Banffshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Banffshire | |
---|---|
Former County constituency for the House of Commons | |
Subdivisions of Scotland | Banffshire |
1708–1983 | |
Number of members | One |
Replaced by | Moray Banff & Buchan |
Created from | Banffshire |
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.
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 Banffshire.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
History[]
The constituency elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system until 1983 when it was split and merged into Moray and Banff and Buchan.
The constituency covered the county of Banffshire, Scotland, but until 1918 the county town of Banff and the burgh of Cullen were represented as part of Elgin Burghs.
Members of Parliament[]
Election [6] | Member [7] | Party | |
---|---|---|---|
1707 | John Murray | ||
1708 | Alexander Abercromby | ||
1727 | William Duff, later 1st Earl Fife | ||
1734 | James Abercromby | ||
1754 | James Duff, later 2nd Earl Fife | ||
1784 | Sir James Duff | ||
1789 by-election | James Ferguson | Tory | |
1790 | Sir James Grant, Bt | Tory | |
1795 by-election | David McDowall-Grant | ||
1796 | Sir William Grant | Whig | |
1812 | Robert Abercromby | ||
1818 | James Duff | Whig[8] | |
1827 by-election | John Morison | Tory[9] | |
1832 | George Ferguson | Tory[9] | |
1834 | Conservative | ||
1837 | James Duff, later 5th Earl Fife | Whig[9][10][11][12] | |
Lachlan Gordon-Duff | Whig | ||
1859 | Liberal | ||
Robert Duff | Liberal | ||
Sir William Wedderburn | Liberal | ||
1900 | Alexander William Black | Liberal | |
1907 by-election | Walter Waring | Liberal | |
1918 | Charles Barrie, later Baron Abertay | Liberal | |
1924 | William Templeton | Unionist | |
1929 | Sir Murdoch McKenzie Wood | Liberal | |
1935 | Sir Edmund Findlay | Unionist | |
1945 | Sir William Duthie | Unionist | |
1964 | Wilfred Baker | Conservative | |
Feb 1974 | Hamish Watt | SNP | |
1979 | David Myles | Conservative | |
1983 | constituency abolished: see Banff & Buchan and Moray |
Election results[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/Banff_election_results.png)
Decades: |
Elections in the 1830s[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tory | John Morison | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 49 | ||||
Tory gain from Whig |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tory | John Morison | 20 | 60.6 | ||
Tory | George Ferguson | 13 | 39.4 | ||
Majority | 7 | 21.2 | |||
Turnout | 33 | c. 67.3 | |||
Registered electors | c. 49 | ||||
Tory hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tory | George Ferguson | 295 | 69.7 | +30.3 | |
Whig | Thomas Gordon | 128 | 30.3 | New | |
Majority | 167 | 39.4 | +18.2 | ||
Turnout | 423 | 84.9 | c. +17.6 | ||
Registered electors | 498 | ||||
Tory hold | Swing | +30.3 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | George Ferguson | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 525 | ||||
Conservative hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | James Duff | 292 | 57.7 | ||
Conservative | George Ferguson | 214 | 42.3 | ||
Majority | 78 | 15.4 | |||
Turnout | 506 | 73.9 | |||
Registered electors | 685 | ||||
Whig gain from Conservative |
Elections in the 1840s[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | James Duff | 316 | 53.7 | −4.0 | |
Conservative | John Ogilvy-Grant | 273 | 46.3 | +4.0 | |
Majority | 43 | 7.4 | −8.0 | ||
Turnout | 589 | 82.1 | +8.2 | ||
Registered electors | 717 | ||||
Whig hold | Swing | −4.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | James Duff | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 833 | ||||
Whig hold |
Elections in the 1850s[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | James Duff | 327 | 52.1 | N/A | |
Conservative | Hay Macdowall-Grant[15] | 301 | 47.9 | New | |
Majority | 26 | 4.2 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 628 | 77.2 | N/A | ||
Registered electors | 813 | ||||
Whig hold | Swing | N/A |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | James Duff | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 927 | ||||
Whig hold |
Duff resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Manor of Hempholme, causing a by-election.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | Lachlan Gordon | Unopposed | |||
Whig hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Lachlan Gordon-Duff | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 905 | ||||
