Ross and Cromarty (UK Parliament constituency)

Ross and Cromarty
Former county constituency
for the House of Commons
Subdivisions of Scotland1890–1975: Ross and Cromarty
1975–1983: Highland
18321983
SeatsOne
Created fromInverness Burghs, Ross-shire and Cromartyshire
Replaced byRoss, Cromarty & Skye
During its existence contributed to new seat(s) of:Na h-Eileanan an Iar or the Western Isles

Ross and Cromarty was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the UK Parliament from 1832 to 1983. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) using the first-past-the-post voting system.

When created in 1832 by the Scottish Reform Act 1832 it combined in one seat the former seats Ross-shire and Cromartyshire.

In 1918 Lewis (a large island several miles offshore) was taken from the seat and merged into the then new Western Isles constituency, and the Fortrose component of the former Inverness Burghs constituency and the Dingwall and Cromarty Parliamentary burghs which formed part of the Wick Burghs constituency were merged into the Ross and Cromarty constituency.

In 1983 the remaining area of the seat was merged with the Isle of Skye and Isle of Raasay areas of the then-Inverness seat to form Ross, Cromarty and Skye.

Local government areas

[edit]

1890 to 1918

County councils were created in Scotland in 1890, and so the constituency area became also the county council area of Ross and Cromarty, minus the Fortrose, Dingwall and Cromarty parliamentary burghs.

1918 to 1975

When reformed in 1918 the constituency covered the county of Ross and Cromarty (including the former parliamentary burghs) minus Lewis.

1975 to 1983

County councils were abolished in 1975 and replaced with regions and districts and island council areas. The constituency area was then that of the district of Ross and Cromarty plus the Lochalsh area of Skye and Lochalsh. Both districts were within the Highland region.

See also

Members of Parliament

[edit]
Election Member [1] Party
1832 James Alexander Stewart-Mackenzie Whig[2]
1837 Thomas Mackenzie Conservative[2]
1847 Sir James Matheson Whig[3][4][5]
1859 Liberal
1868 Alexander Matheson
1884 Ronald Munro-Ferguson
Later Viscount Novar
1885 Roderick Macdonald Crofters' Party
1892 James Galloway Weir Liberal
1911 Ian Macpherson
(Later made Baron Strathcarron)
1931 Liberal National
1936 Malcolm MacDonald National Labour
1945 John MacLeod Independent Liberal
1947 National Liberal
1964 Alasdair Mackenzie Liberal
1970 Hamish Gray Conservative
1983 constituency abolished

Election results

[edit]
Ross and successor constituencies election results

Elections in the 1830s

[edit]
General election 1832: Ross and Cromarty Shire[6][2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig James Alexander Stewart-Mackenzie 272 64.8
Tory Hugh Alexander Johnstone Munro 148 35.2
Majority 124 29.6
Turnout 420 81.4
Registered electors 516
Whig win (new seat)
General election 1835: Ross and Cromarty Shire[6][2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig James Alexander Stewart-Mackenzie 241 54.6 −10.2
Conservative Thomas Mackenzie 200 45.4 +10.2
Majority 41 9.2 −20.4
Turnout 441 74.2 −7.2
Registered electors 594
Whig hold Swing −10.2

Stewart-Mackenzie resigned after being appointed as Governor Ceylon, causing a by-election.

By-election, 18 April 1837: Ross and Cromarty Shire[6][2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thomas Mackenzie 307 61.0 +15.6
Whig William Mackenzie 196 39.0 −15.6
Majority 111 22.0 N/A
Turnout 503 66.7 −7.5
Registered electors 754
Conservative gain from Whig Swing +15.6
General election 1837: Ross and Cromarty Shire[6][2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Thomas Mackenzie Unopposed
Registered electors 754
Conservative gain from Whig

