Linlithgowshire (UK Parliament constituency)

Linlithgowshire was a Scottish county constituency of Great Britain and after 1801 the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1708 to 1950. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post voting system. It was replaced in 1950 by an equivalent constituency named West Lothian.

Linlithgowshire
Former county constituency
for the House of Commons
Subdivisions of ScotlandLinlithgowshire
17081950
SeatsOne
Replaced byWest Lothian

Creation

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The British parliamentary constituency was created in 1708 following the Acts of Union, 1707 and replaced the former Parliament of Scotland shire constituency of Linlithgowshire.

History

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The constituency elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system until 1950.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

For the 1950 general election, the constituency was abolished and replaced by West Lothian.

Members of Parliament

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Election Member Party
1708 Lord Johnstone
1708 John Houston
1713 Sir James Carmichael
1714 John Houston
1715 Sir James Cunynghame
1722 George Dundas[6]
1727 Alexander Hamilton
1741 George Dundas
1743 Charles Hope-Weir
1768 John Hope
1770 James Dundas
1774 Sir William Cunynghame
1790 John Hope Tory[7]
1800 Sir Alexander Hope Tory[7][8]
1834 Conservative[7][8]
1835 James Hope Conservative[7][8]
1838 Charles Hope Conservative[7][8]
1845 William Baillie Conservative[8]
1847 George Dundas Conservative[8]
Feb. 1859 Charles Baillie Conservative[8]
May 1859 Walter Ferrier Hamilton Liberal[8]
1865 Peter McLagan Liberal[8]
1893 Thomas Hope Conservative
1895 Alexander Ure Liberal
1913 John Pratt Liberal
1918 James Kidd Coalition Conservative
1922 Manny Shinwell Labour
1924 James Kidd Unionist
1928 Manny Shinwell Labour
1931 Sir Adrian Baillie Unionist
1935 George Mathers Labour
1950 constituency abolished

Election results

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Elections in the 1830s

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General election 1830: Linlithgowshire [7][9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Tory Alexander Hope Unopposed
Registered electors 68
Tory hold
General election 1831: Linlithgowshire [7][9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Tory Alexander Hope Unopposed
Registered electors 68
Tory hold
General election 1832: Linlithgowshire [7][8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Tory Alexander Hope 267 51.3
Whig James Joseph Hope-Vere 253 48.7
Majority 14 2.6
Turnout 520 86.7
Registered electors 600
Tory hold
General election 1835: Linlithgowshire [7][8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative James Hope Unopposed
Registered electors 692
Conservative hold
General election 1837: Linlithgowshire [7][8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative James Hope 329 63.3
Whig Robert Fulke Greville[10] 191 36.7
Majority 138 26.6
Turnout 520 71.7
Registered electors 725
Conservative hold

Hope resigned, causing a by-election.

By-election, 14 June 1838: Linlithgowshire [7][8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Hope 330 61.1 −2.2
Whig James Johnston 210 38.9 2.2
Majority 120 22.2 −4.4
Turnout 540 73.6 1.9
Registered electors 734
Conservative hold Swing −2.2

Elections in the 1840s

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General election 1841: Linlithgowshire [8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Hope Unopposed
Registered electors 686
Conservative hold

Hope was appointed a commissioner of Greenwich Hospital, London, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 20 October 1841: Linlithgowshire [8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Hope Unopposed
Conservative hold

Hope resigned after being appointed Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man, causing a by-election.

By-election, 22 August 1845: Linlithgowshire [8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Baillie Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1847: Linlithgowshire [8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Dundas Unopposed
Registered electors 596
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1850s

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General election 1852: Linlithgowshire [8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Dundas Unopposed
Registered electors 502
Conservative hold
General election 1857: Linlithgowshire [8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Dundas Unopposed
Registered electors 427
Conservative hold

Dundas resigned upon his appointment as Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island, causing a by-election.

