Wigtownshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Encyclopedia
Wigtownshire, was a 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. It was represented by one Member of Parliament
.
The first British general election in Wigtownshire was in 1708. In 1707-08, members of the 1702-1707 Parliament of Scotland
were co-opted to serve in the 1st Parliament of Great Britain
. See Scottish representatives to the 1st Parliament of Great Britain
, for further details.
In 1918 the area was combined with Kirkcudbrightshire to form the Galloway
constituency.
was a Scottish shire (later known as a county), which had previously been represented by two commissioners in the former Parliament of Scotland
. The constituenency included the whole shire, except that between 1708-1885 the burghs of Stranraer
, New Galloway
, Whithorn
and Wigtown
, formed part of the Wigtown Burghs constituency.
on 2 December 1914, which automatically vacated his seat in the House of Commons. At the Wigtownshire by-election, 1915, the Honourable Hew Hamilton Dalrymple
(Conservative) was returned unopposed on 12 February 1915. Dalrymple was the youngest son of John Dalrymple, 10th Earl of Stair and the uncle of the previous member. He retained the seat until it was abolished in 1918.
In the December 1910 general election, Viscount Dalrymple was returned unopposed.
, Sir Herbert Maxwell was returned unopposed.
, Sir Herbert Maxwell was returned unopposed.
and on a new election on 12 August 1886 was returned unopposed.
, Robert Vans-Agnew (Conservative) was returned unopposed.
United Kingdom constituencies
In the United Kingdom , each of the electoral areas or divisions called constituencies elects one or more members to a parliament or assembly.Within the United Kingdom there are now five bodies with members elected by constituencies:...
of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain
Parliament of Great Britain
The Parliament of Great Britain was formed in 1707 following the ratification of the Acts of Union by both the Parliament of England and Parliament of Scotland...
from 1708 to 1801 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
from 1801 to 1918. It was represented by one Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
.
The first British general election in Wigtownshire was in 1708. In 1707-08, members of the 1702-1707 Parliament of Scotland
Parliament of Scotland
The Parliament of Scotland, officially the Estates of Parliament, was the legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland. The unicameral parliament of Scotland is first found on record during the early 13th century, with the first meeting for which a primary source survives at...
were co-opted to serve in the 1st Parliament of Great Britain
Parliament of Great Britain
The Parliament of Great Britain was formed in 1707 following the ratification of the Acts of Union by both the Parliament of England and Parliament of Scotland...
. See Scottish representatives to the 1st Parliament of Great Britain
Scottish representatives to the 1st Parliament of Great Britain
Scottish representatives to the House of Commons of the 1st Parliament of Great Britain were not elected but co-opted in 1707 from the Commissioners of the last Parliament of Scotland.-Legal background to the composition of the 1st Parliament:...
, for further details.
In 1918 the area was combined with Kirkcudbrightshire to form the Galloway
Galloway (UK Parliament constituency)
Galloway was a county constituency in the Galloway area of Scotland. It elected one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, by the first past the post voting system....
constituency.
Boundaries
WigtownshireWigtownshire
Wigtownshire or the County of Wigtown is a registration county in the Southern Uplands of south west Scotland. Until 1975, the county was one of the administrative counties used for local government purposes, and is now administered as part of the council area of Dumfries and Galloway...
was a Scottish shire (later known as a county), which had previously been represented by two commissioners in the former Parliament of Scotland
Parliament of Scotland
The Parliament of Scotland, officially the Estates of Parliament, was the legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland. The unicameral parliament of Scotland is first found on record during the early 13th century, with the first meeting for which a primary source survives at...
. The constituenency included the whole shire, except that between 1708-1885 the burghs of Stranraer
Stranraer
Stranraer is a town in the southwest of Scotland. It lies in the west of Dumfries and Galloway and in the county of Wigtownshire.Stranraer lies on the shores of Loch Ryan on the northern side of the isthmus joining the Rhins of Galloway to the mainland...
, New Galloway
New Galloway
New Galloway is a town in Dumfries and Galloway Region, southwest Scotland. It lies on the west side of the valley of the Water of Ken, a mile north of the end of Loch Ken...
, Whithorn
Whithorn
Whithorn is a former royal burgh in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, about ten miles south of Wigtown. The town was the location of the first recorded Christian church in Scotland, Candida Casa : the 'White [or 'Shining'] House', built by Saint Ninian about 397.-Eighth and twelfth centuries:A...
and Wigtown
Wigtown
Wigtown is a town and former royal burgh in the Machars of Galloway in the south west of Scotland. It lies south of Newton Stewart and east of Stranraer. It has a population of about 1,000...
, formed part of the Wigtown Burghs constituency.
