Argyllshire (UK Parliament constituency)

Argyllshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1800 and of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 until 1983. The constituency was named Argyll from 1950. The constituency was replaced in 1983 with Argyll and Bute.

Argyllshire
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
Subdivisions of ScotlandArgyllshire
1708–1983
Number of membersOne
Replaced byArgyll and Bute and Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber

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 Argyllshire .[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

Local government areas

Until Scottish counties were abolished, for most purposes, in 1975, the constituency represented the county of Argyll, except that constituency boundaries may not have coincided at all times with county boundaries, and any parliamentary burgh within the county would have been outside the constituency.

In 1975 most of the county plus the Isle of Bute became the Argyll district of the Strathclyde region. A northern area of the county became part of the Highland region. Until 1975 the Isle of Bute had been part of the county of Bute.

In 1996, 13 years after the abolition of the Argyll constituency and creation of the Argyll and Bute constituency, the Argyll district, plus a portion of the Dumbarton district of Strathclyde, became the Argyll and Bute unitary council area.

Members of Parliament

Argyllshire
ElectionMember [6] Party
1708 Sir James Campbell, 2nd Baronet
1736 by-election Charles Campbell
1742 by-election James Stuart-Mackenzie
1747 Sir Duncan Campbell of Lochnell
1754 Dugald Campbell
1764 by-election Lord William Campbell
1766 by-election Robert Campbell
1772 by-election Adam Livingston
1780 Lord Frederick Campbell
1799 by-election Lord John Campbell Whig
1822 by-election Walter Frederick Campbell Whig[7]
1832 James Henry Callander Whig[7]
1835 Walter Frederick Campbell Whig[7]
1841 Alexander Campbell Conservative[7]
1843 by-election Duncan McNeill Conservative
1851 by-election Sir Archibald Campbell, 3rd Baronet Conservative
1857 Alexander Struthers Finlay Whig[8]
1859 Liberal
1868 Marquess of Lorne Liberal
1878 by-election Lord Colin Campbell Liberal
1885 Donald Horne Macfarlane Crofters' Party
1886 John Malcolm Unionist
1892 Sir Donald Horne Macfarlane Liberal
1895 Donald Nicol Unionist Party
1903 by-election John Ainsworth Liberal
1918 Sir William Sutherland Coalition Liberal
1922 National Liberal
1918 Liberal
1924 Frederick Alexander Macquisten Unionist
1940 by-election Sir Duncan McCallum Unionist
1950 constituency renamed

Argyll
ElectionMember [6] Party
1950 Sir Duncan McCallum Unionist
1958 (b) Michael Noble Unionist
Feb 1974 Iain MacCormick Scottish National Party
1979 John Mackay Conservative
1983 constituency abolished

Election results
Argyll election results


Decades:

Elections in the 1830s
General election 1830: Argyllshire[7][9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Walter Frederick Campbell Unopposed
Registered electors 114
Whig hold
General election 1831: Argyllshire[7][9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Walter Frederick Campbell Unopposed
Whig hold
General election 1832: Argyllshire[7][10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig James Henry Callander Unopposed
Registered electors 995
Whig hold
General election 1835: Argyllshire[7][10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Walter Frederick Campbell Unopposed
Registered electors 1,084
Whig hold
General election 1837: Argyllshire[7][10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Walter Frederick Campbell 712 60.6
Conservative Alexander Campbell 462 39.4
Majority 250 21.2
Turnout 1,174 70.5
Registered electors 1,666
Whig hold

Elections in the 1840s
General election 1841: Argyllshire[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alexander Campbell Unopposed
Registered electors 1,600
Conservative gain from Whig

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

By-election, 8 September 1843: Argyllshire[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Duncan McNeill Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1847: Argyllshire[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Duncan McNeill Unopposed
Registered electors 1,889
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1850s

McNeill resigned after being appointed a Senator of the College of Justice, becoming Lord Colonsay and causing a by-election.

By-election, 6 June 1851: Argyllshire[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Archibald Campbell Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1852: Argyllshire[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Archibald Campbell Unopposed
Registered electors 2,156
Conservative hold
General election 1857: Argyllshire[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Alexander Struthers Finlay Unopposed
Registered electors 2,256
Whig gain from Conservative
General election 1859: Argyllshire[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alexander Struthers Finlay Unopposed
Registered electors 2,294
Liberal hold

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Elections in the 1860s
General election 1865: Argyllshire[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alexander Struthers Finlay Unopposed
Registered electors 1,914
Liberal hold

Finlay resigned, causing a by-election.

By-election, 3 Mar 1868: Argyllshire[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Campbell Unopposed
Liberal hold
General election 1868: Argyllshire[11][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Campbell Unopposed
Registered electors 2,870
Liberal hold

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Elections in the 1870s
General election 1874: Argyllshire [10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Campbell Unopposed
Registered electors 3,018
Liberal hold

Campbell resigned after being appointed Governor General of Canada.

Lord Colin Campbell
By-election, 31 Aug 1878: Argyllshire [10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Colin Campbell 1,462 56.9 N/A
Conservative John Malcolm 1,107 43.1 New
Majority 355 13.8 N/A
Turnout 2,569 82.0 N/A
Registered electors 3,133
Liberal hold Swing N/A

Back to Election results

Elections in the 1880s
General election 1880: Argyllshire [12][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Colin Campbell 1,457 55.0 N/A
Conservative John Malcolm 1,191 45.0 N/A
Majority 266 10.0 N/A
Turnout 2,648 80.3 N/A
Registered electors 3,299
Liberal hold Swing N/A
General election 1885: Argyllshire[13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Liberal (Crofters) Donald Horne McFarlane 3,340 48.6 New
Independent Liberal William Mackinnon[15] 2,856 41.6 New
Liberal John Stuart McCaig 670 9.8 −45.2
Majority 484 7.0 N/A
Turnout 6,866 68.6 −11.7
Registered electors 10,011
Independent Liberal gain from Liberal Swing N/A
General election 1886: Argyllshire [13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Malcolm 3,658 54.6 New
Liberal (Crofters) Donald Horne McFarlane 3,045 45.4 −3.2
Majority 613 9.2 N/A
Turnout 6,703 67.0 −1.6
Registered electors 10,011
Conservative gain from Independent Liberal Swing N/A

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Elections in the 1890s
General election 1892: Argyllshire[16][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal (Crofters) Donald Horne Macfarlane 3,666 50.6 +5.2
Conservative John Malcolm 3,586 49.4 −5.2
Majority 80 1.2 N/A
Turnout 7,252 73.4 +6.4
Registered electors 9,874
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +5.2
General election 1895: Argyllshire[17][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Donald Nicol 3,970 50.9 +1.5
Liberal Donald Horne Macfarlane 3,835 49.1 −1.5
Majority 135 1.8 N/A
Turnout 7,805 74.5 +1.1
Registered electors 10,471
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +1.5

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Elections in the 1900s
General election 1900: Argyllshire[17][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Donald Nicol 3,834 54.2 +3.3
Liberal John Ainsworth 3,234 45.8 −3.3
Majority 600 8.4 +6.6
Turnout 7,068 67.9 −6.6
Registered electors 10,405
Conservative hold Swing +3.3
John Ainsworth
1903 Argyllshire by-election[18][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Ainsworth 4,326 61.2 +15.4
Conservative C. Stewart 2,740 38.8 −15.4
Majority 1,586 22.4 N/A
Turnout 7,066 66.4 −1.5
Registered electors 10,643
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +15.4
General election 1906: Argyllshire[19][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Ainsworth 4,507 59.9 +14.1
Conservative George Hutchison 3,012 40.1 −14.1
Majority 1,495 19.8 N/A
Turnout 7,519 67.0 −0.9
Registered electors 11,216
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +14.1

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Elections in the 1910s
General election January 1910: Argyllshire [20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Ainsworth 4,443 55.1 −4.8
Conservative George Hutchison 3,617 44.9 +4.8
Majority 826 10.2 −9.6
Turnout 8,060 73.1 +6.1
Registered electors 11,025
Liberal hold Swing −4.8
General election December 1910: Argyllshire [20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Ainsworth 4,280 51.5 −3.6
Conservative George Hutchison 4,023 48.5 +3.6
Majority 257 3.0 −7.2
Turnout 8,303 71.8 −1.3
Registered electors 11,572
Liberal hold Swing −3.6

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;

General election 1918: Argyllshire [22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Liberal William Sutherland 11,970 81.4 +29.9
Highland Land League Lauchlin MacNeill Weir 2,733 18.6 New
Majority 9,237 62.8 +59.8
Turnout 14,703 52.0 −29.8
Liberal hold Swing N/A
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Back to Election results

Elections in the 1920s
Sir W. Sutherland
1920 Argyll by-election[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Liberal William Sutherland 10,187 64.9 -16.5
Labour Malcolm MacCallum 5,498 35.1 New
Majority 4,689 29.8 -33.0
Turnout 15,685 50.2 -1.8
Liberal hold Swing
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.
General election 1922: Argyllshire [23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal William Sutherland 9,848 58.8 −6.1
Liberal Henry Anderson Watt 6,897 41.2 +6.1
Majority 2,591 15.6 −12.2
Turnout 16,745 51.8 +1.6
National Liberal hold Swing −6.1
General election 1923: Argyllshire [24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Sutherland 9,020 52.7 −6.1
Unionist Frederick Alexander Macquisten 8,100 47.3 New
Majority 920 5.4 N/A
Turnout 17,120 53.3 +1.5
Liberal gain from National Liberal Swing N/A
General election 1924: Argyllshire[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Frederick Alexander Macquisten 9,240 46.2 −1.1
Liberal William Sutherland 6,211 31.1 −21.6
Labour I.H. MacIver 4,532 22.7 New
Majority 3,029 15.1 +9.7
Turnout 19,983 62.7 +9.4
Unionist hold Swing
General election 1929: Argyllshire[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Frederick Alexander Macquisten 11,108 44.1 −2.1
Liberal Basil Murray 8,089 32.1 +1.0
Labour John L. Kinloch 6,001 23.8 +1.1
Majority 3,019 12.0 -3.1
Turnout 25,198 62.7 0.0
Unionist hold Swing −1.6

Back to Election results

Elections in the 1930s
General election 1931: Argyllshire[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Frederick Alexander Macquisten Unopposed N/A N/A
Unionist hold Swing N/A
General election 1935: Argyllshire [28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Frederick Alexander Macquisten 13,260 53.6 N/A
Liberal Basil Murray 11,486 46.4 New
Majority 1,774 7.2 N/A
Turnout 24,746 56.6 N/A
Unionist hold Swing N/A

Back to Election results

Elections in the 1940s
1940 Argyllshire by-election [29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Duncan McCallum 12,317 62.8 +9.2
SNP William Power 7,308 37.2 New
Majority 5,009 25.5 +17.3
Turnout 19,625
Unionist hold Swing
General election 1945: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Duncan McCallum 15,791 56.6 +3.0
Labour A. MacNeill Weir 8,889 31.9 New
Liberal John Bannerman 3,228 11.6 −34.8
Majority 6,902 24.7 +17.5
Turnout 27,908 63.9 +7.3
Unionist hold Swing

Back to Election results

Elections in the 1950s
General election 1950: Argyll
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Duncan McCallum 19,259 66.5 +9.9
Labour I. Nicholson 9,215 31.8 −0.1
Scottish Home Rule M S McP Holt 490 1.7 New
Majority 10,044 34.7 +10.0
Turnout 28,964 75.1 +11.2
Unionist hold Swing
General election 1951: Argyll
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Duncan McCallum 21,191 68.1 +1.6
Labour Robert M. Young 9,925 31.9 +0.1
Majority 11,266 36.2 +1.5
Turnout 28,210 67.1 −8.0
Unionist hold Swing
General election 1955: Argyll
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Duncan McCallum 19,119 67.8 −0.3
Labour Robert M. Young 9,091 32.2 +0.3
Majority 10,028 35.6 -0.6
Turnout 28,210 66.9 −0.2
Unionist hold Swing −0.3
1958 Argyll by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Michael Noble 12,541 46.8 −21.0
Liberal William D. McKean 7,375 27.5 New
Labour Robert M. Young 6,884 25.7 −6.5
Majority 5,166 19.3 -16.3
Turnout 26,800
Unionist hold Swing
General election 1959: Argyll [30]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Michael Noble 16,599 58.4 −9.4
Labour D. Nisbet 7,356 25.9 −6.3
Liberal Gerard Noel 4,469 15.7 New
Majority 9,243 32.5 -3.1
Turnout 28,424 71.0 +4.1
Unionist hold Swing

Back to Election results

Elections in the 1960s
General election 1964: Argyll
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Michael Noble 13,277 47.2 −11.2
Labour Duncan L. MacMillan 8,120 28.9 +3.0
Liberal John MacKay 6,707 23.9 +8.2
Majority 5,157 18.4 -14.1
Turnout 28,104 70.3 −0.7
Unionist hold Swing
General election 1966: Argyll
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Noble 12,178 43.2 −4.0
Labour John McFadden 8,486 30.1 +1.2
Liberal John MacKay 7,512 26.7 +2.8
Majority 3,692 13.1 -5.3
Turnout 28,176 72.3 +2.0
Conservative hold Swing

Back to Election results

Elections in the 1970s
General election 1970: Argyll
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Noble 13,521 44.8 +1.6
SNP Iain MacCormick 9,039 29.9 New
Labour John McFadden 7,633 25.3 −4.8
Majority 4,482 14.8 +1.7
Turnout 30,193 73.9 +1.6
Conservative hold Swing
General election February 1974: Argyll
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SNP Iain MacCormick 15,646 48.9 +19.0
Conservative Peter Craft Hutchison 12,358 38.6 −6.2
Labour M.J.N. MacGregor 4,027 12.6 −12.7
Majority 3,288 10.3 N/A
Turnout 32,031 77.3 +3.4
SNP gain from Conservative Swing +12.6
General election October 1974: Argyll [31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SNP Iain MacCormick 14,967 49.7 +0.8
Conservative John MacKay 11,036 36.7 −1.9
Labour M.J.N. MacGregor 4,103 13.6 +1.0
Majority 3,931 13.0 +1.7
Turnout 30,106 72.0 −5.3
SNP hold Swing +1.4
General election 1979: Argyll
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John MacKay 12,191 36.8 +0.1
SNP Iain MacCormick 10,545 31.8 −17.9
Labour M.J.N. MacGregor 5,283 16.0 +2.4
Liberal Ray Michie 5,113 15.4 New
Majority 1,646 5.0 N/A
Turnout 33,132 76.1 +4.1
Conservative gain from SNP Swing +9.0

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See also

References
  1. "Argyllshire". History of Parliament Online (1690–1715). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  2. "Argyllshire". History of Parliament Online (1715–1754). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  3. "Argyllshire". History of Parliament Online (1754–1790). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  4. "Argyllshire". History of Parliament Online (1790–1820). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  5. "Argyllshire". History of Parliament Online (1820–1832). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  6. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "A" (part 2)
  7. Smith, Henry Stooks (1842). The Register of Parliamentary Contested Elections (Second ed.). Simpkin, Marshall & Company. p. 196.
  8. "Argyllshire". Caledonian Mercury. p. 4. Retrieved 5 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. Fisher, David R. "Argyllshire". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  10. 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.
  11. Debrett's House of Commons, 1870
  12. The Times,29 April 1880
  13. Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1889
  14. Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885–1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
  15. "The General Election". Glasgow Herald. 9 October 1885. pp. 9–10.
  16. Whitaker's Almanack, 1893
  17. Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1901
  18. The Times, 29 August 1903
  19. Whitaker's Almanack, 1907
  20. Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1916
  21. Edinburgh Evening News 19 Sep 1914
  22. Whitaker's Almanack, 1920
  23. British parliamentary election results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  24. The Times, 11 December 1923
  25. Oliver & Boyd's Edinburgh Almanac, 1927
  26. The Times, 3 June 1929
  27. Whitaker's Almanack, 1934
  28. Whitaker's Almanack, 1939
  29. Whitaker's Almanack, 1944
  30. Whitaker's Almanack 1963
  31. Whitaker's Almanack 1977
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