Falkirk_District_of_Burghs_(UK_Parliament_constituency)
Falkirk Burghs (UK Parliament constituency)
Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1832–1918
Falkirk Burghs was a district of burghs constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 to 1918. The constituency comprised the burghs of Falkirk, Airdrie, Hamilton, Lanark and Linlithgow, lying in Stirlingshire, Lanarkshire and Linlithgowshire.
Quick Facts Major settlements, 1832–1918 ...
| Falkirk Burghs | |
|---|---|
| Former District of Burghs constituency for the House of Commons | |
| Major settlements | Falkirk, Airdrie, Hamilton, Lanark and Linlithgow |
| 1832–1918 | |
| Seats | One |
| Created from | Lanarkshire,[1] Linlithgow Burghs,[2] and Stirlingshire[3] |
| Replaced by | Stirling & Falkirk Burghs, Hamilton, Lanark and Linlithgowshire |
Close
In 1918, Falkirk became part of Stirling and Falkirk Burghs, Hamilton and Lanark formed the core of new Hamilton and Lanark constituencies, and Linlithgow was represented as part of Linlithgowshire.
More information Election, Member ...
| Election | Member [4] | Party[5][6] | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1832 | William Downe Gillon | Radical[6][7][8] | |
| 1841 | William Baird | Conservative[6] | |
| 1846 by-election | Henry Pelham-Clinton, Earl of Lincoln, later Duke of Newcastle | Conservative | |
| 1851 by-election | James Baird | Conservative | |
| 1857 | James Merry | Radical[9][10] | |
| 1857 by-election | John Hamilton, later Baron Hamilton of Dalzell | Radical[11] | |
| 1859 | James Merry | Liberal | |
| 1874 | John Ramsay | Liberal | |
| 1886 | William Pirrie Sinclair | Liberal Unionist Party | |
| 1892 | Harry Smith | Liberal | |
| 1895 | John Wilson | Liberal Unionist Party | |
| 1906 | John Macdonald | Liberal | |
| 1918 | constituency abolished | ||
Close
Elections in the 1830s
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radical | William Downe Gillon | 505 | 58.3 | ||
| Whig | Charles Murray[13] | 361 | 41.7 | ||
| Majority | 144 | 16.6 | |||
| Turnout | 866 | 89.4 | |||
| Registered electors | 969 | ||||
| Radical win (new seat) | |||||
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radical | William Downe Gillon | Unopposed | |||
| Registered electors | 1,046 | ||||
| Radical hold | |||||
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radical | William Downe Gillon | Unopposed | |||
| Registered electors | 1,177 | ||||
| Radical hold | |||||
Close
Elections in the 1840s
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | William Baird | 484 | 52.8 | New | |
| Radical | William Downe Gillon | 433 | 47.2 | N/A | |
| Majority | 51 | 5.6 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 917 | 67.0 | N/A | ||
| Registered electors | 1,369 | ||||
| Conservative gain from Radical | Swing | N/A | |||
Close
Baird resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, causing a by-election.
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Henry Pelham-Clinton | 506 | 50.5 | −2.3 | |
| Whig | John Wilson[14][15] | 495 | 49.5 | +2.3 | |
| Majority | 11 | 1.0 | −4.4 | ||
| Turnout | 1,001 | 75.2 | +8.2 | ||
| Registered electors | 1,332 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | −2.3 | |||
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Henry Pelham-Clinton | 522 | 51.5 | −1.3 | |
| Whig | William Sprott Boyd[16] | 491 | 48.5 | +1.3 | |
| Majority | 31 | 3.0 | −2.6 | ||
| Turnout | 1,013 | 70.5 | +3.5 | ||
| Registered electors | 1,437 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | −1.3 | |||
Close
Elections in the 1850s
Pelham-Clinton succeeded to the peerage, becoming 5th Duke of Newcastle and causing a by-election.
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | James Baird | 590 | 52.0 | +0.5 | |
| Whig | George Loch[17][18] | 544 | 48.0 | −0.5 | |
| Majority | 46 | 4.0 | +1.0 | ||
| Turnout | 1,134 | 64.8 | −5.7 | ||
| Registered electors | 1,749 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | +0.5 | |||
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | James Baird | 579 | 52.3 | +0.8 | |
| Whig | James Anderson[19] | 529 | 47.7 | −0.8 | |
| Majority | 50 | 4.6 | +1.6 | ||
| Turnout | 1,108 | 58.2 | −12.3 | ||
| Registered electors | 1,905 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | +0.8 | |||
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radical | James Merry | 770 | 61.1 | +13.4 | |
| Conservative | George Baird[20] | 491 | 38.9 | −13.4 | |
| Majority | 279 | 22.2 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 1,261 | 85.6 | +27.4 | ||
| Registered electors | 1,473 | ||||
| Radical gain from Conservative | Swing | +13.4 | |||
Close
Merry's election was declared void on petition due to bribery by "injudicious partisans",[21] causing a by-election.
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radical | John Hamilton | Unopposed | |||
| Radical hold | |||||
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | James Merry | Unopposed | |||
| Registered electors | 1,540 | ||||
| Liberal hold | |||||
Close
Elections in the 1860s
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | James Merry | 683 | 62.0 | N/A | |
| Conservative | Frederick James Halliday | 419 | 38.0 | New | |
| Majority | 264 | 24.0 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 1,102 | 73.0 | N/A | ||
| Registered electors | 1,510 | ||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |||
Close
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More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | James Merry | 1,724 | 99.1 | +37.1 | |
| Independent Liberal | Edward Horsman[23] | 16 | 0.9 | New | |
| Majority | 1,708 | 98.2 | +74.2 | ||
| Turnout | 1,740 | 37.0 | −36.0 | ||
| Registered electors | 4,704 | ||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |||
Close
Elections in the 1870s
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | John Ramsay | 2,583 | 56.9 | −42.2 | |
| Conservative | Alexander Baird[24] | 1,958 | 43.1 | New | |
| Majority | 625 | 13.8 | −84.4 | ||
| Turnout | 4,541 | 87.9 | +50.9 | ||
| Registered electors | 5,165 | ||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |||
Close
Ramsay was disqualified from office, due to his holding of a Government contract at the time of the election. He stood again unopposed at a by-election.
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | John Ramsay | Unopposed | |||
| Liberal hold | |||||
Close
Elections in the 1880s
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | John Ramsay | 3,270 | 74.1 | +17.2 | |
| Conservative | William Bell McTaggart[25] | 1,140 | 25.9 | −17.2 | |
| Majority | 2,130 | 48.2 | +34.4 | ||
| Turnout | 4,410 | 82.7 | −5.2 | ||
| Registered electors | 5,333 | ||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | +17.2 | |||
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | John Ramsay | 3,104 | 50.6 | −23.5 | |
| Conservative | Samuel Leck Mason | 2,204 | 35.9 | 10.0 | |
| Independent Liberal | James Galloway Weir | 814 | 13.3 | New | |
| Hamilton Liberal Association | John Roskill | 14 | 0.2 | New | |
| Majority | 900 | 14.7 | −33.6 | ||
| Turnout | 6,136 | 85.9 | +3.2 | ||
| Registered electors | 7,142 | ||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | −16.8 | |||
Close
The Hamilton Liberal Association nominated Roskill in protest against Ramsay. However, arbitration later led to their support for Ramsay and Roskill's withdrawal from the race. Weir did not agree to take part in the arbitration.
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Unionist | William Pirrie Sinclair | 2,712 | 50.2 | +14.3 | |
| Liberal | Harry Smith | 2,693 | 49.8 | -0.8 | |
| Majority | 19 | 0.4 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 5,405 | 75.7 | -10.2 | ||
| Registered electors | 7,142 | ||||
| Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | +7.5 | |||
Close
Elections in the 1890s
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Harry Smith | 3,816 | 54.6 | +4.8 | |
| Liberal Unionist | William Pirrie Sinclair | 3,177 | 45.4 | -4.8 | |
| Majority | 639 | 9.2 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 6,993 | 83.1 | +7.4 | ||
| Registered electors | 8,412 | ||||
| Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist | Swing | +4.8 | |||
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Unionist | John Wilson | 4,075 | 51.6 | +6.2 | |
| Liberal | Harry Smith | 3,822 | 48.4 | -6.2 | |
| Majority | 253 | 3.2 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 7,897 | 84.3 | +1.2 | ||
| Registered electors | 9,363 | ||||
| Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | +6.2 | |||
Close
Elections in the 1900s
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Unionist | John Wilson | 4,222 | 51.2 | −0.4 | |
| Liberal | John Macdonald | 4,022 | 48.8 | +0.4 | |
| Majority | 200 | 2.4 | −0.8 | ||
| Turnout | 8,244 | 79.4 | −4.9 | ||
| Registered electors | 10,388 | ||||
| Liberal Unionist hold | Swing | −0.4 | |||
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | John Macdonald | 5,158 | 51.0 | +2.2 | |
| Conservative | Henry Keith | 3,176 | 31.5 | −19.7 | |
| Scottish Workers | David Gilmour | 1,763 | 17.5 | New | |
| Majority | 1,982 | 19.5 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 10,097 | 83.7 | +4.3 | ||
| Registered electors | 12,068 | ||||
| Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist | Swing | +5.9 | |||
Close
Elections in the 1910s
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | John Macdonald | 6,524 | 59.9 | +8.9 | |
| Conservative | Henry Keith | 4,375 | 40.1 | +8.6 | |
| Majority | 2,149 | 19.8 | +0.3 | ||
| Turnout | 10,899 | 84.6 | +0.9 | ||
| Liberal hold | Swing | +0.2 | |||
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | John Macdonald | 6,276 | 59.7 | -0.2 | |
| Conservative | Daniel Young | 4,245 | 40.3 | +0.2 | |
| Majority | 2,031 | 19.4 | -0.4 | ||
| Turnout | 10,521 | 80.0 | -4.6 | ||
| Liberal hold | Swing | -0.2 | |||
Close
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 July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;
- Liberal: John Macdonald
- Unionist: Sir James Robertson Wilson, 2nd Baronet
- British Socialist Party:
- Jenkins, Terry. "Lanarkshire". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
- Fisher, David R. "Linlithgow Burghs". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
- Jenkins, Terry. "Stirlingshire". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
- Craig, F. W. S. (1989) [1977]. British parliamentary election results 1832–1885 (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 544. ISBN 0-900178-26-4.
- Stooks Smith, Henry (1842). The Register of Parliamentary Contested Elections: Containing the Uncontested Elections Since 1830. London: Simpkin, Marshall, & Co. p. 201. Retrieved 16 August 2019 – via Google Books.
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- "Coventry Standard". 6 March 1857. p. 4. Retrieved 2 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
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- "Kelso Chronicle". 14 August 1857. p. 2. Retrieved 2 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- 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.
- "Page 2". London Courier and Evening Gazette. 26 December 1832. Retrieved 7 May 2020 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- "Derry Journal". 29 April 1846. p. 2. Retrieved 16 August 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- "Election for the Falkirk District of Burghs". Dumfries and Galloway Standard. 6 May 1846. p. 3. Retrieved 16 August 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- "Falkirk Burghs". The Sctosman. 28 July 1847. p. 2. Retrieved 16 August 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- "Scotland". Dumfries and Galloway Standard. 19 February 1851. p. 3. Retrieved 2 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- "The Vacant Seats". Tyrone Constitution. 7 February 1851. p. 2. Retrieved 2 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- "The Falkirk Burghs". Stirling Observer. 15 July 1852. p. 4. Retrieved 2 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- "Falkirk Burghs". Banffshire Journal and General Advertiser. 7 April 1857. p. 8. Retrieved 2 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- "Election Intelligence". Windsor and Eton Express. 15 August 1857. p. 2. Retrieved 2 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- Debrett's House of Commons and Judicial Bench, 1870
- "Falkirk Burghs". Falkirk Herald. 12 November 1868. pp. 4–5. Retrieved 10 February 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
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- "This Evening's News". The Pall Mall Gazette. 2 April 1880. pp. 6–7. Retrieved 26 November 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- Debrett's House of Commons and Judicial Bench, 1889
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- Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886
- Whitaker's Almanack, 1893
- Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1901
- Whitaker's Almanack, 1907
- Debrett's House of Commons and Judicial Bench, 1916