Scottish Westminster constituencies 1955 to 1974

Overview

1708 to 1832

1832 to 1868

1868 to 1885

1885 to 1918

1918 to 1950

1950 to 1955

1955 to 1974

1974 to 1983

1983 to 1997

1997 to 2005

2005 to present

The results of the First Periodical Review of the Boundary Commission for Scotland became effective for the 1955 general election of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (Westminster). The review defined 32 burgh constituencies (BCs) and 39 county constituencies (CCs), with each electing one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. Therefore Scotland had 71 parliamentary seats.

Scottish Westminster constituencies, 1955-1974.

Each constituency was entirely within a county or a grouping of two or three counties, or was if the cities of Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow are regarded as belonging, respectively to the county of Aberdeen, the county of Angus, the county of Midlothian and the county of Lanark.

There were changes to the boundaries of nine Scottish constituencies for the 1964 general election but, throughout the 1955 to 1974 period, there was no change to county groupings, to the total numbers of constituencies and MPs, or to constituency names.

The results of the Second Periodical Review and a subsequent interim review were implemented for the February 1974 general election.

County or counties	Constituency or constituencies	Contents of constituency[1]
Aberdeen including city of Aberdeen	Aberdeen North BC	Cairncry, St Andrew's, St Clement's, St Machar, St Nicholas, and Woodside wards of city Minor alteration to overall boundary of 1950 to 1955
	Aberdeen South BC	Ferryhill, Holburn, Rosemount, Rubislaw, Ruthrieston, and Torry wards of city Minor alteration to overall boundary of 1950 to 1955
	East Aberdeenshire CC	Deer, Ellon, and Turriff districts of county Burghs of Ellon, Fraserburgh, Peterhead, Rosehearty, and Turriff
	West Aberdeenshire CC	Aberdeen, Alford, Deeside, Garioch and Huntly districts of county Burghs of Ballater, Huntly, Inverurie, Kintore, and Oldmeldrum
Angus, including city of Dundee, and Kincardine	Dundee East BC	First, Fourth, Fifth, Tenth, Eleventh, and Twelfth wards of city Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
	Dundee West BC	Second, Third, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth wards of city Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
	North Angus and Mearns CC	County of Kincardine Brechin and Montrose districts of county of Angus Burghs of Brechin and Montrose in county of Angus Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
	South Angus CC	Carnoustie, Forfar, Kirriemuir, and Monifieth districts of county of Angus Burghs of Arbroath, Carnoustie, Forfar, Kirriemuir, and Monifieth in county of Angus Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
Argyll	Argyll CC	County of Argyll Overall boundary as 1918 to 1955
Ayr and Bute	Ayr CC	Part of Ayr district Burghs of Ayr and Prestwick in county of Ayr Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
	Bute and North Ayrshire CC	County of Bute Salcoats district of county of Ayr Burghs of Ardrossan, Largs, Saltcoats and Stevenston in county of Ayr Minor alteration to overall boundary of 1950 to 1955
	Central Ayrshire CC	Irvine and Kilwinning districts and part of Ayr and part of Kilmarnock districts of county of Ayr Burghs of Irvine, Kilwinning, Stewarton, and Troon in county of Ayr Minor alteration to overall boundary of 1950 to 1955
	Kilmarnock CC	Newmilns district and part of Kilmarnock district of county of Ayr Burghs of Darvel, Galston, Kilmarnock, and Newmilns and Greenholm in county of Ayr Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
	South Ayrshire CC	Cumnock, Dalmellington, Girvan, and Maybole districts of county of Ayr Burghs of Cumnock and Holmhead, Girvan, and Maybole in county of Ayr Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
Banff	Banffshire CC	County of Banff Overall boundary as 1918 to 1950
