Inverness-shire (UK Parliament constituency)

Last updated

Inverness-shire
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
1708–1918
SeatsOne
Replaced by Western Isles
Inverness

Inverness-shire 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 until 1918.

Contents

There was also a burgh constituency called Inverness Burghs, 1708 to 1918, and a county constituency called Inverness, 1918 to 1983.

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 Inverness-shire.

History

The constituency elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system until the seat was abolished in 1918. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

Boundaries

The Inverness-shire Member of Parliament (MP) represented, nominally, the county of Inverness minus the Inverness parliamentary burgh, which was represented as a component of Inverness District of Burghs. However, by 1892 the boundaries of the county had been redefined for all purposes except parliamentary representation, and it had become a local government area, under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889. 26 years were to elapse before a review of constituency boundaries took account of new local government boundaries. Results of the review were implemented under the Representation of the People Act 1918.

In 1918, the constituency was largely replaced by two new county constituencies. The Western Isles constituency was created to cover Outer Hebridean areas of the county of Inverness, as well as part of the county of Ross and Cromarty. The Inverness constituency was created to cover the rest of the county of Inverness, including the parliamentary burgh. [6]

Members of Parliament

ElectedMember [7] Party
1708 Alexander Grant
1710 Alexander MacKenzie
1715 John Forbes
1722 Sir James Grant, Bt. Whig
1741 Norman Macleod, (1705–1772)
1754 Pryse Campbell Whig
1761 Simon Fraser
1782 by-election Archibald Campbell Fraser
1784 Lord William Gordon
1790 Norman Macleod, (1754–1801) Pittite/Tory
1791 Foxite Whig
1796 John Simon Frederick Fraser Pittite/Tory
1802 Charles Grant (senior)
1818 Rt Hon. Charles Grant, later Baron Glenelg Tory/Canningite
1828 by-election Whig
1835 by-election Alexander William Chisholm Conservative
1838 by-election Francis William Grant
1840 by-election Henry James Baillie
1868 Donald Cameron
1885 Charles Fraser-Mackintosh Independent Liberal/Crofters'
1886 change Liberal Unionist /Crofters' Party
1892 Donald MacGregor Liberal/Crofters' Party
1895 James Evan Bruce Baillie Conservative
1900 Sir John Dewar, Bt., later Baron Forteviot Liberal
1917 by-election Thomas Brash Morison, who was subsequently
MP for Inverness
1918 constituency abolished

Election results

The original electorate for this constituency was limited to substantial landowners. The 40 shilling freehold qualification used for English county constituencies, which was not adjusted for inflation since it was first set in the 15th century, was significantly lower than the Scottish county qualification. In Scotland the qualification was land worth 40 shillings "of old extent", which prevented inflation lowering the real value of the property qualification required. [8]

The county electorate, in Scotland, was significantly extended in 1832 and was further expanded in 1868 and 1885. The change, before and after 1832, can be seen by comparing the 32 votes cast at the contested election in 1802 with the 467 votes cast in 1832 (when the new registration system recorded a registered electorate of 669).

Unless otherwise indicated, the primary source for the results listed was Craig. Candidates identified by Craig as Conservatives, in the 1832-1835 Parliament, are listed as Tories. In elections before the formal creation of the Liberal Party, shortly after the 1859 general election, candidates identified by Craig as Liberals are classified as Whigs. There were no Radicals candidates in this seat, according to Stooks Smith. Craig's registered electorate and vote figures are sometimes different from those of Stooks Smith, but Craig's figures are used below. For details of the books of Craig and Stooks Smith, see the Reference section below.

The calculations of change in % vote and swing, for the 1835 general election result, relate the performance of the Conservative candidate to his achievements as the Tory candidate in the 1832 general election.

1800s – 1830s – 1840s – 1850s – 1860s – 1870s – 1880s – 1890s – 1900s – 1910s

Elections in the 1800s

General election 1802: Inverness-shire [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Nonpartisan Charles Grant (senior) 15 46.9 N/A
Nonpartisan Simon Fraser1134.4N/A
Nonpartisan Arthur Forbes618.8N/A
Majority412.5N/A
Turnout 32N/AN/A
Nonpartisan hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Inverness-shire [10] [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Whig Charles Grant Unopposed
Registered electors 77
Whig gain from Tory

Grant was appointed as President of the Board of Control, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 30 December 1830: Inverness-shire [10] [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Whig Charles Grant Unopposed
Registered electors 77
Whig hold
General election 1831: Inverness-shire [10] [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Whig Charles Grant Unopposed
Registered electors 81
Whig hold
General election 1832: Inverness-shire [10] [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Whig Charles Grant 257 55.0
Tory John Norman McLeod 21045.0
Majority4710.0
Turnout 46769.8
Registered electors 669
Whig hold
General election 1835: Inverness-shire [10] [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Whig Charles Grant 260 50.7 −4.3
Conservative John Norman McLeod 25349.3+4.3
Majority71.4-8.7
Turnout 51371.5+1.7
Registered electors 717
Whig hold Swing −4.3
By-election, 15 May 1835: Inverness-shire [10] [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Alexander William Chisholm 268 52.8 +3.5
Whig James Murray Grant24047.2-3.5
Majority285.6N/A
Turnout 50870.9-0.6
Registered electors 717
Conservative gain from Whig Swing +3.5
General election 1837: Inverness-shire [10] [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Alexander William Chisholm 303 54.9 +5.6
Whig James Murray Grant24945.1−5.6
Majority549.8N/A
Turnout 55273.3+1.8
Registered electors 753
Conservative gain from Whig Swing +5.6
By-election, 12 June 1838: Inverness-shire [10] [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Conservative Francis William Grant Unopposed
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1840s

