Tain Burghs (UK Parliament constituency)

Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1801–1832

Tain Burghs

Former district of Burghs constituency
for the House of Commons
Major settlements| Dingwall, Dornoch, Kirkwall, Tain, Wick
1708–1832
Seats| One
Created from| Dingwall, Dornoch, Kirkwall, Tain, Wick
Replaced by| Wick Burghs

Tain Burghs was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832, sometimes known as Northern Burghs. It was represented by one Member of Parliament (MP).

## Creation

[edit]

The British parliamentary constituency was created in 1708 following the Acts of Union, 1707 and replaced the former Parliament of Scotland burgh constituencies of Tain, Dingwall, Dornoch, Kirkwall and Wick which had all been separately represented with one commissioner each in the former Parliament of Scotland. In 1707-08, members of the 1702-1707 Parliament of Scotland were co-opted to serve in the first Parliament of Great Britain. See Scottish representatives to the 1st Parliament of Great Britain, for further details.

## Boundaries

[edit]

The constituency was a district of burghs representing the Royal burghs of Dingwall, Dornoch, Kirkwall, Tain and Wick.

In 1832 the constituency was replaced by Wick Burghs and Cromarty was added to the district.[1]

## History

[edit]

The constituency elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system until the seat was abolished for the 1832 general election.[2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

The first Member of Parliament (MP), for the five Burghs, was elected at Tain in 1708. Lord Strathnaver was the eldest son of a Scottish peer. He would not have been eligible to be elected to the Parliament of Scotland. It was disputed that Strathnaver was eligible to be elected to the Parliament of Great Britain, as the representative of a Scottish seat.

On 3 December 1708, the House of Commons decided the issue, as at that time the House judged the eligibility of its members itself rather than leaving the issue to be decided by a Judge.

After the House called in counsel, the election petitions and representations in writing were read out and the lawyers put forward arguments for their clients. After counsel had withdrawn a question was formulated and put to a vote.

The proposition the House voted on was "that the eldest sons of the Peers of Scotland were capable by the Laws of Scotland at the time of the Union, to elect or be elected as Commissioners for the Shire or Boroughs [sic, see Burghs] to the Parliament of Scotland; and therefore by the Treaty of Union are capable to elect, or be elected to represent any Shire or Borough [sic] in Scotland, to sit in the House of Commons of Great Britain".

The House rejected the motion and so declared that Lord Strathnaver was ineligible to be elected an MP for Tain Burghs.[7]

The most prominent English political figure, to represent a Scottish constituency in the 18th century, was Charles James Fox. In the 1784 general election, Fox sought re-election for the Westminster constituency. Political opponents challenged Fox's election. As Westminster had the largest electorate of any English borough, the scrutiny of votes (to check that each voter had been legally qualified to participate in the election) was thought likely to take a long time. To avoid Fox being out of Parliament, until the Westminster election petition was decided, a Scottish friend arranged for him to become member for Tain Burghs.

It took until 1786 for Fox to be confirmed as a duly elected MP for Westminster. Fox then chose to represent his English constituency and the Scottish one became vacant.[8]

## Members of Parliament

[edit]

Elected | Member | Party

|
|

| 1708 | Lord Strathnaver |
| 1709 by-election | Robert Douglas |
| 1710 | Sir Robert Munro, Bt | Whig
| 1741 | Charles Erskine |
| 1742 by-election | Robert Craigie |
| 1747 | Sir Harry Munro, Bt | Whig
| 1761 | John Scott |
| 1768 | Hon. Alexander Mackay |
| 1773 by-election | James Grant |
| 1780 | Charles Ross | Whig (Foxite)
| 1784 | Charles James Fox | Whig (Foxite)
| 1786 by-election | George Ross | Whig (Foxite)
| 1786 by-election | Sir Charles Lockhart-Ross, Bt | Tory (Pittite)
| 1796 | William Dundas | Tory
| 1802 | John Villiers |
| 1805 by-election | James MacDonald |
| 1806 | John Randoll Mackenzie |
| 1808 by-election | William Fremantle |
| 1812 | Sir Hugh Innes, Bt | Tory
| 1830 | James Loch | Whig
| 1832 | constituency abolished

## Elections

[edit]

The electoral system for this constituency gave each of the five burghs one vote, with an additional casting vote (to break ties) for the burgh where the election was held. The place of election rotated amongst the burghs in successive Parliaments. The vote of a burgh was exercised by a burgh commissioner, who was elected by the burgh councillors.