Berwick and East Lothian	Berwick and East Lothian CC	Counties of Berwick and East Lothian Overall boundary as Berwick and Haddington CC 1918 to 1950 and Berwick and East Lothian 1950 to 1955
Caithness and Sutherland	Caithness and Sutherland CC	Counties of Caithness and Sutherland Overall boundary as 1918 to 1955
Dumfries	Dumfriesshire CC	County of Dumfries Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
Dunbarton	East Dunbartonshire CC	Cumbernauld, Kirkintilloch, and New Kilpatrick districts Burghs of Clydebank, Kirkintilloch, and Milngavie Overall boundary as 1951 to 1955
	West Dunbartonshire CC	Helensburgh, Old Kilpatrick, and Vale of Leven districts Burghs of Cove and Kilcreggan, Dumbarton, and Helensburgh Overall boundary as 1951 to 1955
Fife	Dunfermline Burghs BC	1955: Burghs of Cowdenbeath, Dunfermline, Inverkeithing, and Lochgelly Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955 1964: Description as 1955 but burgh of Dumfermline altered
	Kirkcaldy Burghs BC	Burghs of Buckhaven and Methil, Burntisland, Kinghorn, and Kirkcaldy Minor alteration to overall boundary of 1951 to 1955
	East Fife CC	Anstruther, Cupar, and St Andrews districts and part of Wemyss district Burghs of Auchtermuchty, Crail, Elie and Earlsferry, Falkland, Kilrenny and Anstruther Easter and Anstruther Wester, Ladybank, Leven, Newburgh, Newport, Pittenweem, St Andrews, St Monance, and Tayport Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
	West Fife CC	1955: Dunfermline, Kirkcaldy, and Lochgelly districts and part of Wemyss district Burghs of Culross, Leslie, and Markinch Minor alteration to overall boundary of 1951 to 1955 1964: Description as 1955 but Kirkcaldy district altered
Inverness and Ross and Cromarty	Inverness CC	County of Inverness except Outer Hebridean districts (Barra, Harris, North Uist, and South Uist) Overall boundary as 1918 to 1955
	Ross and Cromarty CC	County of Ross and Cromarty except Outer Hebridean district (Lewis) and burgh (Stornoway) Overall boundary as 1918 to 1955
	Western Isles CC	Outer Hebridean districts (Barra, Harris, North Uist, and South Uist) of the county of Inverness Outer Hebridean district (Harris) of the county of Ross and Cromarty Outer Hebridean burgh of Stornoway in the county of Ross and Cromarty Overall boundary as 1918 to 1955
Kirkcudbright and Wigtown	Galloway	Counties of Kirkcudbright and Wigtown Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
Lanark, including city of Glasgow	Coatbridge and Airdrie BC	Burghs of Coatbridge and Airdrie Minor alteration to overall boundary of 1950 to 1955
	Glasgow Bridgeton BC	Carlton and Dalmarnock wards and part of Mile-End ward of city
	Glasgow Cathcart BC	Cathcart and Langside wards and part of Govanhill ward of city Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
	Glasgow Central BC	Cowcaddens and Townhead wards and part of Exchange ward of city
	Glasgow Craigton BC	Craigton ward and part of Fairfield and part of Pollokshields wards of city
	Glasgow Gorbals BC	Gorbals and Hutchesontown wards and part of Govanhill and part of Kingston wards of city
	Glasgow Govan BC	Govan and Kinning park wards and part of Fairfield and part of Kingston wards of city
	Glasgow Hillhead BC	Kelvinside and Partick West wards and part of Whiteinch ward of city
	Glasgow Kelvingrove BC	Anderston and Park wards and part of Exchange ward of city
	Glasgow Maryhill BC	Maryhill and Ruchill wards of city Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
	Glasgow Pollok BC	Camphill and Pollokshaws wards and part of Pollokshields ward of city
	Glasgow Provan BC	Dennistoun and Provan wards of city
	Glasgow Scotstoun BC	Knightswood and Yoker wards and part of Whiteinch ward of city
	Glasgow Shettleston BC	Parkhead, and Shettleston and Tollcross wards and part of Mile-End ward of city Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
	Glasgow Springburn BC	Cowlairs and Springburn wards of city
	Glasgow Woodside BC	North Kelvin, Partick East, and Woodside wards of city
	Bothwell CC	Sixth district and part of Ninth district Minor alteration to overall boundary of 1950 to 1955
