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Argyllshire (UK Parliament constituency) facts for kids

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Type: House of Commons
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EP constituency: [[{{{EP}}} (European Parliament constituency)|{{{EP}}}]]

Argyllshire was a special area in Scotland that elected a person to represent its people in the UK Parliament. This area was known as a "county constituency." It was called Argyllshire from 1708 until 1950, when its name changed to Argyll.

The constituency existed for a long time, from 1708 until 1983. It always elected just one person, called a Member of Parliament (MP). The winner was chosen using the "first-past-the-post" system. This means the candidate with the most votes wins, even if they don't get more than half of all the votes. In 1983, the Argyll constituency was replaced by a new area called Argyll and Bute.

How Argyllshire Was Created

The Argyllshire area for the British Parliament was created in 1708. This happened after the Acts of Union 1707. These acts joined the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England to form the Kingdom of Great Britain. Before this, Argyllshire had its own representative in the old Parliament of Scotland.

Local Areas It Represented

For most of its history, the Argyllshire constituency represented the county of Argyll. However, the exact borders of the constituency might not have always matched the county's borders. Also, any large towns (called "parliamentary burghs") within the county would have had their own separate representatives.

In 1975, local government in Scotland changed. Most of the Argyll county, along with the Isle of Bute, became the Argyll district within the Strathclyde region. A northern part of the county joined the Highland region. The Isle of Bute had been part of the county of Bute before 1975.

Years later, in 1996, the Argyll district and a part of the Dumbarton district became the Argyll and Bute council area. This happened after the Argyll constituency was abolished.

Members of Parliament

The people listed below were the Members of Parliament (MPs) for Argyllshire and later Argyll. They represented the people of the area in the UK Parliament.

Argyllshire MPs (1708-1950)

Election Member Party
1708 Sir James Campbell, 2nd Baronet
1736 by-election Charles Campbell
1742 by-election James Stuart-Mackenzie
1747 Sir Duncan Campbell of Lochnell
1754 Dugald Campbell
1764 by-election Lord William Campbell
1766 by-election Robert Campbell
1772 by-election Adam Livingston
1780 Lord Frederick Campbell
1799 by-election Lord John Campbell Whig
1822 by-election Walter Frederick Campbell Whig
1832 James Henry Callander Whig
1835 Walter Frederick Campbell Whig
1841 Alexander Campbell Conservative
1843 by-election Duncan McNeill Conservative
1851 by-election Sir Archibald Campbell, 3rd Baronet Conservative
1857 Alexander Struthers Finlay Whig
1859 Liberal
1868 Marquess of Lorne Liberal
1878 by-election Lord Colin Campbell Liberal
1885 Donald Horne Macfarlane Crofters' Party
1886 John Malcolm Unionist
1892 Sir Donald Horne Macfarlane Liberal
1895 Donald Nicol Unionist Party
1903 by-election John Ainsworth Liberal
1918 Sir William Sutherland Coalition Liberal
1922 National Liberal
1918 Liberal
1924 Frederick Alexander Macquisten Unionist
1940 by-election Sir Duncan McCallum Unionist
1950 constituency renamed

Argyll MPs (1950-1983)

Election Member Party
1950 Sir Duncan McCallum Unionist
1958 (b) Michael Noble Unionist
Feb 1974 Iain MacCormick Scottish National Party
1979 John Mackay Conservative
1983 constituency abolished

Election Results

Argyll election results
Argyll election results


Decades:

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Walter Frederick Campbell Unopposed
Registered electors 114
Whig hold
General election 1831: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Walter Frederick Campbell Unopposed
Whig hold
General election 1832: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig James Henry Callander Unopposed
Registered electors 995
Whig hold
General election 1835: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Walter Frederick Campbell Unopposed
Registered electors 1,084
Whig hold
General election 1837: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Walter Frederick Campbell 712 60.6
Conservative Alexander Campbell 462 39.4
Majority 250 21.2
Turnout 1,174 70.5
Registered electors 1,666
Whig hold

Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alexander Campbell Unopposed
Registered electors 1,600
Conservative gain from Whig

Campbell resigned by accepting a special office, which caused a by-election.

By-election, 8 September 1843: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Duncan McNeill Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1847: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Duncan McNeill Unopposed
Registered electors 1,889
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1850s

McNeill resigned after being appointed to a high legal position, which caused a by-election.

By-election, 6 June 1851: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Archibald Campbell Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1852: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Archibald Campbell Unopposed
Registered electors 2,156
Conservative hold
General election 1857: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Alexander Struthers Finlay Unopposed
Registered electors 2,256
Whig gain from Conservative
General election 1859: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alexander Struthers Finlay Unopposed
Registered electors 2,294
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alexander Struthers Finlay Unopposed
Registered electors 1,914
Liberal hold

Finlay resigned, causing another by-election.

