Antrim (UK Parliament constituency)

Antrim
Former County constituency for the House of Commons
1801–1885
Replaced by	East Antrim, Mid Antrim, North Antrim and South Antrim
Created from	County Antrim
1922–1950
Replaced by	North Antrim and South Antrim
Created from	East Antrim, Mid Antrim, North Antrim and South Antrim

Antrim is a former UK Parliament constituency in Ireland. It was a two-member constituency and existed in two periods, 1801–1885 and 1922-1950.

Boundaries

Map showing the UK Parliament constituency of County Antrim (1801-1885) within Ireland.

From 1801 until 1885, the constituency consisted of the whole of County Antrim, excluding the parts in the Parliamentary borough constituencies of Belfast, Carrickfergus and Lisburn. From 1885 - 1922, the constituency was split between the divisions of East Antrim, Mid Antrim, North Antrim and South Antrim.

From 1922 until 1950, the constituency consisted of the Administrative county of Antrim, that is the whole of County Antrim excluding the part in the City of Belfast. In 1950 the county was split, between the divisions of Antrim North and Antrim South.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1801–1885

Key to parties: C Conservative, L Liberal, NP no party identified, T Tory, U Unionist, W Whig. Changes of party name in 1832 are indicated i.e. (T,C) and (W,L).

Election	1st Member		1st Party	2nd Member		2nd Party
1801		Rt Hon. John Staples (NP)			Edmond Alexander MacNaghten	Tory
1802		Hon. John Bruce Richard O'Neill	Tory
1812					Earl of Yarmouth	Tory
1818					Hugh Henry John Seymour	Tory
1822 by-election					Earl of Yarmouth	Tory
1826					Edmond Alexander McNaghten	Tory
1830					Earl of Belfast	Tory
1831						Whig
1832			Conservative			Liberal
1837					John Irving	Conservative
1841 by-election		Nathaniel Alexander	Conservative
1845 by-election					Sir Horace Beauchamp Seymour	Conservative
1847					Sir Edward Macnaghten, Bt	Conservative
1852		Edward William Pakenham	Conservative		George Macartney	Conservative
1854 by-election		Thomas Henry Pakenham	Conservative
1859					George Upton	Conservative
1863 by-election					Hon. Edward O'Neill	Conservative
1865		Henry Seymour	Conservative
1869 by-election		Earl of Yarmouth	Conservative
1874		James Chaine	Conservative
1880					Edward MacNaghten	Conservative
1885 by-election		William Pirrie Sinclair	Liberal

Notes:

• (1) Earl of Yarmouth (1800–1870) was known as Viscount Beauchamp until 17 June 1822.
• (2) Earl of Belfast became W by 1831 and is categorised as L from 1832.
• (3) Earl of Yarmouth (1843–1912) was known as Hugh de Grey Seymour until 25 August 1870.

MPs 1922–1950

Election	Member		Party	Member		Party
1922		Rt Hon. Charles Curtis Craig 18 February 1869 – 28 January 1960	Ulster Unionist		Rt Hon. Sir Hugh O'Neill, Bt 8 June 1883 – 28 November 1982	Ulster Unionist
1929		Sir Joseph McConnell 17 September 1877 – 27 August 1942	Ulster Unionist
1943 by-election		John Dermot Campbell 20 January 1898 – 23 January 1945	Ulster Unionist
1945		Samuel Gillmor Haughton 1 December 1889 – 19 May 1959	Ulster Unionist
1950	constituency abolished. See North Antrim and South Antrim

Elections

In two-member elections the bloc voting system was used. Voters could cast a vote for one or two candidates, as they chose. The two candidates with the largest number of votes were elected. In by-elections, to fill a single seat, the first past the post system applied.

There was no election in 1801. The representatives of the county in the former Parliament of Ireland became members of the 1st Parliament of the United Kingdom.

After 1832, when registration of voters was introduced, a turnout figure is given for contested elections. In two-member elections, when the exact number of participating voters is unknown, this is calculated by dividing the number of votes by two. To the extent that voters did not use both their votes this will be an underestimate of turnout. If the electorate figure is unknown the last known electorate figure is used to provide an estimate of turnout.

