East Aberdeenshire (UK Parliament constituency)

East Aberdeenshire
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
Subdivisions of Scotland Aberdeenshire
1950–1983
Number of members One
Replaced by Banff & Buchan
Gordon
Created from East Aberdeenshire & Kincardineshire
Central Aberdeenshire & Kincardineshire
1868–1918
Number of members One
Type of constituency County constituency
Replaced by East Aberdeenshire & Kincardineshire
Central Aberdeenshire & Kincardineshire

East (or Eastern) Aberdeenshire was a Scottish county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1868 to 1918 and from 1950 to 1983. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

During the period 1918 to 1950, the area of the constituency was divided between East Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire and Central Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire, which were both entirely within the county of Aberdeen.

In 1983, the East Aberdeenshire area was divided between the new constituencies of Banff and Buchan and Gordon.

Boundaries

Eastern Aberdeenshire, 1885 to 1918

1868 to 1885

When, created by the Representation of the People (Scotland) Act 1868, and first used in the 1868 general election, the constituency was nominally one of three covering the county of Aberdeen. The other two were the county constituency of West Aberdeenshire and the burgh constituency of Aberdeen. The county had been covered previously by the Aberdeenshire constituency and the Aberdeen constitutuency.

East Aberdeenshire was defined by the 1868 legislation as consisting of the parishes of Aberdour, Belhelvie, Bourtie, Crimond, Cruden, Daviot, Ellon, Fintray, Foveran, Fraserburgh, Fyvie, Keith-hall and Kinkell, King-Edward, Logie-Buchan, Longside, Lonmay, Methlick, Montquhitter, New Deer, New Machar, Old Deer, Oldmeldrum, Peterhead, Pitsligo, Rathen, Slains, Strichen, Tarves, Turriff, Tyrie and Udny, together with the part of the parish of Old Machar lying east of the River Don, and the parish of St Fergus in Banffshire.

1868 boundaries were also used in the 1874 general election and the 1880 general election.

1885 to 1918

For the 1885 general election the burgh constituencies of Aberdeen North and Aberdeen South were created. Both of these new constituencies included areas beyond the boundaries of the burgh of Aberdeen.

1885 boundaries were also used in the 1886 general election, the 1892 general election, the 1895 general election, the 1900 general election, the 1906 general election, the January 1910 general election and the December 1910 general election.

County boundaries were redefined under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889, and the city of Aberdeen (a county of city) was created in 1900, but these developments did not affect constituency boundaries.

In 1918, the Representation of the People Act 1918 created new constituency boundaries, taking account of new local government boundaries, and grouped the county of Aberdeen, the city of Aberdeen and the county of Kincardine in the creation of new constituencies for the 1918 general election.

East Aberdeenshire, 1950 to 1983

1950 to 1955

The House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act 1949 created new boundaries for the 1950 general election, and East Aberdeenshire was created as one of four constituencies covering the county of Aberdeen and the city of Aberdeen. East Aberdeenshire and West Aberdeenshire were entirely within the county, and Aberdeen North and Aberdeen South were entirely within the city. East Aberdeenshire consisted of the burghs of Ellon, Fraserburgh, Huntly, Peterhead, Rosehearty and Turriff and the districts of Deer, Ellon, Huntly and Turriff.[1]

The same boundaries were used for the 1951 general election.

1955 to 1983

For the 1955 general election, the burgh of Huntly and the district of Huntly were transferred to West Aberdeenshire.[1]

East Aberdeenshire retained the same boundaries for the 1959 general election, the 1964 general election, the 1966 general election, the 1970 general election, the February 1974 general election and the October 1974 general election.

In 1975, throughout Scotland, under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, counties and burghs were abolished as local government areas, and East Aberdeenshire became a constituency within the Grampian region.

The 1979 general election was held before a review of constituency boundaries took account of new local government boundaries.

For the 1983 general election, the East Aberdeenshire area was divided between the new constituencies of Banff and Buchan and Gordon.

