South Ayrshire (UK Parliament constituency)

South Ayrshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1868 until 1983, when it was abolished. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP), elected by the first past the post voting system.

South Ayrshire
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
Subdivisions of ScotlandAyrshire
1868–1983
Number of membersOne
Replaced byCarrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley[1]
Created fromAyrshire

Boundaries

The Representation of the People (Scotland) Act 1868 provided that the new South Ayrshire constituency was to consist of the District of Kyle and Carrick, consisting of the parishes of Auchinleck, Ayr, Ballantrae, Barr, Colmonell, Coylton, Craigie, Dailly, Dalmellington, Dalrymple, Dundonald, Galston, Girvan, Kirkmichael, Kirkoswald, Mauchline, Maybole, Monkton and Prestwick, Muirkirk, New Cumnock, Newton-on-Ayr, Ochiltree, Old Cumnock, Riccarton, St Quivox, Sorn, Stair, Straiton, Symington and Tarbolton, minus the burghs of Ayr, Prestwick and Troon, which formed a part of the Ayr Burghs constituency.

From 1918 the constituency consisted of "The county districts of Ayr and Carrick, inclusive of all burghs situated therein except insofar as included in the Ayr District of Burghs."

Members of Parliament
Year Member[2] Whip
1868 constituency created, see Ayrshire
1868 Sir David Wedderburn Liberal
1874 Claud Alexander Conservative
1885 Eugene Wason Liberal
1886 Greville Vernon Liberal Unionist
1892 Eugene Wason Liberal
1895 Sir William Arrol Liberal Unionist
1906 Sir William Beale Liberal
1918 James Brown Labour
1931 James MacAndrew Unionist
1935 James Brown Labour
1939 Alexander Sloan Labour
1946 Emrys Hughes Labour
1970 Jim Sillars Labour
1976 Scottish Labour
1979 George Foulkes Labour
1983 constituency abolished, see Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley

Election results
South Ayrshire electoral history

Election in the 1860s
General election 1868: Ayrshire South[3][4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal David Wedderburn 1,416 50.4
Conservative Claud Alexander 1,391 49.6
Majority 25 0.8
Turnout 2,807 83.3
Registered electors 3,370
Liberal win (new seat)

Elections in the 1870s
General election 1874: Ayrshire South[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Claud Alexander Unopposed
Registered electors 3,547
Conservative gain from Liberal

Elections in the 1880s
General election 1880: Ayrshire South[5][4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Claud Alexander 1,830 53.6 N/A
Liberal North de Coigny Dalrymple-Hamilton 1,583 46.4 New
Majority 247 7.2 N/A
Turnout 3,413 88.3 N/A
Registered electors 3,865
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 1885: Ayrshire South[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Eugene Wason 7,357 55.3 +8.9
Conservative Claud Alexander 5,447 44.7 −8.9
Majority 1,411 10.6 N/A
Turnout 13,303 88.0 −0.3
Registered electors 15,109
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +8.9
General election 1886: Ayrshire South[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Greville Vernon 6,123 50.0 +5.3
Liberal Eugene Wason 6,118 50.0 -5.3
Majority 5 0.0 N/A
Turnout 12,241 81.0 −7.0
Registered electors 15,109
Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +5.3

Elections in the 1890s
General election 1892: Ayrshire South[8][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Eugene Wason 6,535 50.8 +0.8
Liberal Unionist William Arrol 6,338 49.2 -0.8
Majority 197 1.6 N/A
Turnout 12,873 86.3 +5.3
Registered electors 14,912
Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist Swing +0.8
Arrol
General election 1895: Ayrshire South[9][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist William Arrol 6,875 52.1 +2.9
Liberal Eugene Wason 6,325 47.9 -2.9
Majority 550 4.2 N/A
Turnout 13,200 85.4 −0.9
Registered electors 15,463
Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +2.9

