Montrose Burghs (UK Parliament constituency)

Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1832–1950

Montrose Burghs

Former district of burghs constituency
for the House of Commons
1832–1950
Seats| One
Created from| Aberdeen Burghs and Perth Burghs
Replaced by| North Angus & Mearns and South Angus

Montrose Burghs was a district of burghs constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 until 1950.

The constituency elected one Member of Parliament (MP) to represent the parliamentary burghs of Montrose, Arbroath, Brechin, Forfar and Inverbervie.

In 1950, Montrose, Brechin and Inverbervie were merged into North Angus and Mearns, and Arbroath and Forfar were merged into South Angus.

## Members of Parliament

[edit]

Election | Member | Party

|
|

| 1832 | Horatio Ross | Whig[1]
| 1835 | Patrick Chalmers | Radical[2][3]
| 1842 by-election | Joseph Hume | Radical[4][5][6][7]
| 1855 by-election | William Edward Baxter | Radical[8][9][10]
| 1859 | Liberal
| 1885 | John Shiress Will | Liberal
| 1896 by-election | John Morley | Liberal
| 1908 by-election | Robert Harcourt | Liberal
| 1918 | John Sturrock | Coalition Liberal
| 1922 | National Liberal
| 1923 | Liberal
| 1924 | Robert Hutchison | Liberal
| 1930  | Independent Liberal
| 1931 | National Liberal
| 1932 by-election | Charles Kerr | National Liberal
| 1940 by-election | John Maclay | National Liberal
1950 | constituency abolished: see North Angus & Mearns and South Angus

## Elections

[edit]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June 2008)

|

### Elections in the 1830s

[edit]

General election 1832: Montrose Burghs [11][1] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Whig | Horatio Ross | 796  | 59.8
| Radical | Patrick Chalmers | 535  | 40.2
Majority  | 261  | 19.6
Turnout | 1,331  | 89.1
Registered electors | 1,494  |
| Whig win (new seat)
General election 1835: Montrose Burghs [11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Radical | Patrick Chalmers | Unopposed
Registered electors | 1,551  |
| Radical gain from Whig
General election 1837: Montrose Burghs [11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Radical | Patrick Chalmers | Unopposed
Registered electors | 1,636  |
| Radical hold

### Elections in the 1840s

[edit]

General election 1841: Montrose Burghs [11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Radical | Patrick Chalmers | Unopposed
Registered electors | 1,403  |  |
| Radical hold

Chalmers resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Manor of Northstead, causing a by-election.

By-election, 16 April 1842: Montrose Burghs [11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Radical | Joseph Hume | Unopposed
| Radical hold
General election 1847: Montrose Burghs [11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Radical | Joseph Hume | 532  | 69.7  | N/A
| Radical | David Greenhill[12][13] | 231  | 30.3  | N/A
Majority | 301  | 39.4  | N/A
Turnout | 763  | 64.8  | N/A
Registered electors | 1,178  |  |
| Radical hold | Swing | N/A |

### Elections in the 1850s

[edit]

General election 1852: Montrose Burghs [11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Radical | Joseph Hume | Unopposed
Registered electors | 1,586  |  |
| Radical hold

Hume's death caused a by-election.

William Baxter By-election, 9 March 1855: Montrose Burghs [11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Radical | William Edward Baxter | 478  | 52.4  | N/A
| Whig | John Ogilvy[14][15] | 434  | 47.6  | N/A
Majority | 44  | 4.8  | N/A
Turnout | 912  | 57.5  | N/A
Registered electors | 1,585  |  |
| Radical hold | Swing | N/A |
General election 1857: Montrose Burghs [11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Radical | William Edward Baxter | Unopposed
Registered electors | 1,575  |  |
| Radical hold
General election 1859: Montrose Burghs [11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | William Edward Baxter | Unopposed
Registered electors | 1,651  |  |
| Liberal hold

### Elections in the 1860s

[edit]

