District of burghs

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "District of burghs" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (September 2007) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

The Act of Union 1707 and pre-Union Scottish legislation provided for 14 Members of Parliament (MPs) from Scotland to be elected from districts of burghs. All the parliamentary burghs (burghs represented in the pre-Union Parliament of Scotland) were assigned to a district, except for Edinburgh which had an MP to itself. The burghs in a district were not necessarily adjacent or even close together.

Until 1832, the self-elected Council of each burgh in a district elected a commissioner, who had one vote for the MP. The commissioner from the Returning Burgh (which function rotated amongst the burghs in successive elections) had an additional casting vote if the numbers were equal. Burgh councils had small memberships, with the result that the combined electorate for all 14 constituencies in 1831 was no more than 1,270.[1]

The Scottish Reform Act 1832 amended the composition of the districts, and the boundaries of a burgh for parliamentary purposes ceased to be necessarily those of the burgh for other purposes. The franchise was extended, and votes from all the burghs were added together.

There were further changes to the number and the composition of the districts under the Representation of the People (Scotland) Act 1868, Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, and Representation of the People Act 1918.

The district of burghs system was eventually discontinued by the House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act 1949, but the term Burghs continued in use in the names of some constituencies until 1974.[2]

The idea of parliamentary burghs continues to this day, in the form of burgh constituencies, which are distinct from county constituencies. This distinction is significant in terms of the expenses allowed to election candidates.

## List of districts and burghs

[edit]

Period  | District  | Burgh  | County

|
|
|

1708–1832  | Aberdeen Burghs | Aberdeen | Aberdeenshire
1708–1832  | Arbroath | Forfarshire
1708–1832  | Inverbervie | Kincardineshire
1708–1832  | Brechin | Forfarshire
1708–1832  | Montrose | Forfarshire
1708–1832  | Anstruther Easter Burghs | Anstruther Easter | Fife
1708–1832  | Anstruther Wester | Fife
1708–1832  | Crail | Fife
1708–1832  | Kilrenny | Fife
1708–1832  | Pittenweem | Fife
1708–1950  | Ayr Burghs | Ayr | Ayrshire
1708–1918  | Campbeltown | Argyllshire
1708–1918  | Inverary | Argyllshire
1708–1950  | Irvine | Ayrshire
1708–1832  | Rothesay | Buteshire
1832–1918  | Oban | Argyllshire
1918–1950  | Ardrossan | Ayrshire
1918–1950  | Prestwick | Ayrshire
1918–1950  | Saltcoats | Ayrshire
1918–1950  | Troon | Ayrshire
1918–1950  | Dumbarton Burghs | Dumbarton | Dunbartonshire
1918–1950  | Clydebank | Dunbartonshire
1708–1918  | Dumfries Burghs | Dumfries | Dumfriesshire
1708–1918  | Annan | Dumfriesshire
1708–1918  | Kirkcudbright | Kirkcudbrightshire
1708–1918  | Lochmaben | Dumfriesshire
1708–1918  | Sanquhar | Dumfriesshire
1918–1950  | Dunfermline Burghs | Dunfermline | Fife
1918–1950  | Cowdenbeath | Fife
1918–1950  | Inverkeithing | Fife
1918–1950  | Lochgelly | Fife
1708–1832  | Dysart Burghs | Dysart | Fife
1708–1832  | Burntisland | Fife
1708–1832  | Kinghorn | Fife
1708–1832  | Kirkcaldy | Fife
1708–1918  | Elgin Burghs | Elgin | Elginshire
1708–1918  | Banff | Banffshire
1708–1918  | Cullen | Banffshire
1708–1918  | Inverurie | Aberdeenshire
1708–1918  | Kintore | Aberdeenshire
1832–1918  | Peterhead | Aberdeenshire
1832–1918  | Falkirk Burghs | Falkirk | Stirlingshire
1832–1918  | Airdrie | Lanarkshire
1832–1918  | Hamilton | Lanarkshire
1832–1918  | Lanark | Lanarkshire
1832–1918  | Linlithgow | Linlithgowshire
1708–1832  | Glasgow Burghs | Glasgow | Lanarkshire
1708–1832  | Dumbarton | Dunbartonshire
1708–1832  | Renfrew | Renfrewshire
1708–1832  | Rutherglen | Lanarkshire
1708–1885  | Haddington Burghs | Haddington | Haddingtonshire
1708–1885  | Dunbar | Haddingtonshire
1708–1885  | Jedburgh | Roxburghshire
1708–1885  | Lauder | Berwickshire
1708–1885  | North Berwick | Haddingtonshire
1868–1918  | Hawick Burghs | Hawick | Roxburghshire
1868–1918  | Galashiels | Selkirkshire
1868–1918  | Selkirk | Selkirkshire
1708–1918  | Inverness Burghs | Inverness | Inverness-shire
1708–1918  | Forres | Elginshire
1708–1918  | Fortrose | Ross-shire
1708–1918  | Nairn | Nairnshire
1832–1918  | Kilmarnock Burghs | Kilmarnock | Ayrshire
1832–1918  | Dumbarton | Dunbartonshire
1832–1918  | Port Glasgow | Renfrewshire
1832–1918  | Renfrew | Renfrewshire
1832–1918  | Rutherglen | Lanarkshire
1832–1950  | Kirkcaldy Burghs | Kirkcaldy | Fife
1832–1950  | Burntisland | Fife
1832–1950  | Dysart | Fife
1832–1950  | Kinghorn | Fife
1918–1950  | Buckhaven | Fife
1918–1950  | Methil and Innerleven | Fife
1832–1918  | Leith Burghs | Leith | Edinburghshire
1832–1918  | Musselburgh | Edinburghshire
1832–1918  | Portobello | Edinburghshire
1708–1832  | Linlithgow Burghs | Linlithgow | Linlithgowshire
1708–1832  | Lanark | Lanarkshire
1708–1832  | Peebles | Peeblesshire
1708–1832  | Selkirk | Selkirkshire
1832–1950  | Montrose Burghs | Montrose | Forfarshire
1832–1950  | Arbroath | Forfarshire
1832–1950  | Brechin | Forfarshire
1832–1950  | Forfar | Forfarshire
1832–1950  | Inverbervie | Aberdeenshire
1708–1832  | Perth Burghs | Perth | Perthshire
1708–1832  | Cupar | Fife
1708–1832  | Dundee | Forfarshire
1708–1832  | Forfar | Forfarshire
1708–1832  | St Andrews | Fife
1832–1918  | St Andrews Burghs | St Andrews | Fife
1832–1918  | Anstruther Easter | Fife
1832–1918  | Anstruther Wester | Fife
1832–1918  | Crail | Fife
1832–1918  | Cupar | Fife
1832–1918  | Kilrenny | Fife
1832–1918  | Pittenweem | Fife
1918–1950  | Stirling and Falkirk Burghs | Stirling | Stirlingshire
1918–1950  | Falkirk | Stirlingshire
1918–1950  | Grangemouth | Stirlingshire
1708–1918  | Stirling Burghs | Stirling | Stirlingshire
1708–1918  | Culross | Perthshire
1708–1918  | Dunfermline | Fife
1708–1918  | Inverkeithing | Fife
1708–1832  | Queensferry | Linlithgowshire
1832–1918  | South Queensferry | Linlithgowshire
1708–1832  | Tain Burghs | Tain | Ross-shire
1708–1832  | Dingwall | Ross-shire
1708–1832  | Dornoch | Sutherland
1708–1832  | Kirkwall | Orkney
1708–1832  | Wick | Caithness
1832–1918  | Wick Burghs | Wick | Caithness
1832–1918  | Cromarty | Cromartyshire
1832–1918  | Dingwall | Ross-shire
1832–1918  | Dornoch | Sutherland
1832–1918  | Kirkwall | Orkney
1832–1918  | Tain | Ross-shire
1708–1885  | Wigtown Burghs | Wigtown | Wigtownshire
1708–1885  | Stranraer | Wigtownshire
1708–1885  | New Galloway | Kirkcudbrightshire
1708–1885  | Whithorn | Wigtownshire