Members of Parliament

Eastern Aberdeenshire, 1868 to 1918

ElectionMember[2]Party
1868 William Dingwall Fordyce Liberal
1875 by-election Sir Alexander Hamilton-Gordon Liberal
1885 Peter Esslemont Liberal
1892 by-election Thomas Buchanan Liberal
1900 Archibald White Maconochie Liberal Unionist
1906 James Annand Liberal
1906 by-election James Murray Liberal
Jan. 1910 William Henry Cowan Liberal
1918 constituency abolished

East Aberdeenshire, 1950 to 1983

ElectionMember[2]Party
1950 Sir Robert Boothby Conservative
1958 by-election Patrick Wolrige-Gordon Conservative
Feb 1974 Douglas Henderson SNP
1979 Albert McQuarrie Conservative
1983 constituency abolished

Election results

Elections in the 1860s

General Election, 1868: Aberdeenshire Eastern [3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Dingwall Fordyce unopposed n/a n/a
Liberal win

Elections in the 1880s

General Election, 1880: Aberdeenshire Eastern [4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Sir Alexander Hamilton-Gordon unopposed n/a n/a
Liberal hold Swing n/a
General Election, 1885: Aberdeenshire Eastern [5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Peter Esslemont 6,509 67.4
Conservative H Wolridge-Gordon 3,155 32.6
Majority 3,354 34.8
Turnout 77.2
Liberal hold Swing
General Election, 1886: Aberdeenshire Eastern[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Peter Esslemont 4,952 66.1 -1.3
Conservative William Harry Lumsden 2,544 33.9 +1.3
Majority 2,408 32.2 -2.6
Turnout 59.9
Liberal hold Swing -1.3

Elections in the 1890s

General Election, 1892: Aberdeenshire Eastern[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Peter Esslemont 5,116 59.4 -6.7
Conservative Fraser S. Russell 3,492 40.6 +6.7
Majority 1,624 18.8 -13.4
Turnout 72.9 +13.0
Liberal hold Swing -6.7
East Aberdeenshire by-election, 1892[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Thomas Ryburn Buchanan 4,243 59.3
Conservative Fraser S. Russell 2,917 40.7
Majority 1,326 18.6
Turnout 60.7
Liberal hold Swing
T.R. Buchanan
General Election, 1895: Aberdeenshire Eastern[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Thomas Ryburn Buchanan 4,723 58.8
Liberal Unionist William Smith 3,308 41.2
Majority 1,415 17.6
Turnout 66.1
Liberal hold Swing

Elections in the 1900s

General Election, 1900: Aberdeenshire Eastern[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Archibald White Maconochie 4,173 50.4 +9.2
Liberal Thomas Ryburn Buchanan 4,100 49.6 -9.2
Majority 73 0.8 18.4
Turnout 66.7 +0.6
Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +9.2
James Annand
General Election 1906: Aberdeenshire Eastern[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal James Annand 6,149 58.7
Liberal Unionist Archibald White Maconochie 4,319 41.3
Majority 1,830 17.4
Turnout 83.7
Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist Swing
East Aberdeenshire by-election, 1906[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal James Murray unopposed n/a n/a
Liberal hold Swing n/a

Elections in the 1910s

General Election, Jan 1910: Aberdeenshire Eastern[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Henry Cowan 6,600 n/a
Liberal Unionist Charles Rosdew Burn 3,962 n/a
Majority n/a
Turnout n/a
Liberal hold Swing n/a
Sir Henry Cowan
General Election, Dec 1910: Aberdeenshire Eastern[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Henry Cowan 6,152
Liberal Unionist William Craighead 3,772
Majority
Turnout
Liberal hold Swing

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 the July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

Elections in the 1950s

General Election 1950: East Aberdeenshire[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Robert John Graham Boothby 24,971
Labour James Gregor McKenzie 12,886
Majority 12,085
Turnout
Unionist hold Swing
General Election 1951: East Aberdeenshire[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Robert John Graham Boothby 24,985
Labour Alexander G.S. Whipp 11,730
Majority 13,255
Turnout
Unionist hold Swing
General Election 1955: East Aberdeenshire[13]

Electorate 45,423

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Sir Robert John Graham Boothby 18,600 68.5
Labour Charles Ross 8,543 31.5
Majority 10,057 37.1
Turnout 27,143
Unionist hold Swing
Aberdeenshire East by-election, 1958[14]