General election 1865: Montrose Burghs [11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | William Edward Baxter | Unopposed
Registered electors | 1,806  |  |
| Liberal hold
General election 1868: Montrose Burghs [11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | William Edward Baxter | 3,199  | 75.7  | N/A
| Conservative | William Macdonald Macdonald[16] | 1,027  | 24.3  | New
Majority | 2,172  | 51.4  | N/A
Turnout | 4,226  | 66.7  | N/A
Registered electors | 6,337  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | N/A |

### Elections in the 1870s

[edit]

General election 1874: Montrose Burghs [11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | William Edward Baxter | 3,333  | 64.0  | −11.7
| Conservative | William Macdonald Macdonald[16] | 1,875  | 36.0  | +11.7
Majority | 1,458  | 28.0  | −23.4
Turnout | 5,208  | 66.0  | −0.7
Registered electors | 7,891  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | −11.7  |

### Elections in the 1880s

[edit]

General election 1880: Montrose Burghs [11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | William Edward Baxter | Unopposed
Registered electors | 8,343  |  |
| Liberal hold
John Shiress Will General election 1885: Montrose Burghs [17] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | John Shiress Will | 3,532  | 49.9  | N/A
| Independent Liberal | Alexander Gordon  | 2,779  | 39.3  | New
| Conservative | Alexander Mackenzie  | 763  | 10.8  | New
Majority | 753  | 10.6  | N/A
Turnout | 7,074  | 78.9  | N/A
Registered electors | 8,963  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | N/A |
General election 1886: Montrose Burghs [18] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | John Shiress Will | 3,357  | 61.7  | +11.8
| Liberal Unionist | Arthur Patton  | 2,088  | 38.3  | +27.5
Majority | 1,269  | 23.4  | +12.8
Turnout | 5,445  | 60.7  | −18.2
Registered electors | 8,963  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | +6.4  |

### Elections in the 1890s

[edit]

General election 1892: Montrose Burghs[19][20] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
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| Liberal | John Shiress Will | 3,941  | 65.3  | +3.6
| Liberal Unionist | Robert Arthur Lockhart  | 2,090  | 34.7  | −3.6
Majority | 1,851  | 30.6  | +7.2
Turnout | 6,031  | 71.5  | +10.8
Registered electors | 8,436  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | +3.6  |
General election 1895: Montrose Burghs[21][20] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | John Shiress Will | 3,594  | 59.3  | −6.0
| Liberal Unionist | George Washington Baxter  | 2,462  | 40.7  | +6.0
Majority | 1,132  | 18.6  | −12.0
Turnout | 6,056  | 71.4  | −0.1
Registered electors | 8,484  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | −6.0  |
John Morley 1896 Montrose Burghs by-election[21][20] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
|
|

| Liberal | John Morley | 4,565  | 64.0  | +4.7
| Conservative | John Wilson  | 2,572  | 36.0  | −4.7
Majority | 1,993  | 28.0  | +9.4
Turnout | 7,137  | 82.1  | +10.7
Registered electors | 8,692  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | +4.7  |

### Elections in the 1900s

[edit]

General election 1900: Montrose Burghs[21][20] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
|
|

| Liberal | John Morley | 3,960  | 62.4  | +3.1
| Liberal Unionist | John Birrell Don  | 2,390  | 37.6  | −3.1
Majority | 1,570  | 24.8  | +6.2
Turnout | 6,350  | 71.5  | +0.1
Registered electors | 8,881  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | +3.1  |
General election 1906: Montrose Burghs[22][20] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
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| Liberal | John Morley | 4,416  | 69.7  | +7.3
| Conservative | Alexander Sprot | 1,922  | 30.3  | −7.3
Majority | 2,494  | 39.4  | +14.6
Turnout | 6,338  | 75.7  | +4.2
Registered electors | 8,373  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | +7.3  |
Montrose Burghs by-election, 1908[18][20] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
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| Liberal | Robert Harcourt | 3,083  | 46.7  | −23.0
| Ind. Labour Party | Joseph Burgess | 1,937  | 29.4  | New
| Conservative | Andrew Constable | 1,576  | 23.9  | −6.4
Majority | 1,146  | 17.3  | −22.1
Turnout | 6,596  | 80.4  | +4.7
Registered electors | 8,205  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | −8.3  |

