Inverness-shire (UK Parliament constituency)
Encyclopedia
Inverness-shire was a county 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 until 1918.
There was also a burgh constituency
called Inverness Burghs
, 1708 to 1918, and a county constituency called Inverness
, 1918 to 1983.
, which was represented as a component of Inverness District of Burghs. However, by 1892 the boundaries of the county had been redefined for all purposes except parliamentary representation, and it had become a local government area, under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889
. 26 years were to elapse before a review of constituency boundaries took account of new local government boundaries. Results of the review were implemented under the Representation of the People Act 1918
.
In 1918, the constituency was largely replaced by two new county constituencies. The Western Isles constituency was created to cover Outer Hebridean
areas of the county of Inverness, as well as part of the county of Ross and Cromarty. The Inverness
constituency was created to cover the rest of the county of Inverness, including the parliamentary burgh.
The county electorate, in Scotland, was significantly extended in 1832 and was further expanded in 1868 and 1885. The change, before and after 1832, can be seen by comparing the 32 votes cast at the contested election in 1802 with the 467 votes cast in 1832 (when the new registration system recorded a registered electorate of 669).
Unless otherwise indicated, the primary source for the results listed was Craig. Candidates identified by Craig as Conservatives, in the 1832-1835 Parliament, are listed as Tories. In elections before the formal creation of the Liberal Party, shortly after the 1859 general election, candidates identified by Craig as Liberals are classified as Whigs. There were no Radicals candidates in this seat, according to Stooks Smith. Craig's registered electorate and vote figures are sometimes different from those of Stooks Smith, but Craig's figures are used below. For details of the books of Craig and Stooks Smith, see the Reference section below.
The calculations of change in % vote and swing, for the 1835 general election result, relate the performance of the Conservative candidate to his achievements as the Tory candidate in the 1832 general election.
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 until 1918.
There was also a burgh constituency
Burgh constituency
A burgh constituency is a type of parliamentary constituency in Scotland. It is a constituency which is predominantly urban, and on this basis has been designated as a burgh constituency...
called Inverness Burghs
Inverness Burghs (UK Parliament constituency)
Inverness Burghs was a district of burghs 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...
, 1708 to 1918, and a county constituency called Inverness
Inverness (UK Parliament constituency)
Inverness was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 until 1983. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election....
, 1918 to 1983.
Boundaries
The Inverness-shire Member of Parliament (MP) represented, nominally, the county of Inverness minus the Inverness parliamentary burghInverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
, which was represented as a component of Inverness District of Burghs. However, by 1892 the boundaries of the county had been redefined for all purposes except parliamentary representation, and it had become a local government area, under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889
Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889
The Local Government Act 1889 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which was passed on 26 August 1889. The main effect of the Act was to establish elected county councils in Scotland...
. 26 years were to elapse before a review of constituency boundaries took account of new local government boundaries. Results of the review were implemented under the Representation of the People Act 1918
Representation of the People Act 1918
The Representation of the People Act 1918 was an Act of Parliament passed to reform the electoral system in the United Kingdom. It is sometimes known as the Fourth Reform Act...
.
In 1918, the constituency was largely replaced by two new county constituencies. The Western Isles constituency was created to cover Outer Hebridean
Outer Hebrides
The Outer Hebrides also known as the Western Isles and the Long Island, is an island chain off the west coast of Scotland. The islands are geographically contiguous with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland...
areas of the county of Inverness, as well as part of the county of Ross and Cromarty. The Inverness
Inverness (UK Parliament constituency)
Inverness was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 until 1983. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election....
constituency was created to cover the rest of the county of Inverness, including the parliamentary burgh.
