Scottish Westminster constituencies 1955 to 1974

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Overview
1708 to 1832
1832 to 1868
1868 to 1885
1885 to 1918
1918 to 1950
1950 to 1955
1955 to 1974
1974 to 1983
1983 to 1997
1997 to 2005
2005 to 2024
since 2024

The results of the First Periodical Report of the Boundary Commission for Scotland became effective for the 1955 general election of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (Westminster). The review defined 32 burgh constituencies (BCs) and 39 county constituencies (CCs), with each electing one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first-past-the-post system of election. Therefore, Scotland had 71 parliamentary seats.

Scottish Westminster constituencies, 1955-1974. Scottish Constituencies 1955-1974.svg
Scottish Westminster constituencies, 1955–1974.

Each constituency was entirely within a county or a grouping of two or three counties, or was if the cities of Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow are regarded as belonging, respectively to the county of Aberdeen, the county of Angus, the county of Midlothian and the county of Lanark.

The constituencies of Dunfermline Burghs and Kirkcaldy Burghs were the final two non-coterminous burgh constituencies in the House of Commons.

There were changes to the boundaries of nine Scottish constituencies for the 1964 general election but, throughout the 1955 to 1974 period, there was no change to county groupings, to the total numbers of constituencies and MPs, or to constituency names.

The results of the Second Periodical Review and a subsequent interim review were implemented for the February 1974 general election.

