Down (UK Parliament constituency)

Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1922–1950

For other constituencies of the same name, see Down (disambiguation).

County Down

Former county constituency
for the House of Commons
County| County
1801–1885
Seats| 2
Created from| County Down (IHC)
Replaced by| East Down, North Down, South Down and West Down
1922–1950
Seats| 2
Created from| East Down, Mid Down, North Down, South Down and West Down
Replaced by| North Down and South Down

County Down was a UK Parliament constituency in Ireland and later Northern Ireland. It was a two-member constituency and existed in two periods, 1801–1885 and 1922–1950.

## Boundaries

[edit]

1801–1885: The whole of County Down, excluding the Boroughs of Downpatrick and Newry.

1922–1950: The Administrative county of Down, that is the whole of County Down excluding the part in the City of Belfast.

## Members of Parliament

[edit]

### 1801–1885

[edit]

Election  |  | First member  | First party  |  | Second member  | Second party

|
|
|
|
|
|

1801 |  | Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh | Tory |  | Francis Savage |
1802
1805 |  | Hon. John Meade | Whig[1]
1806
1807
May 1812 |  | Hon. Robert Ward |
October 1812 |  | Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh | Tory[1]
1817 |  | Lord Arthur Hill | Whig[1]
1818
1820
1821 |  | Mathew Forde | Tory
1826 |  | Frederick Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh | Tory[1]
1830
1831
1834 |  | Conservative[1]
1832
1835
1836 |  | Earl of Hillsborough | Conservative[1]
1837
1841
1845 |  | Lord Arthur Hill-Trevor | Conservative
1847
1852 |  | David Stewart Ker | Conservative
1857 |  | William Brownlow Forde | Conservative
1859
1865
1868
1874 |  | James Sharman Crawford | Liberal
1878 |  | Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh | Conservative
1880 |  | Lord Arthur Hill | Conservative
1884 |  | Richard Ker | Conservative
1885 | constituency abolished: see East Down, West Down, South Down and North Down

### 1922–1950

[edit]

Election |  | First member | First party |  | Second member | Second party

|
|
|
|
|
|

1922 |  | David Reid | Ulster Unionist Party |  | John Simms | Ulster Unionist Party
1931 |  | Viscount Castlereagh | Ulster Unionist Party
1939 |  | James Little | Ulster Unionist Party
1945 |  | Independent Unionist |  | Walter Smiles | Ulster Unionist Party
1946 |  | C. H. Mullan | Ulster Unionist Party

## Elections

[edit]

### Elections in the 1940s

[edit]

1946 Down by-election Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| UUP | C. H. Mullan | 50,699  | 51.4  | +30.5
| NI Labour | Desmond Donnelly | 28,846  | 29.3  | New
| Ind. Unionist | J. Hastings-Little  | 16,895  | 17.1  | −23.3
| Ind. Unionist | James Brown | 2,125  | 2.2  | −16.9
Majority | 21,853  | 22.1  | N/A
Turnout | 98,565  |  |
| UUP gain from Ind. Unionist | Swing |  |
1945 general election: Down (2 seats)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Ind. Unionist | James Little | 46,732  | 40.4  | N/A
| UUP | Walter Smiles | 24,148  | 20.9  | −22.6
| UUP | John Blakiston Houston  | 22,730  | 19.6  | −26.8
| Ind. Unionist | James Brown | 22,163  | 19.1  | New
Majority | 24,002  | 20.8  | N/A
Turnout | 115,773  | 39.8  | −16.9
| Ind. Unionist gain from UUP | Swing | N/A |
| UUP hold | Swing |  |

### Elections in the 1930s

[edit]

1939 Down by-election Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| UUP | James Little | Unopposed
| UUP hold
1935 general election: Down (2 seats)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| UUP | David Reid | 66,324  | 46.4  | N/A
| UUP | Robin Vane-Tempest-Stewart | 58,777  | 43.5  | N/A
| Ind. Republican | Patrick O'Hagan  | 20,236  | 13.3  | New
Majority | 38,541  | 30.2  | N/A
Turnout | 145,337  | 56.7  | N/A
| UUP hold | Swing | N/A |
| UUP hold | Swing | N/A |
1931 general election: Down (2 seats)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| UUP | David Reid | Unopposed
| UUP | Robin Vane-Tempest-Stewart | Unopposed
| UUP hold
| UUP hold

### Elections in the 1920s

[edit]