Members of Parliament
| Election | Member | Party | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1708, 17 June | John Stewart John Stewart (Scottish politician) John Stewart was a soldier and member of the first Parliament of Great Britain, serving from 1707 to 1708. He was later Member of Parliament for Wigtownshire from 1708–1710 and again from 1711 to 1727.... (c 1670-1748) |
|||
| 1710, 10 November | Patrick Vanse Patrick Vanse Sir Patrick Vanse was a Scottish MP in the British Parliament. He held the rank of Colonel when he was elected.He was MP for Wigtownshire 1710-1711 and represented Wigtown Burghs 1715-1722.-References:... |
Unseated on petition | ||
| 1711, 3 March | John Stewart John Stewart (Scottish politician) John Stewart was a soldier and member of the first Parliament of Great Britain, serving from 1707 to 1708. He was later Member of Parliament for Wigtownshire from 1708–1710 and again from 1711 to 1727.... (c 1670-1748) |
Seated on petition | ||
| 1727, 21 September | William Dalrymple William Dalrymple (politician) William Dalrymple was a Scottish Member of Parliament in the British Parliament.He represented Wigtown Burghs 1722–1727 and Wigtownshire 1727–1741.- References :... |
|||
| 1741, 15 May | James Stewart (c 1699-1768) | |||
| 1747, 31 July | John Stewart (?-c 1769) | |||
| 1761, 23 April | John Hamilton John Hamilton (MP) John Hamilton was a Scottish MP in the British Parliament. He was the younger son of John Dalrymple, 2nd Earl of Stair and changed his name to Hamilton in 1736 when he inherited the estate of Bargeny on the death of the 4th Lord Bargeny.He represented Wigtown Burghs 1754-1761 and 1762-1768... |
Resigned | ||
| 1762, 18 March | James Murray | Returned at a by-election | ||
| 1768, 22 April | Keith Stewart Keith Stewart Keith Stewart of Glasserton was a ScottishAdmiral and MP in the British Parliament. He was the second surviving son of Alexander Stewart, 6th Earl of Galloway.-Naval career:... |
Appointed Receiver of Land Taxation for Scotland | ||
| 1784, 17 September | Andrew McDouall | Returned at a by-election | ||
| 1796, 17 June | William Stewart William Stewart (1774-1827) Lieutenant-General Sir William Stewart, GCB was a British military officer who was the first Commanding Officer of the Rifle Corps, a Division Commander in the Peninsula and a Scottish Member of Parliament in the British Parliament... |
|||
| 1802, 27 July United Kingdom general election, 1802 The United Kingdom general election, 1802 was the election to the 2nd Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was the first to be held after the formation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland... |
Andrew McDouall | Resigned | ||
| 1805, 15 April | William Maxwell | Returned at a by-election | ||
| 1812, 28 October United Kingdom general election, 1812 The election to the 5th Parliament of the United Kingdom in 1812 was the fourth general election to be held after the Union of Great Britain and Ireland.... |
Sir William Stewart William Stewart (1774-1827) Lieutenant-General Sir William Stewart, GCB was a British military officer who was the first Commanding Officer of the Rifle Corps, a Division Commander in the Peninsula and a Scottish Member of Parliament in the British Parliament... |
Resigned | ||
| 1816, 2 August | James Hunter-Blair | Returned at a by-election; resigned | ||
| 1822, 30 July | Sir William Maxwell, 5th Baronet, of Monreith | Tory | Returned at a by-election | |
| 1830, 17 August United Kingdom general election, 1830 The 1830 United Kingdom general election, was triggered by the death of King George IV and produced the first parliament of the reign of his successor, William IV. Fought in the aftermath of the Swing Riots, it saw electoral reform become a major election issue... |
Sir Andrew Agnew, 7th Baronet Sir Andrew Agnew, 7th Baronet Sir Andrew Agnew, 7th Baronet was the son of Andrew Agnew and Hon. Martha de Courcy.-Succession:He succeeded his grandfather as 7th Baronet Agnew, of Lochnaw on the latter's death on 28 June 1809... |
Whig | ||
| 1837, 5 August United Kingdom general election, 1837 The 1837 United Kingdom general election saw Robert Peel's Conservatives close further on the position of the Whigs, who won their fourth election of the decade.... |
James Blair | Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
||
| 1841, 15 July United Kingdom general election, 1841 -Seats summary:-Whig MPs who lost their seats:*Viscount Morpeth - Chief Secretary for Ireland*Sir George Strickland, Bt*Sir Henry Barron, 1st Baronet-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987... |
John Hamilton Dalrymple Viscount Dalrymple (from 1853) |
Whig | Resigned; the 10th Earl of Stair Earl of Stair Earl of Stair is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1703 for the lawyer and statesman John Dalrymple, 2nd Viscount of Stair. He actively supported William III's claim to the throne and served as Secretary of State for Scotland. However, he was forced to resign after he authorised... from 1864 |
|
| 1856, 9 February | Sir Andrew Agnew, 8th Baronet Sir Andrew Agnew, 8th Baronet Sir Andrew Agnew, 8th Baronet DL was a British politician and baronet.Born in Edinburgh, he was the oldest son of Sir Andrew Agnew, 7th Baronet and his wife Madeline Carnegie, daughter of Sir David Carnegie, 4th Baronet. In 1849, he succeeded his father as baronet. Agnew attended Harrow School and... |
Whig | Returned at a by-election; joined the Liberal Party | |
| 1859 | Liberal Liberal Party (UK) The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day... |
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| 1868, 21 November United Kingdom general election, 1868 The 1868 United Kingdom general election was the first after passage of the Reform Act 1867, which enfranchised many male householders, thus greatly increasing the number of men who could vote in elections in the United Kingdom... |