By-election, 5 February 1859: Linlithgowshire [8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Baillie Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1859: Linlithgowshire [8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Walter Ferrier Hamilton Unopposed
Registered electors 425
Liberal gain from Conservative

Elections in the 1860s

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General election 1865: Linlithgowshire [8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Peter McLagan Unopposed
Registered electors 813
Liberal hold
General election 1868: Linlithgowshire [8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Peter McLagan 600 60.9 N/A
Liberal John Pender[11] 385 39.1 N/A
Majority 215 21.8 N/A
Turnout 985 80.3 N/A
Registered electors 1,226
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1870s

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General election 1874: Linlithgowshire [8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Peter McLagan Unopposed
Registered electors 1,198
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1880s

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General election 1880: Linlithgowshire [8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Peter McLagan 747 74.5 N/A
Conservative James Robertson 256 25.5 New
Majority 491 49.0 N/A
Turnout 1,003 81.4 N/A
Registered electors 1,232
Liberal hold Swing N/A
General election 1885: Linlithgowshire [12][13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Peter McLagan 3,801 70.3 −4.2
Conservative Thomas Hope 1,606 29.7 4.2
Majority 2,195 40.6 −8.4
Turnout 5,407 79.4 −2.0
Registered electors 6,808
Liberal hold Swing −4.2
General election 1886: Linlithgowshire [12][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Peter McLagan 2,543 58.4 −11.9
Conservative Thomas Hope 1,810 41.6 11.9
Majority 733 16.8 −23.8
Turnout 4,353 63.9 −15.5
Registered electors 6,808
Liberal hold Swing −11.9

Elections in the 1890s

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General election 1892: Linlithgowshire [12][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Peter McLagan 2,870 51.4 −7.0
Conservative Thomas Hope 2,709 48.6 7.0
Majority 161 2.8 −14.0
Turnout 5,579 79.2 15.3
Registered electors 7,042
Liberal hold Swing −7.0
1893 Linlithgowshire by-election[12][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thomas Hope 3,240 51.3 2.7
Liberal Alexander Ure 3,071 48.7 −2.7
Majority 169 2.6 N/A
Turnout 6,311 86.3 7.1
Registered electors 7,315
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing 2.7
 
Ure
General election 1895: Linlithgowshire [12][13][15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alexander Ure 3,760 54.4 3.0
Conservative Thomas Hope 3,153 45.6 −3.0
Majority 607 8.8 6.0
Turnout 6,913 88.4 9.2
Registered electors 7,823
Liberal hold Swing 3.0

Elections in the 1900s

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General election 1900: Linlithgowshire [12][13][15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alexander Ure 3,827 55.8 1.4
Conservative David Dundas 3,034 44.2 −1.4
Majority 793 11.6 2.8
Turnout 6,861 81.2 −7.2
Registered electors 8,450
Liberal hold Swing 1.4
 
Ure
General election 1906: Linlithgowshire [12][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alexander Ure 5,282 65.7 9.9
Conservative Patrick Rose-Innes 2,761 34.3 −9.9
Majority 2,521 31.4 19.8
Turnout 8,043 78.1 −3.1
Registered electors 10,301
Liberal hold Swing 9.9

Elections in the 1910s

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General election January 1910: Linlithgowshire [12][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alexander Ure 6,451 64.6 −1.1
Liberal Unionist William Charles Smith 3,536 35.4 1.1
Majority 2,915 29.2 −2.2
Turnout 9,987 84.6 6.5
Registered electors 11,810
Liberal hold Swing −1.1
General election December 1910: Linlithgowshire [12][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alexander Ure 5,835 60.8 −3.8
Conservative James Kidd 3,765 39.2 3.8
Majority 2,070 21.6 −7.6
Turnout 9,600 81.1 −3.5
Registered electors 11,840
Liberal hold Swing −3.8
1913 Linlithgowshire by-election[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Pratt 5,615 52.4 −8.4
Unionist James Kidd 5,094 47.6 8.4
Majority 521 4.8 −16.8
Turnout 10,709 87.8 6.7
Registered electors 12,193
Liberal hold Swing −8.4

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;

General election 1918: Linlithgowshire [18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Unionist James Kidd 12,898 59.7 20.5
Labour Manny Shinwell 8,723 40.3 New
Majority 4,175 19.4 N/A
Turnout 21,621 66.4 −14.7
Registered electors 32,562
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Elections in the 1920s