Elections in the 1840s

[edit]
General election 1841: Ross and Cromarty Shire[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thomas Mackenzie Unopposed
Registered electors 713
Conservative hold
General election 1847: Ross and Cromarty Shire[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig James Matheson Unopposed
Registered electors 827
Whig gain from Conservative

Elections in the 1850s

[edit]
General election 1852: Ross and Cromarty Shire[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig James Matheson 288 56.9 N/A
Conservative George William Holmes Ross[7] 218 43.1 New
Majority 70 13.8 N/A
Turnout 506 60.8 N/A
Registered electors 832
Whig hold Swing N/A
General election 1857: Ross and Cromarty Shire[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig James Matheson Unopposed
Registered electors 825
Whig hold
General election 1859: Ross and Cromarty Shire[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal James Matheson Unopposed
Registered electors 851
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1860s

[edit]
General election 1865: Ross and Cromarty Shire[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal James Matheson Unopposed
Registered electors 933
Liberal hold
General election 1868: Ross and Cromarty Shire[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alexander Matheson Unopposed
Registered electors 1,564
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1870s

[edit]
General election 1874: Ross and Cromarty Shire[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alexander Matheson Unopposed
Registered electors 1,559
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1880s

[edit]
General election 1880: Ross and Cromarty Shire[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alexander Matheson Unopposed
Registered electors 1,664
Liberal hold

Matheson's resignation caused a by-election.

By-election, 22 August 1884: Ross and Cromarty Shire[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Ronald Munro-Ferguson 717 55.2 N/A
Conservative Alasdair Mackenzie 334 25.7 New
Crofters Roderick Macdonald 248 19.1 New
Majority 383 29.5 N/A
Turnout 1,299 75.5 N/A
Registered electors 1,721
Liberal hold Swing N/A
General election 1885: Ross and Cromarty Shire [8][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Liberal (Crofters) Roderick Macdonald 4,942 62.8 N/A
Liberal Ronald Munro-Ferguson 2,925 37.2 N/A
Majority 2,017 25.6 N/A
Turnout 7,867 76.6 N/A
Registered electors 10,265
Independent Liberal gain from Liberal Swing N/A
General election 1886: Ross and Cromarty Shire [8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal (Crofters) Roderick Macdonald 4,263 78.1 +40.9
Liberal Unionist John Peter Grant 1,197 21.9 New
Majority 3,066 56.2 +30.6
Turnout 5,460 53.2 −23.4
Registered electors 10,265
Liberal gain from Independent Liberal Swing N/A

Elections in the 1890s

[edit]
Weir
General election 1892: Ross and Cromarty Shire [10][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal (Crofters) Galloway Weir 3,171 56.8 −21.3
Liberal Unionist Neil Maclean 2,413 43.2 +21.3
Majority 758 13.6 −42.6
Turnout 5,584 62.3 +9.1
Registered electors 8,966
Liberal hold Swing −21.3
General election 1895: Ross and Cromarty Shire [11][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Galloway Weir 3,272 57.6 +0.8
Liberal Unionist Randle Jackson 2,409 42.4 −0.8
Majority 863 15.2 +1.6
Turnout 5,681 68.8 +6.5
Registered electors 8,256
Liberal hold Swing +0.8

Elections in the 1900s

[edit]
General election 1900: Ross and Cromarty Shire [11][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Galloway Weir 3,554 68.3 +10.7
Conservative J.D. Fletcher 1,651 31.7 −10.7
Majority 1,903 36.6 +21.4
Turnout 5,205 65.8 −3.0
Registered electors 7,909
Liberal hold Swing +10.7
General election 1906: Ross and Cromarty Shire [12][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Galloway Weir 3,883 68.7 +0.4
Conservative James Crabb Watt 1,771 31.3 −0.4
Majority 2,112 37.4 +0.8
Turnout 5,654 69.8 +4.0
Registered electors 8,101
Liberal hold Swing +0.4

