Falkirk Burghs (UK Parliament constituency)

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.

Falkirk Burghs
Former District of Burghs constituency
for the House of Commons
Major settlementsFalkirk, Airdrie, Hamilton, Lanark and Linlithgow
1832–1918
SeatsOne
Created fromLanarkshire,[1] Linlithgow Burghs,[2] and Stirlingshire[3]
Replaced byStirling & Falkirk Burghs, Hamilton, Lanark and Linlithgowshire

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.

Members of Parliament
ElectionMember [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

Elections

Elections in the 1830s
General election 1832: Falkirk Burghs [12][6]
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)
General election 1835: Falkirk Burghs [12][6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Radical William Downe Gillon Unopposed
Registered electors 1,046
Radical hold
General election 1837: Falkirk Burghs [12][6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Radical William Downe Gillon Unopposed
Registered electors 1,177
Radical hold

Elections in the 1840s
General election 1841: Falkirk Burghs [12]
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

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

By-election, 2 May 1846: Falkirk Burghs [12]
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
General election 1847: Falkirk Burghs [12]
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

Elections in the 1850s

Pelham-Clinton succeeded to the peerage, becoming 5th Duke of Newcastle and causing a by-election.

By-election, 14 February 1851: Falkirk Burghs [12]
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
General election 1852: Falkirk Burghs [12]
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
General election 1857: Falkirk Burghs [12]
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

Merry's election was declared void on petition due to bribery by "injudicious partisans",[21] causing a by-election.

By-election, 8 August 1857: Falkirk Burghs [12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Radical John Hamilton Unopposed
Radical hold
General election 1859: Falkirk Burghs [12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal James Merry Unopposed
Registered electors 1,540
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1860s
General election 1865: Falkirk Burghs [12]
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
Horsman
General election 1868: Falkirk Burghs [12][22]
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

Elections in the 1870s
General election 1874: Falkirk Burghs[12]
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

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.

By-election, 26 Mar 1874: Falkirk Burghs[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Ramsay Unopposed
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1880s
General election 1880: Falkirk Burghs[12]
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
Weir
General election 1885: Falkirk Burghs [26][27][28]
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

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.

General election 1886: Falkirk Burghs [26][27]
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

Elections in the 1890s
General election 1892: Falkirk Burghs [29][27]
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
General election 1895: Falkirk Burghs [30][27]
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

Elections in the 1900s
Macdonald
General election 1900: Falkirk Burghs [30][27]
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
Gilmour
General election 1906: Falkirk Burghs[31][27]
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

Elections in the 1910s
General election January 1910: Falkirk Burghs [32][27]
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
General election December 1910: Falkirk Burghs [32][27]
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

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;

Notes and references
  1. Jenkins, Terry. "Lanarkshire". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  2. Fisher, David R. "Linlithgow Burghs". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  3. Jenkins, Terry. "Stirlingshire". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  4. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "F"
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. Churton, Edward (1838). The Assembled Commons or Parliamentary Biographer. p. 99. Retrieved 16 August 2019 – via Google Books.
  8. Bebbington, D. W. "Unitarian Members of Parliament in the Nineteenth Century: A Catalogue". STORRE, University of Stirling. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  9. "Coventry Standard". 6 March 1857. p. 4. Retrieved 2 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. "Falkirk Burghs Election". Glasgow Herald. 27 March 1857. p. 4. Retrieved 2 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. "Kelso Chronicle". 14 August 1857. p. 2. Retrieved 2 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. 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.
  13. "Page 2". London Courier and Evening Gazette. 26 December 1832. Retrieved 7 May 2020 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  14. "Derry Journal". 29 April 1846. p. 2. Retrieved 16 August 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  15. "Election for the Falkirk District of Burghs". Dumfries and Galloway Standard. 6 May 1846. p. 3. Retrieved 16 August 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  16. "Falkirk Burghs". The Sctosman. 28 July 1847. p. 2. Retrieved 16 August 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  17. "Scotland". Dumfries and Galloway Standard. 19 February 1851. p. 3. Retrieved 2 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  18. "The Vacant Seats". Tyrone Constitution. 7 February 1851. p. 2. Retrieved 2 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  19. "The Falkirk Burghs". Stirling Observer. 15 July 1852. p. 4. Retrieved 2 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  20. "Falkirk Burghs". Banffshire Journal and General Advertiser. 7 April 1857. p. 8. Retrieved 2 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  21. "Election Intelligence". Windsor and Eton Express. 15 August 1857. p. 2. Retrieved 2 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  22. Debrett's House of Commons and Judicial Bench, 1870
  23. "Falkirk Burghs". Falkirk Herald. 12 November 1868. pp. 4–5. Retrieved 10 February 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  24. "Falkirk Burgh Election". Falkirk Herald. 29 January 1874. p. 1. Retrieved 30 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  25. "This Evening's News". The Pall Mall Gazette. 2 April 1880. pp. 6–7. Retrieved 26 November 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  26. Debrett's House of Commons and Judicial Bench, 1889
  27. British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, FWS Craig
  28. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886
  29. Whitaker's Almanack, 1893
  30. Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1901
  31. Whitaker's Almanack, 1907
  32. Debrett's House of Commons and Judicial Bench, 1916
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