Liberal hold |
Elections in the 1860s[]
Duff's resignation caused a by-election.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Robert Duff | Unopposed | |||
Liberal hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Robert Duff | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 1,062 | ||||
Liberal hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Robert Duff | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 2,291 | ||||
Liberal hold |
Elections in the 1870s[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Robert Duff | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 2,418 | ||||
Liberal hold |
Elections in the 1880s[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Robert Duff | Unopposed | |||
Liberal hold |
Duff was appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, requiring a by-election.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Robert Duff | Unopposed | |||
Liberal hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Robert Duff | 3,740 | 65.1 | N/A | |
Conservative | Moir Stormonth-Darling | 2,008 | 34.9 | New | |
Majority | 1,732 | 30.2 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 5,748 | 81.9 | N/A | ||
Registered electors | 7,018 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | N/A |
Duff was appointed Civil Lord of the Admiralty, requiring a by-election.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Robert Duff | Unopposed | |||
Liberal hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Robert Duff | 2,583 | 64.9 | −0.2 | |
Liberal Unionist | Charles Grant | 1,394 | 35.1 | +0.2 | |
Majority | 1,189 | 29.8 | −0.4 | ||
Turnout | 3,977 | 56.7 | −25.2 | ||
Registered electors | 7,018 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | −0.2 |
Elections in the 1890s[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9c/Governor_Duff.jpg/120px-Governor_Duff.jpg)
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Robert Duff | 2,293 | 61.7 | −3.2 | |
Ind. Conservative | Maltman Barry | 1,424 | 38.3 | New | |
Majority | 869 | 23.4 | −6.4 | ||
Turnout | 3,717 | 51.7 | −5.0 | ||
Registered electors | 7,185 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | −3.2 |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/fe/William_Wedderburn.jpg/120px-William_Wedderburn.jpg)
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | William Wedderburn | 3,166 | 56.9 | −4.8 | |
Conservative | James Grant | 2,395 | 43.1 | New | |
Majority | 771 | 13.8 | −9.6 | ||
Turnout | 5,561 | 76.8 | +25.1 | ||
Registered electors | 7,241 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | −4.8 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | William Wedderburn | 2,977 | 54.7 | −7.0 | |
Conservative | James Grant | 2,467 | 45.3 | N/A | |
Majority | 510 | 9.4 | −14.0 | ||
Turnout | 5,444 | 72.4 | +20.7 | ||
Registered electors | 7,520 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | −7.0 |
Elections in the 1900s[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/17/Alexander_Black.jpg/120px-Alexander_Black.jpg)
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Alexander William Black | 2,768 | 52.8 | −1.9 | |
Liberal Unionist | George Watt (1854-1940) | 2,470 | 47.2 | +1.9 | |
Majority | 298 | 5.6 | −3.8 | ||
Turnout | 5,238 | 64.2 | −8.2 | ||
Registered electors | 8,156 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | −1.9 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Alexander William Black | 4,101 | 68.3 | +15.5 | |
Conservative | James Grant | 1,901 | 31.7 | −15.5 | |
Majority | 2,200 | 36.6 | +31.0 | ||
Turnout | 6,002 | 73.9 | +9.7 | ||
Registered electors | 8,118 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | +15.5 |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/39/Walter_Waring.jpg/120px-Walter_Waring.jpg)
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Walter Waring | 3,901 | 67.3 | −1.0 | |
Conservative | William Whitelaw | 1,892 | 32.7 | +1.0 | |
Majority | 2,009 | 34.6 | −2.0 | ||
Turnout | 5,793 | 70.8 | −3.1 | ||
Registered electors | 8,179 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | −1.0 |
Elections in the 1910s[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Walter Waring | 4,066 | 66.4 | −1.9 | |
Conservative | James Crabb Watt | 2,053 | 33.6 | +1.9 | |
Majority | 2,013 | 32.8 | −3.8 | ||
Turnout | 6,119 | 74.8 | +0.9 | ||
Registered electors | 8,181 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | −1.9 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Walter Waring | 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 the July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;