Electorate

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Patrick Wolrige-Gordon 14,314 48.5
Labour John B Urquhart 7,986 27.1
Liberal Maitland Mackie 7,153 24.3
Majority 6,328 21.5
Turnout 29,485
Unionist hold Swing
General Election 1959: East Aberdeenshire[15]

Electorate 44,628

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Patrick Wolrige-Gordon 18,982 63.4
Labour John B Urquhart 10,980 36.6
Majority 8,002 26.7
Turnout 29,962
Unionist hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General Election 1964: East Aberdeenshire[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Patrick Wolrige-Gordon 14,621 48.0
Liberal Norman L King 7,088 23.3 n/a
Labour David McGibbon 6,840 22.5
SNP Bruce Mavor Cockie 1,925 6.3
Majority 7,533 24.7
Turnout 30,474
Unionist hold Swing
General Election 1966: East Aberdeenshire[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Patrick Wolrige-Gordon 12,067 41.5 −6.5
Liberal Hon. Robin Macdonald Sinclair 8,034 27.6 +4.4
Labour Ian Stuart Davidson 6,422 22.1 −0.3
SNP Bruce Mavor Cockie 2,584 8.9 +1.8
Majority 4,033 13.9 −10.9
Turnout 29,107 68.2
Conservative hold Swing −5.5

Elections in the 1970s

General Election 1970: East Aberdeenshire[18]

Electorate 45,782

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Patrick Wolrige-Gordon 12,866 40.9 −0.6
SNP Alex Farquhar 9,377 29.8 +20.9
Labour Harold C. Grimes 5,656 17.9 −3.2
Liberal Gurth Hoyer-Millar 3,548 11.3 −16.3
Majority 3,489 11.1
Turnout 31,447 68
Conservative hold Swing +2.0
General Election February 1974: Aberdeenshire East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SNP Douglas Henderson 18,333 50.8 +21.0
Conservative Patrick Wolrige-Gordon 12,634 35.0 −5.9
Liberal W. Cruikshank 2,727 7.6 −3.7
Labour Mrs Sarah Beverley Sissons 2,416 6.7 −11.2
Majority 5,699 15.8
Turnout 36,110 76.6 +3.4
SNP gain from Conservative Swing
General Election October 1974: Aberdeenshire East [19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SNP Douglas Henderson 16,304 48.5 −2.3
Conservative Keith William Twort Raffan 11,933 35.5 +0.5
Labour Mrs Sarah Beverley Sissons 3,173 9.4 +2.7
Liberal C. Alistair Dow 2,232 6.6 −1.0
Majority 4,371 13.0
Turnout 33,642 70.5 −6.1
SNP hold Swing −1.4
General Election 1979: Aberdeenshire East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Albert McQuarrie 16,827 42.8 +7.3
SNP Douglas Henderson 16,269 41.4 −7.1
Labour N.L. Bonney 6,201 15.8 +6.4
Majority 558 1.4
Turnout 39,297 72.4 +1.9
Conservative gain from SNP Swing +7.2

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885-1972 (ISBN 0-900178-09-4), F. W. S. Craig 1972
  2. 1 2 Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "A" (part 1)
  3. ↑ Debrett's House of Commons, 1870
  4. ↑ The Times, 29 April 1880
  5. 1 2 Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1889
  6. 1 2 Whitaker's Almanack, 1893
  7. 1 2 Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1901
  8. ↑ British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
  9. ↑ Whitaker's Almanack, 1907
  10. 1 2 Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1916
  11. ↑ British parliamentary election results, 1950-1973 by FWS Craig
  12. ↑ British parliamentary election results, 1950-1973 by FWS Craig
  13. ↑ British parliamentary election results, 1950-1973 by FWS Craig
  14. ↑ British parliamentary election results, 1950-1973 by FWS Craig
  15. ↑ British parliamentary election results, 1950-1973 by FWS Craig
  16. ↑ British parliamentary election results, 1950-1973 by FWS Craig
  17. ↑ British parliamentary election results, 1950-1973 by FWS Craig
  18. ↑ British parliamentary election results, 1950-1973 by FWS Craig
  19. ↑ Whitaker's Almanack, 1977
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