County or countiesConstituency or constituenciesContents of constituency [1]
Aberdeen including city of Aberdeen Aberdeen North  BCCairncry, St Andrew's, St Clement's, St Machar, St Nicholas, and Woodside wards of city
Minor alteration to overall boundary of 1950 to 1955
Aberdeen South  BCFerryhill, Holburn, Rosemount, Rubislaw, Ruthrieston, and Torry wards of city
Minor alteration to overall boundary of 1950 to 1955
East Aberdeenshire  CCDeer, Ellon, and Turriff districts of county
Burghs of Ellon, Fraserburgh, Peterhead, Rosehearty, and Turriff
West Aberdeenshire  CCAberdeen, Alford, Deeside, Garioch and Huntly districts of county
Burghs of Ballater, Huntly, Inverurie, Kintore, and Oldmeldrum
Angus , including city of Dundee, and Kincardine Dundee East  BCFirst, Fourth, Fifth, Tenth, Eleventh, and Twelfth wards of city
Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
Dundee West  BCSecond, Third, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth wards of city
Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
North Angus and Mearns  CCCounty of Kincardine
Brechin and Montrose districts of county of Angus
Burghs of Brechin and Montrose in county of Angus
Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
South Angus  CCCarnoustie, Forfar, Kirriemuir, and Monifieth districts of county of Angus
Burghs of Arbroath, Carnoustie, Forfar, Kirriemuir, and Monifieth in county of Angus
Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
Argyll Argyll  CCCounty of Argyll
Overall boundary as 1918 to 1955
Ayr and Bute Ayr  CCPart of Ayr district
Burghs of Ayr and Prestwick in county of Ayr
Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
Bute and North Ayrshire  CCCounty of Bute
Salcoats district of county of Ayr
Burghs of Ardrossan, Largs, Saltcoats and Stevenston in county of Ayr
Minor alteration to overall boundary of 1950 to 1955
Central Ayrshire  CCIrvine and Kilwinning districts and part of Ayr and part of Kilmarnock districts of county of Ayr
Burghs of Irvine, Kilwinning, Stewarton, and Troon in county of Ayr
Minor alteration to overall boundary of 1950 to 1955
Kilmarnock  CCNewmilns district and part of Kilmarnock district of county of Ayr
Burghs of Darvel, Galston, Kilmarnock, and Newmilns and Greenholm in county of Ayr
Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
South Ayrshire  CCCumnock, Dalmellington, Girvan, and Maybole districts of county of Ayr
Burghs of Cumnock and Holmhead, Girvan, and Maybole in county of Ayr
Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
Banff Banffshire  CCCounty of Banff
Overall boundary as 1918 to 1950
Berwick and East Lothian Berwick and East Lothian  CCCounties of Berwick and East Lothian
Overall boundary as Berwick and Haddington  CC 1918 to 1950 and Berwick and East Lothian 1950 to 1955
Caithness and Sutherland Caithness and Sutherland  CCCounties of Caithness and Sutherland
Overall boundary as 1918 to 1955
Dumfries Dumfriesshire  CCCounty of Dumfries
Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
Dunbarton East Dunbartonshire  CCCumbernauld, Kirkintilloch, and New Kilpatrick districts
Burghs of Clydebank, Kirkintilloch, and Milngavie
Overall boundary as 1951 to 1955
West Dunbartonshire  CCHelensburgh, Old Kilpatrick, and Vale of Leven districts
Burghs of Cove and Kilcreggan, Dumbarton, and Helensburgh
Overall boundary as 1951 to 1955
Fife Dunfermline Burghs  BC1955:
Burghs of Cowdenbeath, Dunfermline, Inverkeithing, and Lochgelly
Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
1964:
Description as 1955 but burgh of Dumfermline altered
Kirkcaldy Burghs  BCBurghs of Buckhaven and Methil, Burntisland, Kinghorn, and Kirkcaldy
Minor alteration to overall boundary of 1951 to 1955
East Fife  CCAnstruther, Cupar, and St Andrews districts and part of Wemyss district
Burghs of Auchtermuchty, Crail, Elie and Earlsferry, Falkland, Kilrenny and Anstruther Easter and Anstruther Wester, Ladybank, Leven, Newburgh, Newport, Pittenweem, St Andrews, St Monance, and Tayport
Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
West Fife  CC1955:
Dunfermline, Kirkcaldy, and Lochgelly districts and part of Wemyss district
Burghs of Culross, Leslie, and Markinch
Minor alteration to overall boundary of 1951 to 1955
1964:
Description as 1955 but Kirkcaldy district altered
Inverness and Ross and Cromarty Inverness  CCCounty of Inverness except Outer Hebridean districts (Barra, Harris, North Uist, and South Uist)
Overall boundary as 1918 to 1955
Ross and Cromarty  CCCounty of Ross and Cromarty except Outer Hebridean district (Lewis) and burgh (Stornoway)
Overall boundary as 1918 to 1955
Western Isles  CC Outer Hebridean districts (Barra, Harris, North Uist, and South Uist) of the county of Inverness
Outer Hebridean district (Harris) of the county of Ross and Cromarty
Outer Hebridean burgh of Stornoway in the county of Ross and Cromarty
Overall boundary as 1918 to 1955
Kirkcudbright and Wigtown Galloway Counties of Kirkcudbright and Wigtown
Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
Lanark , including city of Glasgow Coatbridge and Airdrie  BCBurghs of Coatbridge and Airdrie
Minor alteration to overall boundary of 1950 to 1955
Glasgow Bridgeton  BCCalton and Dalmarnock wards and part of Mile-End ward of city
Glasgow Cathcart  BCCathcart and Langside wards and part of Govanhill ward of city
Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
Glasgow Central  BCCowcaddens and Townhead wards and part of Exchange ward of city
Glasgow Craigton  BCCraigton ward and part of Fairfield and part of Pollokshields wards of city
Glasgow Gorbals  BCGorbals and Hutchesontown wards and part of Govanhill and part of Kingston wards of city
Glasgow Govan  BCGovan and Kinning park wards and part of Fairfield and part of Kingston wards of city
Glasgow Hillhead  BCKelvinside and Partick West wards and part of Whiteinch ward of city
Glasgow Kelvingrove  BCAnderston and Park wards and part of Exchange ward of city
Glasgow Maryhill  BCMaryhill and Ruchill wards of city
Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
Glasgow Pollok  BCCamphill and Pollokshaws wards and part of Pollokshields ward of city
Glasgow Provan  BCDennistoun and Provan wards of city
Glasgow Scotstoun  BCKnightswood and Yoker wards and part of Whiteinch ward of city
Glasgow Shettleston  BCParkhead, and Shettleston and Tollcross wards and part of Mile-End ward of city
Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
Glasgow Springburn  BCCowlairs and Springburn wards of city
Glasgow Woodside  BCNorth Kelvin, Partick East, and Woodside wards of city
Bothwell  CCSixth district and part of Ninth district
Minor alteration to overall boundary of 1950 to 1955
Hamilton  CCPart of Fourth and part of Fifth districts
Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
Lanark  CCFirst, Second, and Third districts and part of Fourth and part of Fifth districts
Burghs of Biggar and Lanark
Overall boundary as 1918 to 1955
Motherwell  CCPart of Seventh district
Burgh of Motherwell and Wishaw, Lanarkshire
Minor alteration to overall boundary of 1950 to 1955
North Lanarkshire  CCPart of Seventh and part of Ninth districts
Minor alteration to overall boundary of 1950 to 1955
Rutherglen  CCEighth district
Burgh of Rutherglen
Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
Midlothian , including city of Edinburgh Edinburgh Central  BCGeorge Square, Holyroood, St Giles wards and part of Gorgie-Dalry ward of city
Edinburgh East  BC1955:
Craigentinny, Craigmillar, and Portobello wards of city
Burgh of Musselburgh
Minor alteration to overall boundary of 1950 to 1955
1964:
Description as 1955 but burgh of Musselburgh altered
Edinburgh Leith  BCCentral Leith, South Leith, and West Leith wards of city
Edinburgh North  BCBroughton, Calton, and St Andrew's wards of city
Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
Edinburgh Pentlands  BC1955:
Collinton, Merchiston, and Sighthill wards and part of Gorgie-Dalry ward of city
1964:
Description as 1955 but Sighthill ward altered
Edinburgh South  BC1955:
Liberton, Morningside, and Newington wards of city
Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
1964:
Description as 1955 but Liberton ward altered
Edinburgh West  BC1955:
Corstorphine, Murrayfield-Cramond, and Pilton wards and part of St Bernard's ward of city
1964:
Description as 1955 but Corstorphine ward altered
Midlothian  CC1955:
County of Midlothian except city of Edinburgh and burgh of Musselburgh
1964:
County of Midlothian except city of Edinburgh and altered burgh of Musselburgh
Moray and Nairn Moray and Nairn  CCCounties of Moray and Nairn
Overall boundary as 1918 to 1955
Orkney and Shetland Orkney and Zetland  CCCounties of Orkney and Shetland
Overall boundary as 1918 to 1955
Peebles , Roxburgh and Selkirk Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles  CCCounties of Peebles, Roxburgh, and Selkirk
Perth and Kinross Kinross and West Perthshire  CCCounty of Kinross
Central, Highland, and Western districts of county of Perth
Burghs of Aberfeldy, Auchterarder, Callander, Crieff, Doune, Dunblane, and Pitlochry in county of Perth
Overall boundary as Kinross and Western Perthshire 1918 to 1950 and Perth and West Perthshire 1950 to 1955
Perth and East Perthshire  CCEastern and Perth districts of county of Perth
Burghs of Abernethy, Alyth, Blairgowrie and Rattray, Coupar Angus, and Perth
Overall boundary as Perth 1918 to 1950 and Perth and East Perthshire 1950 to 1955
Renfrew Greenock  BC1955:
Burgh of Greenock
1964:
Altered burgh of Greenock
Paisley  BCBurgh of Paisley
Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
East Renfrewshire  CCFirst and Second districts
Burghs of Barrhead and Renfrew
Overall boundary as 1951 to 1955
West Renfrewshire  CC1955:
Third, Fourth, and Fifth districts
Burghs of Gourock and Johnstone
1964:
Description as 1955 but Fifth district altered
Stirling and Clackmannan Stirling and Falkirk Burghs Burghs of Falkirk, Grangemouth, and Stirling in county of Stirling
Minor alteration to overall boundary of 1950 to 1955
Clackmannan and East Stirlingshire  CCCounty of Clackmannan
Eastern Number One, Eastern Number Two, and Eastern Number Three districts of county of Stirling
West Stirlingshire  CCCentral Number One, Central Number Two, Western Number One, Western Number Two, and Western Number Three districts of county of Stirling
Burghs of Bridge of Allan, Denny and Dunipace, and Kilsyth in county of Stirling
West Lothian West Lothian  CCCounty of West Lothian
Overall boundary as Linlithgow 1918 to 1950 and West Lothian 1950 to 1955

Notes and references

  1. As per Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885-1972 ( ISBN   0-900178-09-4), F. W. S. Craig 1972