1929 general election: Down (2 seats)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| UUP | David Reid | 54,073  | 36.3  | −10.2
| UUP | John Simms | 53,943  | 36.2  | −10.2
| Ulster Liberal | Robert Pollock  | 20,999  | 14.1  | New
| Ulster Liberal | David Johnston  | 20,013  | 13.4  | New
Majority | 32,944  | 22.1  | −17.2
Turnout | 149,028  | 58.5  | −7.3
| UUP hold | Swing |  |
| UUP hold | Swing |  |
1924 general election: Down (2 seats)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| UUP | David Reid | 58,929  | 46.5  | N/A
| UUP | John Simms | 58,777  | 46.4  | N/A
| Sinn Féin | Michael Murney  | 8,941  | 7.1  | New
Majority | 49,836  | 39.3  | N/A
Turnout | 117,706  | 65.8  | N/A
| UUP hold | Swing | N/A |
| UUP hold | Swing | N/A |
1923 general election: Down (2 seats)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| UUP | David Reid | Unopposed
| UUP | John Simms | Unopposed
| UUP hold
| UUP hold
1922 general election: Down (2 seats)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| UUP | David Reid | Unopposed
| UUP | John Simms | Unopposed
| UUP win (new seat)
| UUP win (new seat)

### Elections in the 1880s

[edit]

By-election, 8 July 1885: Down[2] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Arthur Hill | 5,097  | 52.0  | −15.2
| Liberal | John Shaw Brown  | 4,696  | 48.0  | +15.3
Majority | 401  | 4.0  | +3.9
Turnout | 9,793  | 78.9  | −7.6
Registered electors | 12,412  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | −15.3  |

* Caused by Hill's appointment as Comptroller of the Household.

By-election, 27 Nov 1884: Down (1 seat)[2] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Richard Ker | 4,387  | 52.3  | −14.9
| Liberal | Arthur Crawford (Liberal politician)  | 3,998  | 47.7  | +15.0
Majority | 389  | 4.6  | +4.5
Turnout | 8,385  | 67.6  | −18.9 (est)
Registered electors | 12,412  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | −15.0  |

The electorate was 12,718 in 1881.

* Caused by Vane-Tempest's succession to the peerage, becoming Marquess of Londonderry.

General election 1880: Down (2 seats)[2] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Arthur Hill | 5,873  | 34.4  | −0.2
| Conservative | Charles Vane-Tempest | 5,599  | 32.8  | +0.6
| Liberal | John Crawford (Liberal politician)  | 5,579  | 32.7  | −0.4
Majority | 20  | 0.1  | −1.4
Turnout | 11,452 (est)  | 86.5 (est)  | +4.5
Registered electors | 13,236  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | 0.0  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +0.4  |

Blakely McCartney brought a petition against Vane-Tempest under the Parliamentary Elections Act 1868, which was tried in June by Francis Alexander FitzGerald and Charles Robert Barry. FitzGerald found no corrupt practices, while Barry found there was undue influence in favour of Vane-Tempest but not with his knowledge or consent.[3]

### Elections in the 1870s

[edit]

By-election, 17 May 1878: Down[2] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Charles Vane-Tempest | 6,076  | 56.4  | −10.4
| Liberal | William Drennan Andrews | 4,701  | 43.6  | +10.5
Majority | 1,375  | 12.8  | N/A
Turnout | 10,777  | 84.1  | +2.1
Registered electors | 12,814  |  |
| Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | −10.5  |

* Sharman Crawford's death caused a by-election.

General election 1874: Down[2] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Edwin Hill-Trevor | 5,029  | 34.6  | N/A
| Liberal | James Sharman Crawford | 4,814  | 33.1  | New
| Conservative | William Brownlow Forde | 4,683  | 32.2  | N/A
Turnout | 9,670 (est)  | 82.0 (est)  | N/A
Registered electors | 11,797  |  |
Majority | 215  | 1.5  | N/A
| Conservative hold | Swing | N/A |
Majority | 131  | 0.9  | N/A
| Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A |

### Elections in the 1860s

[edit]

General election 1868: Down[2] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Edwin Hill-Trevor | Unopposed
| Conservative | William Brownlow Forde | Unopposed
Registered electors | 11,646  |  |
| Conservative hold
| Conservative hold
General election 1865: Down[2] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Edwin Hill-Trevor | Unopposed
| Conservative | William Brownlow Forde | Unopposed
Registered electors | 11,435  |  |
| Conservative hold
| Conservative hold

The electorate was 11,470 in 1862.

### Elections in the 1850s

[edit]

General election 1859: Down[2] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Edwin Hill | Unopposed
| Conservative | William Brownlow Forde | Unopposed
Registered electors | 11,367  |  |
| Conservative hold
| Conservative hold
General election 1857: Down[2] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Edwin Hill | 5,839  | 39.1  | −0.1
| Conservative | William Brownlow Forde | 5,341  | 35.8  | +1.2
| Peelite | David Stewart Ker[4] | 3,735  | 25.0  | N/A
Majority | 1,606  | 10.8  | +2.4
Turnout | 9,325 (est)  | 86.7 (est)  | +11.9
Registered electors | 10,759  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +0.3  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +0.9  |

The Poll Books for part of County Down, showing how each elector voted in the 1857 general election are available in the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland under reference D/671/O/2/7-8.