- Liberal: Walter Waring
- Unionist: Edward Archibald Hume
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/6c/Charles_Barrie.jpg/120px-Charles_Barrie.jpg)
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
C | Liberal | Charles Barrie | Unopposed | ||
Liberal hold | |||||
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. |
Elections in the 1920s[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Charles Barrie | Unopposed | |||
Liberal hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Charles Barrie | Unopposed | |||
Liberal hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unionist | William Templeton | 6,829 | 42.7 | New | |
Liberal | Charles Barrie | 5,426 | 34.0 | N/A | |
Labour | A W Groundwater | 3,722 | 23.3 | New | |
Majority | 403 | 8.7 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 15,977 | N/A | |||
Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Murdoch McKenzie Wood | 9,278 | 44.3 | +10.3 | |
Unionist | William Templeton | 6,720 | 32.0 | −10.7 | |
Labour | Alasdair Alpin MacGregor | 4,982 | 23.7 | +0.4 | |
Majority | 2,558 | 12.3 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 20,980 | ||||
Liberal gain from Unionist | Swing | +10.5 |
Elections in the 1930s[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Murdoch McKenzie Wood | Unopposed | N/A | N/A | |
Liberal hold | Swing | N/A |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unionist | Edmund Findlay | 11,771 | 51.3 | New | |
Liberal | Murdoch McKenzie Wood | 11,168 | 48.7 | N/A | |
Majority | 603 | 2.6 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 22,939 | 70.5 | N/A | ||
Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A |
General Election 1939/40
Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected;
- Unionist: William Lindsay
- Liberal: Murdoch McKenzie Wood[32]
- Labour: George A Mair[33]
Elections in the 1940s[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unionist | William Duthie | 10,689 | 49.45 | ||
Liberal | Ian Alistair Duncan Millar | 6,401 | 29.62 | ||
Labour | D. Macpherson | 4,524 | 20.93 | New | |
Majority | 4,288 | 19.83 | |||
Turnout | 21,614 | ||||
Unionist hold | Swing |
Elections in the 1950s[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unionist | William Duthie | 13,952 | 58.15 | ||
Labour | J. Brown | 6,303 | 26.27 | ||
Liberal | Gordon Lethem | 3,739 | 15.58 | ||
Majority | 7,649 | 31.88 | |||
Turnout | 23,994 | ||||
Unionist hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unionist | William Duthie | 16,562 | 70.87 | ||
Labour | Alexander Flett | 6,806 | 29.13 | ||
Majority | 9,756 | 41.74 | |||
Turnout | 23,368 | ||||
Unionist hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unionist | William Duthie | 14,643 | 69.80 | ||
Labour | William Paterson | 6,337 | 30.20 | ||
Majority | 8,306 | 39.60 | |||
Turnout | 20,980 | ||||
Unionist hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unionist | William Duthie | 14,359 | 70.56 | ||
Labour | Robert W. Irvine | 5,992 | 29.44 | ||
Majority | 8,367 | 41.12 | |||
Turnout | 20,351 | ||||
Unionist hold | Swing |
Elections in the 1960s[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Wilfred Baker | 9,995 | 47.77 | ||
Labour | Henry Dickson | 5,574 | 26.64 | ||
Liberal | Thomas Alexander Macnair | 5,354 | 25.59 | New | |
Majority | 4,421 | 21.13 | |||
Turnout | 20,923 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Wilfred Baker | 8,139 | 41.4 | -6.4 | |
Liberal | Basil Wishart | 6,762 | 34.4 | +8.8 | |
Labour | Robert Middleton | 4,775 | 24.3 | -2.3 | |
Majority | 1,377 | 7.0 | -14.1 | ||
Turnout | 19,676 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Elections in the 1970s[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Wilfred Baker | 8,457 | 38.7 | −2.7 | |
SNP | Hamish Watt | 5,006 | 22.9 | New | |
Liberal | Ronnie Fraser | 4,589 | 21.0 | −13.4 | |
Labour | Andrew F. Walls | 3,795 | 17.4 | −6.9 | |
Majority | 3,451 | 15.8 | +7.8 | ||
Turnout | 21,847 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
SNP | Hamish Watt | 11,037 | 46.1 | +23.2 | |
Conservative | Wilfred Baker | 8,252 | 34.5 | −4.2 | |
Liberal | Ronnie Fraser | 3,121 | 13.0 | −8.0 | |
Labour | R. Dool | 1,528 | 6.4 | −11.0 | |
Majority | 2,785 | 11.6 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 23,938 | 75.7 | |||
SNP gain from Conservative | Swing | +13.7 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
SNP | Hamish Watt | 10,638 | 45.9 | −0.2 | |
Conservative | J.S. Gordon | 8,797 | 37.9 | +3.4 | |
Liberal | C. McLeod | 2,059 | 8.9 | −4.1 | |
Labour | A.W.M. Porteous | 1,700 | 7.3 | +0.9 | |
Majority | 1,851 | 8.0 | −3.6 | ||
Turnout | 23,194 | 72.5 | -3.2 | ||
SNP hold | Swing | −1.8 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | David Fairlie Myles | 10,580 | 44.6 | +6.7 | |
SNP | Hamish Watt | 9,781 | 41.2 | −4.7 | |
Labour | Robert E. Duncan | 3,381 | 14.2 | +6.9 | |
Majority | 799 | 3.4 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 23,742 | 72.4 | -0.1 | ||
Conservative gain from SNP | Swing | +5.7 |
References[]
- ^ "Banffshire". History of Parliament Online (1690-1715). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- ^ "Banffshire". History of Parliament Online (1715-1754). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- ^ "Banffshire". History of Parliament Online (1754-1790). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- ^ "Banffshire". History of Parliament Online (1790-1820). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- ^ "Banffshire". History of Parliament Online (1820-1832). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- ^ Stooks Smith, Henry. (1973) [1844–1850]. Craig, F. W. S. (ed.). The Parliaments of England (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. pp. 622–623. ISBN 0-900178-13-2.
- ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "B" (part 1)
- ^ Mosse, Richard B. (1838). The Parliamentary Guide: a concise history of the Members of both Houses, etc. p. 35. Retrieved 8 May 2020 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Smith, Henry Stooks (1842). The Register of Parliamentary Contested Elections (Second ed.). Simpkin, Marshall & Company. p. 197. Retrieved 9 September 2018 – via Google Books.
- ^ Churton, Edward (1838). The Assembled Commons or Parliamentary Biographer: 1838. p. 74. Retrieved 9 September 2018 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Saunders's News-Letter". 14 August 1837. pp. 2–3. Retrieved 9 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Scotland". London Courier and Evening Gazette. 3 August 1837. p. 3. Retrieved 9 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ a b c Fisher, David R. "Banffshire". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o 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.
- ^ "Banffshire Election". Aberdeen Press and Journal. 21 July 1852. p. 6. Retrieved 10 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ Debrett's House of Commons, 1870
- ^ a b c d e Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1889
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
- ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1893
- ^ The Times, 17 March 1893
- ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1901
- ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1907
- ^ The Times, 19 Feb 1907
- ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1916
- ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1920
- ^ The Times, 17 November 1922
- ^ The Times, 8 December 1923
- ^ Oliver & Boyd's Edinburgh Almanack, 1927
- ^ The Times, 1 June 1929
- ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1934
- ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1939
- ^ The Liberal Magazine, 1939
- ^ Report of the Annual Conference of the Labour Party, 1939
- ^ "UK General Election results July 1945". Politics Resources. Archived from the original on 2015-05-25. Retrieved 2009-11-07.
- ^ "UK General Election results February 1950". Politics Resources. Archived from the original on 2011-08-11. Retrieved 2009-11-07.
- ^ "UK General Election results October 1951". Politics Resources. Archived from the original on 2011-08-11. Retrieved 2009-11-07.
- ^ "UK General Election results May 1955". Politics Resources. Archived from the original on 2011-08-11. Retrieved 2009-11-07.
- ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1963
- ^ "UK General Election results October 1964". Politics Resources. Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2009-11-09.
- ^ a b "UK General Election results March 1966". Politics Resources. Archived from the original on 2011-08-11. Retrieved 2009-11-09.
- Politics of the county of Banff
- Politics of Aberdeenshire
- Politics of Moray
- Historic parliamentary constituencies in Scotland (Westminster)
- Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 1708
- Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom disestablished in 1983