Where a party had more than one candidate in one or both of a pair of successive elections change is calculated for each individual candidate, otherwise change is based on the party vote.

Elections in the 1940s

General Election 5 July 1945: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	UUP	Rt Hon. Sir Hugh O'Neill, Bt	57,259	43.09	N/A
	UUP	Samuel Gillmor Haughton	57,232	43.07	N/A
	NI Labour	Henry Holmes	18,403	12.79	N/A
Turnout			134,528	56.23	N/A

By-Election 11 February 1943: Antrim
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	UUP	John Dermot Campbell	42,371	69.40	N/A
	NI Labour	Robert Getgood	17,253	28.26	N/A
	Progressive Unionist	Reginald Hanson Press	1,432	2.35	N/A
Majority			25,118	41.14	N/A
Turnout			135,795	44.96	N/A
	UUP hold		Swing	N/A

• Seat vacant at dissolution (Death of Campbell)

Elections in the 1930s

General Election 14 November 1935: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	UUP	Sir Joseph McConnell, Bt	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	UUP	Rt Hon. Sir Hugh O'Neill, Bt	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

General Election 27 October 1931: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	UUP	Sir Joseph McConnell, Bt	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	UUP	Rt Hon. Sir Hugh O'Neill, Bt	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

Elections in the 1920s

General Election 30 May 1929: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	UUP	Rt Hon. Robert William Hugh O'Neill	53,864	37.5	-11.42
	UUP	Sir Joseph McConnell	52,851	36.8	N/A
	Liberal	George Henderson	18,985	13.2	N/A
	Liberal	Robert Boyd	17,824	12.4	N/A
Majority			33,866	23.6
Turnout			123,474	58.6	-5.6
	UUP hold		Swing	n/a

General Election 29 October 1924: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	UUP	Rt Hon. Charles Curtis Craig	60,868	49.03	N/A
	UUP	Rt Hon. Hugh O'Neill	60,764	48.95	N/A
	Sinn Féin	William McCormick	2,514	2.03	N/A
Turnout			98,616	64.21	N/A

General Election 6 December 1923: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	UUP	Rt Hon. Charles Curtis Craig	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	UUP	Rt Hon. Hugh O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

General Election 15 November 1922: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	UUP	Charles Curtis Craig	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	UUP	Rt Hon. Hugh O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

Elections in the 1880s

Antrim by-election, 1885
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Pirrie Sinclair	3,971	50.89	+50.89
	Conservative	Hon. Robert Torrens O'Neill	3,832	49.11	+49.11
Majority			139	1.78	N/A
Turnout			11,701 (1880)	66.69	-16.46
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing	N/A

General Election 6 April 1880: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	James Chaine	5,124	26.33	-8.50
	Conservative	Edward MacNaghten	4,936	25.37	+25.37
	Liberal	Charles Wilson	4,789	24.61	-7.44
	Liberal	Samuel Black	4,610	23.69	+23.69
Turnout			11,701	83.15	+23.23

Elections in the 1870s

General Election 12 February 1874: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	James Chaine	4,356	34.83	+34.83
	Conservative	Hon. Edward O'Neill	4,142	33.12	+33.12
	Liberal	Charles Wilson	4,009	32.05	+2.95
Turnout			10,436	59.92	-7.36

Elections in the 1860s

Antrim by-election, 1869
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Hugh de Grey Seymour	5,588	70.90	N/A
	Liberal	Sir Robert Shafto Adair, Bt	2,294	29.10	N/A
Majority			3,294	41.79	N/A
Turnout			11,715	67.28	N/A
	Conservative hold		Swing	N/A

• Note: Hugh de Grey Seymour was known as the Earl of Yarmouth from 25 August 1870.