Elections in the 1900s
General election 1900: Ayrshire South[9][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist William Arrol 6,615 53.5 +1.4
Liberal Edward Alexander James Johnson-Ferguson 5,753 46.5 −1.4
Majority 862 7.0 +2.8
Turnout 12,368 77.6 −7.8
Registered electors 15,941
Liberal Unionist hold Swing +1.4
Beale
General election 1906: Ayrshire South[10][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Beale 7,853 54.3 +7.8
Conservative James J. Bell 6,611 45.7 −7.8
Majority 1,242 8.6 N/A
Turnout 14,464 82.7 +5.1
Registered electors 17,497
Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist Swing +7.8

Elections in the 1910s
General election Jan 1910: Ayrshire South [11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Beale 8,833 56.5 +2.2
Conservative Thomas Walker McIntyre 6,793 43.5 −2.2
Majority 2,040 13.0 +4.4
Turnout 15,626 85.5 +2.8
Registered electors 18,272
Liberal hold Swing +2.2
General election Dec 1910: Ayrshire South [11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Beale 8,715 56.0 -0.5
Conservative Thomas Walker McIntyre 6,835 44.0 +0.5
Majority 1,880 12.0 -1.0
Turnout 15,550 83.0 −2.5
Registered electors 18,733
Liberal hold Swing -0.5

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;

General election 1918: Ayrshire South[13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour James Brown 6,358 37.3 New
C Unionist John Buchanan Pollok-McCall 5,495 32.2 -11.8
Liberal William Robertson 4,555 26.7 -29.3
Independent Unionist Hugh Robert Wallace 627 3.6 New
Majority 863 5.1 N/A
Turnout 17,035
Labour gain from Liberal Swing N/A
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Elections in the 1920s
General election 1922: Ayrshire South[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour James Brown 11,511 55.63
National Liberal William Reid (Scottish politician) 9,180 44.37
Majority 2,331 11.26
Turnout 20,691
Labour hold Swing
General election 1923: Ayrshire South[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour James Brown 11,169 55.91 +0.28
Unionist Charles Fergusson 8,807 44.09 -0.28
Majority 2,362 11.82 +0.56
Turnout 19,976
Labour hold Swing
General election 1924: Ayrshire South[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour James Brown 11,313 50.39 -5.52
Unionist C.I.A. Dubs 11,136 49.61 +5.52
Majority 177 0.78 -11.04
Turnout 22,449
Labour hold Swing
General election 1929: Ayrshire South[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour James Brown 16,981 58.1 +7.7
Unionist C.I.A. Dubs 12,240 41.9 -7.7
Majority 4,741 16.2 +15.4
Turnout 29,221
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1930s
General election 1931: Ayrshire South[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist James MacAndrew 16,657 54.84
Labour James Brown 13,733 45.16
Majority 2,942 9.68
Turnout 30,408 79.27
Unionist gain from Labour Swing
General election 1935: Ayrshire South[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour James Brown 18,190 57.61
Unionist James MacAndrew 13,396 42.39
Majority 4,804 15.22
Turnout 31,576 78.03
Labour gain from Unionist Swing
By-election 1939: Ayrshire South[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Alexander Sloan 17,908 57.97 +0.36
Unionist Catherine Gavin 12,986 42.03 -0.36
Majority 4,922 15.94
Turnout 30,894
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1940s
General election 1945: Ayrshire South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Alexander Sloan 21,235 61.34
Unionist Robert Mathew 13,382 38.66
Majority 7,853 22.68
Turnout 34,617 75.17
Labour hold Swing
1946 South Ayrshire by-election[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Emrys Hughes 20,434 60.43 -0.91
Unionist Robert Mathew 13,382 39.57 +0.91
Majority 7,052 20.86 -1.84
Turnout 33,816
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s
General election 1950: Ayrshire South[23][24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Emrys Hughes 22,284 60.23 -1.11
Unionist JC George 14,717 39.77 +1.11
Majority 7,567 20.46 -2.22
Turnout 37,001 85.35 +10.18
Registered electors 43,350
Labour hold Swing -1.1
General election 1951: Ayrshire South[25][26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Emrys Hughes 22,576 60.50 +0.27
Unionist Derek MH Smith 14,740 39.50 -0.27
Majority 7,836 21.00 +0.54
Turnout 37,316 82.93 -2.42
Registered electors 44,999
Labour hold Swing +0.27
General election 1955: Ayrshire South[27][28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Emrys Hughes 21,778 61.61 +1.11
Unionist Derek MH Smith 13,569 38.39 -1.11
Majority 8,209 23.22 +2.22
Turnout 35,347 76.83 -6.10
Registered electors 46,007
Labour hold Swing +1.11
General election 1959: Ayrshire South[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Emrys Hughes 24,774 63.72 +2.11
Unionist William Hill Hunter 14,105 36.28 -2.11
Majority 10,669 27.44 +4.22
Turnout 38,879 80.89 +4.06
Registered electors 48,063
Labour hold Swing +2.11

