Armagh City (UK Parliament constituency)

UK parliamentary constituency in Ireland, 1801–1885

Armagh

Former borough constituency
for the House of Commons
County| County Armagh
Borough| Armagh
1801–1885
Seats| 1
Created from| Armagh (IHC)
Replaced by| Mid Armagh

Armagh was an Irish constituency in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885.

## History and boundaries

[edit]

The parliamentary borough of Armagh in County Armagh was one of 33 Irish boroughs which were retained under the Acts of Union 1800.[1] It was the successor to the two-seat constituency of Armagh in the Irish House of Commons.[2] Its one MP in 1801 was chosen by lot to sit in the First Parliament of the United Kingdom.

Under the Parliamentary Boundaries (Ireland) Act 1832, it was defined as:[3]

> From Mr. Carroll's Windmill on the West of the City in a straight Line in the Direction of the Spire of Grange Church to the Point at which such straight Line cuts the new Dungannon Road; thence in a straight Line in the Direction of the Eastern Dome of the Observatory to the Point at which such straight Line cuts the Boundary of the Grounds attached to the Observatory; thence, Eastward, along the Boundary of the Grounds of the Observatory to the Point at which the same meets the Road to the Deanery; thence in a straight Line to the Magazine near the Infantry Barracks; thence in a straight Line, through a Point on the Rich Hill Road which is distant Twenty-five Yards (measured along the Rich Hill Road) to the East of the South-eastern Corner of the Infantry Barracks, to a Point which is One hundred and thirty Yards beyond the said Point on the Rich Hill Road; thence in a straight Line in the Direction of the South-eastern Angle of the Palace to the Point at which such straight Line cuts the Demesne Wall; thence, Northward, along the Demesne Wall to the Point at which the same leaves the Boundary of the Corporation Land; thence, Northward, along the Boundary of the Corporation Land to the Point at which the same meets the Monaghan Road; thence in a straight Line to Mr. Carroll's Windmill.

The constituency was disenfranchised under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, which took effect at the 1885 general election.[4] The borough of Armagh, as part of the barony of Armagh, became part of the county division of Mid Armagh.[5]

## Members of Parliament

[edit]

Election | Member | Party | Note

|
|
|

1801 (co-option) | Patrick Duigenan |  | Tory |
1801 (b) | Duigenan appointed commissioner of compensation
1802 |
1806 |
1807 |
1812 |
1816 (b) | Daniel Webb Webber |  | Tory | Death of Duigenan
1818 | John Leslie Foster |  | Tory | Also returned for Lisburn
1820 | William Stuart |  | Tory |
1826 | Rt Hon. Henry Goulburn |  | Tory[6] |
1828 (b) | Goulburn appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer
1830 |
1831 | Viscount Ingestre |  | Tory[6] |
1831 (b) | Sir John Brydges |  | Tory[6] | Ingestre resigned to contest Dublin
1832 | Leonard Dobbin |  | Whig[6] |
1835 |
1837 | William Curry |  | Whig[6][7] |
1840 (b) | John Rawdon |  | Whig[6][8][9] | Curry appointed Master in Chancery
1841 |
1847 |
1852 | Ross Stephenson Moore |  | Conservative[10] |
1855 (b) | Joshua Bond |  | Conservative | Death of Moore
1857 | Stearne Miller |  | Conservative |
1859 | Joshua Bond |  | Conservative |
1865 | Stearne Miller |  | Conservative |
1867 (b) | John Vance |  | Conservative | Miller appointed judge in bankruptcy
1868 |
1874 |
1875 (b) | George Beresford |  | Conservative | Death of Vance
1880 |
1885 | Area became part of Mid Armagh

## Elections

[edit]

### Elections in the 1830s

[edit]

General election, 11 August 1830: Armagh City[11][6][12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Tory | Henry Goulburn | Unopposed
Registered electors | 13  |
| Tory hold
General election, 10 May 1831: Armagh City[11][6][12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Tory | Henry Chetwynd-Talbot | Unopposed
Registered electors | 13  |
| Tory hold

Chetwynd-Talbot resigned to contest a by-election at Dublin City, causing a by-election.

