Berwickshire
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
Subdivisions of ScotlandBerwickshire
1708–1918
SeatsOne
Replaced byBerwick & Haddington

Berwickshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1708 to 1918, when it was amalgamated with neighbouring Haddington(shire) to form a new Berwick and Haddington constituency.

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 Berwickshire. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP), using the first-past-the-post voting system.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

Members of Parliament

Election Member Party
1708 George Baillie
1734 Hon. Alexander Hume-Campbell
1761 James Pringle
1779 Sir John Paterson, Bt
1780 Hugh Hepburne-Scott
1784 Patrick Home
1796 George Baillie
1818 Sir John Marjoribanks[6] Tory
1826 Anthony Maitland Tory[7]
1832 Charles Albany Marjoribanks[6] Whig[7]
Jan. 1834 Sir Hugh Purves-Hume-Campbell Tory[7]
Dec. 1834 Conservative[7]
1847 Francis Scott Conservative
1859 David Robertson Liberal
1873 by-election William Miller Liberal
1874 Hon. Robert Baillie-Hamilton Conservative
1880 Edward Marjoribanks Liberal
1894 by-election Harold Tennant Liberal
1918 constituency abolished

Election results

Berwickshire constituencies electoral history

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Berwickshire[7][8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Tory Anthony Maitland, 10th Earl of Lauderdale Unopposed
Registered electors 149
Tory hold
General election 1831: Berwickshire[7][8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Tory Anthony Maitland, 10th Earl of Lauderdale Unopposed
Registered electors c. 149
Tory hold
General election 1832: Berwickshire[7][9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Charles Albany Marjoribanks 478 53.8
Tory Anthony Maitland, 10th Earl of Lauderdale 410 46.2
Majority 68 7.6
Turnout 888 84.3
Registered electors 1,053
Whig gain from Tory

Marjoribanks resigned, causing a by-election.

By-election, 13 January 1834: Berwickshire[7][9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Tory Hugh Purves-Hume-Campbell Unopposed
Tory gain from Whig
General election 1835: Berwickshire[7][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Hugh Purves-Hume-Campbell 507 61.0 +14.8
Whig Francis Blake 324 39.0 −14.8
Majority 183 22.0 N/A
Turnout 831 77.6 −6.7
Registered electors 1,071
Conservative gain from Whig Swing +14.8
General election 1837: Berwickshire[9][7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Hugh Purves-Hume-Campbell Unopposed
Registered electors 1,244
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Berwickshire[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Hugh Purves-Hume-Campbell Unopposed
Registered electors 1,319
Conservative hold
General election 1847: Berwickshire[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Francis Scott Unopposed
Registered electors 1,238
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Berwickshire[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Francis Scott Unopposed
Registered electors 1,073
Conservative hold
General election 1857: Berwickshire[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Francis Scott 394 56.4 N/A
Whig David Robertson 305 43.6 New
Majority 89 12.8 N/A
Turnout 699 63.4 N/A
Registered electors 1,102
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 1859: Berwickshire[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal David Robertson 461 51.9 +8.3
Conservative John Marjoribanks[10] 428 48.1 −8.3
Majority 33 3.8 N/A
Turnout 889 74.0 +10.6
Registered electors 1,201
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +8.3

Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Berwickshire[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal David Robertson Unopposed
Registered electors 1,247
Liberal hold
General election 1868: Berwickshire [11][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal David Robertson Unopposed
Registered electors 1,580
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1870s

Robertson was elevated to the peerage, becoming Lord Marjoribanks and causing a by-election.

By-election, 30 June 1873: Berwickshire [9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Miller 623 50.6 N/A
Conservative Charles Douglas-Home 609 49.4 New
Majority 14 1.2 N/A
Turnout 1,232 77.2 N/A
Registered electors 1,595
Liberal hold Swing N/A
General election 1874: Berwickshire [9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Baillie-Hamilton 748 52.6 N/A
Liberal William Miller 674 47.4 N/A
Majority 74 5.2 N/A
Turnout 1,422 86.1 N/A
Registered electors 1,652
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing N/A

