Peeblesshire (UK Parliament constituency)

Last updated

Peeblesshire
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
Subdivisions of Scotland Peeblesshire
17081868
SeatsOne
Replaced by Peebles & Selkirk

Peeblesshire was a Scottish county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (Westminster) from 1708 until 1868. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post voting system.

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 Peeblesshire.

Boundaries

The name relates the constituency to the county of Peebles. Article XII of the Union with Scotland Act 1706 (Act settling the Manner of electing the Representatives of Scotland), provided that one representative should be chosen for every shire and steuartry (except for some shires which were to take turns). [1]

History

The constituency elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system until the seat was abolished for the 1868 general election. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

This arrangement was continued by the Representation of the People (Scotland) Act 1832. [7]

The Representation of the People (Scotland) Act 1868 abolished the rights of the counties of Peebles and Selkirk to return a member, and provided that those counties should jointly return a member, thereby establishing the Peebles and Selkirk constituency. [8]

Members of Parliament

ElectionMember [9] Party
1708 William Morison
1710 Alexander Murray, later 3rd Baronet
1713 William Morison
1715 Alexander Murray (c. 1686–1755)
1722 John Douglas
1732 by-election Sir James Naesmyth, 2nd Baronet
1741 Alexander Murray (c. 1686–1755)
1747 John Dickson
1767 by-election Adam Hay
1768 James William Montgomery
June 1775 by-election Adam Hay
December 1775 by-election Sir Robert Murray-Keith
1780 Alexander Murray
1783 by-election Alexander Murray, later 7th Lord Elibank
1784 David Murray
1790 William Montgomery
1800 by-election Sir James Montgomery, 2nd Bt Tory [10]
1831 by-election Sir George Montgomery, 2nd Bt Tory [11]
1831 John Hay Tory [11]
1834 Conservative [12] [11]
1837 William Forbes Mackenzie Conservative [12] [11]
1852 Graham Graham-Montgomery Conservative [12]
1868 Constituency abolished. See Peebles and Selkirk

Election results

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Peeblesshire [11] [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Tory James Montgomery Unopposed
Registered electors 48
Tory hold

Montgomery resigned, causing a by-election.

By-election, 4 March 1831: Peeblesshire [11] [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Tory Sir George Montgomery, 2nd BaronetUnopposed
Registered electors 48
Tory hold
General election 1831: Peeblesshire [11] [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Tory Sir George Montgomery, 2nd BaronetUnopposed
Registered electors 48
Tory hold

Montgomery's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 9 August 1831: Peeblesshire [11] [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Tory John Hay Unopposed
Registered electors 48
Tory hold
General election 1832: Peeblesshire [11] [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Tory John Hay Unopposed
Registered electors 307
Tory hold
General election 1835: Peeblesshire [11] [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Conservative John Hay Unopposed
Registered electors 354
Conservative hold
General election 1837: Peeblesshire [11] [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Conservative William Forbes Mackenzie 251 50.6
Whig Sir Alexander Gibson-Carmichael, 8th Baronet24549.4
Majority61.2
Turnout 49671.9
Registered electors 690
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Peeblesshire [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Forbes Mackenzie Unopposed
Registered electors 863
Conservative hold

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

By-election, 5 May 1845: Peeblesshire [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Forbes Mackenzie Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1847: Peeblesshire [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative William Forbes Mackenzie 240 59.6 N/A
Whig Sir Alexander Gibson-Carmichael, 8th Baronet16340.4New
Majority7719.2N/A
Turnout 40356.1N/A
Registered electors 718
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Peeblesshire [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Graham Graham-Montgomery Unopposed
Registered electors 542
Conservative hold
General election 1857: Peeblesshire [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Graham Graham-Montgomery Unopposed
Registered electors 394
Conservative hold
General election 1859: Peeblesshire [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Graham Graham-Montgomery Unopposed
Registered electors 407
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Peeblesshire [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Graham Graham-Montgomery Unopposed
Registered electors 499
Conservative hold

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

By-election, 24 July 1866: Peeblesshire [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Graham Graham-Montgomery Unopposed
Conservative hold

Related Research Articles

Aberdeenshire was a Scottish county 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 until 1868.

Ayrshire was a county 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 until 1868, when it was divided into North Ayrshire and South Ayrshire.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ross-shire (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1801–1832

Ross-shire 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 1832.

Roxburghshire 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.

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.

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.

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.

Haddingtonshire was a Scottish county constituency represented in the House of Commons of Great Britain and the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1708 to 1918.

Selkirkshire was a Scottish county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1708 until 1868, when it was combined with Peeblesshire to form Peebles and Selkirk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nairnshire (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1801–1832

Nairnshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1708 until 1800, and of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832.

Kincardineshire was a 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 was represented by one Member of Parliament (MP).

Wigtownshire, was a Scottish 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 was represented by one Member of Parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perth Burghs (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1801–1832

Perth 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 until 1832, representing a seat for one Member of Parliament (MP)

Perthshire 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 until 1885, representing a seat for one Member of Parliament (MP).

Kinross-shire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1708 until 1800, and of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832.

Clackmannanshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1708 until 1800, and of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832.

References

  1. Union with Scotland Act 1706
  2. "Peeblesshire". History of Parliament Online (1690-1715). Retrieved 9 June 2019.
  3. "Peeblesshire". History of Parliament Online (1715-1754). Retrieved 9 June 2019.
  4. "Peeblesshire". History of Parliament Online (1754-1790). Retrieved 9 June 2019.
  5. "Peeblesshire". History of Parliament Online (1790-1820). Retrieved 9 June 2019.
  6. "Peeblesshire". History of Parliament Online (1820-1832). Retrieved 9 June 2019.
  7. Representation of the People (Scotland) Act 1832, Schedule A.
  8. Representation of the People (Scotland) Act 1868, section 10.
  9. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "P" (part 1)
  10. Fisher, David R. "MONTGOMERY, Sir James, 2nd bt. (1766-1839), of Stobo Castle, Stanhope, Peebles". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Smith, Henry Stooks (1842). The Register of Parliamentary Contested Elections (Second ed.). Simpkin, Marshall & Company. p. 208. Retrieved 14 September 2018 via Google Books.
  12. 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.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Fisher, David R. "Peeblesshire". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 8 May 2020.