	Hamilton CC	Part of Fourth and part of Fifth districts Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
	Lanark CC	First, Second, and Third districts and part of Fourth and part of Fifth districts Burghs of Biggar and Lanark Overall boundary as 1918 to 1955
	Motherwell CC	Part of Seventh district Burgh of Motherwell and Wishaw, Lanarkshire Minor alteration to overall boundary of 1950 to 1955
	North Lanarkshire CC	Part of Seventh and part of Ninth districts Minor alteration to overall boundary of 1950 to 1955
	Rutherglen CC	Eighth district Burgh of Rutherglen Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
Midlothian, including city of Edinburgh	Edinburgh Central BC	George Square, Holyroood, St Giles wards and part of Gorgie-Dalry ward of city
	Edinburgh East BC	1955: Craigentinny, Craigmillar, and Portobello wards of city Burgh of Musselburgh Minor alteration to overall boundary of 1950 to 1955 1964: Description as 1955 but burgh of Musselburgh altered
	Edinburgh Leith BC	Central Leith, South Leith, and West Leith wards of city
	Edinburgh North BC	Broughton, Carlton, and St Andrew's wards of city Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
	Edinburgh Pentlands BC	1955: Collinton, Merchiston, and Sighthill wards and part of Gorgie-Dalry ward of city 1964: Description as 1955 but Sighthill ward altered
	Edinburgh South BC	1955: Liberton, Morningside, and Newington wards of city Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955 1964: Description as 1955 but Liberton ward altered
	Edinburgh West BC	1955: Corstorphine, Murrayfield-Cramond, and Pilton wards and part of St Bernard's ward of city 1964: Description as 1955 but Corstorphine ward altered
	Midlothian CC	1955: County of Midlothian except city of Edinburgh and burgh of Musselburgh 1964: County of Midlothian except city of Edinburgh and altered burgh of Musselburgh
Moray and Nairn	Moray and Nairn CC	Counties of Moray and Nairn Overall boundary as 1918 to 1955
Orkney and Shetland	Orkney and Zetland CC	Counties of Orkney and Shetland Overall boundary as 1918 to 1955
Peebles, Roxburgh and Selkirk	Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles CC	Counties of Peebles, Roxburgh, and Selkirk
Perth and Kinross	Kinross and West Perthshire CC	County of Kinross Central, Highland, and Western districts of county of Perth Burghs of Aberfeldy, Auchterarder, Callander, Crieff, Doune, Dunblane, and Pitlochry in county of Perth Overall boundary as Kinross and Western Perthshire 1918 to 1950 and Perth and West Perthshire 1950 to 1955
	Perth and East Perthshire CC	Eastern and Perth districts of county of Perth Burghs of Abernethy, Alyth, Blairgowrie and Rattray, Coupar Angus, and Perth Overall boundary as Perth 1918 to 1950 and Perth and East Perthshire 1950 to 1955
Renfrew	Greenock BC	1955: Burgh of Greenock 1964: Altered burgh of Greenock
	Paisley BC	Burgh of Paisley Overall boundary as 1950 to 1955
	East Renfrewshire CC	First and Second districts Burghs of Barrhead and Renfrew Overall boundary as 1951 to 1955
	West Renfrewshire CC	1955: Third, Fourth, and Fifth districts Burghs of Gourock and Johnstone 1964: Description as 1955 but Fifth district altered
Stirling and Clackmannan	Stirling and Falkirk Burghs	Burghs of Falkirk, Grangemouth, and Stirling in county of Stirling Minor alteration to overall boundary of 1950 to 1955
	Clackmannan and East Stirlingshire CC	County of Clackmannan Eastern Number One, Eastern Number Two, and Eastern Number Three districts of county of Stirling
	West Stirlingshire CC	Central Number One, Central Number Two, Western Number One, Western Number Two, and Western Number Three districts of county of Stirling Burghs of Bridge of Allan, Denny and Dunipace, and Kilsyth in county of Stirling
West Lothian	West Lothian CC	County of West Lothian Overall boundary as Linlithgow 1918 to 1950 and West Lothian 1950 to 1955

Notes and references

1. As per Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885-1972 (ISBN 0-900178-09-4), F. W. S. Craig 1972