# Haddingtonshire (UK Parliament constituency)

Haddingtonshire was a Scottish county constituency represented in the House of Commons of Great Britain and the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1708 to 1918.

## 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 Haddingtonshire.

## Boundaries

The constituency encompassed the county of Haddingtonshire, with the exception, until 1885, of three towns (Haddington, Dunbar and North Berwick) which formed part of the separate constituency of Haddington Burghs.

## History

The constituency elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system until the seat was abolished for the 1918 general election.
In 1918, it was merged with the neighbouring Berwickshire constituency to form a new Berwick and Haddington constituency.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1708 | John Cockburn | |
| 1741 | Lord Charles Hay | |
| 1747 | Sir Hew Dalrymple | |
| 1761 | Andrew Fletcher | |
| 1768 | Sir George Suttie | |
| 1777 | William Hamilton Nisbet | |
| 1780 | Hew Dalrymple | |
| 1786 | John Hamilton | |
| 1795 | Hew Dalrymple-Hamilton | |
| 1800 | Charles Hope | |
| 1816 | Sir James Suttie | |
| 1826 | Lord John Hay | Tory |
| 1831 | James Balfour | Tory |
| 1834 | James Balfour | Conservative |
| 1835 | Robert Ferguson | Whig |
| 1837 | James Broun-Ramsay | Conservative |
| 1838 by-election | Sir Thomas Buchan-Hepburn | Conservative |
| 1847 | Francis Charteris (styled Lord Elcho from 1853) | Conservative |
| 1883 by-election | Hugo Charteris | Conservative |
| 1885 | Richard Haldane | Liberal |
| 1911 by-election | John Deans Hope | Liberal |
| 1918 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |

## Elections
### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Haddingtonshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | John Hay | 42 | 56.8 |
| | Whig | Sir George Grant-Suttie, 5th Baronet | 32 | 43.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10 | 13.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 74 | 67.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 109 | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
General election 1831: Haddingtonshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | James Balfour | 40 | 78.4 | +21.6 |
| | Whig | David Baird | 11 | 21.6 | −21.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 29 | 56.8 | +43.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51 | 46.8 | −21.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 109 | | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Swing | +21.6 | |
General election 1832: Haddingtonshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | James Balfour | 271 | 53.9 | −24.5 |
| | Whig | David Baird | 232 | 46.1 | +24.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 39 | 7.8 | −49.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 503 | 81.5 | +34.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 617 | | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Swing | −24.5 | |
General election 1835: Haddingtonshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Robert Ferguson | 268 | 53.7 | +7.6 |
| | Conservative | John Thomas Hope | 231 | 46.3 | −7.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 37 | 7.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 499 | 76.9 | −4.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 649 | | |
| | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Swing | +7.6 | |
General election 1837: Haddingtonshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Broun-Ramsay | 299 | 59.0 | +12.7 |
| | Whig | Robert Ferguson | 208 | 41.0 | −12.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 91 | 18.0 | +10.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 507 | 70.6 | −6.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 718 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Swing | +12.7 | |
Broun-Ramsay succeeded to the peerage, becoming 10th Earl of Dalhousie and causing a by-election.
By-election, 14 April 1838: Haddingtonshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Thomas Buchan-Hepburn | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Haddingtonshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Thomas Buchan-Hepburn | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 740 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1847: Haddingtonshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Francis Charteris | 271 | 66.6 | N/A |
| | Whig | David Baird | 136 | 33.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 135 | 33.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 407 | 58.6 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 694 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Haddingtonshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Francis Charteris | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 716 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Charteris was appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 11 January 1853: Haddingtonshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Francis Charteris | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1857: Haddingtonshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Francis Charteris | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 715 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1859: Haddingtonshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Francis Charteris | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 680 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Haddingtonshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Francis Charteris | 285 | 64.2 | N/A |
| | Liberal | George Hope | 159 | 35.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 126 | 28.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 444 | 66.7 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 666 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1868: Haddingtonshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Francis Charteris | 405 | 54.4 | −9.8 |
| | Liberal | William Hay | 340 | 45.6 | +9.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 65 | 8.8 | −19.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 745 | 83.2 | +16.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 895 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −9.8 | |

### Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Haddingtonshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Francis Charteris | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 924 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Haddingtonshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Francis Charteris | 469 | 52.5 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Thomas Buchanan | 425 | 47.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 44 | 5.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 894 | 86.0 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,040 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
Charteris is elevated to the peerage, becoming Earl of Wemyss and March, causing a by-election.
By-election, 7 Feb 1883: Haddingtonshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Hugo Charteris | 492 | 55.2 | +2.7 |
| | Liberal | Robert Finlay | 400 | 44.8 | −2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 92 | 10.4 | +5.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 892 | 83.3 | −2.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,071 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +2.7 | |
General election 1885: Haddingtonshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Richard Haldane | 3,473 | 64.1 | +16.6 |
| | Conservative | Hugo Charteris | 1,945 | 35.9 | −16.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,528 | 28.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,418 | 83.5 | −2.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,487 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +16.6 | |
General election 1886: Haddingtonshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Richard Haldane | 2,677 | 61.0 | −3.1 |
| | Liberal Unionist | Philip Albert Myburgh | 1,714 | 39.0 | +3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 963 | 22.0 | −6.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,391 | 67.7 | −15.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,487 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | -3.1 | |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Haddingtonshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Richard Haldane | 2,551 | 53.1 | −7.9 |
| | Conservative | Walter Hepburne-Scott, 8th Lord Polwarth | 2,255 | 46.9 | +7.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 296 | 6.2 | −15.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,806 | 75.7 | +8.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,350 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | -7.9 | |
General election 1895: Haddingtonshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Richard Haldane | 2,774 | 55.8 | +2.7 |
| | Conservative | Walter Hepburne-Scott, 9th Lord Polwarth | 2,194 | 44.2 | −2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 580 | 11.6 | +5.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,968 | 78.6 | +2.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,320 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +2.7 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Haddingtonshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Richard Haldane | 2,668 | 53.8 | −2.0 |
| | Conservative | John Kerr | 2,290 | 46.2 | +2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 378 | 7.6 | −4.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,958 | 76.5 | −2.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,484 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −2.0 | |
General election 1906: Haddingtonshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Richard Haldane | 3,469 | 60.2 | +6.4 |
| | Liberal Unionist | Gerard Craig-Sellar | 2,289 | 39.8 | −6.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,180 | 20.4 | +12.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,758 | 79.7 | +3.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,224 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +6.4 | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Haddingtonshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Richard Haldane | 3,771 | 55.5 | −4.7 |
| | Conservative | Benjamin Blyth | 3,026 | 44.5 | +4.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 745 | 11.0 | −9.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,797 | 85.4 | +5.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,961 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −4.7 | |
General election December 1910: Haddingtonshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Richard Haldane | 3,845 | 54.9 | −0.6 |
| | Conservative | Benjamin Blyth | 3,158 | 45.1 | +0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 687 | 9.8 | −1.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,003 | 85.6 | +0.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,184 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −0.6 | |
1911 Haddingtonshire by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Hope | 3,652 | 53.4 | −1.5 |
| | Conservative | Benjamin Blyth | 3,184 | 46.6 | +1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 468 | 6.8 | −3.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,836 | 83.5 | −2.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,184 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | -1.5 | |
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: John Hope
* Unionist: Hugh Macmillan