Members of Parliament
| Elected | Member | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1708 | Alexander Grant | ||
| 1710 | Alexander McKenzie | ||
| 1715 | John Forbes | ||
| 1722 | Sir James Grant, Bt. | ||
| 1741 | Norman Macleod, (1706–1772) | ||
| 1754 | Pryse Campbell | ||
| 1761 | Simon Fraser | ||
| 1782 by-election | Archibald Campbell Fraser Archibald Campbell Fraser of Lovat Colonel the Hon. Archibald Campbell Fraser of Lovat, 20th MacShimidh was the second son of Simon "the Fox" Fraser. Upon the death of his brother, Simon Fraser, in 1782, Archibald assumed the Chiefship of Clan Fraser, using the Gaelic patronym MacShimidh. Archibald died 8 December 1815, at the age... |
||
| 1784 | Lord William Gordon | ||
| 1790 | Norman Macleod, (1754–1801) | ||
| 1796 | John Simon Frederick Fraser | ||
| 1802 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... |
Charles Grant (senior) Charles Grant (British East India Company) Charles Grant was a British politician influential in Indian and domestic affairs who, motivated by his evangelical Christianity, championed the causes of social reform and Christian mission, particularly in India... |
||
| 1818 United Kingdom general election, 1818 The 1818 general election of the United Kingdom saw the Whigs gain a few seats, but the Tories under the Earl of Liverpool retained a majority of around 90 seats... |
Rt Hon. Charles Grant Charles Grant, 1st Baron Glenelg Charles Grant, 1st Baron Glenelg PC FRS was a Scottish politician and colonial administrator.-Background and education:... , later Baron Glenelg |
||
| 1828 by-election | Whig | ||
| 1835 by-election | Alexander William Chisholm | 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... |
|
| 1838 by-election | Francis William Grant | 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... |
|
| 1840 by-election | Henry James Baillie Henry Baillie Colonel Henry James Baillie PC was a British Conservative politician.-Background:Baillie was the son of Colonel Hugh Duncan Baillie, son of Evan Baillie. His mother was his father's first wife Elizabeth Reynett, daughter of Reverend Henry Reynett... |
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... |
|
| 1868 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... |
Donald Cameron Donald Cameron, 24th Lochiel Donald Cameron of Lochiel DL was a Scottish Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1868 to 1885. He was chieftain, the 24th chief of Clan Cameron.... |
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... |
|
| 1885 United Kingdom general election, 1885 -Seats summary:-See also:*List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1885*Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885–1918*Representation of the People Act 1884*Redistribution of Seats Act 1885-References:... |
Charles Fraser-Mackintosh Charles Fraser-Mackintosh Charles Fraser-Mackintosh was a Scottish lawyer, land developer, author and Liberal and Crofters Party politician. He was a significant champion of the Scottish Gaelic language in Victorian Britain.Fraser-Mackintosh was the son of Alexander Fraser, of Dochnalurg, Inverness and his wife Marjory... |
Independent Liberal/Crofters' Highland Land League The first Highland Land League emerged as a distinct political force in Scotland during the 1880s, with its power base in the country's Highlands and Islands. It was known also as the Highland Land Law Reform Association and the Crofters' Party... |
|
| 1886 change | Liberal Unionist Liberal Unionist Party The Liberal Unionist Party was a British political party that was formed in 1886 by a faction that broke away from the Liberal Party. Led by Lord Hartington and Joseph Chamberlain, the party formed a political alliance with the Conservative Party in opposition to Irish Home Rule... /Crofters' Highland Land League The first Highland Land League emerged as a distinct political force in Scotland during the 1880s, with its power base in the country's Highlands and Islands. It was known also as the Highland Land Law Reform Association and the Crofters' Party... |
||
| 1892 United Kingdom general election, 1892 The 1892 United Kingdom general election was held from 4 July to 26 July 1892. It saw the Conservatives, led by Lord Salisbury, win the greatest number of seats, but not enough for an overall majority as William Ewart Gladstone's Liberals won many more seats than in the 1886 general election... |
Donald MacGregor Donald MacGregor (1839-1911) Donald MacGregor was a Scottish Liberal Party politician. From 1892 to 1895 he was a Member of Parliament for the Inverness-shire constituency.- External links :... |
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... /Crofters' Highland Land League The first Highland Land League emerged as a distinct political force in Scotland during the 1880s, with its power base in the country's Highlands and Islands. It was known also as the Highland Land Law Reform Association and the Crofters' Party... |
|
| 1895 United 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... |
James Evan Bruce Baillie James Evan Bruce Baillie James Evan Bruce Baillie was Unionist MP for Inverness-shire .He was elected at a by-election in 1895, was re-elected in the general election later that year, but stood down in 1900.- External links :... |
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... |
|
| 1906 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**... |
Sir John Alexander Dewar, Bt., later Baron Forteviot Baron Forteviot Baron Forteviot, of Dupplin in the County of Perth, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1917 for the Scottish businessman and Liberal Member of Parliament, Sir John Dewar, 1st Baronet. He was Chairman of the brewing firm John Dewar and Sons and also represented... |
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... |
|
| 1917 by-election | Thomas Brash Morison Thomas Brash Morison Sir Thomas Brash Morison was a Scottish politician and judge.Morison was born in Edinburgh. He went to Edinburgh University where he obtained MA and LL.D degrees. He was called to the bar in Scotland in 1891 and then in England in 1899. He was knighted in 1906... , who was subsequently MP for Inverness Inverness (UK Parliament constituency) Inverness was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 until 1983. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election.... |
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... |
|
| 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 | ||
Election results
The original electorate for this constituency was limited to substantial landowners. The 40 shilling freehold qualification used for English county constituencies, which was not adjusted for inflation since it was first set in the 15th century, was significantly lower than the Scottish county qualification. In Scotland the qualification was land worth 40 shillings "of old extent", which prevented inflation lowering the real value of the property qualification required.The county electorate, in Scotland, was significantly extended in 1832 and was further expanded in 1868 and 1885. The change, before and after 1832, can be seen by comparing the 32 votes cast at the contested election in 1802 with the 467 votes cast in 1832 (when the new registration system recorded a registered electorate of 669).