The primary source for the results was Stooks Smith with additional information from the History of Parliament series. For details of the books used, see the Reference section below.

The reference to some candidates as Non Partisan does not, necessarily, mean that they did not have a party allegiance. It means that the sources consulted did not specify a party allegiance.

1710s – 1720s – 1730s – 1740s – 1750s – 1760s – 1770s – 1780s – 1790s – 1800s – 1810s – 1820s – 1830s

### Elections of the 1700s

[edit]

General election 26 May 1708: Tain Burghs (election at Tain)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Nonpartisan | Lord Strathnaver | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Nonpartisan gain from new seat | Swing | N/A |

* 1708 (3 December): Strathnaver declared ineligible as the eldest son of a Peer of Scotland

By-Election 5 May 1709: Tain Burghs (election at Tain)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Nonpartisan | Robert Douglas[9] | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A |

### Elections of the 1710s

[edit]

General election 27 October 1710: Tain Burghs (election at Dingwall)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Whig | Robert Munro | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Whig gain from Nonpartisan | Swing | N/A |
General election 1713: Tain Burghs (election at Dornoch)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Whig | Robert Munro | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Whig hold | Swing | N/A |
General election 1715: Tain Burghs (election at Wick)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Whig | Robert Munro | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Whig hold | Swing | N/A |

### Elections of the 1720s

[edit]

General election 1722: Tain Burghs (election at Kirkwall)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Whig | Robert Munro | Elected  | N/A | N/A
| Nonpartisan | Robert Gordon | Defeated  | N/A | N/A
| Whig hold | Swing | N/A |
General election 1727: Tain Burghs (election at Tain)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Whig | Robert Munro | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Whig hold | Swing | N/A |

### Elections of the 1730s

[edit]

General election 1734: Tain Burghs (election at Dingwall)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Whig | Robert Munro | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Whig hold | Swing | N/A |

### Elections of the 1740s

[edit]

General election 28 May 1741: Tain Burghs (election at Dornoch)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Nonpartisan | Charles Erskine | Elected  | N/A | N/A
| Whig | Robert Munro | Defeated  | N/A | N/A
| Nonpartisan gain from Whig | Swing | N/A |

* Election declared void

By-Election 2 April 1742: Tain Burghs (election at Dornoch)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Nonpartisan | Robert Craigie | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A |
General election 22 July 1747: Tain Burghs (election at Wick)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Whig | Harry Munro | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Whig gain from Nonpartisan | Swing | N/A |

### Elections of the 1750s

[edit]

General election 9 May 1754: Tain Burghs (election at Kirkwall)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Whig | Harry Munro | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Whig hold | Swing | N/A |

### Elections of the 1760s

[edit]

General election 20 April 1761: Tain Burghs (election at Tain)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Nonpartisan | John Scott | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Nonpartisan gain from Whig | Swing | N/A |
General election 11 April 1768: Tain Burghs (election at Dingwall)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Nonpartisan | Alexander Mackay | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A |

### Elections of the 1770s

[edit]

* 1773 (February): Resignation of Mackay

By-Election 26 April 1773: Tain Burghs (election at Dingwall)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Nonpartisan | James Grant | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A |
General election 31 October 1774: Tain Burghs (election at Dornoch)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Nonpartisan | James Grant | 3
Dingwall, Dornoch, Kirkwall | 60.0  | N/A
| Nonpartisan | Adam Fergusson | 2
Tain, Wick | 40.0  | N/A
Majority | 1  | 20.0  | N/A
Turnout | 5  | 100.0  | N/A
| Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A |

### Elections of the 1780s

[edit]

General election 2 October 1780: Tain Burghs (election at Wick)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Whig | Charles Ross | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Whig gain from Nonpartisan | Swing | N/A |
General election 26 April 1784: Tain Burghs (election at Kirkwall)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Whig | Charles James Fox | 3
Dingwall, Kirkwall, Tain | 60.0  | N/A
| Tory | John Sinclair | 2
Dornoch, Wick | 40.0  | N/A
Majority | 1  | 20.0  | N/A
Turnout | 5  | 100.0  | N/A
| Whig hold | Swing | N/A |

* 1786 (March): Fox chose to represent Westminster, where he had been declared duly elected in the 1784 general election, after an election petition and a prolonged scrutiny of votes

By-Election 15 March 1786: Tain Burghs (election at Kirkwall)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Whig | George Ross | 3
Dingwall, Kirkwall, Tain | 60.0  | N/A
| Tory | James Riddell | 2
Dornoch, Wick | 40.0  | N/A
Majority | 1  | 20.0  | N/A
Turnout | 5  | 100.0  | N/A
| Whig hold | Swing | N/A |

* 1786 (7 April): Ross died

By-Election 30 June 1786: Tain Burghs (election at Kirkwall)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Tory | Charles Lockhart-Ross | 3
Dornoch, Tain, Wick | 60.0  | +20.0
| Whig | Charles Ross | 2
Dingwall, Kirkwall | 40.0  | −20.0
Majority | 1  | 20.0  | N/A
Turnout | 5  | 100.0  | N/A
| Tory gain from Whig | Swing | +20.0 (W to T)  |

### Elections of the 1790s

[edit]

General election 12 July 1790: Tain Burghs (election at Tain)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Tory | Charles Lockhart-Ross | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Tory hold | Swing | N/A |
General election 20 June 1796: Tain Burghs (election at Dingwall)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Nonpartisan | William Dundas | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Nonpartisan gain from Tory | Swing | N/A |

* November 1797: Dundas appointed a Commissioner for the Affairs of India

By-Election 1797: Tain Burghs (election at Dingwall)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Nonpartisan | William Dundas | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A |

### Elections of the 1800s

[edit]

General election 30 July 1802: Tain Burghs (election at Dornoch)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Nonpartisan | John Villiers | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A |
By-Election 1804: Tain Burghs (election at Dornoch)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Nonpartisan | John Villiers | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A |

* July 1804: Villiers appointed Chief Prothonotary Common Pleas of the County Palatine of Lancaster
* 1805: Villiers resigned

By-Election 26 June 1805: Tain Burghs (election at Dornoch)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Nonpartisan | James MacDonald | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A |
General election 24 November 1806: Tain Burghs (election at Wick)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Nonpartisan | John Mackenzie (MP)  | 3  | 60.0  | N/A
| Nonpartisan | John Sinclair[10] | 2  | 40.0  | N/A
Majority | 1  | 20.0  | N/A
Turnout | 5  | 100.0  | N/A
| Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A |
General election 1807: Tain Burghs (election at Kirkwall)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Nonpartisan | John Mackenzie (MP)  | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A |

* Mackenzie resigned to stand for Sutherland

By-Election 7 May 1808: Tain Burghs (election at Kirkwall)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Nonpartisan | William Fremantle | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A |

### Elections of the 1810s

[edit]

General election 30 October 1812: Tain Burghs (election at Tain)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Tory | Hugh Innes | 3  | 60.0  | New
| Nonpartisan | Charles Lockhart-Ross | 2  | 40.0  | N/A
Majority | 1  | 20.0  | N/A
Turnout | 5  | 100.0  | N/A
| Tory gain from Nonpartisan | Swing | N/A |
General election 1818: Tain Burghs (election at Dingwall)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Tory | Hugh Innes | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Tory hold | Swing | N/A |