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Shinwell
General election 1922: Linlithgowshire [19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Manny Shinwell 12,625 46.4 6.1
Unionist James Kidd 8,993 33.0 −29.7
Liberal John Fraser Orr 5,605 20.6 New
Majority 3,632 13.4 N/A
Turnout 27,223 76.5 10.1
Registered electors 35,582
Labour gain from Unionist Swing 17.9
General election 1923: Linlithgowshire [20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Manny Shinwell 13,304 50.9 4.5
Unionist James Kidd 8,149 31.2 −1.8
Liberal James Johnston 4,691 17.9 −2.7
Majority 5,155 19.7 6.3
Turnout 26,144 71.7 −4.8
Registered electors 36,459
Labour hold Swing 3.2
General election 1924: Linlithgowshire [21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist James Kidd 14,765 51.1 19.9
Labour Manny Shinwell 14,123 48.9 −2.0
Majority 642 2.2 N/A
Turnout 28,888 80.0 8.3
Registered electors 36,122
Unionist gain from Labour Swing 11.0
1928 Linlithgowshire by-election[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Manny Shinwell 14,446 49.1 0.2
Unionist Margaret Kidd 9,268 31.5 −19.6
Liberal Douglas Young 5,690 19.4 New
Majority 5,178 17.6 N/A
Turnout 29,044 81.5 1.5
Registered electors 36,082
Labour gain from Unionist Swing 9.9
General election 1929: Linlithgowshire[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Manny Shinwell 18,063 51.6 2.7
Unionist Adrian Baillie 11,241 32.1 −19.0
Liberal John Fraser Orr 5,722 16.3 N/A
Majority 6,822 19.5 N/A
Turnout 35,026 77.9 −2.1
Registered electors 44,962
Labour gain from Unionist Swing 10.9

Elections in the 1930s

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General election 1931: Linlithgowshire[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Adrian Baillie 20,476 54.7 22.6
Labour Manny Shinwell 16,956 45.3 −6.3
Majority 3,520 9.4 N/A
Turnout 37,432 82.1 4.2
Registered electors 45,612
Unionist gain from Labour Swing 14.5
General election 1935: Linlithgowshire [25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George Mathers 20,905 54.1 8.8
Unionist Adrian Baillie 17,730 45.9 −8.8
Majority 3,175 8.2 N/A
Turnout 38,635 80.8 −1.3
Registered electors 47,813
Labour gain from Unionist Swing 8.8

Election in the 1940s

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General election 1945: Linlithgowshire [12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George Mathers 24,762 64.1 10.0
Unionist Rupert Speir 13,871 35.9 −10.0
Majority 10,891 28.2 20.0
Turnout 38,633 73.2 −7.6
Registered electors 52,752
Labour hold Swing 10.0

References

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  1. ^ "Linlithgowshire (West Lothian)". History of Parliament Online (1690-1715). Retrieved 9 June 2019.
  2. ^ "Linlithgowshire (West Lothian)". History of Parliament Online (1715-1754). Retrieved 9 June 2019.
  3. ^ "Linlithgowshire (West Lothian)". History of Parliament Online (1754-1790). Retrieved 9 June 2019.
  4. ^ "Linlithgowshire (West Lothian)". History of Parliament Online (1790-1820). Retrieved 9 June 2019.
  5. ^ "Linlithgowshire (West Lothian)". History of Parliament Online (1820-1832). Retrieved 9 June 2019.
  6. ^ "DUNDAS, George (1690-1762), of Dundas, Linlithgow". historyofparliamentonline.org. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Smith, Henry Stooks (1842). The Register of Parliamentary Contested Elections (Second ed.). Simpkin, Marshall & Company. p. 207. Retrieved 14 September 2018 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y 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.[page needed]
  9. ^ a b Fisher, David R. "Linlithgowshire (West Lothian)". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  10. ^ "Page 3". Caledonian Mercury. 3 August 1837. Retrieved 8 May 2020 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^ "The New Parliament". Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser. 26 November 1868. p. 6. Retrieved 25 February 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, FWS Craig
  13. ^ a b c d e f g The Liberal Year Book, 1907
  14. ^ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886
  15. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
  16. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
  17. ^ Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1916
  18. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1920
  19. ^ The Times, 17 November 1922
  20. ^ The Times, 8 December 1923
  21. ^ Oliver & Boyd's Edinburgh Almanac, 1927
  22. ^ The Times, 7 April 1928
  23. ^ The Times, 1 June 1929
  24. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1934
  25. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1939