# Wigtownshire (UK Parliament constituency)

Wigtownshire, was a Scottish constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918. It was represented by one Member of Parliament.

## 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 Wigtownshire which had previously been represented by two Shire Commissioners. The first British general election in Wigtownshire was in 1708. In 1707–08, members of the 1702–1707 Parliament of Scotland were co-opted to serve in the 1st Parliament of Great Britain. See Scottish representatives to the 1st Parliament of Great Britain, for further details.

## Boundaries

Wigtownshire was a Scottish shire (later known as a county). The constituency included the whole shire, except that between 1708 and 1885 the burghs of Stranraer, New Galloway, Whithorn and Wigtown, formed part of the Wigtown Burghs constituency.

## History

The constituency elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system until the seat was abolished in 1918.
In 1918 the Wigtownshire area was combined with Kirkcudbrightshire to form the Galloway constituency.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Election | Member | Party | Notes |
| | 1708, 17 June | John Stewart (c 1670–1748) | | |
| | 1710, 10 November | Patrick Vanse | | Unseated on petition |
| | 1711, 3 March | John Stewart (c 1670–1748) | | Seated on petition |
| | 1727, 21 September | William Dalrymple | |
| | 1741, 15 May | James Stewart (c 1699–1768) | | |
| | 1747, 31 July | John Stewart (?-c 1769) | | |
| | 1754, 2 May | James Stewart | | |
| | 1761, 23 April | John Hamilton | | Resigned |
| | 1762, 18 March | James Murray | | Of Cally and Broughton |
| | 1768, 22 April | Keith Stewart | | Appointed Receiver of Land Taxation for Scotland |
| | 1784, 17 September | Andrew McDouall | | Returned at a by-election |
| | 1796, 17 June | William Stewart | | |
| | 1802, 27 July | Andrew McDouall | | Resigned |
| | 1805, 15 April | William Maxwell | Tory | Returned at a by-election |
| | 1812, 28 October | Sir William Stewart | | Resigned |
| | 1816, 2 August | James Hunter-Blair | | Returned at a by-election; resigned |
| | 1822, 30 July | Sir William Maxwell | Tory | Returned at a by-election |
| | 1830, 17 August | Sir Andrew Agnew, 7th Baronet | Whig | |
| | 1837, 5 August | James Blair | Conservative | |
| | 1841, 15 July | John Dalrymple Viscount Dalrymple (from 1853) | Whig | Resigned; the 10th Earl of Stair from 1864 |
| | 1856, 9 February | Sir Andrew Agnew, 8th Baronet | Whig | Returned at a by-election; joined the Liberal Party |
| | 1859 | Sir Andrew Agnew, 8th Baronet | Liberal | |
| | 1868, 21 November | Alan Stewart, Lord Garlies | Conservative | Succeeded as the 10th Earl of Galloway |
| | 1873, 24 February | Robert Vans-Agnew | Conservative | Returned at a by-election |
| | 1880, 10 April | Sir Herbert Maxwell, 7th Baronet | Conservative | |
| | 1906, 23 January | John Dalrymple, Viscount Dalrymple | Conservative | Succeeded as the 12th Earl of Stair |
| | 1915, 12 February | Hon. Hew Hamilton Dalrymple | Conservative | Returned at a by-election |
| 1918 | 1918 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |

## Pre-1832 election results
### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Wigtownshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Andrew Agnew | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 70 | |
| | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory |
General election 1831: Wigtownshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Andrew Agnew | 17 | 51.5 |
| | Whig | Hugh Hathorn | 16 | 48.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1 | 3.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 33 | 47.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 70 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |

## Election results 1832-1868
### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1832: Wigtownshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Andrew Agnew | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 845 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1835: Wigtownshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Andrew Agnew | 340 | 54.3 |
| | Conservative | James Blair | 228 | 36.4 |
| | Radical | John Douglas | 58 | 9.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 112 | 17.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 626 | 71.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 875 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1837: Wigtownshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Blair | 362 | 53.6 | +17.2 |
| | Whig | Alexander Murray | 314 | 46.4 | −7.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 48 | 7.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 676 | 80.7 | +9.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 838 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Swing | +12.6 | |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Wigtownshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | John Dalrymple | 403 | 50.4 | +4.0 |
| | Conservative | James Blair | 397 | 49.6 | −4.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6 | 0.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 800 | 77.0 | −3.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,039 | | |
| | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Swing | +4.0 | |
General election 1847: Wigtownshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | John Dalrymple | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,095 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Wigtownshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | John Dalrymple | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,272 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
Dalrymple resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Manor of Northstead, causing a by-election.
By-election, 9 February 1856: Wigtownshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Andrew Agnew | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1857: Wigtownshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Andrew Agnew | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,357 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1859: Wigtownshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Andrew Agnew | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,464 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Wigtownshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Andrew Agnew | 484 | 51.5 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Alan Stewart | 456 | 48.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 28 | 3.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 940 | 86.5 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,087 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |

## Election results 1868-1880
### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1868: Wigtownshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alan Stewart | 719 | 52.4 | +3.9 |
| | Liberal | Andrew Agnew | 652 | 47.6 | −3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 67 | 4.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,371 | 90.4 | +3.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,517 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +3.9 | |

### Elections in the 1870s

Stewart succeeded to the peerage, becoming Earl of Galloway.
By-election, 24 Feb 1873: Wigtownshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Vans-Agnew | 713 | 52.1 | −0.3 |
| | Liberal | John Dalrymple | 656 | 47.9 | +0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 57 | 4.2 | −0.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,369 | 88.4 | −2.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,549 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −0.3 | |
General election 1874: Wigtownshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Vans-Agnew | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,553 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Wigtownshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Herbert Maxwell | 768 | 51.5 | N/A |
| | Liberal | John Dalrymple | 722 | 48.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 46 | 3.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,490 | 89.9 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,657 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |

## Election results 1885-1918
### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1885: Wigtownshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Herbert Maxwell | 2,704 | 50.7 | −0.8 |
| | Liberal | Hew Hamilton Dalrymple | 2,625 | 49.3 | +0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 79 | 1.4 | −1.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,329 | 88.8 | −1.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,004 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -0.8 | |
General election 1886: Wigtownshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Herbert Maxwell | 2,920 | 62.9 | +12.2 |
| | Liberal | John Phillips Coldstream | 1,719 | 37.1 | −12.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,201 | 25.8 | +24.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,639 | 77.3 | −11.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,004 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +12.2 | |
In July 1886, Sir Herbert Maxwell accepted office as a Junior Lord of the Treasury, causing a by-election.
By-election, 12 Aug 1886: Wigtownshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Herbert Maxwell | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Wigtownshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Herbert Maxwell | 2,895 | 63.4 | +0.5 |
| | Liberal | John Phillips Coldstream | 1,670 | 36.6 | −0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,225 | 26.8 | +1.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,565 | 81.3 | +4.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,613 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.5 | |
General election 1895: Wigtownshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Herbert Maxwell | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Wigtownshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Herbert Maxwell | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1906: Wigtownshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Dalrymple | 2,866 | 57.4 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Walter Waring | 2,127 | 42.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 739 | 14.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,993 | 87.6 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,698 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Wigtownshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Dalrymple | 2,777 | 56.5 | −0.9 |
| | Liberal | Ian Macpherson | 2,142 | 43.5 | +0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 635 | 13.0 | −1.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,919 | 86.6 | −1.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -0.9 | |
General election December 1910: Wigtownshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Dalrymple | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
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;
* Unionist:
* Liberal:
At the 1915 Wigtownshire by-election, Hew Hamilton Dalrymple (Conservative) was returned unopposed on 12 February 1915.