By-election, 25 August 1831: Armagh City[11][6][12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Tory | John Brydges (MP) | Unopposed
Registered electors | 13  |
| Tory hold
General election, 15 December 1832: Armagh City[11][6] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Whig | Leonard Dobbin | 218  | 53.0
| Tory | Arthur Irwin Kelly  | 193  | 47.0
Majority  | 25  | 6.0
Turnout | 411  | 92.6
Registered electors | 444  |
| Whig gain from Tory
General election, 15 January 1835: Armagh City[11][6] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Whig | Leonard Dobbin | 197  | 54.7  | +1.7
| Conservative | Robert William Jackson  | 163  | 45.3  | −1.7
Majority  | 34  | 9.4  | +3.4
Turnout | 360  | 66.5  | −26.1
Registered electors | 541  |  |
| Whig hold | Swing | +1.7  |
General election, 7 August 1837: Armagh City[11][6] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Whig | William Curry (MP)  | 235  | 53.7  | −1.0
| Conservative | Joseph Kidd  | 203  | 46.3  | +1.0
Majority  | 32  | 7.4  | −2.0
Turnout | 438  | 57.1  | −9.4
Registered electors | 767  |  |
| Whig hold | Swing | −1.0  |

### Elections in the 1840s

[edit]

Curry resigned after being appointed a Master in Chancery, causing a by-election.

By-election, 22 May 1840: Armagh City[11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Whig | John Rawdon | Unopposed
Registered electors |  |  |
| Whig hold
General election, 5 July 1841: Armagh City[11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Whig | John Rawdon | Unopposed
Registered electors | 892  |  |
| Whig hold
General election, 31 July 1847: Armagh City[11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Whig | John Rawdon | Unopposed
Registered electors | 838  |  |
| Whig hold

### Elections in the 1850s

[edit]

General election, 9 July 1852: Armagh City[11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Ross Stephenson Moore | Unopposed
Registered electors | 318  |  |
| Conservative hold

Moore's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 6 December 1855: Armagh City[11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Joshua Bond | 186  | 55.9  | N/A
| Conservative | Thomas Ball Miller  | 147  | 44.1  | N/A
Majority  | 39  | 11.8  | N/A
Turnout | 333  | 82.6  | N/A
Registered electors | 403  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | N/A |
General election, 2 April 1857: Armagh City[11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Stearne Miller | 175  | 51.9  | N/A
| Conservative | Joshua Bond | 162  | 48.1  | N/A
Majority  | 13  | 3.8  | N/A
Turnout | 337  | 83.6  | N/A
Registered electors | 403  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | N/A |
General election, 5 May 1859: Armagh City[11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Joshua Bond | 201  | 59.5  | +11.4
| Conservative | Stearne Miller | 137  | 40.5  | −11.4
Majority  | 64  | 19.0  | +15.2
Turnout | 338  | 82.8  | −0.8
Registered electors | 408  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +11.4  |

### Elections in the 1860s

[edit]

General election, 17 July 1865: Armagh City[11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Stearne Miller | 184  | 52.1  | +11.6
| Liberal | William Kirk | 169  | 47.9  | New
Majority  | 15  | 4.2  | −14.8
Turnout | 353  | 86.3  | +3.5
Registered electors | 409  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | N/A |

Miller was appointed a judge in bankruptcy, causing a by-election.

By-election, 30 January 1867: Armagh City[11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | John Vance | Unopposed
| Conservative hold
General election, 17 November 1868: Armagh City[11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | John Vance | Unopposed
Registered electors | 603  |  |
| Conservative hold

### Elections in the 1870s

[edit]

General election 9 April 1874: Armagh City[11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | John Vance | 325  | 60.3  | N/A
| Liberal | George C Cochrane  | 214  | 39.7  | New
Majority  | 111  | 20.6  | N/A
Turnout | 539  | 90.4  | N/A
Registered electors | 596  |  |
| Conservative hold

Vance died, causing a by-election.

