Ayrshire (Parliament of Scotland constituency)

Before the Acts of Union 1707, the Barons of the Sheriffdom or Shire of Ayr elected commissioners to represent them in the Parliament of Scotland and in the Convention of the Estates. The number of commissioners was increased from two to four in 1690. After the Union, Ayrshire returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of Great Britain and later to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom.

List of shire commissioners 1605, 1609: Sir John Wallace of Carnell Parliament or ConventionCommissionersParliament12–13 October 1612Return of Members of Parliament, p. 549.noneConvention7 March 1617Return of MPs, p. 550.William Cunningham of CapringtonFoster, p. 87.Josias Steuart of BonytownFoster, p. 331.Parliament27 May–28 June 1617Return of MPs, p. 551.Convention25–26 January 1621Return of MPs, p. 553.noneParliament1 June–4 August 1621Bryce Blair of BlairRecords of the Parliaments of Scotland, 1621/6/12.Sir John Wallace of CarnellFoster, p. 349.Convention27 October–2 November 1625Return of MPs, p. 554.John or Hew Cathcart of CarletonFoster, p. 67.RPS, A1625/10/1.David Dunbar of EnterkineFoster, p. 124.Parliament15 September 1628 – 28 June 1633Return of MPs, p. 555.Sir William Cunningham of CunninghamheadComplete Baronetage, vol. II (1902) p. 325.James Chalmers of GaitgirthConvention28 July–7 August 1630Return of MPs, p. 557.Bryce Blair of BlairRPS, A1630/7/1.Alexander Cunningham of CorsehillFoster, p. 85.Parliament15 May 1639 – 17 November 1641Return of MPs, p. 558.Sir William Cunningham of CunninghamheadHugh Campbell of CessnockFoster, p. 53.G. Harvey Johnston, The Heraldry of the Campbells, vol. II (1921) p. 59.Henry MontgomerieFoster, p. 255. (from 2 April 1640)Convention22 June 1643 – 3 June 1644Return of MPs, p. 562.Sir William Mure of RowallanFoster, p. 261.James Fullarton of CrosbieFoster, p. 145.Sir John Crawfurd of Kilbirnie (from 10 April 1644)Foster, p. 81.Complete Baronetage, vol. II, p. 350.William Cochrane of Cowdoun (from 10 April 1644)Foster, p. 73.Parliament4 June 1644 – 27 March 1647Return of MPs, p. 564.Hugh Campbell of Cessnock (from 7 January 1645)Parliament2 March 1648 – 6 June 1651Return of MPs, p. 570.Sir William Cunningham of CunninghamheadJames Fullarton of FullartonSir Hugh Campbell of Cessnock (from 4 January 1649)During the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland, the sheriffdoms of Ayr and Renfrew were jointly represented by one Member of Parliament in the Protectorate Parliament at Westminster. After the Restoration, the Parliament of Scotland was again summoned to meet in Edinburgh.Parliament1 January 1661 – 9 October 1663Return of MPs, p. 574.Sir John Crawford of Kilbirnie (died 1662)Robert Montgomerie of HessilheadFoster, p. 256.Convention2–4 August 1665Return of MPs, p. 575.Sir Thomas Wallace of CraigieFoster, p. 350.Complete Baronetage, vol. IV (1904) p. 277.John Cunningham of BrownhillFoster, p. 86.Complete Baronetage, vol. IV, p. 273.Convention9–23 January 1667Return of MPs, p. 577.Sir John Cochrane of OchiltreeFoster, p. 72.Complete Baronetage, vol. IV, p. 299.Sir Thomas Wallace of CraigieParliament19 October 1669 – 3 March 1674Return of MPs, p. 579.William Blair of BlairConvention26 June–11 July 1678Return of MPs, p. 582.William Blair of BlairParliament28 July 1681 – 1 March 1682Return of MPs, p. 584.Sir John Cochrane of OchiltreeSir John Cunningham of LambroughtonParliament23 April 1685 – 15 June 1686Return of MPs, p. 586.William Blair of BlairConvention14 March–24 May 1689Return of MPs, p. 589.William Blair of Blair (died 1690)Foster, p. 29.Sir James Montgomerie of SkelmorlieComplete Baronetage, vol. II, p. 336.Parliament5 June 1689 – 30 June 1702Return of MPs, p. 591.Francis Montgomerie of GiffenBy Act of Parliament 14 June 1690, the shire of Ayr was allocated two additional Commissioners.Sir James Montgomerie of Skelmorlie (place declared vacant 28 April 1693)Francis Montgomerie of GiffenWilliam Mure of Rowallan (died 1700)Hugh Buntine of KilbrydeFoster, p. 30.John Crawford of KilbirnieFoster, p. 82.John Campbell of ShankstownFoster, p. 57.Parliament12 November 1702 – 25 March 1707Return of MPs, p. 599.Francis Montgomerie of GiffenWilliam Dalrymple of DronganFoster, p. 93.Sir Hugh Cathcart of CarletonJohn Crawford of Kilbirnie (created Viscount of Mount Crawford 10 April 1703)John Brisbane of Bishopton, yrFoster, p. 33.

Sources Return of Members of Parliament (1878), Part II. Joseph Foster, Members of Parliament, Scotland (1882). George Edward Cokayne, The Complete Baronetage, 5 vols (1901–6). The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland.

See also List of constituencies in the Parliament of Scotland at the time of the Union

References