## Summary of districts and burghs by period

[edit]

1708-1832 (14 Districts) (65 Burghs)

1. Aberdeen Burghs (5)
2. Anstruther Easter Burghs (5)
3. Ayr Burghs (5)
4. Dumfries Burghs (5)
5. Dysart Burghs (4)
6. Elgin Burghs (5)
7. Glasgow Burghs (4)
8. Haddington Burghs (5)
9. Inverness Burghs (4)
10. Linlithgow Burghs (4)
11. Perth Burghs (5)
12. Stirling Burghs (5)
13. Tain Burghs (5)
14. Wigtown Burghs (4)

1832-1868 (14 Districts) (69 Burghs)

1. Ayr Burghs (5)
2. Dumfries Burghs (5)
3. Elgin Burghs (6)
4. Falkirk Burghs (5)
5. Haddington Burghs (5)
6. Inverness Burghs (4)
7. Kilmarnock Burghs (5)
8. Kirkcaldy Burghs (4)
9. Leith Burghs (3)
10. Montrose Burghs (5)
11. St Andrews Burghs (7)
12. Stirling Burghs (5)
13. Wick Burghs (6)
14. Wigtown Burghs (4)

1868-1885 (15 Districts) (72 Burghs)

1. Ayr Burghs (5)
2. Dumfries Burghs (5)
3. Elgin Burghs (6)
4. Falkirk Burghs (5)
5. Haddington Burghs (5)
6. Inverness Burghs (4)
7. Hawick Burghs (3)
8. Kilmarnock Burghs (5)
9. Kirkcaldy Burghs (4)
10. Leith Burghs (3)
11. Montrose Burghs (5)
12. St Andrews Burghs (7)
13. Stirling Burghs (5)
14. Wick Burghs (6)
15. Wigtown Burghs (4)

1885-1918 (13 Districts) (62 Burghs)

1. Ayr Burghs (5)
2. Dumfries Burghs (5)
3. Elgin Burghs (6)
4. Falkirk Burghs (5)
5. Hawick Burghs (3)
6. Inverness Burghs (4)
7. Kilmarnock Burghs (5)
8. Kirkcaldy Burghs (4)
9. Leith Burghs (3)
10. Montrose Burghs (5)
11. St Andrews Burghs (7)
12. Stirling Burghs (5)
13. Wick Burghs (6)

1918-1950 (6 Districts) (26 Burghs)

1. Ayr Burghs (6)
2. Dumbarton Burghs (2)
3. Dunfermline Burghs (4)
4. Kirkcaldy Burghs (6)
5. Montrose Burghs (5)
6. Stirling & Falkirk Burghs (3)

## See also

[edit]

* Burgh constituency
* List of burghs in Scotland

## Notes and references

[edit]

1. ^ Porritt, Edward; Porritt, Annie (1909). The Unreformed House of Commons, Vol. II: Scotland and Ireland. Cambridge University Press. pp. 116–123.
2. ^ Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885-1972 (ISBN 0-900178-09-4), F. W. S. Craig, 1972