By-election, 18 Oct 1875: Armagh City[11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | George Beresford | 278  | 53.0  | N/A
| Conservative | William Squire Barker Kaye  | 247  | 47.0  | N/A
Majority  | 31  | 6.0  | N/A
Turnout | 525  | 88.1  | −2.3
Registered electors | 596  |  |
| Conservative hold

### Elections in the 1880s

[edit]

General election 9 April 1880: Armagh City[11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | George Beresford | Unopposed
Registered electors | 657  |  |
| Conservative hold

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (August 2008)

|

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Armagh". History of the Irish Parliament. Ulster Historical Foundation. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
2. ^ Jupp, P.J. (2009). "Armagh". In Fisher, D.R. (ed.). The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1820–1832.
3. ^ "Parliamentary Boundaries (Ireland) Act 1832 (c. 89)". The law journal for the year 1832–1949. 1832.
4. ^ First Schedule Part I: Boroughs to cease to exist as such. "Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, 48 & 49 Vict. C. 23". The public general acts. Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England and Wales.
5. ^ Seventh Schedule (Counties at Large); Part III (Ireland)."Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, 48 & 49 Vict. C. 23". The public general acts. Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England and Wales.
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Smith, Henry Stooks (1842). The Register of Parliamentary Contested Elections (Second ed.). Simpkin, Marshall & Company. p. 215. Retrieved 15 September 2018 - via Google Books.
7. ^ McCracken, J. L. (1993). New Light at the Cape of Good Hope: William Porter - The Father of Cape Liberalism. Belfast: The Ulster Historical Foundation. p. 40\. ISBN 0-901905-54-2. Retrieved 18 August 2019 - via Google Books.
8. ^ "The Elections". Dublin Weekly Nation. 7 August 1847. pp. 8–9. Retrieved 15 September 2018 - via British Newspaper Archive.
9. ^ "Irish Members Returned". Sligo Journal. 13 August 1847. p. 4. Retrieved 15 September 2018 - via British Newspaper Archive.
10. ^ "General Election". Cork Constitution. 13 July 1852. p. 4. Retrieved 15 September 2018 - via British Newspaper Archive.
11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Walker, B.M., ed. (1978). Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801-1922. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. pp. 195–196, 249–250. ISBN 0901714127.
12. ^ a b c Farrell, Stephen. Fisher, D.R. (ed.). Armagh. Retrieved 9 May 2020. `{{cite book}}`: `|work=` ignored (help)

### Sources

[edit]

* Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "A" (part 2)
* The Parliaments of England by Henry Stooks Smith (1st edition published in three volumes 1844–50), 2nd edition edited (in one volume) by F. W. S. Craig (Political Reference Publications 1973)
* Walker, B.M., ed. (1978). Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801–1922. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. pp. 195–196, 249–250. ISBN 0901714127.

* v
* t
* e

Parliamentary constituencies in County Armagh

Parliament of Ireland
to 1800|

* County Armagh (???-1800)
* Armagh Borough (1613-1800)
* Charlemont (1613-1800)
* Newry (???-1800)

Westminster 1801-present|

| Historic|

* Armagh (1801-85, 1922-83)
* Armagh City (1801-85)
* Newry (1801-1918)
* Mid Armagh (1885-1922)
* North Armagh (1885-1922)
* South Armagh (1885-1922)

|

Current|

* Newry & Armagh (1983--)
* Upper Bann (1983--)

Dáil Éireann
Revolutionary era 1919-22|

| First Dáil
1919–21|

| Seats taken|

(none)

|

Seats not taken|

* Mid Armagh
* North Armagh
* South Armagh

Second Dáil
1921–22|

| One or more seats taken|

Armagh

|

No seats taken|

(none)

Parliament of Northern Ireland 1921-72|

* Armagh (1921–29)
* Central Armagh (1929–72)
* Mid Armagh (1929–72)
* North Armagh (1929–72)
* South Armagh (1929–72)

Northern Ireland Assemblies|

| Assembly 1973-74
Constitutional Convention 1975-76
Assembly 1982-86|

* Armagh

|

Northern Ireland Forum 1996-98
Assembly (1998–present)|

* Newry & Armagh
* Upper Bann

European Parliament
1979-2020|

* Northern Ireland

Constituencies in Ireland by county

Republic of Ireland|

* Carlow
* Cavan
* Clare
* Cork
* Donegal
* Dublin
* Galway
* Kerry
* Kildare
* Kilkenny
* Laois
* Leitrim
* Limerick
* Longford
* Louth
* Mayo
* Meath
* Monaghan
* Offaly
* Roscommon
* Sligo
* Tipperary
* Waterford
* Westmeath
* Wexford
* Wicklow

Northern Ireland|

* Antrim
* Armagh
* Down
* Fermanagh
* Londonderry
* Tyrone

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template