Elections in the 1910s

[edit]
General election January 1910: Ross and Cromarty Shire [13][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Galloway Weir 4,430 75.8 +7.1
Liberal Unionist Neil Maclean 1,418 24.2 −7.1
Majority 3,012 51.6 +14.2
Turnout 5,848 71.2 +1.4
Registered electors 8,211
Liberal hold Swing +7.1
General election December 1910: Ross and Cromarty Shire [13][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Galloway Weir Unopposed
Liberal hold
1911 Ross and Cromarty by-election[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Ian Macpherson 3,717 74.8 N/A
Liberal Unionist William Templeton 1,253 25.2 New
Majority 2,464 49.6 N/A
Turnout 4,970 60.2 N/A
Registered electors 8,259
Liberal hold Swing N/A

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: Ross and Cromarty Shire [14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Liberal Ian Macpherson 8,358 78.9 N/A
Highland Land League Hector Munro 2,238 21.1 New
Majority 6,120 57.8 N/A
Turnout 10,636 51.2 N/A
Liberal hold Swing N/A
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Elections in the 1920s

[edit]
Ian MacPherson
General election 1922: Ross and Cromarty [15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal Ian Macpherson 5,923 56.7 −22.2
Liberal John Macdonald 4,521 43.3 −35.6
Majority 1,402 13.4 −44.4
Turnout 10,444 42.4 −8.8
National Liberal hold Swing N/A
General election 1923: Ross and Cromarty [16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Ian Macpherson Unopposed N/A N/A
Liberal hold Swing N/A
General election 1924: Ross and Cromarty [17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Ian Macpherson Unopposed N/A N/A
Liberal hold Swing N/A
General election 1929: Ross and Cromarty [18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Ian Macpherson 9,564 58.8 N/A
Labour Hugh Donald MacIntosh 6,710 41.2 New
Majority 2,854 17.6 N/A
Turnout 16,274 55.6 N/A
Liberal hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1930s

[edit]
General election 1931: Ross and Cromarty[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal Ian Macpherson Unopposed N/A N/A
National Liberal hold Swing N/A
General election 1935: Ross and Cromarty
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal Ian Macpherson 10,810 76.7 N/A
Labour John MacKinnon MacDiarmid 3,284 23.3 New
Majority 7,526 53.4 N/A
Turnout 14,094 50.8 N/A
National Liberal hold Swing N/A
1936 Ross and Cromarty by-election[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Labour Malcolm MacDonald 8,949 49.5 N/A
Labour Hector McNeil 5,967 33.0 +9.7
Unionist Randolph Churchill 2,427 13.4 N/A
Liberal Russell Thomas 738 4.1 N/A
Majority 2,982 16.5 N/A
Turnout 18,081 62.4 +11.6
National Labour gain from National Liberal Swing N/A

Elections in the 1940s

[edit]

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 and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected;

General election 1945: Ross and Cromarty
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Liberal John MacLeod 10,061 62.8 New
Labour Angus Mackay Mackintosh 5,959 37.2 +13.9
Majority 4,102 25.6 N/A
Turnout 16,020 62.4 +11.6
Independent Liberal gain from National Labour Swing

Elections in the 1950s

[edit]
General election 1950: Ross and Cromarty[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal John MacLeod 10,912 62.6 New
Labour Alastair C Reid 6,521 37.4 +0.2
Majority 4,391 25.2 N/A
Turnout 17,433 63.1 +0.7
National Liberal gain from Independent Liberal Swing
General election 1951: Ross and Cromarty[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal John MacLeod 10,969 64.25 +1.6
Labour Alastair C Reid 6,104 35.75 −1.7
Majority 4,865 28.5 +3.3
Turnout 17,073 57.5 −5.6
National Liberal hold Swing
General election 1955: Ross and Cromarty[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal John MacLeod 9,929 62.3 −1.9
Labour Jane B Saggar 6,003 37.7 +2.0
Majority 3,926 24.6 −3.9
Turnout 15,932 61.9 +4.4
National Liberal hold Swing
General election 1959: Ross and Cromarty
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal John MacLeod 7,813 47.2 −15.1
Labour Jane B Saggar 4,815 29.1 −8.6
Liberal Colin Murchison 3,918 23.7 New
Majority 2,998 18.1 −6.5
Turnout 21,902 75.2 +13.3
National Liberal hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

