles Henry Anderson Liberal
1889 by-election John Seymour Keay Liberal
1895 John Gordon Conservative
1906 Archibald Williamson Liberal
1918 constituency abolished

Politics and history of the constituency

Prior to the Scottish Reform Act 1832 (2 & 3 Will. 4. c. 65), Nairnshire was normally controlled by the Dukes of Argyll or Campbells, the number of voters varying between 15 and 30. [2] The Grants dominated Elginshire which had around 30 voters; both constituencies objected to the merger but without result.

The act increased the electorate to about 650–700; after 1832, the seat was contested only once in 1841, returning a Conservative until the Liberals took the seat in 1874.

Elections

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1832: Elginshire and Nairnshire [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Tory Francis Ogilvy-Grant Unopposed
Registered electors 642
Tory win (new seat)
General election 1835: Elginshire and Nairnshire [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Conservative Francis Ogilvy-Grant Unopposed
Registered electors 690
Conservative hold
General election 1837: Elginshire and Nairnshire [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Conservative Francis Ogilvy-Grant Unopposed
Registered electors 727
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1840s

Ogilvy-Grant resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, causing a by-election.

By-election, 25 April 1840: Elginshire and Nairnshire [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Charles Cumming-Bruce Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1841: Elginshire and Nairnshire [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Charles Cumming-Bruce 372 68.3 N/A
Whig Alexander Duff [4] 17331.7New
Majority19936.6N/A
Turnout 54572.7N/A
Registered electors 750
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 1847: Elginshire and Nairnshire [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Charles Cumming-Bruce Unopposed
Registered electors 718
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Elginshire and Nairnshire [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Charles Cumming-Bruce Unopposed
Registered electors 683
Conservative hold
General election 1857: Elginshire and Nairnshire [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Charles Cumming-Bruce Unopposed
Registered electors 870
Conservative hold
General election 1859: Elginshire and Nairnshire [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Charles Cumming-Bruce Unopposed
Registered electors 946
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Elginshire and Nairnshire [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Charles Cumming-Bruce Unopposed
Registered electors 863
Conservative hold
General election 1868: Elginshire and Nairnshire [3] [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative James Ogilvy-Grant Unopposed
Registered electors 1,580
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Elginshire and Nairnshire [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Alexander Duff 829 57.3 New
Conservative James Ogilvy-Grant 61942.7N/A
Majority21014.6N/A
Turnout 1,44885.5N/A
Registered electors 1,693
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing N/A

Duff succeeded to the peerage, becoming Earl of Fife.

By-election, 18 Sep 1879: Elginshire and Nairnshire [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal George Macpherson-Grant 959 57.8 +0.5
Conservative Hugh Brodie [6] 70142.2−0.5
Majority25815.6+1.0
Turnout 1,66088.1+2.6
Registered electors 1,884
Liberal hold Swing +0.5

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Elginshire and Nairnshire [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal George Macpherson-Grant Unopposed
Registered electors 1,891
Liberal hold
General election 1885: Elginshire and Nairnshire [7] [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal George Macpherson-Grant 1,612 35.0 N/A
Conservative Hugh Fife Ashley Brodie1,55633.8New
Independent Liberal Charles Henry Anderson1,43531.2New
Majority561.2N/A
Turnout 4,60379.4N/A
Registered electors 5,796
Liberal hold Swing N/A
General election 1886: Elginshire and Nairnshire [7] [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Charles Henry Anderson 1,991 51.5 +16.5
Liberal Unionist George Macpherson-Grant 1,87248.5+14.7
Majority1193.0+1.8
Turnout 3,86366.6−12.8
Registered electors 5,796
Liberal hold Swing +0.9

Anderson's death caused a by-election.

1889 Elginshire and Nairnshire by-election [9] [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal John Seymour Keay 2,573 55.7 +4.2
Liberal Unionist Charles Bowman Logan2,04444.3−4.2
Majority52911.4+8.4
Turnout 4,61779.0+12.4
Registered electors 5,844
Liberal hold Swing +4.2

Elections in the 1890s

Sir William Gull Sir William Gull, 2nd Baronet.jpg
Sir William Gull
General election 1892: Elginshire and Nairnshire [10] [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal John Seymour Keay 2,523 56.1 +4.6
Liberal Unionist Cameron Gull 1,97843.9−4.6
Majority54512.2+9.2
Turnout 4,50177.2+10.6
Registered electors 5,830
Liberal hold Swing +4.6
General election 1895: Elginshire and Nairnshire [11] [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative John Gordon 2,147 51.5 +7.6
Liberal John Seymour Keay 2,01948.5-7.6
Majority1283.0N/A
Turnout 4,16673.5−3.7
Registered electors 5,669
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +7.6