### Elections in the 1910s

[edit]

General election January 1910: Montrose Burghs [18][20] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Robert Harcourt | 3,606  | 50.9  | −18.8
| Ind. Labour Party | Joseph Burgess | 1,888  | 26.6  | N/A
| Conservative | William Low  | 1,592  | 22.5  | −7.8
Majority | 1,718  | 24.3  | −15.1
Turnout | 7,086  | 84.2  | +8.5
Registered electors | 8,414  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | −5.5  |
General election December 1910: Montrose Burghs [18][20] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
|
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| Liberal | Robert Harcourt | 3,878  | 64.3  | +13.4
| Conservative | William Low  | 2,155  | 35.7  | +13.2
Majority | 1,723  | 28.6  | +4.3
Turnout | 6,033  | 72.0  | −12.2
Registered electors | 8,383  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | +0.1  |

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 July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

* Liberal: Robert Harcourt
* Unionist: John Hossell Henderson[23]
* Labour: James Maxton

General election 1918: Montrose Burghs [24] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
|
|

C | Liberal | John Sturrock | 9,309 | 76.0 | +11.7
| Labour | H. N. Brailsford | 2,940  | 24.0  | New
Majority | 6,369  | 52.0  | +23.4
Turnout | 12,249  | 49.1  | −22.9
Registered electors | 24,956  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | N/A |
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

### Elections in the 1920s

[edit]

General election 1922: Montrose Burghs[25] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
|
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| National Liberal | John Sturrock | 8,407  | 54.4  | −21.6
| Labour | John Carnegie | 7,044  | 45.6  | +21.6
Majority | 1,363  | 8.8  | −43.2
Turnout | 15,451  | 62.7  | +13.6
Registered electors | 24,628  |  |
| National Liberal gain from Liberal | Swing | −21.6  |
General election 1923: Montrose Burghs [26] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | John Sturrock | 8,717  | 55.3  | +0.9
| Labour | John Carnegie | 7,032  | 44.7  | −0.9
Majority | 1,685  | 10.6  | +1.8
Turnout | 15,749  | 62.9  | +0.2
Registered electors | 25,031  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | +0.9  |
General election 1924: Montrose Burghs [27] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
|
|

| Liberal | Robert Hutchison | 9,226  | 57.2  | +1.9
| Labour | Thomas Barron | 6,914  | 42.8  | −1.9
Majority | 2,312  | 14.4  | +3.8
Turnout | 16,140  | 68.5  | +5.6
Registered electors | 23,568  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | +1.9  |
General election 1929: Montrose Burghs[25] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | Robert Hutchison | 11,715  | 55.5  | −1.7
| Labour | Thomas Irwin | 9,381  | 44.5  | +1.7
Majority | 2,334  | 11.0  | −3.4
Turnout | 21,096  | 71.3  | +2.8
Registered electors | 29,573  |  |
| Liberal hold | Swing | −1.7  |

### Elections in the 1930s

[edit]

General election 1931: Montrose Burghs[25] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| National Liberal | Robert Hutchison | 17,212  | 77.0  | N/A
| Labour | Arthur Fraser Macintosh  | 5,137  | 23.0  | −21.5
Majority | 12,075  | 54.0  | +43.0
Turnout | 22,349  | 74.6  | +3.3
| National Liberal hold | Swing |  |
1932 Montrose Burghs by-election[28] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| National Liberal | Charles Kerr | 7,963  | 46.9  | −30.1
| Labour | Tom Kennedy | 7,030  | 41.4  | +18.4
| National (Scotland) | Douglas Emslie  | 1,996  | 11.7  | New
Majority | 933  | 5.5  | −48.5
Turnout | 16,989  | 56.7  | −17.9
| National Liberal hold | Swing |  |
General election 1935: Montrose Burghs [29] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| National Liberal | Charles Kerr | 15,198  | 69.6  | −7.4
| Labour | James Erskine Harper  | 6,632  | 30.4  | +7.4
Majority | 8,566  | 39.2  | −14.8
Turnout | 21,830  | 70.6  | −4.0
| National Liberal hold | Swing |  |

