# South Ayrshire (UK Parliament constituency)

South Ayrshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1868 until 1983, when it was abolished. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP), elected by the first past the post voting system.

## Boundaries

The Representation of the People (Scotland) Act 1868 provided that the new South Ayrshire constituency was to consist of the District of Kyle and Carrick, consisting of the parishes of Auchinleck, Ayr, Ballantrae, Barr, Colmonell, Coylton, Craigie, Dailly, Dalmellington, Dalrymple, Dundonald, Galston, Girvan, Kirkmichael, Kirkoswald, Mauchline, Maybole, Monkton and Prestwick, Muirkirk, New Cumnock, Newton-on-Ayr, Ochiltree, Old Cumnock, Riccarton, St Quivox, Sorn, Stair, Straiton, Symington and Tarbolton, minus the burghs of Ayr, Prestwick and Troon, which formed a part of the Ayr Burghs constituency.
From 1918 the constituency consisted of "The county districts of Ayr and Carrick, inclusive of all burghs situated therein except insofar as included in the Ayr District of Burghs."

## Members of Parliament

| Year | Year | Member | Whip |
| | 1868 | constituency created, see Ayrshire | constituency created, see Ayrshire |
| | 1868 | Sir David Wedderburn | Liberal |
| | 1874 | Claud Alexander | Conservative |
| | 1885 | Eugene Wason | Liberal |
| | 1886 | Greville Vernon | Liberal Unionist |
| | 1892 | Eugene Wason | Liberal |
| | 1895 | Sir William Arrol | Liberal Unionist |
| | 1906 | Sir William Beale | Liberal |
| | 1918 | James Brown | Labour |
| | 1931 | James MacAndrew | Unionist |
| | 1935 | James Brown | Labour |
| | 1939 | Alexander Sloan | Labour |
| | 1946 | Emrys Hughes | Labour |
| | 1970 | Jim Sillars | Labour |
| | 1976 | Jim Sillars | Scottish Labour |
| | 1979 | George Foulkes | Labour |
| 1983 | 1983 | constituency abolished, see Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley | constituency abolished, see Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley |

## Election results
### Election in the 1860s

General election 1868: South Ayrshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | David Wedderburn | 1,416 | 50.4 | |
| | Conservative | Claud Alexander | 1,391 | 49.6 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 25 | 0.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,807 | 83.3 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,370 | | |
| | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) |

### Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: South Ayrshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Claud Alexander | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,547 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: South Ayrshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Claud Alexander | 1,830 | 53.6 | N/A |
| | Liberal | North de Coigny Dalrymple-Hamilton | 1,583 | 46.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 247 | 7.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,413 | 88.3 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,865 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1885: South Ayrshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Eugene Wason | 7,357 | 55.3 | +8.9 |
| | Conservative | Claud Alexander | 5,447 | 44.7 | −8.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,411 | 10.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,303 | 88.0 | −0.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 15,109 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +8.9 | |
General election 1886: South Ayrshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | Greville Vernon | 6,123 | 50.0 | +5.3 |
| | Liberal | Eugene Wason | 6,118 | 50.0 | −5.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5 | 0.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,241 | 81.0 | −7.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 15,109 | | |
| | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | +5.3 | |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: South Ayrshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Eugene Wason | 6,535 | 50.8 | +0.8 |
| | Liberal Unionist | William Arrol | 6,338 | 49.2 | −0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 197 | 1.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,873 | 86.3 | +5.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 14,912 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist | Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist | Swing | +0.8 | |
General election 1895: South Ayrshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | William Arrol | 6,875 | 52.1 | +2.9 |
| | Liberal | Eugene Wason | 6,325 | 47.9 | −2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 550 | 4.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,200 | 85.4 | −0.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 15,463 | | |
| | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | +2.9 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: South Ayrshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | William Arrol | 6,615 | 53.5 | +1.4 |
| | Liberal | Edward Alexander James Johnson-Ferguson | 5,753 | 46.5 | −1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 862 | 7.0 | +2.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,368 | 77.6 | −7.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 15,941 | | |
| | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Swing | +1.4 | |
General election 1906: South Ayrshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | William Beale | 7,853 | 54.3 | +7.8 |
| | Conservative | James J. Bell | 6,611 | 45.7 | −7.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,242 | 8.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,464 | 82.7 | +5.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 17,497 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist | Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist | Swing | +7.8 | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: South Ayrshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | William Beale | 8,833 | 56.5 | +2.2 |
| | Conservative | Thomas Walker McIntyre | 6,793 | 43.5 | −2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,040 | 13.0 | +4.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 15,626 | 85.5 | +2.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 18,272 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +2.2 | |
General election December 1910: South Ayrshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | William Beale | 8,715 | 56.0 | −0.5 |
| | Conservative | Thomas Walker McIntyre | 6,835 | 44.0 | +0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,880 | 12.0 | −1.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 15,550 | 83.0 | −2.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 18,733 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | -0.5 | |
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: William Robertson
* Unionist:
* Labour: James Brown
General election 1918: South Ayrshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | James Brown | 6,358 | 37.3 | New |
| C | Unionist | John Buchanan Pollok-McCall | 5,495 | 32.2 | −11.8 |
| | Liberal | William Robertson | 4,555 | 26.7 | −29.3 |
| | Ind. Unionist | Hugh Robert Wallace | 627 | 3.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 863 | 5.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 17,035 | | |
| | Labour gain from Liberal | Labour gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: South Ayrshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | James Brown | 11,511 | 55.63 |
| | National Liberal | William Reid (Scottish politician) | 9,180 | 44.37 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,331 | 11.26 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 20,691 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
General election 1923: South Ayrshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | James Brown | 11,169 | 55.91 | +0.28 |
| | Unionist | Charles Fergusson | 8,807 | 44.09 | −0.28 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,362 | 11.82 | +0.56 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 19,976 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1924: South Ayrshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | James Brown | 11,313 | 50.39 | −5.52 |
| | Unionist | C.I.A. Dubs | 11,136 | 49.61 | +5.52 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 177 | 0.78 | −11.04 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 22,449 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1929: South Ayrshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | James Brown | 16,981 | 58.1 | +7.7 |
| | Unionist | C.I.A. Dubs | 12,240 | 41.9 | −7.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,741 | 16.2 | +15.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 29,221 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: South Ayrshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | James MacAndrew | 16,675 | 54.84 | |
| | Labour | James Brown | 13,733 | 45.16 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,942 | 9.68 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 30,408 | 79.27 | |
| | Unionist gain from Labour | Unionist gain from Labour | Swing | | |
General election 1935: South Ayrshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | James Brown | 18,190 | 57.61 | |
| | Unionist | James MacAndrew | 13,386 | 42.39 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,804 | 15.22 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 31,576 | 78.03 | |
| | Labour gain from Unionist | Labour gain from Unionist | Swing | | |
By-election 1939: South Ayrshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Alexander Sloan | 17,908 | 57.97 | +0.36 |
| | Unionist | Catherine Gavin | 12,986 | 42.03 | −0.36 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,922 | 15.94 | +0.72 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 30,894 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: South Ayrshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Alexander Sloan | 21,235 | 61.34 |
| | Unionist | Robert Mathew | 13,382 | 38.66 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,853 | 22.68 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,617 | 75.17 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
1946 South Ayrshire by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Emrys Hughes | 20,434 | 60.43 | −0.91 |
| | Unionist | Robert Mathew | 13,382 | 39.57 | +0.91 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,052 | 20.86 | −1.84 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 33,816 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1950: South Ayrshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Emrys Hughes | 22,284 | 60.23 | −1.11 |
| | Unionist | JC George | 14,717 | 39.77 | +1.11 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,567 | 20.46 | −2.22 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 37,001 | 85.35 | +10.18 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 43,350 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -1.1 | |
General election 1951: South Ayrshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Emrys Hughes | 22,576 | 60.50 | +0.27 |
| | Unionist | Derek MH Smith | 14,740 | 39.50 | −0.27 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,836 | 21.00 | +0.54 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 37,316 | 82.93 | −2.42 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 44,999 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +0.27 | |
General election 1955: South Ayrshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Emrys Hughes | 21,778 | 61.61 | +1.11 |
| | Unionist | Derek MH Smith | 13,569 | 38.39 | −1.11 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,209 | 23.22 | +2.22 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,347 | 76.83 | −6.10 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 46,007 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.11 | |
General election 1959: South Ayrshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Emrys Hughes | 24,774 | 63.72 | +2.11 |
| | Unionist | William Hill Hunter | 14,105 | 36.28 | −2.11 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,669 | 27.44 | +4.22 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,879 | 80.89 | +4.06 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 48,063 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.11 | |

### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1964: South Ayrshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Emrys Hughes | 24,795 | 66.68 | +2.96 |
| | Unionist | William Hill Hunter | 12,403 | 33.32 | −2.96 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,403 | 33.36 | +5.92 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 37,187 | 77.58 | −3.31 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +3.0 | |
General election 1966: South Ayrshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Emrys Hughes | 23,495 | 67.25 | +0.57 |
| | Conservative | Christopher Graves | 11,442 | 32.75 | −0.57 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,053 | 34.50 | +1.14 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,937 | 75.13 | −2.45 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +0.5 | |

### Elections in the 1970s

1970 South Ayrshire by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jim Sillars | 20,664 | 52.7 | −14.6 |
| | Conservative | Christopher Graves | 9,778 | 24.9 | −7.8 |
| | SNP | Samuel H. Purdie | 7,785 | 19.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,886 | 27.8 | −6.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,227 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1970: South Ayrshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jim Sillars | 23,910 | 61.8 | −5.4 |
| | Conservative | Norman Simpson | 11,675 | 30.2 | −2.5 |
| | SNP | Samuel H. Purdie | 3,102 | 8.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,235 | 31.6 | −2.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,687 | 76.7 | +1.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election February 1974: South Ayrshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jim Sillars | 23,093 | 57.2 | −4.6 |
| | Conservative | Robert Colquhoun | 10,643 | 26.4 | −3.8 |
| | SNP | Roger Mullin | 6,612 | 16.4 | +8.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,450 | 30.8 | −0.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,438 | 79.5 | +2.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −0.4 | |
General election October 1974: South Ayrshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jim Sillars | 22,329 | 56.2 | −1.0 |
| | SNP | Roger Mullin | 7,851 | 19.8 | +3.4 |
| | Conservative | J Armstrong | 7,402 | 18.6 | −7.8 |
| | Liberal | Richard Mabon | 2,130 | 5.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,478 | 36.4 | +5.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,712 | 77.4 | −2.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −2.2 | |
General election 1979: South Ayrshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | George Foulkes | 14,271 | 35.2 | −21.0 |
| | SLP | Jim Sillars | 12,750 | 31.5 | −24.7 |
| | Conservative | G. Young | 10,287 | 25.4 | +6.8 |
| | SNP | Colin Cameron | 3,233 | 8.0 | −11.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,521 | 3.7 | −32.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,541 | 79.9 | +2.5 |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Swing | −26.2 | |