Caithness (UK Parliament constituency)
Caithness was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918.
Caithness | |
---|---|
Former County constituency for the House of Commons | |
1708–1918 | |
Replaced by | Caithness and Sutherland |
Created from | Caithness |
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 Caithness-shire.
History
From 1708 to 1832 Caithness and Buteshire were paired as alternating constituencies: one of the constituencies elected a Member of Parliament (MP) to one parliament, the other to the next. The areas which were covered by the two constituencies are quite remote from each other, Caithness in the northeast of Scotland and Buteshire in the southwest.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] From 1832 to 1918 Caithness was represented continuously by its own MP.
The constituency elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system until the seat was abolished in 1918.
Boundaries
From 1708 to 1832, the Caithness constituency covered the county of Caithness minus the parliamentary burgh of Wick, which was a component of the Tain Burghs constituency. In 1832, Wick retained its status as a parliamentary burgh and became a component of the Wick Burghs constituency.
By 1892, Caithness had become a local government county and, throughout Scotland, under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889, county boundaries had been redefined for all purposes except parliamentary representation. 26 years were to elapse before constituency boundaries were redrawn, by the Representation of the People Act 1918, to take account of new local government boundaries.
In 1918, the Caithness and Sutherland county constituency was created. The Caithness and Sutherland constituency was created to cover the county of Caithness and the county of Sutherland. The Wick Burghs constituency was abolished and two of its former components, Wick and Dornoch, were merged into the new Caithness and Sutherland constituency.
Members of Parliament
MPs 1708 to 1832
Election | Member | Party | |
---|---|---|---|
1708 | none | ||
1710 | Sir James Dunbar, 1st Baronet | ||
1713 | none | ||
1715 | Sir Robert Gordon, 4th Baronet | ||
1722 | none | ||
1727 | Sir Patrick Dunbar, 3rd Baronet | ||
1734 | none | ||
1741 | Alexander Brodie | ||
1747 | none | ||
1754 | John Scott | ||
1761 | none | ||
1768 | Viscount Fortrose | ||
1774 | none | ||
1780 | John Sinclair | Whig | |
1784 | none | ||
1790 | Sir John Sinclair, Bt | Whig | |
1796 | none | ||
1802 | Sir John Sinclair, Bt | Whig | |
1806 | none | ||
1807 | Sir John Sinclair, Bt | Whig | |
1811 | George Sinclair | Whig | |
1812 | none | ||
1818 | George Sinclair | Whig | |
1820 | none | ||
1826 | James Sinclair | Non Partisan | |
1830 | none | ||
1831 | George Sinclair | Whig[6] |
MPs 1832 to 1918
Election | Member | Party | |
---|---|---|---|
1832 | George Sinclair | Whig[6] | |
1837 | Conservative[6][7][8] | ||
1841 | George Traill | Whig[6][7][8][9] | |
1859 | Liberal | ||
1869 | Sir John Sinclair, Bt | Independent Liberal | |
1874 | Liberal | ||
1885 | Gavin Brown Clark | Independent Liberal/Crofters | |
1886 | Liberal/Crofters | ||
1900 | Leicester Harmsworth | Liberal | |
1918 | constituency abolished |
Elections
Elections in the 1840s
As the alternating pair Buteshire returned the MP for the 1830 general election. The 1831 result is compared to the 1830 result at Buteshire.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | George Sinclair | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 46 | ||||
Whig gain from Tory |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | George Sinclair | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 221 | ||||
Whig hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | George Sinclair | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 246 | ||||
Whig hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | George Sinclair | 129 | 54.9 | ||
Whig | George Traill | 106 | 45.1 | ||
Majority | 23 | 9.8 | |||
Turnout | 235 | 70.6 | |||
Registered electors | 333 | ||||
Conservative gain from Whig |
Elections in the 1840s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | George Traill | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 420 | ||||
Whig gain from Conservative |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | George Traill | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 571 | ||||
Whig hold |
Elections in the 1850s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | George Traill | 147 | 58.1 | N/A | |
Independent Liberal | John Sinclair[12] | 106 | 41.9 | New | |
Majority | 41 | 16.2 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 253 | 39.4 | N/A | ||
Registered electors | 642 | ||||
Whig hold | Swing | N/A |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | George Traill | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 779 | ||||
Whig hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | George Traill | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 789 | ||||
Liberal hold |
Elections in the 1860s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | George Traill | Unopposed | |||
Registered electors | 512 | ||||
Liberal hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | George Traill | 512 | 68.4 | N/A | |
Conservative | James Horne | 237 | 31.6 | New | |
Majority | 275 | 36.8 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 749 | 74.5 | N/A | ||
Registered electors | 1,005 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | N/A |
Traill resigned, causing a by-election.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent Liberal | John Sinclair[14] | 432 | 54.5 | New | |
Liberal | James Christie Traill[15] | 360 | 45.5 | −22.9 | |
Majority | 72 | 9.0 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 792 | 78.8 | +4.3 | ||