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Berwickshire [9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Edward Marjoribanks 939 58.3 +10.9
Conservative Robert Baillie-Hamilton 671 41.7 −10.9
Majority 268 16.6 N/A
Turnout 1,610 88.0 +1.9
Registered electors 1,830
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +10.9
Marjoribanks
General election 1885: Berwickshire [12][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Edward Marjoribanks 3,758 75.4 +17.1
Conservative David Milne Home 1,225 24.6 −17.1
Majority 2,533 50.8 +34.2
Turnout 4,983 83.3 −4.7
Registered electors 5,982
Liberal hold Swing +17.1

Marjoribanks was appointed Comptroller of the Household, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 13 Feb 1886: Berwickshire[13][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Edward Marjoribanks Unopposed
Liberal hold
General election 1886: Berwickshire [12][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Edward Marjoribanks 2,778 70.2 -5.2
Liberal Unionist Robert Henry Elliot 1,177 29.8 +5.2
Majority 1,601 40.4 -10.4
Turnout 3,955 66.1 -17.2
Registered electors 5,982
Liberal hold Swing -5.2

Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Berwickshire [13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Edward Marjoribanks 2,704 58.0 -12.2
Conservative Charles Balfour 1,956 42.0 +12.2
Majority 748 16.0 -24.4
Turnout 4,660 82.6 +16.5
Registered electors 5,644
Liberal hold Swing -12.2
Tennant
1894 Berwickshire by-election[15][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Harold Tennant 2,722 55.8 -2.2
Conservative Charles Balfour 2,157 44.2 +2.2
Majority 507 10.4 -4.4
Turnout 4,879 89.7 +7.1
Registered electors 5,442
Liberal hold Swing -2.2
General election 1895: Berwickshire [14][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Harold Tennant 2,673 55.2 −2.8
Conservative Charles Balfour 2,166 44.8 +2.8
Majority 507 10.4 −5.6
Turnout 4,839 87.8 +5.2
Registered electors 5,509
Liberal hold Swing −2.8

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Berwickshire [14][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Harold Tennant 2,518 56.1 +0.9
Conservative Charles Douglas-Home 1,968 43.9 −0.9
Majority 550 12.2 +1.8
Turnout 4,486 81.7 −6.1
Registered electors 5,492
Liberal hold Swing +0.9
General election 1906: Berwickshire [16][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Harold Tennant 2,975 64.7 +8.6
Conservative R. Fitzroy Bell 1,624 35.3 −8.6
Majority 1,351 29.4 +17.2
Turnout 4,599 83.6 +1.9
Registered electors 5,502
Liberal hold Swing +8.6

Elections in the 1910s

Seton-Karr
General election January 1910: Berwickshire [17][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Harold Tennant 2,992 59.2 -5.5
Conservative Henry Seton-Karr 2,060 40.8 +5.5
Majority 932 18.4 -11.0
Turnout 5,052 89.0 +5.4
Registered electors 5,674
Liberal hold Swing -5.5
Tennant
General election December 1910: Berwickshire [17][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Harold Tennant 3,005 60.0 +0.8
Conservative John Campbell (Conservative politician) 2,000 40.0 -0.8
Majority 1,005 20.0 +1.6
Turnout 5,005 87.0 -2.0
Registered electors 5,752
Liberal hold Swing +0.8
By-election, 1916: Berwickshire [13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Harold Tennant Unopposed
Liberal hold

References

  1. ^ "Berwickshire". History of Parliament Online (1690-1715). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  2. ^ "Berwickshire". History of Parliament Online (1715-1754). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  3. ^ "Berwickshire". History of Parliament Online (1754-1790). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  4. ^ "Berwickshire". History of Parliament Online (1790-1820). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  5. ^ "Berwickshire". History of Parliament Online (1820-1832). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  6. ^ a b Marjoribanks,Roger (2014) "Edinburgh Portrait, Sir John Marjoribanks , Bart, MP (1763–1833)" The Book of the Edinburgh Club, Volume 10, Pp 151-156, ISBN 0-9517284-9-0
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Smith, Henry Stooks (1842). The Register of Parliamentary Contested Elections (Second ed.). Simpkin, Marshall & Company. p. 197. Retrieved 10 September 2018 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ a b Escott, Margaret. "Berwickshire". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n 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.
  10. ^ "Scotch Election Intelligence". Edinburgh Evening Courant. 3 May 1859. p. 2. Retrieved 10 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^ Debrett's House of Commons, 1870
  12. ^ a b c Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1889
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, FWS Craig
  14. ^ a b c Whitaker's Almanack, 1893
  15. ^ Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1896
  16. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1907
  17. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1916

Sources

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