General election 1852: Down[2][5] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Edwin Hill | 4,654  | 39.2  | N/A
| Conservative | David Stewart Ker | 4,117  | 34.6  | N/A
| Radical | William Sharman Crawford[6][7][8] | 3,113  | 26.2  | New
Majority | 1,004  | 8.4  | N/A
Turnout | 7,499 (est)  | 74.8 (est)  | N/A
Registered electors | 10,028  |  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | N/A |
| Conservative hold | Swing | N/A |

The Poll Books for part of County Down, showing how each elector voted in the 1852 general election are available in the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland under reference D/671/O/2/5-6.

### Elections in the 1840s

[edit]

General election 1847: Down[2] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Edwin Hill | Unopposed
| Conservative | Frederick Stewart | Unopposed
Registered electors | 2,446  |  |
| Conservative hold
| Conservative hold
By-election, 3 June 1845: Down[2] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Edwin Hill | Unopposed
| Conservative hold

* Caused by Hill's succession to the peerage, becoming 4th Marquess of Downshire

General election 1841: Down[2] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Arthur Hill | Unopposed
| Conservative | Frederick Stewart | Unopposed
Registered electors | 2,215  |  |
| Conservative hold
| Conservative hold

### Elections in the 1830s

[edit]

General election 1837: Down[2][1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Conservative | Arthur Hill | Unopposed
| Conservative | Frederick Stewart | Unopposed
Registered electors | 3,525  |
| Conservative hold
| Conservative gain from Whig
By-election, 30 August 1836: Down[2][1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Conservative | Arthur Hill | Unopposed
| Conservative gain from Whig

* Caused by Arthur Hill's succession as 2nd Baron Sandys

General election 1835: Down[2][1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Whig | Arthur Hill | Unopposed
| Conservative | Frederick Stewart | Unopposed
Registered electors | 3,729  |
| Whig hold
| Conservative hold
General election 1832: Down[2][1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Whig | Arthur Hill | Unopposed
| Tory | Frederick Stewart | Unopposed
Registered electors | 3,130  |
| Whig hold
| Tory hold
General election 1831: Down[2][1][9] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Whig | Arthur Hill | 1,671  | 45.7  | +12.7
| Tory | Frederick Stewart | 1,067  | 29.2  | −7.5
| Radical | William Sharman Crawford | 917  | 25.1  | N/A
Turnout | c. 1,828 | c. 91.8 | c. +12.9
Registered electors | 1,990  |  |
Majority | 604  | 16.5  | +13.7
| Whig hold | Swing | +10.1  |
Majority | 150  | 4.1  | +0.4
| Tory hold | Swing | −10.1  |
General election 1830: Down[2][1][9] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Tory | Frederick Stewart | 930  | 36.7  | −12.6
| Whig | Arthur Hill | 837  | 33.0  | −16.5
| Whig | Mathew Forde | 766  | 30.2  | N/A
Turnout | 1,570  | 78.9  |
Registered electors | 1,990  |  |
Majority | 93  | 3.7  | −44.4
| Tory hold | Swing |  |
Majority | 71  | 2.8  | −45.5
| Whig hold | Swing |  |

### Elections in the 1820s

[edit]

At the by-election on 15 July 1829 following Frederick Stewart's appointment as a Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty, he was re-elected unopposed.

General election 1826: Down  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Whig | Arthur Hill | 667  | 49.5  | N/A
| Tory | Frederick Stewart | 665  | 49.3  | N/A
| Tory | John Stewart  | 16  | 1.2  | N/A
Majority | 649  | 48.1  | N/A
Turnout | 1,348  |  |
| Whig hold | Swing |  |
| Tory hold | Swing |  |

At the by-election on 9 May 1821 following Robert Stewart vacating his seat, Mathew Forde was returned unopposed.

### Elections in the 1810s

[edit]

At the 1818 and 1820 general elections, Arthur Hill and Robert Stewart were elected unopposed.

At the by-election on 26 February 1817 following the Hon. John Meade's appointment as consul general in Spain, Arthur Hill was returned unopposed.

The electorate was approximately 15,000 in 1815.

