Elgin Burghs (UK Parliament constituency)

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 (later known as Morayshire), Banffshire and Aberdeenshire.

Elgin Burghs
Former District of burghs constituency
for the House of Commons
1708–1918
Number of membersOne
Replaced byKincardine and Aberdeenshire East, Banffshire, Moray and Nairn and Kincardine and Aberdeenshire West,
Created fromBanff, Cullen, Elgin, Inverurie and Kintore

Creation

The British parliamentary constituency was created in 1708 following the Acts of Union, 1707 and replaced the former Parliament of Scotland burgh constituencies of Elgin, Banff, Cullen, Inverurie and Kintore.

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]

In 1918, Elgin became part of Moray and Nairn, Banff and Cullen part of Banffshire, Inverurie and Kintore part of Kincardine and Aberdeenshire West and Peterhead part of East Aberdeen and Kincardine.

Members of Parliament
ElectionMember[6]Party
1708 Hon. Patrick Ogilvy
1710 Alexander Reid
1713 James Murray Tory
1715 John Campbell, later Duke of Argyll Whig
1722 William Fraser Tory
1725 John Campbell, later Duke of Argyll
1727 William Steuart
1728 Patrick Campbell
1734 William Steuart
1741 Sir James Grant, Bt
1747 William Grant
1755 Sir Andrew Mitchell
1771 Thomas Lockhart
1774 Staats Long Morris
1784 William Adam
1790 Alexander Brodie
1802 Francis Ogilvy-Grant, later Earl of Seafield
1806 George Skene
1807 Archibald Colquhoun
1810 William Dundas Tory
1812 Archibald Campbell Tory
1812 Patrick Milne Tory
1818 Robert Grant Tory
1820 Archibald Farquharson Whig
1826 Alexander Duff
1830 Tory[7]
1831 Sir William Gordon-Cumming, Bt Tory[7]
1832 Sir Andrew Leith Hay Whig[7][8][9]
1838 Fox Maule, later Earl of Dalhousie Whig[7]
1841 Sir Andrew Leith Hay Whig[7][8][9]
1847 George Skene Duff Whig
1857 M. E. Grant Duff Whig[10]
1859 Liberal
1881 by-election Alexander Asher Liberal
1905 by-election John Sutherland Liberal
1918 by-election Charles Barrie, later Baron Abertay Liberal
1918 constituency abolished

Election results

Elections in the 1830s
General election 1830: Elgin Burghs[7][11][12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Tory Alexander Duff Unopposed
Registered electors c. 84
Tory hold
General election 1831: Elgin Burghs[7][11][12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Tory William Gordon-Cumming Unopposed
Registered electors c. 84
Tory hold
General election 1832: Elgin Burghs[13][7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Andrew Leith Hay 350 50.1
Tory Holt Mackenzie[14] 225 32.2
Whig Alexander Morison[15] 123 17.6
Majority 125 17.9
Turnout 698 89.9
Registered electors 776
Whig gain from Tory

Hay was appointed as Clerk of the Ordnance, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 30 June 1834: Elgin Burghs[13][7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Andrew Leith Hay Unopposed
Whig hold
General election 1835: Elgin Burghs[13][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Andrew Leith Hay 384 59.3 +9.2
Conservative William Brodie[16] 264 40.7 +8.5
Majority 120 18.6 +0.7
Turnout 648 79.8 −10.1
Registered electors 812
Whig hold Swing +0.4

Hay was appointed as Clerk of the Ordnance, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 2 May 1835: Elgin Burghs[13][7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Andrew Leith Hay Unopposed
Whig hold
General election 1837: Elgin Burghs[13][7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Andrew Leith Hay Unopposed
Registered electors 858
Whig hold

Hay resigned after being appointed as Governor of Bermuda, causing a by-election.

By-election, 13 February 1838: Elgin Burghs[13][7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Fox Maule Unopposed
Whig hold

Elections in the 1840s
General election 1841: Elgin Burghs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Andrew Leith Hay 311 51.2 N/A
Conservative Thomas Abercromby Duff[17] 297 48.8 New
Majority 14 2.4 N/A
Turnout 608 70.9 N/A
Registered electors 857
Whig hold Swing N/A
General election 1847: Elgin Burghs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig George Skene Duff 242 41.7 N/A
Conservative Alexander Bannerman[18] 192 33.0 −15.8
Whig Andrew Leith Hay 147 25.3 −25.9
Majority 50 8.7 +6.3
Turnout 581 67.4 −3.5
Registered electors 862
Whig hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1850s
General election 1852: Elgin Burghs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig George Skene Duff Unopposed
Registered electors 988
Whig hold
General election 1857: Elgin Burghs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig George Skene Duff Unopposed
Registered electors 967
Whig hold

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

By-election, 19 December 1857: Elgin Burghs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig M. E. Grant Duff Unopposed
Whig hold
General election 1859: Elgin Burghs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal M. E. Grant Duff Unopposed
Registered electors 969
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1860s
General election 1865: Elgin Burghs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal M. E. Grant Duff Unopposed
Registered electors 1,059
Liberal hold
General election 1868: Elgin Burghs[13][19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal M. E. Grant Duff Unopposed
Registered electors 2,962
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1870s
General election 1874: Elgin Burghs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal M. E. Grant Duff Unopposed
Registered electors 3,501
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1880s
General election 1880: Elgin Burghs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal M. E. Grant Duff 2,082 73.2 N/A
Conservative James Mackenzie Maclean 764 26.8 New
Majority 1,318 46.4 N/A
Turnout 2,846 74.8 N/A
Registered electors 3,806
Liberal hold Swing N/A

Duff resigned after being appointed Governor of Madras, causing a by-election.

