Falkirk Burghs
District of Burghs
Parliamentuk
Year1832
Abolished1918
Elects howmanyOne
PreviousLanarkshire,[1] Linlithgow Burghs,[2] and Stirlingshire[3]
NextStirling & Falkirk Burghs, Hamilton, Lanark and Linlithgowshire
RegionScotland
TownsFalkirk, Airdrie, Hamilton, Lanark and Linlithgow

Falkirk Burghs was a district of burghs constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 to 1918. The constituency comprised the burghs of Falkirk, Airdrie, Hamilton, Lanark and Linlithgow, lying in Stirlingshire, Lanarkshire and Linlithgowshire.

In 1918, Falkirk became part of Stirling and Falkirk Burghs, Hamilton and Lanark formed the core of new Hamilton and Lanark constituencies, and Linlithgow was represented as part of Linlithgowshire.

Members of Parliament

ElectionMember [4]Party[5][6]Notes
1832William Downe GillonRadical[6][7][8]
1841William BairdConservative[6]
1846 by-electionHenry Pelham-Clinton, Earl of LincolnConservativelater Duke of Newcastle
1851 by-electionJames BairdConservative
1857James MerryRadical[9][10]
1857 by-electionJohn HamiltonRadical[11]later Baron Hamilton of Dalzell
1859James MerryLiberal
1874John RamsayLiberal
1886William Pirrie SinclairLiberal Unionist
1892Harry SmithLiberal
1895John WilsonLiberal Unionist
1906John MacdonaldLiberal
1916Coalition LiberalContested Stirling and Falkirk following redistribution
1918constituency abolished

Elections

Elections in the 1840s

Baird resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, causing a by-election.

Elections in the 1850s

Pelham-Clinton succeeded to the peerage, becoming 5th Duke of Newcastle and causing a by-election.

Merry's election was declared void on petition due to bribery by "injudicious partisans",[12] causing a by-election.

Elections in the 1870s

Ramsay was disqualified from office, due to his holding of a Government contract at the time of the election. He stood again unopposed at a by-election.

Elections in the 1880s

The Hamilton Liberal Association nominated Roskill in protest against Ramsay. However, arbitration later led to their support for Ramsay and Roskill's withdrawal from the race. Weir did not agree to take part in the arbitration.

Elections in the 1910s

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;

Notes and references

  1. ^ Jenkins, Terry. "Lanarkshire". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  2. ^ Fisher, David R. "Linlithgow Burghs". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  3. ^ Jenkins, Terry. "Stirlingshire". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  4. ^
  5. ^ Craig, F. W. S. (1989 [1977]). British parliamentary election results 1832–1885. 2nd ed. Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 544. ISBN 0-900178-26-4.
  6. ^ Stooks Smith, Henry (1842). The Register of Parliamentary Contested Elections: Containing the Uncontested Elections Since 1830. London: Simpkin, Marshall, & Co. p. 201. Retrieved 16 August 2019. – via Google Books
  7. ^ Churton, Edward (1838). The Assembled Commons or Parliamentary Biographer. p. 99. Retrieved 16 August 2019. – via Google Books
  8. ^ Bebbington, D. W. "Unitarian Members of Parliament in the Nineteenth Century: A Catalogue". STORRE, University of Stirling. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  9. ^ "Coventry Standard". 6 March 1857. p. 4. Retrieved 2 September 2018. – via British Newspaper Archive
  10. ^ "Falkirk Burghs Election". Glasgow Herald. 27 March 1857. p. 4. Retrieved 2 September 2018. – via British Newspaper Archive
  11. ^ "Kelso Chronicle". 14 August 1857. p. 2. Retrieved 2 September 2018. – via British Newspaper Archive
  12. ^ "Election Intelligence". Windsor and Eton Express. 15 August 1857. p. 2. Retrieved 2 September 2018. – via British Newspaper Archive