By-Election 31 March 1840: Inverness-shire
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Henry Baillie Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1841: Inverness-shire
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Henry Baillie Unopposed
Registered electors 789
Conservative hold
General election 1847: Inverness-shire
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Henry Baillie Unopposed
Registered electors 817
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Inverness-shire [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Henry Baillie Unopposed
Registered electors 908
Conservative hold
General election 1857: Inverness-shire [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Henry Baillie Unopposed
Registered electors 827
Conservative hold
General election 1859: Inverness-shire [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Henry Baillie Unopposed
Registered electors 884
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Inverness-shire [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Henry Baillie 336 53.1 N/A
Liberal George MacPherson-Grant 29746.9New
Majority396.2N/A
Turnout 63372.1N/A
Registered electors 878
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 1868: Inverness-shire [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Donald Cameron Unopposed
Registered electors 1,661
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Inverness-shire
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Donald Cameron Unopposed
Registered electors 1,724
Conservative hold
By-Election 19 March 1874: Inverness-shire
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Donald Cameron Unopposed
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Inverness-shire [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Donald Cameron 808 50.9 N/A
Liberal Kenneth Mackenzie [13] 77949.1New
Majority291.8N/A
Turnout 1,58785.7N/A
Registered electors 1,851
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 1885: Inverness-shire [14] [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Liberal (Crofters) Charles Fraser-Mackintosh 3,555 47.5 New
Conservative Reginald MacLeod 2,03127.1-23.8
Liberal Kenneth Mackenzie 1,89725.4-23.7
Majority1,52420.4N/A
Turnout 7,48380.2-5.5
Registered electors 9,330
Independent Liberal gain from Conservative Swing N/A
General election 1886: Inverness-shire [14] [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Unionist (Crofters) Charles Fraser-Mackintosh Unopposed
Liberal Unionist gain from Independent Liberal

Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Inverness-shire [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal (Crofters) Donald MacGregor 3,035 52.9 New
Liberal Unionist Charles Fraser-Mackintosh 2,70647.1N/A
Majority3295.8N/A
Turnout 5,74167.7N/A
Registered electors 8,480
Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist Swing N/A
By-Election 13 June 1895: Inverness-shire [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative James Baillie 3,164 55.7 +8.6
Liberal (Crofters)Donald Macrae2,51444.3-8.6
Majority65011.4N/A
Turnout 5,67869.0+1.3
Registered electors 8,229
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +8.6
General election 1895: Inverness-shire [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative James Baillie 2,991 50.9 +3.8
Liberal Neil Kennedy 2,89149.1−3.8
Majority1001.8N/A
Turnout 5,88271.5+3.8
Registered electors 8,229
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +3.8

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Inverness-shire
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal John Dewar 3,168 52.5 +3.4
Conservative Alfred Donald Mackintosh2,86747.5-3.4
Majority3015.0N/A
Turnout 6,03566.6-4.9
Registered electors 9,061
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing -3.4 (L to C)
General election 1906: Inverness-shire [16]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal John Dewar 3,918 68.4 +15.9
Conservative L.H. Strain1,81031.6-15.9
Majority2,10836.8+31.8
Turnout 5,72857.5-9.1
Registered electors 9,957
Liberal hold Swing -15.9 (L to C)

Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Inverness-shire
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal John Dewar 4,599 62.4 -6.0
Conservative Reginald Macleod 2,77437.6+6.0
Majority1,82524.8-12.0
Turnout 7,37374.1+16.6
Registered electors 9,951
Liberal hold Swing +6.0 (L to C)
General election December 1910: Inverness-shire
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal John Dewar Unopposed
Liberal hold
Thomas Morison Thomas Morison.jpg
Thomas Morison
By-Election 2 January 1917: Inverness-shire
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Thomas Brash Morison Unopposed
Liberal hold
Inverness election history Inverness election history.png
Inverness election history

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References

Notes

  1. ↑ "Inverness-shire". History of Parliament Online (1690-1715). Retrieved 9 June 2019.
  2. ↑ "Inverness-shire". History of Parliament Online (1715-1754). Retrieved 9 June 2019.
  3. ↑ "Inverness-shire". History of Parliament Online (1754-1790). Retrieved 9 June 2019.
  4. ↑ "Inverness-shire". History of Parliament Online (1790-1820). Retrieved 9 June 2019.
  5. ↑ "Inverness-shire". History of Parliament Online (1820-1832). Retrieved 9 June 2019.
  6. ↑ Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885-1972
  7. ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "I"
  8. ↑ The House of Commons 1754-1790
  9. ↑ The Parliaments of England
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Stooks Smith, Henry (1842). The Register of Parliamentary Contested Elections: Containing the Uncontested Elections Since 1830. London: Simpkin, Marshall, & Co. p. 204. Retrieved 8 May 2020– via Google Books.
  11. 1 2 3 Fisher, David R. "Inverness-shire". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 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.
  13. ↑ "Election Intelligence" . The Globe . 23 February 1880. p. 2. Retrieved 1 December 2017– via British Newspaper Archive.
  14. 1 2 Debrett's House of Commons and Judicial Bench, 1889
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN   9781349022984.
  16. ↑ Whitaker's Almanack, 1907
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