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Elginshire and Nairnshire [12] [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative John Gordon 2,334 51.9 +0.4
Liberal Archibald Williamson 2,15948.1−0.4
Majority1753.8+0.8
Turnout 4,49375.2+1.7
Registered electors 5,974
Conservative hold Swing +0.4
A. Williamson Archibald Williamson.jpg
A. Williamson
General election 1906: Elginshire and Nairnshire [13] [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Archibald Williamson 3,006 66.0 +17.9
Conservative Harry Hope 1,54634.0−17.9
Majority1,46032.0N/A
Turnout 4,55279.1+3.9
Registered electors 5,757
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +17.9

Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Elginshire and Nairnshire [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Archibald Williamson 2,917 62.7 -3.3
Conservative Ralph Glyn 1,73437.3+3.3
Majority1,18325.4-6.6
Turnout 4,65180.9+1.8
Registered electors 5,748
Liberal hold Swing -3.3
General election December 1910: Elginshire and Nairnshire [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Archibald Williamson Unopposed
Liberal hold

General Election 1914–15:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

Related Research Articles

Moray and Nairn was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 to 1983.

Banffshire was a constituency of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1708 to 1800, and of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1983. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP), using the first-past-the-post voting system.

Elgin Burghs was a district of burghs constituency of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918. Until 1832, when Peterhead was added, the constituency comprised the parliamentary burghs of Elgin, Cullen, Banff, Inverurie and Kintore, lying in Elginshire, Banffshire and Aberdeenshire.

Edinburghshire was a Scottish 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.

Ross and Cromarty was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the UK Parliament from 1832 to 1983. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) using the first-past-the-post voting system.

Greenock was a burgh constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 until 1974, when it was abolished and its area was merged into the new Greenock and Port Glasgow constituency.

Forfarshire was a Scottish county constituency represented in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1708 until 1800, and then in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom until 1950.

South Ayrshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1868 until 1983, when it was abolished. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP), elected by the first past the post voting system.

Inverness Burghs was a district of burghs 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. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP).

Dunbartonshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1950.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perth (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1997–2005

Perth was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 to 1918, 1918 to 1950, and 1997 to 2005. From 1832 to 1918 it was a burgh constituency. From 1918 to 1950, and 1997 to 2005, it was a county constituency. During each of the three periods it elected one Member of Parliament (MP).

Caithness 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.

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.

EastAberdeenshire was a Scottish county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1868 to 1918 and from 1950 to 1983. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

WestAberdeenshire was a Scottish county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1868 to 1918 and from 1950 to 1983. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

Elginshire, in Scotland, was a county constituency of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) using the first-past-the-post voting system.

Wick Burghs, sometimes known as Northern Burghs, was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 to 1918. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post voting system.

Ayr Burghs was a district of burghs constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1800 and of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1950. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP), using the first-past-the-post voting system.

Archibald Williamson, 1st Baron Forres PC, known as Sir Archibald Williamson, 1st Baronet, from 1909 to 1922, was a British businessman and Liberal politician.

Kirkcaldy Burghs was a burgh constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (Westminster) from 1832 to 1974. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first-past-the-post voting system. From 1832 to 1950 it was, officially, a district of burghs constituency.

References

  1. ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "E" (part 1)
  2. ↑ Nairnshire. "The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1715-1754". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 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.
  4. ↑ "The Evening Chronicle" . 12 July 1841. p. 2. Retrieved 18 August 2019– via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ↑ Debrett's House of Commons, 1870.
  6. ↑ "Moray and Nairn Election" . Aberdeen Press and Journal . 11 September 1879. p. 5. Retrieved 29 December 2017– via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. 1 2 Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1889
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN   9781349022984.
  9. ↑ David Marquand, Ramsay MacDonald, (London: Richard Cohen Books), 1977, p. 22.
  10. ↑ Whitaker's Almanack, 1893
  11. ↑ Whitaker's Almanack, 1900
  12. ↑ Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1901
  13. ↑ Whitaker's Almanack, 1907
  14. 1 2 Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1916
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.