Forfarshire (UK Parliament constituency) explained

Forfarshire
Parliament:uk
Year:1708
Abolished:1950
Type:County
Elects Howmany:One
Region:Scotland

Forfarshire was a Scottish county constituency represented in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1708 until 1800, and then in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom until 1950.

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 Forfarshire.

Boundaries

The Representation of the People Act 1918 defined the constituency as consisting of the county of Forfar, except the county of the city of Dundee and the burghs of Montrose, Arbroath, Brechin, and Forfar. The four excepted burghs formed part of the Montrose District of Burghs.[1]

The county of Forfarshire was renamed Angus in 1928.[2] However, no change was made in the name of the constituency prior to its abolition.

History

The constituency elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first-past-the-post system until the seat was abolished for the 1950 general election.[3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

The constituency was abolished under the Representation of the People Act 1948, which reorganised parliamentary boundaries throughout the United Kingdom. The seat was divided between North Angus and Mearns (which also included Kincardineshire) and South Angus.[8]

Members of Parliament

Election Member Party
1708John Carnegie (expelled)
1716 by-electionJames Scott
1733 by-electionRobert Scott
1734Thomas Lyon, later Earl of Strathmore
1735 by-electionWilliam Maule, Earl Panmure (from 1743)
1782 by-electionArchibald Douglas Tory
1790David Scott
1796 by-electionWilliam Maule, later Baron Panmure
1796Sir David Carnegie
1805 by-electionWilliam Maule, later Baron PanmureWhig[9] [10]
1831 by-electionDonald Ogilvy (Unseated on petition Jan 1832)Whig
January 1832Lord Douglas Gordon-HallyburtonWhig[11]
1841Lord Frederick Gordon-HallyburtonWhig[12]
1852Lauderdale MauleWhig[13]
1854 by-electionAdam Duncan, Viscount Duncan, later Earl of CamperdownWhig[14] [15] [16] [17]
1859Liberal
1860 by-electionCharles CarnegieLiberal
James William BarclayLiberal
1886Liberal Unionist
1892Sir John Rigby, QCLiberal
1894Charles Maule Ramsay ConservativeLiberal Unionist
1895Martin WhiteLiberal
1897 by-electionJohn Sinclair, later Baron PentlandLiberal
1909 by-electionJames FalconerLiberal
1918William T. ShawUnionist
1922James FalconerLiberal
Sir Harry HopeUnionist
1931William T. ShawUnionist
1945Simon Ramsay, later Earl of DalhousieUnionist
1950constituency abolished

Election results

Elections in the 1830s

Maule was elevated to the peerage, becoming 1st Baron Panmure and causing a by-election.

Elections in the 1850s

Maule was appointed Surveyor-General of the Ordnance, requiring a by-election.

Maule's death caused a by-election.

Haldane-Duncan was appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, requiring a by-election.

Elections in the 1860s

Haldane-Duncan succeeded to the peerage, becoming Earl of Camperdown, and causing a by-election.

Elections in the 1870s

Carnegie resigned after being appointed Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland.

Elections in the 1890s

Rigby is appointed Solicitor General for England and Wales, requiring a by-election.

Rigby resigns after being appointed a Lord Justice of Appeal, triggering a by-election.

White resigns, triggering a by-election.

Elections in the 1940s

General Election 1939–40:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;

Notes and References

  1. [Representation of the People Act 1918]
  2. Web site: Angus Council . Angus - What's in a name . 2008-03-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080415225602/http://www.angus.gov.uk/history/features/ansname.htm . 2008-04-15 . dead .
  3. Web site: Forfarshire (Angus) . History of Parliament Online (1690-1715). 9 July 2019 .
  4. Web site: Forfarshire (Angus). History of Parliament Online (1715-1754). 9 July 2019 .
  5. Web site: Forfarshire (Angus). History of Parliament Online (1754-1790). 9 July 2019 .
  6. Web site: Forfarshire (Angus). History of Parliament Online (1790-1820). 9 July 2019 .
  7. Web site: Forfarshire (Angus). History of Parliament Online (1820-1832). 9 July 2019 .
  8. [Representation of the People Act 1948]
  9. Book: Smith. Henry Stooks. The Register of Parliamentary Contested Elections. 1842. Simpkin, Marshall & Company. 202. Second. 11 September 2018 . .
  10. Web site: Escott . Margaret . MAULE, Hon. William Ramsay (1771-1852), of Panmure and Brechin Castle, Forfar . The History of Parliament . 8 May 2020.
  11. Book: Edward. Churton. Edward Churton. The Assembled Commons or Parliamentary Biographer. 1838. 109. . 18 August 2019.
  12. News: Forfarshire . 11 September 2018 . Bell's Weekly Messenger . 19 June 1841 . 4–5 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription .
  13. News: County of Forfar . 14 September 2018 . Edinburgh Evening Courant . 17 July 1852 . 3 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription .
  14. Book: Edward. Churton. Edward Churton. The Assembled Commons or Parliamentary Biographer: 1838. 1838. 75. . 26 October 2018.
  15. Book: Stooks Smith , Henry. . Craig, F. W. S. . F. W. S. Craig . The Parliaments of England . 1844-1850 . 2nd . 1973 . Parliamentary Research Services . Chichester . 0-900178-13-2 . 134–136 .
  16. Book: The Annual Register, or a View of the History and Politics, of the Year 1841. 1842. J. G. & F. Rivington. 65. . 8 April 2018.
  17. News: South Eastern Gazette . 14 September 2018 . 17 October 1854 . 2 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription .