Forfarshire was a Scottish county constituency represented in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1708 until 1800, and then in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom until 1950.
It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) using the first-past-the-post voting system.
Creation The British parliamentary constituency was created in 1708 following the Acts of Union, 1707 and replaced the former Parliament of Scotland shire constituency of Forfarshire.
Boundaries
The Representation of the People Act 1918 defined the constituency as consisting of the county of Forfar, except the county of the city of Dundee and the burghs of Montrose, Arbroath, Brechin, and Forfar. The four excepted burghs formed part of the Montrose District of Burghs.Representation of the People Act 1918, Ninth Schedule, Part II, Parliamentary Counties in Scotland
The county of Forfarshire was renamed Angus in 1928. However, no change was made in the name of the constituency prior to its abolition.
History The constituency elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first-past-the-post system until the seat was abolished for the 1950 general election.
The constituency was abolished under the Representation of the People Act 1948, which reorganised parliamentary boundaries throughout the United Kingdom. The seat was divided between North Angus and Mearns (which also included Kincardineshire) and South Angus.Representation of the People Act 1948, First Schedule, Parliamentary Constituencies, Part III: Scotland
Members of Parliament Election Member Party1708John Carnegie (expelled) 1716 by-election James Scott 1733 by-election Robert Scott 1734 Thomas Lyon, later Earl of Strathmore 1735 by-election William Maule, Earl Panmure (from 1743) 1782 by-election Archibald Douglas Tory1790 David Scott 1796 by-election William Maule, later Baron Panmure 1796 Sir David Carnegie 1805 by-election William Maule, later Baron Panmure Whig1831 by-election Donald Ogilvy (Unseated on petition Jan 1832) WhigJanuary 1832 Lord Douglas Gordon-Hallyburton Whig1841 Lord Frederick Gordon-Hallyburton Whig1852 Lauderdale Maule Whig1854 by-election Adam Duncan, Viscount Duncan, later Earl of Camperdown Whig 1859 Liberal1860 by-election Charles Carnegie Liberal1872 by-election James William Barclay Liberal1886 Liberal Unionist1892 Sir John Rigby, QC Liberal1894 Charles Maule Ramsay Conservative Liberal Unionist1895 Martin White Liberal1897 by-election John Sinclair, later Baron Pentland Liberal1909 by-election James Falconer Liberal1918 William T. Shaw Unionist1922 James Falconer Liberal1924 Sir Harry Hope Unionist1931 William T. Shaw Unionist1945 Simon Ramsay, later Earl of Dalhousie Unionist 1950 constituency abolished
Election results Elections in the 1830s
Maule was elevated to the peerage, becoming 1st Baron Panmure and causing a by-election.
On petition, Ogilvy was unseated in favour of Gordon-Hallyburton
Elections in the 1840s
Elections in the 1850s
Maule was appointed Surveyor-General of the Ordnance, requiring a by-election.
Maule's death caused a by-election.
Haldane-Duncan was appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, requiring a by-election.
Elections in the 1860s Haldane-Duncan succeeded to the peerage, becoming Earl of Camperdown, and causing a by-election.
Elections in the 1870s Carnegie resigned after being appointed Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland.
Elections in the 1880s
Elections in the 1890s
Rigby is appointed Solicitor General for England and Wales, requiring a by-election.
Rigby resigns after being appointed a Lord Justice of Appeal, triggering a by-election.
White resigns, triggering a by-election.
Elections in the 1900s
Elections in the 1910s
Elections in the 1920s
Elections in the 1930s
Elections in the 1940s 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 from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected; Unionist: William T. Shaw Liberal:
References