Elections in the 1960s
General election 1964: Ayrshire South [30]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Emrys Hughes 24,795 66.68 +2.96
Unionist William Hill Hunter 12,403 33.32 -2.96
Majority 12,403 33.35 +5.91
Turnout 37,187 77.58
Labour hold Swing +3.0
General election 1966: Ayrshire South [31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Emrys Hughes 23,495 67.25 +0.57
Conservative Christopher Graves 11,442 32.75 -0.57
Majority 12,053 34.50 +1.15
Turnout 34,937 75.13
Labour hold Swing +0.5

Elections in the 1970s
1970 South Ayrshire by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jim Sillars 20,664 52.7 −14.5
Conservative Christopher Graves 9,778 24.9 −7.8
SNP Samuel H. Purdie 7,785 19.9 New
Majority 10,886 27.8 −6.7
Turnout 39,227
Labour hold Swing
General election 1970: Ayrshire South[32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jim Sillars 23,910 61.8 −5.4
Conservative Norman Simpson 11,675 30.2 −2.5
SNP Samuel H. Purdie 3,102 8.0 N/A
Majority 12,235 31.6 −2.9
Turnout 38,687 76.7 +1.6
Labour hold Swing
General election February 1974: Ayrshire South[33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jim Sillars 23,093 57.2 −4.6
Conservative Robert Colquhoun 10,643 26.4 −3.8
SNP Roger Mullin 6,612 16.4 +8.4
Majority 12,450 30.8 −0.8
Turnout 40,438 79.5 +2.8
Labour hold Swing −0.4
General election October 1974: Ayrshire South [34][35]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jim Sillars 22,329 56.2 −1.0
SNP Roger Mullin 7,851 19.8 +3.4
Conservative J Armstrong 7,402 18.6 −7.8
Liberal Richard Mabon 2,130 5.4 New
Majority 14,478 36.4 +5.6
Turnout 39,712 77.4 −2.1
Labour hold Swing −2.2
General election 1979: Ayrshire South [36]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op George Foulkes 14,271 35.2 −21.0
SLP Jim Sillars 12,750 31.5 New
Conservative G. Young 10,287 25.4 +6.8
SNP Colin Cameron 3,233 8.0 −11.8
Majority 1,521 3.7 −32.7
Turnout 40,541 79.9 +2.5
Labour Co-op hold Swing −26.2

See also

References
  1. "'Ayrshire South', Feb 1974 – May 1983". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  2. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "A" (part 3)
  3. Debrett's House of Commons, 1870
  4. Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885 (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
  5. The Times, 29 April 1880
  6. Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1889
  7. Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885–1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
  8. Whitaker's Almanack, 1893
  9. Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1901
  10. Whitaker's Almanack, 1907
  11. Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1916
  12. Daily Record 14 Sep 1914
  13. Whitaker's Almanack, 1920
  14. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1922
  15. The Times, 17 November 1922
  16. The Times, 8 December 1923
  17. Oliver & Boyd's Edinburgh Almanac, 1927
  18. The Times, 1 June 1929
  19. Whitaker's Almanack, 1934
  20. Whitaker's Almanack, 1939
  21. Whitaker's Almanack, 1944
  22. Scottish Conservative and Unionist Central Office, The Yearbook for Scotland (1967), p.86
  23. Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1950". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
  25. Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1951". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
  27. Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1955". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
  29. Whitaker's Almanack 1963
  30. The Times House of Commons, 1964
  31. The Times House of Commons, 1966
  32. Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1970". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  33. Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results February 1974". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  34. Whitaker's Almanack 1977
  35. Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results October 1974". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  36. Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1979". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
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