Registered electors | 1,005 | ||||
Independent Liberal gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |||
Elections in the 1870s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | John Sinclair | 452 | 50.7 | −17.7 | |
Conservative | William Kidston[16] | 439 | 49.3 | +17.7 | |
Majority | 13 | 1.4 | −35.4 | ||
Turnout | 891 | 79.1 | +4.6 | ||
Registered electors | 1,126 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | −17.7 |
Elections in the 1880s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | John Sinclair | 696 | 65.4 | +14.7 | |
Conservative | Alexander Henderson[17] | 369 | 34.6 | −14.7 | |
Majority | 327 | 30.8 | +29.4 | ||
Turnout | 1,065 | 84.3 | +5.2 | ||
Registered electors | 1,263 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | +14.7 |
![](../I/Gavin_Clark.jpg.webp)
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent Liberal (Crofters) | Gavin Brown Clark | 2,110 | 63.4 | New | |
Liberal | Clarence Granville Sinclair | 1,218 | 36.6 | −28.8 | |
Majority | 892 | 26.8 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 3,328 | 77.0 | −7.3 | ||
Registered electors | 4,320 | ||||
Independent Liberal gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal (Crofters) | Gavin Brown Clark | 2,034 | 77.7 | +31.1 | |
Liberal Unionist | Robert Niven | 584 | 22.3 | New | |
Majority | 1,450 | 55.4 | +28.6 | ||
Turnout | 2,618 | 60.6 | −16.4 | ||
Registered electors | 4,320 | ||||
Liberal gain from Independent Liberal |
Elections in the 1890s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal (Crofters) | Gavin Brown Clark | 2,134 | 75.5 | −2.2 | |
Liberal Unionist | William James Bell | 693 | 24.5 | +2.2 | |
Majority | 1,441 | 51.0 | −4.4 | ||
Turnout | 2,827 | 71.8 | +11.2 | ||
Registered electors | 3,936 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | -2.2 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal (Crofters) | Gavin Brown Clark | 1,828 | 77.6 | +2.1 | |
Liberal Unionist | John Cowper | 528 | 22.4 | -2.1 | |
Majority | 1,300 | 55.2 | +4.2 | ||
Turnout | 2,356 | 59.3 | -12.5 | ||
Registered electors | 3,976 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | +2.1 |
Elections in the 1900s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Leicester Harmsworth | 1,189 | 37.5 | −40.1 | |
Conservative | David Patrick Henderson | 1,161 | 36.7 | +14.3 | |
Crofters | Gavin Brown Clark | 673 | 21.3 | New | |
Land Law Reform Association of Caithness | F.C. Auld | 141 | 4.5 | New | |
Majority | 28 | 0.8 | −54.4 | ||
Turnout | 3,164 | 78.3 | +19.0 | ||
Registered electors | 4,043 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | −27.2 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Leicester Harmsworth | 2,686 | 84.8 | +47.3 | |
Conservative | Keith Fraser | 483 | 15.2 | −21.5 | |
Majority | 2,203 | 69.6 | +68.8 | ||
Turnout | 3,169 | 77.5 | −0.8 | ||
Registered electors | 4,091 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | +34.4 |
Elections in the 1910s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Leicester Harmsworth | 2,643 | 81.8 | -3.0 | |
Conservative | Laurence Strain | 590 | 18.2 | +3.0 | |
Majority | 2,053 | 63.6 | -6.0 | ||
Turnout | 3,233 | 82.0 | +4.5 | ||
Liberal hold | Swing | -3.0 |
![](../I/Leicester_Harmsworth.jpeg.webp)
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Leicester Harmsworth | 2,718 | 96.9 | +15.1 | |
Ind. Conservative | Archibald Macleod | 87 | 3.1 | New | |
Majority | 2,631 | 93.8 | +30.2 | ||
Turnout | 2,805 | 66.8 | -15.2 | ||
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 July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;
- Liberal: Leicester Harmsworth
- Unionist:
References
- "Caithness". History of Parliament Online (1690-1715). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- "Caithness". History of Parliament Online (1715-1754). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- "Caithness". History of Parliament Online (1754-1790). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- "Caithness". History of Parliament Online (1790-1820). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- "Caithness". History of Parliament Online (1820-1832). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- Smith, Henry Stooks (1842). The Register of Parliamentary Contested Elections (Second ed.). Simpkin, Marshall & Company. p. 198. Retrieved 11 September 2018 – via Google Books.
- "Latest State of Polls". Leeds Intelligencer. 12 August 1837. p. 4. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
- "The County Elections". Newcastle Journal. 12 August 1837. p. 2. Retrieved 11 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- Rigg, James McMullen (1892). Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. 31. London: Smith, Elder & Co. . In
- "Caithness". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- 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.
- "The County Election". John o'Groat Journal. 23 July 1852. p. 2. Retrieved 11 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- Debrett's House of Commons, 1870
- "Caithness-shire". Liverpool Mercury. 25 August 1869. p. 6. Retrieved 31 January 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- "Caithness". Inverness Courier. 26 August 1869. p. 5. Retrieved 31 January 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- "The New Parliament". Wrexham Advertiser. 14 February 1874. p. 8. Retrieved 28 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- "Nominations Yesterday". London Daily News. 3 April 1880. p. 6. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
- Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1889
- Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
- Whitaker's Almanack, 1893
- Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1901
- Whitaker's Almanack, 1907
- Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1916