Unless otherwise indicated, the primary source for the results listed was Craig. Candidates identified by Craig as Conservatives, in the 1832-1835 Parliament, are listed as Tories. In elections before the formal creation of the Liberal Party, shortly after the 1859 general election, candidates identified by Craig as Liberals are classified as Whigs. There were no Radicals candidates in this seat, according to Stooks Smith. Craig's registered electorate and vote figures are sometimes different from those of Stooks Smith, but Craig's figures are used below. For details of the books of Craig and Stooks Smith, see the Reference section below.
The calculations of change in % vote and swing, for the 1835 general election result, relate the performance of the Conservative candidate to his achievements as the Tory candidate in the 1832 general election.
1800s – 1830s – 1840s – 1850s – 1860s – 1870s – 1880s – 1890s – 1900s – 1910s |
Elections in the 1800s
Elections in the 1830s
- Appointment of Grant as Secretary of State for War and the ColoniesSecretary of State for War and the ColoniesThe Secretary of State for War and the Colonies was a British cabinet level position responsible for the army and the British colonies . The Department was created in 1801...
and elevation to the peerage as the 1st Lord Glenelg
- Resignation of Chisholm, in June 1838
Elections in the 1840s
- Death of Grant
Elections in the 1850s
Elections in the 1860s
Elections in the 1870s
- Appointment of Cameron as a Groom in WaitingGroom in WaitingThe office of Groom in Waiting was a post in the Royal Household of the United Kingdom, which in earlier times was usually held by more than one person at a time – in the late Middle Ages there might be dozens of persons with the rank...
to Her Majesty
Elections in the 1880s
- Fraser-Mackintosh was also supported by the Highland Land LeagueHighland Land LeagueThe first Highland Land League emerged as a distinct political force in Scotland during the 1880s, with its power base in the country's Highlands and Islands. It was known also as the Highland Land Law Reform Association and the Crofters' Party...
, as a Crofters' candidate.
- At the General Election 1886United Kingdom general election, 1886-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the UK general election, 1886*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
Charles Fraser-Mackintosh was returned unopposed as the Liberal Unionist PartyLiberal Unionist PartyThe Liberal Unionist Party was a British political party that was formed in 1886 by a faction that broke away from the Liberal Party. Led by Lord Hartington and Joseph Chamberlain, the party formed a political alliance with the Conservative Party in opposition to Irish Home Rule...
candidate.
- Fraser-Mackintosh retained the support of the Highland Land League, for this election, and was a Crofters' candidate as well as a Liberal Unionist.
Elections in the 1890s
- Since the last election Fraser-Mackintosh had lost the support of the Highland Land League; which endorsed the Liberal nominee MacGregor as a Crofters' candidate.
- Resignation of MacGregor
- The Highland Land League supported Macrae in this election, so he was a Crofters' candidate as well as the Liberal nominee.
Elections in the 1900s
Elections in the 1910s
- Creation of Dewar as the 1st Baron ForteviotBaron ForteviotBaron Forteviot, of Dupplin in the County of Perth, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1917 for the Scottish businessman and Liberal Member of Parliament, Sir John Dewar, 1st Baronet. He was Chairman of the brewing firm John Dewar and Sons and also represented...
- Constituency abolished (1918)