East Down (UK Parliament constituency)

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East Down
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
1885–1922
Replaced byDown
Created fromDown, Downpatrick

East Down was a UK Parliament constituency in Ireland which returned one Member of Parliament from 1885 to 1922, using the first past the post electoral system.

Boundaries and Boundary Changes[]

This county constituency was first created in 1885 from the eastern part of Down. There was a boundary change reducing the size of this division in 1918, when the new Mid Down constituency was created.

1885–1918: The baronies of Dufferin, Kinelarty, Lecale Lower and Lecale Upper, and that part of the barony of Castlereagh Upper not contained in the North Down constituency.[1][2]

1918–1922: The rural district of Downpatrick, exclusive of the district electoral divisions of Ballynahinch, Kilmore and Leggygowan; the part of the rural district of Kilkeel which consists of the district electoral divisions of Bryansford, Fofanny and Maghera, and the part of the rural district of Banbridge which consists of the district electoral divisions of Ballyward, Crossgar and Leitrim.'.[3]

Maps showing the component units of the constituency can be seen here.

Prior to the 1885 United Kingdom general election and after the dissolution of Parliament in 1922 the area was part of the Down constituency.

Politics[]

The constituency had an anti-unionist majority in 1918, but its support was split fairly evenly between Nationalist and Sinn Féin candidates. An attempt at a limited electoral pact broke down in this constituency. In a first past the post election this situation produced a minority Unionist win.

The First Dáil[]

Sinn Féin contested the general election of 1918 on the platform that instead of taking up any seats they won in the United Kingdom Parliament, they would establish a revolutionary assembly in Dublin. In republican theory every MP elected in Ireland was a potential Deputy to this assembly. In practice only the Sinn Féin members accepted the offer.

The revolutionary First Dáil assembled on 21 January 1919 and last met on 10 May 1921. The First Dáil, according to a resolution passed also on 10 May, was formally dissolved on the assembling of the Second Dáil. This took place on 16 August.

In 1921 Sinn Féin decided to use the UK-authorised elections for the Northern Ireland House of Commons and the House of Commons of Southern Ireland as a poll for the Irish Republic's Second Dáil. This area, in republican theory, was incorporated in an eight-member Dáil constituency of Down.

Members of Parliament[]

Election Member Party
1885 Richard Ker Conservative
1890 by-election James Alexander Rentoul Conservative
1891 Unionist
James Wood Russellite Unionist
1906 James Craig Unionist
1918 David Douglas Reid Unionist
1922 constituency abolished

Elections[]

Elections in the 1880s[]

General election 1885: East Down[4][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Richard Ker Unopposed
Conservative win (new seat)
General election 1886: East Down[4][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Richard Ker 5,093 66.5 N/A
Irish Parliamentary Henry McGrath 2,561 33.5 New
Majority 2,532 33.0 N/A
Turnout 7,654 78.1 N/A
Registered electors 9,805
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1890s[]

By-election 1890: East Down[4][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Alexander Rentoul Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1892: East Down[4][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist James Alexander Rentoul Unopposed
Irish Unionist hold
General election 1895: East Down[4][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist James Alexander Rentoul Unopposed
Irish Unionist hold

Elections in the 1900s[]

General election 1900: East Down[4][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist James Alexander Rentoul Unopposed
Irish Unionist hold
: East Down[6][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Russellite Unionist James Wood 3,576 51.0 New
Irish Unionist Robert Hugh Wallace 3,429 49.0 N/A
Majority 147 2.0 N/A
Turnout 7,005 85.6 N/A
Registered electors 8,184
Russellite Unionist gain from Irish Unionist Swing N/A
General election 1906: East Down[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist James Craig 4,011 54.6 N/A
Russellite Unionist James Wood 3,341 45.4 N/A
Majority 670 9.2 N/A
Turnout 7,352 91.1 N/A
Registered electors 8,072
Irish Unionist hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1910s[]

General election January 1910: East Down[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist James Craig 4,028 56.9 +2.3
Liberal James Wood 3,054 43.1 −2.3
Majority 974 13.8 +4.6
Turnout 7,082 89.7 −1.4
Registered electors 7,895
Irish Unionist hold Swing +2.3
General election December 1910: East Down[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist James Craig 4,110 63.0 +6.1
Liberal James Williamson 2,412 37.0 −6.1
Majority 1,698 26.0 +12.2
Turnout 6,522 82.6 −7.1
Registered electors 7,895
Irish Unionist hold Swing +6.1
General Election 1918: East Down[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist David Reid 6,007 42.3 −20.7
Irish Parliamentary Michael J. Johnston 4,362 30.4 New
Sinn Féin Russell McNabb 3,876 27.3 New
Majority 1,645 11.9 −14.1
Turnout 14,245 79.8 −2.8
Registered electors 17,846
Irish Unionist hold Swing N/A

References[]

  • Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "D" (part 3)
  • Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801–1922, edited by B.M. Walker (Royal Irish Academy 1978)
  • Who's Who of British Members of Parliament: Volume II 1886–1918, edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (The Harvester Press 1978)
  • Who's Who of British Members of Parliament: Volume III 1919–1945, edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (The Harvester Press 1979)
  1. ^ Redistribution of Seats Act, 1885, (Ch 23) Seventh Schedule, Part III - Ireland - County of Down
  2. ^ The portion of the Barony of Castlereagh Upper comprised in Division No. 1 was the parishes or parts of parishes of Comber and Knockbreda.
  3. ^ Redistribution of Seats (Ireland) Act, 1918, (Ch 65) Fourth Schedule,
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Election intelligence". The Times. No. 36652. London. 31 December 1901. p. 4.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Walker, B.M., ed. (1978). Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801-1922. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. ISBN 0901714127.
  6. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36685. London. 7 February 1902. p. 8.

See also[]

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