Alan Plantagenet Stewart, Lord Garlies | Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
Succeeded as the 10th Earl of Galloway Earl of Galloway Earl of Galloway is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1623 for Alexander Stewart, 1st Lord Garlies, with remainder to his heirs male bearing the name and arms of Stewart. He had already been created Lord Garlies in the Peerage of Scotland in 1607, with remainder to the heirs... |
|
| 1873, 24 February | Robert Vans-Agnew | Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
Returned at a by-election | |
| 1880, 10 April United Kingdom general election, 1880 -Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* British Electoral Facts 1832-1999, compiled and edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher *... |
Sir Herbert Eustace Maxwell, 7th Baronet Sir Herbert Maxwell, 7th Baronet The Rt. Hon. Sir Herbert Eustace Maxwell, 7th Baronet of Monreith, KT, PC, FRS, FRGS was a Scottish novelist, essayist, horticulturalist and Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1880 to 1906.... |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
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| 1906, 23 January United Kingdom general election, 1906 -Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1906*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**... |
John James Hamilton Dalrymple, Viscount Dalrymple | Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
Succeeded as the 12th Earl of Stair Earl of Stair Earl of Stair is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1703 for the lawyer and statesman John Dalrymple, 2nd Viscount of Stair. He actively supported William III's claim to the throne and served as Secretary of State for Scotland. However, he was forced to resign after he authorised... |
|
| 1915, 12 February | Hon. Hew Hamilton Dalrymple Hew Hamilton Dalrymple Hew Hamilton Dalrymple was Unionist Party MP for Wigtownshire .He was the son of John Dalrymple, 10th Earl of Stair.... |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
Returned at a by-election | |
| 1918 United Kingdom general election, 1918 The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did... |
constituency abolished | |||
Elections
- Note on Swing
- In this article, positive swing is a movement of support towards the Conservative Party since the last election. Negative swing is a change in percentage support towards the Liberal Party.
Elections in the 1910s
Viscount Dalrymple succeeded as the 12th Earl of StairEarl of Stair
Earl of Stair is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1703 for the lawyer and statesman John Dalrymple, 2nd Viscount of Stair. He actively supported William III's claim to the throne and served as Secretary of State for Scotland. However, he was forced to resign after he authorised...
on 2 December 1914, which automatically vacated his seat in the House of Commons. At the Wigtownshire by-election, 1915, the Honourable Hew Hamilton Dalrymple
Hew Hamilton Dalrymple
Hew Hamilton Dalrymple was Unionist Party MP for Wigtownshire .He was the son of John Dalrymple, 10th Earl of Stair....
(Conservative) was returned unopposed on 12 February 1915. Dalrymple was the youngest son of John Dalrymple, 10th Earl of Stair and the uncle of the previous member. He retained the seat until it was abolished in 1918.
In the December 1910 general election, Viscount Dalrymple was returned unopposed.
Elections in the 1900s
In the 1900 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1900
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1900*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
, Sir Herbert Maxwell was returned unopposed.
Elections in the 1890s
In the 1895 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1895
The United Kingdom general election of 1895 was held from 13 July - 7 August 1895. It was won by the Conservatives led by Lord Salisbury who formed an alliance with the Liberal Unionist Party and had a large majority over the Liberals, led by Lord Rosebery...
, Sir Herbert Maxwell was returned unopposed.
- Changes and swing calculated from the 1886 general election
Elections in the 1880s
In July 1886 Sir Herbert Maxwell accepted office as a Junior Lord of the TreasuryLord of the Treasury
In the United Kingdom, there are at least six Lords of the Treasury who serve concurrently. Traditionally, this board consists of the First Lord of the Treasury, the Second Lord of the Treasury, and four or more junior lords .Strictly they are commissioners for exercising the office of Lord...
and on a new election on 12 August 1886 was returned unopposed.
- Change and swing calculated from the 1873 by-election
Elections in the 1870s
In the 1874 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1874
-Seats summary:-References:* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* British Electoral Facts 1832-1999, compiled and edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher *...
, Robert Vans-Agnew (Conservative) was returned unopposed.
- Lord Garlies succeeded as the 10th Earl of GallowayEarl of GallowayEarl of Galloway is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1623 for Alexander Stewart, 1st Lord Garlies, with remainder to his heirs male bearing the name and arms of Stewart. He had already been created Lord Garlies in the Peerage of Scotland in 1607, with remainder to the heirs...
Elections in the 1860s
Sources
- British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press 1977)
- British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press 1974)
- The Parliaments of England by Henry Stooks Smith (1st edition published in three volumes 1844-50), second edition edited (in one volume) by F.W.S. Craig (Political Reference Publications 1973))