# Kirkcudbright Stewartry (UK Parliament constituency)

Kirkcudbright Stewartry, later known as Kirkcudbright or Kirkcudbrightshire, 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 (MP).

## 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 Kirkcudbright Stewartry. The first election in the stewartry 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

The Stewartry of Kirkcudbright was a Scottish stewartry (later considered to be a county and sometimes called Kirkcudbrightshire), which had been represented by two commissioners in the former Parliament of Scotland. The constituency included the whole stewartry, except for the Royal burghs of Kirkcudbright (which formed part of the Dumfries Burghs constituency) and New Galloway (which between 1708 and 1885 was included in the Wigtown Burghs district). In 1918 the area was combined with Wigtownshire to form the Galloway constituency.

## History

The constituency elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system until the seat was abolished in 1918.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| | 25 June 1708 | John Stewart | |
| | 17 February 1715 | Alexander Murray | |
| | 14 September 1727 | Patrick Heron | |
| | 22 May 1741 | Basil Hamilton | |
| | 31 December 1742 | John Maxwell | |
| | 30 July 1747 | John Ross Mackye | |
| | 19 April 1768 | James Murray | |
| | 2 November 1774 | William Stewart | |
| | 9 October 1780 | Peter Johnston | |
| | 6 April 1781 | John Gordon | |
| | 6 February 1782 | Peter Johnston | |
| | 16 August 1786 | Alexander Stewart | |
| | 23 March 1795 | Patrick Heron | Whig |
| | 10 May 1803 | Montgomery Granville John Stewart | Conservative |
| | 2 November 1812 | James Dunlop | |
| | 1826 | Robert Cutlar Fergusson | Whig |
| | 1838 | Alexander Murray | Whig |
| | 1845 | Thomas Maitland | Whig |
| | 1850 | John Mackie | Whig |
| | 1857 | James Mackie | Whig |
| | 1859 | James Mackie | Liberal |
| | 1868 | Wellwood Herries Maxwell | Liberal |
| | 1874 | John Maitland | Liberal |
| | 1880 | John Heron-Maxwell | Liberal |
| | 1885 | Sir Mark MacTaggart-Stewart | Conservative |
| | 1906 | Gilbert McMicking | Liberal |
| | Jan 1910 | Sir Mark MacTaggart-Stewart | Conservative |
| | Dec 1910 | Gilbert McMicking | Liberal |
| 1918 | 1918 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |

## Elections
### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Kirkcudbrightshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Robert Cutlar Fergusson | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 161 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1831: Kirkcudbrightshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Robert Cutlar Fergusson | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 161 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1832: Kirkcudbrightshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Robert Cutlar Fergusson | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,059 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
Fergusson was appointed Judge-Advocate General of the Armed Forces, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 3 July 1834: Kirkcudbrightshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Robert Cutlar Fergusson | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1835: Kirkcudbrightshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Robert Cutlar Fergusson | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,079 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
Fergusson was appointed Judge-Advocate General of the Armed Forces, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 2 May 1835: Kirkcudbrightshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Robert Cutlar Fergusson | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1837: Kirkcudbrightshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Robert Cutlar Fergusson | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,119 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
Fergusson's death caused a by-election.
By-election, 31 December 1838: Kirkcudbrightshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Alexander Murray | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Kirkcudbrightshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Alexander Murray | 672 | 73.0 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Thomas Maxwell | 249 | 27.0 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 423 | 46.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 921 | 69.1 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,326 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |
Murray's death caused a by-election.
By-election, 20 August 1845: Kirkcudbrightshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Thomas Maitland | 486 | 58.6 | −14.4 |
| | Conservative | James McDouall | 344 | 41.4 | +14.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 142 | 17.2 | −28.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 830 | 61.5 | −7.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,349 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | −14.4 | |
Maitland was appointed Solicitor General for Scotland, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 17 July 1846: Kirkcudbrightshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Thomas Maitland | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General Election 1847: Kirkcudbrightshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Thomas Maitland | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,351 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |

### Elections in the 1850s

Maitland resigned after being appointed a senator of the College of Justice, becoming Lord Dundrennan and causing a by-election.
By-election, 20 February 1850: Kirkcudbrightshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | John Mackie | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1852: Kirkcudbrightshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | John Mackie | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,326 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1857: Kirkcudbrightshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | James Mackie | 365 | 52.4 | N/A |
| | Independent Whig | George Maxwell | 332 | 47.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 33 | 4.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 697 | 53.1 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,312 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1859: Kirkcudbrightshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | James Mackie | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,573 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Kirkcudbrightshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | James Mackie | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,353 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
Mackie's death caused a by-election.
By-election, 30 January 1868: Kirkcudbrightshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Wellwood Herries Maxwell | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1868: Kirkcudbrightshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Wellwood Herries Maxwell | 932 | 57.0 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Robert Hannay | 703 | 43.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 229 | 14.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,635 | 84.3 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,940 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Kirkcudbrightshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Maitland | 835 | 50.1 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Horatio Granville Murray Stewart | 831 | 49.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4 | 0.2 | −13.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,666 | 83.5 | −0.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,996 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Kirkcudbrightshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Heron-Maxwell | 982 | 50.5 | +0.4 |
| | Conservative | Horatio Granville Murray Stewart | 961 | 49.5 | −0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 21 | 1.0 | +0.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,943 | 88.2 | +4.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,204 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +0.4 | |
General election 1885: Kirkcudbrightshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mark MacTaggart-Stewart | 2,526 | 50.3 | +0.8 |
| | Liberal | Alexander Young | 2,492 | 49.7 | −0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 34 | 0.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,018 | 87.7 | −0.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,720 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +0.8 | |
General election 1886: Kirkcudbrightshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mark MacTaggart-Stewart | 2,471 | 50.7 | +0.4 |
| | Liberal | Alexander Young | 2,406 | 49.3 | −0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 65 | 1.4 | +0.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,877 | 85.3 | −2.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,720 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.4 | |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Kirkcudbrightshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mark Stewart | 2,485 | 50.3 | −0.4 |
| | Liberal | Alexander Young | 2,454 | 49.7 | +0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 31 | 0.6 | −0.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,939 | 86.6 | +1.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,700 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -0.4 | |
General election 1895: Kirkcudbrightshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mark MacTaggart-Stewart | 2,664 | 51.6 | +1.3 |
| | Liberal | John Archibald Duncan | 2,494 | 48.4 | −1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 170 | 3.2 | +2.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,158 | 88.3 | +1.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,842 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.3 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Kirkcudbrightshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mark MacTaggart-Stewart | 2,784 | 56.1 | +4.5 |
| | Liberal | Robert Hippisley Cox | 2,181 | 43.9 | −4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 603 | 12.2 | +9.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,965 | 84.9 | −3.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,846 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +4.5 | |
General election 1906: Kirkcudbrightshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Gilbert McMicking | 2,715 | 52.9 | +9.0 |
| | Conservative | Mark MacTaggart-Stewart | 2,418 | 47.1 | −9.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 297 | 5.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,133 | 88.1 | +3.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,829 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +9.0 | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Kirkcudbrightshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mark MacTaggart-Stewart | 2,661 | 50.4 | +3.3 |
| | Liberal | Gilbert McMicking | 2,620 | 49.6 | −3.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 41 | 0.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,281 | 89.8 | +1.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,963 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +3.3 | |
General election December 1910: Kirkcudbrightshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Gilbert McMicking | 2,817 | 51.8 | +2.2 |
| | Conservative | Ronald McNeill | 2,625 | 48.2 | −2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 192 | 3.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,442 | 91.3 | +1.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,963 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +2.2 | |
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: Gilbert McMicking
* Unionist: