Ayr Burghs (UK Parliament constituency)

Ayr Burghs was a district of burghs 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 to 1950. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP), using the first-past-the-post voting system.

Ayr Burghs
Former District of Burghs constituency
for the House of Commons
Subdivisions of ScotlandAyrshire, Argyllshire
1708–1950
Number of membersOne
Replaced byAyr, Central Ayrshire, Bute and Northern Ayrshire
Created fromAyr, Campbeltown, Inveraray, Irvine, Rothesay

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 Ayr, Campbeltown, Inveraray, Irvine and Rothesay.

Boundaries

The list of parliamentary burghs represented by the constituency changed in 1832 and again in 1918:

  • 1832 to 1918: the Ayrshire burghs of Ayr and Irvine and the Argyllshire burghs of Campbeltown, Inveraray and Oban
  • 1918 to 1950: the Ayrshire burghs of Ardrossan, Ayr, Irvine, Prestwick, Saltcoats and Troon

When the Ayr Burghs constituency was abolished in 1950, the Ayr and Prestwick burghs were merged into the county constituency of Ayr. Ardrossan and Saltcoats were merged into Bute and Northern Ayrshire and Irvine and Troon were merged into Central Ayrshire.

Members of Parliament
ElectionMember Party
1708 Hon. James Campbell
1710 Charles Oliphant
1720 by-election Thomas Kennedy Tory
1721 by-election Duncan Forbes Whig
1722 William Steuart
1734 James Stuart
1741 The Earl of Granard
1747 Charles Erskine
1749 by-election Sir Henry Erskine
1754 James Stuart-Mackenzie
1761 Lord Frederick Campbell
1761 by-election Alexander Wedderburn
1768 James Stuart
1774 Sir George Macartney
1776 by-election Frederick Stuart
1780 Archibald Edmonstone Tory
1790 Charles Stuart
1794 by-election John Campbell of Liston Hall
1807 John Campbell of Shawfield and Islay
1809 by-election Duncan Campbell Whig
1818 Thomas Francis Kennedy Whig[6]
1834 by-election Lord Patrick Crichton-Stuart Whig[6][7][8]
1852 Edward Craufurd Radical[9][10][11]
1859 Liberal
1874 Sir William Montgomery-Cuninghame Conservative
1880 Richard Campbell Liberal
1886 Liberal Unionist
1888 by-election John Sinclair Liberal
1890 by-election James Somervell Conservative
1892 William Birkmyre Liberal
1895 Charles Lindsay Orr-Ewing Conservative
1904 by-election Joseph Dobbie Liberal
1906 Sir George Younger Conservative
1922 Sir John Baird Conservative
1925 Thomas Moore Conservative
1950 constituency abolished

Sir Thomas was elected, in 1950, as the first MP for the then new constituency of Ayr

Elections
Decades:

Elections in the 1830s
General election 1830: Ayr Burghs[6][12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Thomas Francis Kennedy Unopposed
Whig hold
General election 1831: Ayr Burghs[6][12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Thomas Francis Kennedy Unopposed
Whig hold

Kennedy was appointed as a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 5 March 1832: Ayr Burghs[6][12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Thomas Francis Kennedy Unopposed
Whig hold
General election 1832: Ayr Burghs[6][13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Thomas Francis Kennedy 375 65.6
Radical John Taylor 164 28.7
Tory James Cruickshanks 33 5.8
Majority 211 36.9
Turnout 572 90.6
Registered electors 631
Whig hold

Kennedy resigned, causing a by-election.

By-election, 3 March 1834: Ayr Burghs[6][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Patrick Crichton-Stuart 305 58.9 −6.7
Radical John Taylor 213 41.1 +12.4
Majority 92 17.8 −19.1
Turnout 518 73.9 −16.7
Registered electors 701
Whig hold Swing −9.6
General election 1835: Ayr Burghs[6][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Patrick Crichton-Stuart 339 51.2 −14.4
Radical Alexander Johnstone[14] 323 48.8 +20.1
Majority 16 2.4 −34.5
Turnout 662 78.1 −12.5
Registered electors 848
Whig hold Swing −17.3
General election 1837: Ayr Burghs[6][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Patrick Crichton-Stuart 368 50.9 −0.3
Radical Alexander Johnstone 355 49.1 +0.3
Majority 13 1.8 −0.6
Turnout 723 70.2 −7.9
Registered electors 1,030
Whig hold Swing −0.3

Elections in the 1840s
General election 1841: Ayr Burghs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Patrick Crichton-Stuart Unopposed
Registered electors 1,097
Whig hold
General election 1847: Ayr Burghs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Patrick Crichton-Stuart Unopposed
Registered electors 1,051
Whig hold

Elections in the 1850s
General election 1852: Ayr Burghs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Radical Edward Craufurd 338 50.7 New
Conservative Archibald Thomas Boyle[15] 329 49.3 New
Majority 9 1.4 N/A
Turnout 667 64.2 N/A
Registered electors 1,039
Radical gain from Whig Swing N/A
General election 1857: Ayr Burghs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Radical Edward Craufurd Unopposed
Registered electors 1,136
Radical hold
General election 1859: Ayr Burghs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Edward Craufurd Unopposed
Registered electors 1,203
Liberal hold

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Elections in the 1860s
General election 1865: Ayr Burghs[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Edward Craufurd 567 53.1 N/A
Liberal Alexander Haldane Oswald[16] 501 46.9 N/A
Majority 66 6.2 N/A
Turnout 1,068 79.7 N/A
Registered electors 1,340
Liberal hold Swing N/A
General election 1868: Ayr Burghs[17][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Edward Craufurd 1,116 52.1 −1.0
Liberal James Anderson 1,025 47.9 +1.0
Majority 91 4.3 −1.9
Turnout 2,141 83.5 +3.8
Registered electors 2,565
Liberal hold Swing −1.0

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Elections in the 1870s
General election 1874: Ayr Burghs [13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Montgomery-Cuninghame 1,697 50.2 New
Liberal Edward Craufurd 1,683 49.8 −2.3
Majority 14 0.4 N/A
Turnout 3,380 82.6 −0.9
Registered electors 4,092
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing N/A

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Elections in the 1880s
General election 1880: Ayr Burghs [18][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Richard Campbell 2,303 61.9 +12.1
Conservative William Montgomery-Cuninghame 1,420 38.1 −12.1
Majority 883 23.8 N/A
Turnout 3,723 86.6 +4.0
Registered electors 4,297
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +12.1
General election 1885: Ayr Burghs [19][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Richard Campbell 2,460 53.7 −8.2
Conservative Malcolm Low 2,118 46.3 +8.2
Majority 342 7.4 −16.4
Turnout 4,578 84.0 −2.6
Registered electors 5,449
Liberal hold Swing −8.2
General election 1886: Ayr Burghs [19][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Richard Campbell 2,673 64.1 +17.8
Liberal John Sinclair 1,498 35.9 −17.8
Majority 1,175 28.2 N/A
Turnout 4,171 76.5 −7.5
Registered electors 5,449
Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +17.8

Campbell's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 15 Jun 1888: Ayr Burghs[19][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Sinclair 2,321 50.6 +14.7
Liberal Unionist Evelyn Ashley 2,268 49.4 −14.7
Majority 53 1.2 N/A
Turnout 4,589 84.1 +7.6
Registered electors 5,458
Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist Swing +14.7

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Elections in the 1890s
By-election, 1890: Ayr Burghs[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Somervell 2,610 51.3 −12.8
Liberal E. Routledge[21] 2,480 48.7 +12.8
Majority 130 2.6 −25.6
Turnout 5,090 87.8 +11.3
Registered electors 5,798
Conservative hold Swing −12.8
General election 1892: Ayr Burghs [22][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Birkmyre 2,760 50.1 +14.2
Conservative James Somervell 2,753 49.9 −14.2
Majority 7 0.2 N/A
Turnout 5,513 88.3 +11.8
Registered electors 6,245
Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist Swing +14.2
General election 1895: Ayr Burghs [23][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Orr-Ewing 3,057 52.9 +3.0
Liberal William Birkmyre 2,722 47.1 −3.0
Majority 335 5.8 N/A
Turnout 5,779 88.9 +0.6
Registered electors 6,498
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +3.0

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Elections in the 1900s
General election 1900: Ayr Burghs [23][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Orr-Ewing 3,101 55.3 +2.4
Liberal Edmond Charles Browne 2,511 44.7 −2.4
Majority 590 10.6 +4.8
Turnout 5,612 82.3 −6.6
Registered electors 6,819
Conservative hold Swing +2.4
Dobbie
1904 Ayr Burghs by-election[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Joseph Dobbie 3,221 50.3 +5.6
Conservative George Younger 3,177 49.7 −5.6
Majority 44 0.6 N/A
Turnout 6,398 88.4 +2.1
Registered electors 7,240
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +5.6
Younger
General election 1906: Ayr Burghs [24][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Younger 3,766 51.8 −3.5
Liberal Joseph Dobbie 3,505 48.2 +3.5
Majority 261 3.6 −7.0
Turnout 7,271 90.5 +8.2
Registered electors 8,031
Conservative hold Swing −3.5

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Elections in the 1910s
General election Jan 1910: Ayr Burghs [25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Younger 3,647 50.4 −1.4
Liberal William Robertson 3,594 49.6 +1.4
Majority 53 0.8 −2.8
Turnout 7,241 89.8 −0.7
Registered electors 8,067
Conservative hold Swing −1.4
General election Dec 1910: Ayr Burghs [25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Younger 3,852 51.6 +1.2
Liberal William Robertson 3,620 48.4 −1.2
Majority 232 3.2 +2.4
Turnout 7,472 90.7 +0.9
Registered electors 8,236
Conservative hold Swing +1.2
General election 1918: Ayr Burghs [26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Unionist George Younger 9,565 49.1 −2.5
Liberal Murdoch McKenzie Wood 5,410 27.7 −20.7
Labour Campbell Stephen 4,534 23.2 New
Majority 4,155 21.4 +18.2
Turnout 19,509 62.2 −28.5
Unionist hold Swing +9.0
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

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Elections in the 1920s
General election 1922: Ayr Burghs [27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist John Baird 11,179 44.5 −4.6
Liberal Peter Raffan 7,402 29.5 +1.8
Labour John McDiarmid Airlie 6,533 26.0 +2.8
Majority 3,777 15.0 −6.4
Turnout 25,114 71.1 +8.9
Unionist hold Swing −3.2
General election 1923: Ayr Burghs [28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist John Baird 10,206 41.8 −2.7
Labour John McDiarmid Airlie 7,732 31.7 +5.7
Liberal William Pringle 6,467 26.5 −3.0
Majority 2,474 10.1 −4.9
Turnout 24,405 70.0 −1.1
Unionist hold Swing −4.2
Sir John Baird
General election 1924: Ayr Burghs [29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist John Baird 16,153 62.3 +20.5
Labour John McDiarmid Airlie 9,787 37.7 +6.0
Majority 6,366 24.6 +14.5
Turnout 25,940 73.5 +3.5
Unionist hold Swing
Patrick Dollan
William Pringle
1925 Ayr Burghs by-election[30]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Thomas Moore 11,601 46.2 -16.1
Labour Patrick Dollan 8,813 35.2 -2.5
Liberal William Pringle 4,656 18.6 New
Majority 2,788 11.0 -13.6
Turnout 25,070 71.0 -2.5
Unionist hold Swing
General election 1929: Ayr Burghs[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Thomas Moore 16,874 45.9 −0.3
Labour Clarice Shaw 13,429 36.5 -1.2
Liberal Robert Lorimer 6,479 17.6 N/A
Majority 3,445 9.4 -15.2
Turnout 36,782 74.8 +3.8
Unionist hold Swing

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Elections in the 1930s
General election 1931: Ayr Burghs[32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Thomas Moore 28,256 73.9 +28.0
Labour Clarice Shaw 9,974 26.1 −10.4
Majority 18,282 47.8 +38.4
Turnout 38,230 76.9 +2.1
Unionist hold Swing
General election 1935: Ayr Burghs [33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Thomas Moore 25,893 66.1 -7.8
Labour Arthur Brady 13,274 33.9 +7.8
Majority 12,619 32.2 -15.6
Turnout 39,167 73.0 -3.9
Unionist hold Swing

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Elections in the 1940s
General election 1945: Ayr Burghs [34]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Thomas Moore 22,593 50.8 -15.3
Labour William Ross 21,865 49.2 +15.3
Majority 728 1.6 -30.6
Turnout 44,458 71.5 -1.5
Unionist hold Swing

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See also
  • List of former Parliamentary constituencies in the United Kingdom

References
  1. "Ayr Burghs". History of Parliament Online (1690-1715). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  2. "Ayr Burghs". History of Parliament Online (1715-1754). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  3. "Ayr Burghs". History of Parliament Online (1754-1790). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  4. "Ayr Burghs". History of Parliament Online (1790-1820). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  5. "Ayr Burghs". History of Parliament Online (1820-1832). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  6. Smith, Henry Stooks (1841). The Register of Parliamentary Contested Elections (Second ed.). Simpkin, Marshall & Company. pp. 196–197. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  7. Churton, Edward (1836). The Assembled Commons or Parliamentary Biographer: 1836. p. 216. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  8. "Election Prospects". Morning Post. 22 June 1841. pp. 3–4. Retrieved 1 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. Huddie, Paul (2015). The Crimean War and Irish History. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press. p. 27. ISBN 978-1-78138-254-7. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  10. Fry, Michael (2013). A New Race of Men: Scotland, 1815–1914. Edinburgh: Birlinn. p. 309. ISBN 978-0-85790-659-5. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  11. "Civil Service Departments in Scotland". The Scottish Continental Herring Trade 1810–1914. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  12. Fisher, David R. "Ayr Burghs". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  13. 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.
  14. "Ayr Burghs". Morning Advertiser. 4 August 1837. p. 2. Retrieved 7 May 2020 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  15. "Ayr Burghs". Bell's Weekly Messenger. 10 July 1852. p. 3. Retrieved 1 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  16. "Representation of Ayr District". Glasgow Morning Journal. 17 May 1865. p. 1. Retrieved 28 January 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  17. Debrett's House of Commons, 1870
  18. The Times, 29 April 1880
  19. Debrett's House of Commons and Judicial Bench, 1889
  20. Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
  21. "The Ayr Election". The Cardiff Times. 29 March 1890. p. 7. Retrieved 15 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  22. Whitaker's Almanack, 1893
  23. Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1901
  24. Whitaker's Almanack, 1907
  25. Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1916
  26. Whitaker's Almanack, 1920
  27. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  28. The Times, 8 December 1923
  29. Oliver and Boyd's Edinburgh Almanack, 1927
  30. The Times, 13 June 1925
  31. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, F W S Craig
  32. Whitaker's Almanack, 1934
  33. Whitaker's Almanack, 1939
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