General election 1812: Down  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Tory | Robert Stewart | 55  | 50.9  | N/A
| Nonpartisan | John Meade | 52  | 48.1  | N/A
| Nonpartisan | Eldred Pottinger  | 13  | 12.0  | N/A
Majority | 39  | 36.1  | N/A
Turnout | 118  |  |
| Tory hold | Swing |  |
| Nonpartisan hold | Swing |  |

At the by-election on 30 May 1812 following Francis Savage's acceptance of the Chiltern Hundreds, Robert Ward was returned unopposed. "Castlereagh ... was not prepared to come in at that moment, and after an unsuccessful attempt to persuade Savage to reconsider his decision, he arranged for his old friend Colonel Ward to stand as a 'stopgap' until the general election".[10]

### Elections in the 1800s

[edit]

At the 1806 and 1807 general elections, Francis Savage and John Meade were elected unopposed.

Down by-election, 1805  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Nonpartisan | John Meade | 1,973  | 57.1  | N/A
| Tory | Robert Stewart | c. 1481  | 42.9  | N/A
Majority | 492  | 14.2  | N/A
Turnout | 3,454  |  |
| Nonpartisan gain from Whig | Swing |  |

At the creation of the Parliament of the United Kingdom in 1801, the sitting members of the Parliament of Ireland for County Down, Francis Savage and Viscount Castlereagh, continued as MPs for the county. At the 1802 general election, Savage and Castlereagh were returned unopposed.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Stooks Smith, Henry (1842). The Register of Parliamentary Contested Elections: Containing the Uncontested Elections Since 1830. London: Simpkin, Marshall, & Co. p. 222. Retrieved 14 May 2020 - via Google Books.
2. ^ 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. 207–208, 268–269\. ISBN 0901714127.
3. ^ "County Of Down Election". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 253\. Commons. 1 July 1880. col. 1237–1238. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
4. ^ "Belfast Mercury". 7 April 1857. p. 3. Retrieved 30 September 2018 - via British Newspaper Archive.
5. ^ "Newry Telegraph". 22 July 1852. p. 2. Retrieved 30 September 2018 - via British Newspaper Archive.
6. ^ "William Sharman Crawford (1781–1861; Irish politician)". Manuscripts and Special Collections. University of Nottingham. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
7. ^ Lee, Sidney (1888). "Crawford, William Sharman" . In Stephen, Leslie (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 13\. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
8. ^ Navickas, Katrina (2016). Protest and the Politics of Space and Place, 1789–1848. Manchester: Manchester University Press. p. 172\. ISBN 978-0-7190-9705-8. Retrieved 1 July 2018 - via Google Books.
9. ^ a b Farrell, Stephen. "Co. Down". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
10. ^ Peter Jupp, County Down Elections, 1783–1831, Irish Historical Studies 18, no. 70 (1972): P 186

* 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) - including pre-1832 party allegiances.
* Walker, B.M., ed. (1978). Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801–1922. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. ISBN 0901714127. \- including post-1832 party allegiances.
* ElectionsIreland.org
* Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "D" (part 3)

* v
* t
* e

Parliamentary constituencies in County Down

Parliament of Ireland
to 1800|

* County Down (????–1800)
* Bangor (1613–1800)
* Downpatrick (1586–1800)
* Hillsborough (1662–1800)
* Killyleagh (1613–1800)
* Newry (????–1800)
* Newtownards (????–1800)

Westminster
1801–present|

| Historic|

* Down (1801–85, 1922–50)
* East Down (1885–1922)
* Mid Down (1918–22)
* North Down (1885–1922, 1950–)
* South Down (1885–1922, 1950–)
* West Down (1885–1922)
* Downpatrick (1801–85)
* Newry (1801–1918)

|

Current|

* Belfast South and Mid Down (2024–)
* Lagan Valley (1983–)
* Newry & Armagh (1983–)
* North Down (1983–)
* South Down (1983–)
* Strangford (1983–)

Dáil Éireann
Revolutionary era 1919–1922|

| First Dáil
1919–21|

| Seats taken|

(none)

|

Seats not taken|

* East Down
* Mid Down
* North Down
* South Down
* West Down

Second Dáil
1921–22|

| One or more seats taken|

Down

|

No seats taken|

(none)

Parliament of Northern Ireland
1921–72|

* Ards (1929–72)
* Bangor (1969–72)
* Down (1921–29)
* East Down (1929–72)
* Iveagh (1929–72)
* Lagan Valley (1969–72)
* Larkfield (1969–72)
* Mid Down (1929–72)
* Mourne (1929–72)
* North Down (1929–72)
* South Down (1929–72)
* West Down (1929–72)

Northern Ireland Assemblies|

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

* North Down
* South Down

|

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

* North Down
* South Down
* Lagan Valley
* Newry & Armagh
* Strangford
* 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

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