General Election 23 November 1868: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Hon. Edward O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Conservative	George Henry Seymour	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

Antrim by-election, 1866
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	George Henry Seymour	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Conservative hold		Swing	N/A

General Election 22 July 1865: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Edward O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Conservative	George Henry Seymour	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

Antrim by-election, 1863
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Edward O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Conservative hold		Swing	N/A

Elections in the 1850s

General Election 10 May 1859: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Thomas Henry Pakenham	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Conservative	Hon. George Frederick Upton	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

General Election 16 April 1857: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Thomas Henry Pakenham	4,686	44.38	N/A
	Conservative	George Macartney	4,341	41.11	N/A
	Liberal	Henry Hutchinson Hamilton O'Hara	1,533	14.52	N/A
Turnout			9,676	54.57	N/A

Antrim by-election, 1854
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Thomas Henry Pakenham	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Conservative hold		Swing	N/A

General Election 23 July 1852: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Edward William Pakenham	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Conservative	George Macartney	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

Elections in the 1840s

General Election 11 August 1847: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Nathaniel Alexander	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Conservative	Sir Edmund Charles Workman Macnaghten, Bt	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

Antrim by-election, 1845
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Sir Horace Beauchamp Seymour	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Conservative hold		Swing	N/A

General Election 13 July 1841: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Irving	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Conservative	Nathaniel Alexander	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

Antrim by-election, 1841
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Nathaniel Alexander	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

Elections in the 1830s

General Election 5 August 1837: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Hon. John Bruce Richard O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Conservative	John Irving	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

General Election 15 January 1835: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Hon. John Bruce Richard O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Liberal	Earl of Belfast	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

General Election 2 January 1833: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Hon. John Bruce Richard O'Neill	1,719	28.86	N/A
	Liberal	Earl of Belfast	1,654	27.77	N/A
	Conservative	Edmund McDonnell	1,451	24.36	N/A
	Conservative	John Cromie	1,133	19.02	N/A
Turnout			3,487	86.78	N/A

• Note: 3,026 voters cast 5,957 votes.

General Election 21 May 1831: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	Hon. John Bruce Richard O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Whig	Earl of Belfast	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

General Election 13 August 1830: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	Hon. John Bruce Richard O'Neill	839	40.12	N/A
	Tory	Earl of Belfast	719	34.39	N/A
	Tory	Edmund McDonnell	523	26.01	N/A
	Non Partisan	Lord Mark Kerr	10	0.48	N/A

Elections in the 1820s

General Election 20 June 1826: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	Hon. John Bruce Richard O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Tory	Edmond Alexander MacNaghten	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

Antrim by-election, 1822
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	Viscount Beauchamp	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Tory hold		Swing	N/A

General Election 22 March 1820: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	Hon. John Bruce Richard O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Tory	Hugh Henry John Seymour	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

Elections in the 1810s

General Election 27 June 1818: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	Hon. John Bruce Richard O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Tory	Hugh Henry John Seymour	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

General Election 21 October 1812: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	Hon. John Bruce Richard O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Tory	Earl of Yarmouth	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

Antrim by-election, 1812
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	Hon. John Bruce Richard O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Tory hold		Swing	N/A

Antrim by-election, 1811
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	Hon. John Bruce Richard O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Tory hold		Swing	N/A

Elections in the 19th century

General Election 18 May 1807: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	Hon. John Bruce Richard O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Tory	Edmond Alexander MacNaghten	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

General Election 19 November 1806: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	Hon. John Bruce Richard O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Tory	Edmond Alexander MacNaghten	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

General Election 19 July 1802: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	Hon. John Bruce Richard O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Tory	Edmond Alexander MacNaghten	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

Co-option 1 January 1801: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Non Partisan	Right Hon. John Staples	Co-opted	N/A	N/A
	Tory	Edmond Alexander MacNaghten	Co-opted	N/A	N/A

References

• 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)
• Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801-1922, edited by B. M. Walker (Royal Irish Academy 1978)
• Who's Who of British Members of Parliament: Volume I 1832-1885, edited by M. Stenton (The Harvester Press 1976)
• Who's Who of British Members of Parliament: Volume III 1919-1945, edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (The Harvester Press 1979)
• British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, compiled and edited by F. W. S. Craig (The Macmillan Press 1977)
• Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "A" (part 2 )