General Election 1939–40

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected;

* Liberal National: John Maclay
* Labour: Olive R Crutchley[30]

### Elections in the 1940s

[edit]

1940 Montrose Burghs by-election[31] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| National Liberal | John Maclay | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| National Liberal hold | Swing | N/A |
General election 1945: Montrose Burghs [32] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| National Liberal | John Maclay | 13,966  | 58.2  | −11.4
| Labour | Thomas Alexander MacNair  | 10,011  | 41.8  | +11.4
Majority | 3,955  | 16.4  | −22.8
Turnout | 24,007  | 72.3  | +1.7
| National Liberal hold | Swing |  |

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Smith, Henry Stooks (1842). The Register of Parliamentary Contested Elections (Second ed.). Simpkin, Marshall & Company. p. 207. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
2. ^ Churton, Edward (1838). The Assembled Commons or Parliamentary Biographer. pp. 52–53.
3. ^ Warwick, William Atkinson (1841). The House of Commons: As Elected to the Fourteenth Parliament of the United Kingdom Being the Second of Victoria. London: Saunders and Otley. p. 131.
4. ^ Simkin, John (August 2014) [1997]. "Joseph Hume". Spartacus Educational. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
5. ^ Taylor, Miles; Millington, Chris (13 June 2015) [2012]. "Joseph Hume, 1777–1855". Liberal HISTORY. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
6. ^ Fisher, David R. (2009). Fisher, David R. (ed.). "HUME, Joseph (1777–1855), of 38 York Place, Portman Square and 6 Bryanston Square, Mdx. and Burnley Hall, Norf". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
7. ^ Parolin, Christina (2010). Radical Spaces: Venues of popular politics in London, 1790–c. 1845. Canberra: ANU E Press. pp. 162–163\. ISBN 9781921862007.
8. ^ "The Montrose District of Burghs". The Scotsman. 7 March 1855. p. 3. Retrieved 2 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
9. ^ "Review of the Week". Glasgow Sentinel. 10 March 1855. p. 4. Retrieved 2 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
10. ^ "Berkshire Chronicle". 17 March 1855. pp. 4–5. Retrieved 2 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885 (e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
12. ^ "Nomination for the Montrose District of Burghs". Dundee, Perth, and Cupar Advertiser. 6 August 1847. p. 2. Retrieved 17 August 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
13. ^ "Montrose". Dundee Courier. 10 August 1847. p. 3. Retrieved 17 August 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
14. ^ McIntosh, Iain D. "Sir John Ogilvy, 9th Baronet of Inverquharity". Provincial Grand Lodge of Forfarshire. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
15. ^ Hawkins, Angus (2015). Victorian Political Culture: 'Habits of Heart & Mind'. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 202\. ISBN 978-0-19-872848-1. LCCN 2014951692.
16. ^ a b "Montrose District of Burghs". Montrose, Arbroath and Brechin review; and Forfar and Kincardineshire advertiser. 6 February 1874. p. 4. Retrieved 6 January 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
17. ^ British parliamentary election results, 1885–1918 (Craig)
18. ^ a b c d Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1889
19. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1893
20. ^ a b c d e f g h Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885–1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
21. ^ a b c Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1901
22. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1907
23. ^ Dundee Courier 29 April 1914
24. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1920
25. ^ a b c British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, FWS Craig
26. ^ The Times, 8 December 1923
27. ^ Oliver & Boyd's Edinburgh Almanac, 1927
28. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1934
29. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1939
30. ^ Report of the Annual Conference of the Labour Party, 1939
31. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1944
32. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1946

* Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "M" (part 3)
* Debrett's House of Commons and Judicial Bench, 1889

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