By-election, 15 Jul 1881: Elgin Burghs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alexander Asher Unopposed
Liberal hold

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

By-election, 27 Aug 1881: Elgin Burghs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alexander Asher Unopposed
Liberal hold
General election 1885: Elgin Burghs[20][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alexander Asher Unopposed
Liberal hold

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

By-election, 12 Feb 1886: Elgin Burghs[20][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alexander Asher Unopposed
Liberal hold
General election 1886: Elgin Burghs[20][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alexander Asher Unopposed
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1890s
Alexander Asher
General election 1892: Elgin Burghs[22][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alexander Asher 1,668 59.7 N/A
Conservative James Augustus Grant 1,127 40.3 N/A
Majority 541 19.4 N/A
Turnout 2,795 66.8 N/A
Registered electors 4,182
Liberal hold Swing N/A

Asher is appointed Solicitor General for Scotland, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 1892: Elgin Burghs[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alexander Asher Unopposed
Liberal hold
General election 1895: Elgin Burghs[23][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alexander Asher 1,853 61.5 +1.8
Liberal Unionist Charles Thomas Gordon 1,161 38.5 −1.8
Majority 692 23.0 +3.6
Turnout 3,014 67.9 +1.1
Registered electors 4,440
Liberal hold Swing +1.8

Elections in the 1900s
General election 1900: Elgin Burghs[23][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alexander Asher 1,744 59.5 −2.0
Conservative John Moffatt 1,187 40.5 +2.0
Majority 557 19.0 −4.0
Turnout 2,931 64.6 −3.3
Registered electors 4,535
Liberal hold Swing −2.0
Elgin Burghs by-election, 1905[24][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Sutherland 2,474 70.8 +11.3
Conservative Patrick Rose-Innes 1,021 29.2 −11.3
Majority 1,453 41.6 +22.6
Turnout 3,495 73.6 +9.0
Registered electors 4,748
Liberal hold Swing +11.3
General election 1906: Elgin Burghs[25][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Sutherland 2,742 77.7 +18.2
Conservative Evan N B Mackenzie 786 22.3 −18.2
Majority 1,956 55.4 +36.4
Turnout 3,528 72.5 +7.9
Registered electors 4,867
Liberal hold Swing +18.2

Elections in the 1910s
W.G. Black
General election Jan 1910: Elgin Burghs[26][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Sutherland 3,031 71.6 -6.1
Liberal Unionist William George Black 1,201 28.4 +6.1
Majority 1,830 43.2 -12.2
Turnout 79.8
Liberal hold Swing -6.1
General election Dec 1910: Elgin Burghs[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Sutherland Unopposed
Liberal hold
Charles Barrie
Elgin Burghs by-election, 1918[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Charles Barrie Unopposed
Liberal hold

See also

References
  1. "Elgin Burghs". History of Parliament Online (1690–1715). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  2. "Elgin Burghs". History of Parliament Online (1715–1754). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  3. "Elgin Burghs". History of Parliament Online (1754–1790). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  4. "Elgin Burghs". History of Parliament Online (1790–1820). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  5. "Elgin Burghs". History of Parliament Online (1820–1832). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  6. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "E" (part 1)
  7. Smith, Henry Stooks (1842). The Register of Parliamentary Contested Elections (Second ed.). Simpkin, Marshall & Company. p. 201.
  8. Churton, Edward (1838). The Assembled Commons or Parliamentary Biographer: 1838. p. 114.
  9. "Evening Mail". 30 June 1841. pp. 3–4. Retrieved 2 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. "Parliament Adjourned". Inverness Courier. 17 December 1857. pp. 4–5. Retrieved 2 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. Fisher, David R. "Elgin Burghs". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  12. Cook, Chris; Stevenson, John (1980). British Historical Facts 1760-1830. Basingstoke: Palgrave. p. 58. doi:10.1007/978-1-137-06465-3. ISBN 978-1-137-06465-3. Retrieved 7 May 2020 – via Google Books.
  13. Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885 (e-book) |format= requires |url= (help) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
  14. "Domestic Intelligence". Fife Herald. 10 January 1833. p. 2. Retrieved 7 May 2020 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  15. "Page 3". Edinburgh Evening Courant. 31 December 1832. p. 3. Retrieved 7 May 2020 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  16. "Page 2". The Scotsman. 31 December 1834. p. 2. Retrieved 7 May 2020 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  17. Barrow, John Henry, ed. (1841). The Mirror of Parliament for the First Session of the Fourteenth Parliament of Great Britain and Ireland, in the Fifth Year of the Reign of Queen Victoria, Appointed to Meet August 19. and From Thence Continued Till October 7. 1841. London: Longman, Brown, Green & Longmans; John Murray; and, J. Richards & Co. p. 277.
  18. "The Elgin Burghs". John o'Groat Journal. 2 July 1847. p. 2. Retrieved 16 August 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  19. Debrett's House of Commons, 1870
  20. Debrett's House of Commons and Judicial Bench, 1889
  21. British Parliamentary Election Results 1885–1918, FWS Craig
  22. Whitaker's Almanack, 1893
  23. Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1901
  24. The Times, 11 September 1905, p4
  25. Whitaker's Almanack, 1907
  26. Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1916
  27. The Times, 26 October 1918
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