### Elections of the 1820s

[edit]

General election 1820: Tain Burghs (election at Dornoch)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Tory | Hugh Innes | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Tory hold | Swing | N/A |
General election 1826: Tain Burghs (election at Wick)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Tory | Hugh Innes | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Tory hold | Swing | N/A |

### Elections of the 1830s

[edit]

General election 23 August 1830: Tain Burghs (election at Kirkwall)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Whig | James Loch | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Whig gain from Tory | Swing | N/A |
General election 1831: Tain Burghs (election at Tain)  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Whig | James Loch | Unopposed  | N/A | N/A
| Whig hold | Swing | N/A |

* Constituency expanded and re-named in the 1832 redistribution

## See also

[edit]

* v
* t
* e

Scottish Westminster constituencies

* 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 2024
* from 2024

Current constituencies (2024)

* Aberdeen North
* Aberdeen South
* Aberdeenshire North and Moray East
* Airdrie & Shotts
* Alloa & Grangemouth
* Angus & Perthshire Glens
* Arbroath & Broughty Ferry
* Argyll, Bute & South Lochaber
* Ayr, Carrick & Cumnock
* Bathgate & Linlithgow
* Berwickshire, Roxburgh & Selkirk
* Caithness, Sutherland & Easter Ross
* Central Ayrshire
* Coatbridge & Bellshill
* Cowdenbeath & Kirkcaldy
* Cumbernauld & Kirkintilloch
* Dumfries & Galloway
* Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale & Tweeddale
* Dundee Central
* Dunfermline & Dollar
* East Kilbride & Strathaven
* East Renfrewshire
* Edinburgh East & Musselburgh
* Edinburgh North & Leith
* Edinburgh South
* Edinburgh South West
* Edinburgh West
* Falkirk
* Glasgow East
* Glasgow North
* Glasgow North East
* Glasgow South
* Glasgow South West
* Glasgow West
* Glenrothes & Mid Fife
* Gordon & Buchan
* Hamilton & Clyde Valley
* Inverclyde & Renfrewshire West
* Inverness, Skye & West Ross-shire
* Kilmarnock & Loudoun
* Livingston
* Lothian East
* Mid Dunbartonshire
* Midlothian
* Moray West, Nairn & Strathspey
* Motherwell, Wishaw & Carluke
* Na h-Eileanan an Iar
* North Ayrshire & Arran
* North East Fife
* Orkney & Shetland
* Paisley & Renfrewshire North
* Paisley & Renfrewshire South
* Perth & Kinross-shire
* Rutherglen
* Stirling & Strathallan
* West Aberdeenshire & Kincardine
* West Dunbartonshire

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885
2. ^ "Tain Burghs". History of Parliament Online (1690-1715). Retrieved 24 April 2019.
3. ^ "Tain Burghs". History of Parliament Online (1715-1754). Retrieved 24 April 2019.
4. ^ "Tain Burghs". History of Parliament Online (1754-1790). Retrieved 24 April 2019.
5. ^ "Tain Burghs". History of Parliament Online (1790-1820). Retrieved 24 April 2019.
6. ^ "Tain Burghs". History of Parliament Online (1820-1832). Retrieved 24 April 2019.
7. ^ The Parliaments of England has a footnote about the 1708 election dispute
8. ^ House of Commons 1754-1790
9. ^ https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1690-1715/constituencies/tain-(northern)-burghs
10. ^ It is presumed that the John Sinclair, who unsuccessfully contested this constituency in 1806, was the politician who served in the House of Commons in the previous and subsequent Parliaments. There were, however, three other contemporary baronets of the same name.

## References

[edit]

* British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press 1977)
* History of Parliament: House of Commons 1754-1790, by Sir Lewis Namier and James Brooke (Sidgwick & Jackson 1964)
* The Parliaments of England by Henry Stooks Smith (first edition published in three volumes 1844-50), second edition edited (in one volume) by F.W.S. Craig (Political Reference Publications 1973)
* Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "T" (part 1)

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