[edit]
General election 1964: Ross and Cromarty
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alasdair Mackenzie 6,923 40.2 +16.5
National Liberal John MacLeod 5,516 32.1 −15.1
Labour William Alexander Ross 4,767 27.7 −1.4
Majority 1,407 8.2 N/A
Turnout 17,306 69.4 −5.8
Liberal gain from National Liberal Swing
General election 1966: Ross and Cromarty
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alasdair Mackenzie 7,348 42.1 +1.9
Labour William Alexander Ross 5,304 30.4 +2.7
Conservative Allan John Cameron 4,820 27.6 −4.5
Majority 2,044 11.7 +3.5
Turnout 17,472 71.2 +1.8
Liberal hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

[edit]
General election 1970: Ross and Cromarty
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Hamish Gray 6,418 33.2 +5.6
Liberal Alasdair Mackenzie 5,617 29.1 −13.0
Labour Ronald D. Maclean 5,023 26.0 −4.4
SNP George Nicholson 2,268 11.7 New
Majority 801 4.1 N/A
Turnout 19,326 71.7 +0.5
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing
General election February 1974: Ross and Cromarty
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Hamish Gray 7,908 36.1 +2.9
SNP Willie McRae 5,037 23.0 +11.3
Liberal John C. Robertson 4,621 21.1 −8.0
Labour Ronald D. Maclean 4,336 19.8 −6.2
Majority 2,871 13.1 +9.0
Turnout 21,902 75.2 +3.5
Conservative hold Swing
General election October 1974: Ross and Cromarty
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Hamish Gray 7,954 38.9 +2.8
SNP Willie McRae 7,291 35.7 +12.7
Labour Brian Wilson 3,440 16.8 −3.0
Liberal Tam Glen 1,747 8.6 −12.5
Majority 663 3.2 −9.9
Turnout 20,432 69.5 −5.7
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1979: Ross and Cromarty
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Hamish Gray 10,650 42.4 +3.5
SNP Willie McRae 5,915 23.6 −12.1
Labour Keir Bloomer 5,055 20.1 +3.3
Liberal Hamish Morrison 3,496 13.9 +5.3
Majority 4,735 18.8 +15.6
Turnout 25,116 76.4 +6.9
Conservative hold Swing

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "R" (part 2)
  2. ^ a b c d e f Stooks Smith, Henry (1842). The Register of Parliamentary Contested Elections: Containing the Uncontested Elections Since 1830. London: Simpkin, Marshall, & Co. p. 210.
  3. ^ Stooks Smith, Henry. (1973) [1844–1850]. Craig, F. W. S. (ed.). The Parliaments of England (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 63. ISBN 0-900178-13-2.
  4. ^ "Ashburton Election". London Evening Standard. 10 March 1843. p. 4. Retrieved 14 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ^ "Ashburton Election". Freeman's Journal. 11 March 1843. p. 2. Retrieved 14 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ 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 (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
  7. ^ "Elgin Courier". 2 July 1852. p. 3. Retrieved 14 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons and Judicial Bench, 1889
  9. ^ a b c d e f g Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885–1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
  10. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1893
  11. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1901
  12. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1907
  13. ^ a b c Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1916
  14. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1920
  15. ^ The Times, 17 November 1922
  16. ^ The Times, 8 December 1923
  17. ^ Oliver & Boyd's Edinburgh Almanac, 1927
  18. ^ The Times, 1 June 1929
  19. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1934
  20. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1939
  21. ^ The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1950.
  22. ^ The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1951.
  23. ^ The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1955.