By-election, 3 Mar 1868: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Campbell Unopposed
Liberal hold
General election 1868: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Campbell Unopposed
Registered electors 2,870
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Campbell Unopposed
Registered electors 3,018
Liberal hold

Campbell resigned after being appointed Governor General of Canada.

Colin Campbell00
Lord Colin Campbell
By-election, 31 Aug 1878: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Colin Campbell 1,462 56.9 N/A
Conservative John Malcolm 1,107 43.1 New
Majority 355 13.8 N/A
Turnout 2,569 82.0 N/A
Registered electors 3,133
Liberal hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Colin Campbell 1,457 55.0 N/A
Conservative John Malcolm 1,191 45.0 N/A
Majority 266 10.0 N/A
Turnout 2,648 80.3 N/A
Registered electors 3,299
Liberal hold Swing N/A
General election 1885: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Liberal (Crofters) Donald Horne McFarlane 3,340 48.6 New
Independent Liberal William Mackinnon 2,856 41.6 New
Liberal John Stuart McCaig 670 9.8 −45.2
Majority 484 7.0 N/A
Turnout 6,866 68.6 −11.7
Registered electors 10,011
Independent Liberal gain from Liberal Swing N/A
General election 1886: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Malcolm 3,658 54.6 New
Liberal (Crofters Party) Donald Horne McFarlane 3,045 45.4 −3.2
Majority 613 9.2 N/A
Turnout 6,703 67.0 −1.6
Registered electors 10,011
Conservative gain from Independent Liberal Swing N/A

Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal (Crofters) Donald Horne Macfarlane 3,666 50.6 +5.2
Conservative John Malcolm 3,586 49.4 −5.2
Majority 80 1.2 N/A
Turnout 7,252 73.4 +6.4
Registered electors 9,874
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +5.2
General election 1895: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Donald Nicol 3,970 50.9 +1.5
Liberal Donald Horne Macfarlane 3,835 49.1 −1.5
Majority 135 1.8 N/A
Turnout 7,805 74.5 +1.1
Registered electors 10,471
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +1.5

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Donald Nicol 3,834 54.2 +3.3
Liberal John Ainsworth 3,234 45.8 −3.3
Majority 600 8.4 +6.6
Turnout 7,068 67.9 −6.6
Registered electors 10,405
Conservative hold Swing +3.3
John Ainsworth
John Ainsworth
1903 Argyllshire by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Ainsworth 4,326 61.2 +15.4
Conservative C. Stewart 2,740 38.8 −15.4
Majority 1,586 22.4 N/A
Turnout 7,066 66.4 −1.5
Registered electors 10,643
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +15.4
General election 1906: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Ainsworth 4,507 59.9 +14.1
Conservative George Hutchison 3,012 40.1 −14.1
Majority 1,495 19.8 N/A
Turnout 7,519 67.0 −0.9
Registered electors 11,216
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +14.1

Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Ainsworth 4,443 55.1 −4.8
Conservative George Hutchison 3,617 44.9 +4.8
Majority 826 10.2 −9.6
Turnout 8,060 73.1 +6.1
Registered electors 11,025
Liberal hold Swing −4.8
General election December 1910: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Ainsworth 4,280 51.5 −3.6
Conservative George Hutchison 4,023 48.5 +3.6
Majority 257 3.0 −7.2
Turnout 8,303 71.8 −1.3
Registered electors 11,572
Liberal hold Swing −3.6

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 the July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

  • Liberal:
  • Unionist: George Hutchison
General election 1918: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Liberal William Sutherland 11,970 81.4 +29.9
Highland Land League Lauchlin MacNeill Weir 2,733 18.6 New
Majority 9,237 62.8 +59.8
Turnout 14,703 52.0 −29.8
Liberal hold Swing N/A
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Elections in the 1920s

1920 William Sutherland
Sir W. Sutherland
1920 Argyll by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Liberal William Sutherland 10,187 64.9 -16.5
Labour Malcolm MacCallum 5,498 35.1 New
Majority 4,689 29.8 -33.0
Turnout 15,685 50.2 -1.8
Liberal hold Swing
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.
General election 1922: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal William Sutherland 9,848 58.8 −6.1
Liberal Henry Anderson Watt 6,897 41.2 +6.1
Majority 2,591 15.6 −12.2
Turnout 16,745 51.8 +1.6
National Liberal hold Swing −6.1
General election 1923: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Sutherland 9,020 52.7 −6.1
Unionist Frederick Alexander Macquisten 8,100 47.3 New
Majority 920 5.4 N/A
Turnout 17,120 53.3 +1.5
Liberal gain from National Liberal Swing N/A
General election 1924: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Frederick Alexander Macquisten 9,240 46.2 −1.1
Liberal William Sutherland 6,211 31.1 −21.6
Labour I.H. MacIver 4,532 22.7 New
Majority 3,029 15.1 +9.7
Turnout 19,983 62.7 +9.4
Unionist Party hold Swing
General election 1929: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Frederick Alexander Macquisten 11,108 44.1 −2.1
Liberal Basil Murray 8,089 32.1 +1.0
Labour John L. Kinloch 6,001 23.8 +1.1
Majority 3,019 12.0 -3.1
Turnout 25,198 62.7 0.0
Unionist Party hold Swing −1.6

Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Frederick Alexander Macquisten Unopposed N/A N/A
Unionist Party hold Swing N/A
General election 1935: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Frederick Alexander Macquisten 13,260 53.6 N/A
Liberal Basil Murray 11,486 46.4 New
Majority 1,774 7.2 N/A
Turnout 24,746 56.6 N/A
Unionist Party hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1940s

1940 Argyllshire by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Duncan McCallum 12,317 62.8 +9.2
SNP William Power 7,308 37.2 New
Majority 5,009 25.5 +17.3
Turnout 19,625
Unionist Party hold Swing
General election 1945: Argyllshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Duncan McCallum 15,791 56.6 +3.0
Labour A. MacNeill Weir 8,889 31.9 New
Liberal John Bannerman 3,228 11.6 −34.8
Majority 6,902 24.7 +17.5
Turnout 27,908 63.9 +7.3
Unionist Party hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1950: Argyll
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Duncan McCallum 19,259 66.5 +9.9
Labour I. Nicholson 9,215 31.8 −0.1
Scottish Home Rule M S McP Holt 490 1.7 New
Majority 10,044 34.7 +10.0
Turnout 28,964 75.1 +11.2
Unionist Party hold Swing
General election 1951: Argyll
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Duncan McCallum 21,191 68.1 +1.6
Labour Robert M. Young 9,925 31.9 +0.1
Majority 11,266 36.2 +1.5
Turnout 28,210 67.1 −8.0
Unionist Party hold Swing
General election 1955: Argyll
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Duncan McCallum 19,119 67.8 −0.3
Labour Robert M. Young 9,091 32.2 +0.3
Majority 10,028 35.6 -0.6
Turnout 28,210 66.9 −0.2
Unionist Party hold Swing −0.3
1958 Argyll by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Michael Noble 12,541 46.8 −21.0
Liberal William D. McKean 7,375 27.5 New
Labour Robert M. Young 6,884 25.7 −6.5
Majority 5,166 19.3 -16.3
Turnout 26,800
Unionist Party hold Swing
General election 1959: Argyll
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Michael Noble 16,599 58.4 −9.4
Labour D. Nisbet 7,356 25.9 −6.3
Liberal Gerard Noel 4,469 15.7 New
Majority 9,243 32.5 -3.1
Turnout 28,424 71.0 +4.1
Unionist Party hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1964: Argyll
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Michael Noble 13,277 47.2 −11.2
Labour Duncan L. MacMillan 8,120 28.9 +3.0
Liberal John MacKay 6,707 23.9 +8.2
Majority 5,157 18.4 -14.1
Turnout 28,104 70.3 −0.7
Unionist Party hold Swing
General election 1966: Argyll
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Noble 12,178 43.2 −4.0
Labour John McFadden 8,486 30.1 +1.2
Liberal John MacKay 7,512 26.7 +2.8
Majority 3,692 13.1 -5.3
Turnout 28,176 72.3 +2.0
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: Argyll
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Noble 13,521 44.8 +1.6
SNP Iain MacCormick 9,039 29.9 New
Labour John McFadden 7,633 25.3 −4.8
Majority 4,482 14.9 +1.8
Turnout 30,193 73.9 +1.6
Conservative hold Swing
General election February 1974: Argyll
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SNP Iain MacCormick 15,646 48.9 +19.0
Conservative Peter Craft Hutchison 12,358 38.6 −6.2
Labour M.J.N. MacGregor 4,027 12.6 −12.7
Majority 3,288 10.3 N/A
Turnout 32,031 77.3 +3.4
SNP gain from Conservative Swing +12.6
General election October 1974: Argyll
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SNP Iain MacCormick 14,967 49.7 +0.8
Conservative John MacKay 11,036 36.7 −1.9
Labour M.J.N. MacGregor 4,103 13.6 +1.0
Majority 3,931 13.0 +1.7
Turnout 30,106 72.0 −5.3
SNP hold Swing +1.4
General election 1979: Argyll
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John MacKay 12,191 36.8 +0.1
SNP Iain MacCormick 10,545 31.8 −17.9
Labour M.J.N. MacGregor 5,283 16.0 +2.4
Liberal Ray Michie 5,113 15.4 New
Majority 1,646 5.0 N/A
Turnout 33,132 76.1 +4.1
Conservative gain from SNP Swing +9.0

See Also

  • 1920 Argyll by-election
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