# West Aberdeenshire (UK Parliament constituency)

West (or Western) Aberdeenshire was a Scottish county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1868 to 1918 and from 1950 to 1983. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.
During the period 1918 to 1950, the area of the constituency was divided between West Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire and Central Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire.
In 1983, the West Aberdeenshire constituency was replaced by Kincardine and Deeside.

## Boundaries
### Western Aberdeenshire, 1885 to 1918
#### 1868 to 1885

When created by the Representation of the People (Scotland) Act 1868, and first used in the 1868 general election, the Western Aberdeenshire constituency was nominally one of three covering the county of Aberdeen. The other two were the county constituency of Eastern Aberdeenshire and the burgh constituency of Aberdeen. The county had been covered previously by the Aberdeenshire constituency and the Aberdeen constituency.
Western Aberdeenshire was defined by the 1868 legislation as consisting of the parishes of Aboyne and Glentanner, Alford, Auchindoir and Kearn, Auchterless, Birse, Chapel of Garioch, Clatt, Cluny, Coull, Crathie and Braemar, Culsalmond, Drumblade, Dyce, Echt, Forgue, Glenbucket, Glenmuick, Tullich and Glengairn, Huntly, Insch, Inverurie, Keig, Kemnay, Kildrummy, Kincardine O'Neil, Kinnellar, Kennethmont, Kintore, Leochel-Cushnie, Leslie, Logie-Coldstone, Lumphanan, Midmar, Monymusk, Newhills, Oyne, Peterculter, Premnay, Rayne, Rhynie, Skene, Strathdon, Tarland and Migvie, Tough, Towie, Tullynesle and Forbes, together with the part of the parish of Old Machar lying west of the River Don, and the parts of the parishes of Banchory-Devenick, Cabrach, Cairnie, Drumoak and Glass within the County of Aberdeen, and the parish of Gartly in Banffshire.
1868 boundaries were also used in the 1874 general election and the 1880 general election.

#### 1885 to 1918

For the 1885 general election the burgh constituencies of Aberdeen North and Aberdeen South were created. Both of these new constituencies included areas beyond the boundaries of the burgh of Aberdeen.
1885 boundaries were also used in the 1886 general election, the 1892 general election, the 1895 general election, the 1900 general election, the 1906 general election, the January 1910 general election and the December 1910 general election.
County boundaries were redefined under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889, and the county of city of Aberdeen was created in 1900, but these developments did not affect constituency boundaries.
In 1918, the Representation of the People Act 1918 created new constituency boundaries, taking account of new local government boundaries, and grouped the county of Aberdeen, the county of city of Aberdeen and the county of Kincardine in the creation of new constituencies for the 1918 general election. Thus the Western Aberdeenshire area was divided between West Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire and Central Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire.

### West Aberdeenshire, 1950 to 1983
#### 1950 to 1955

The House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act 1949 created new boundaries for the 1950 general election, and West Aberdeenshire was created as one of four constituencies covering the county of Aberdeen and the county of city of Aberdeen. West Aberdeenshire and East Aberdeenshire were entirely within the county of Aberdeen, and Aberdeen North and Aberdeen South were entirely within the county of city of Aberdeen. West Aberdeenshire consisted of the burghs of Ballater, Inverurie, Kintore, and Oldmeldrum, and the districts of Aberdeen, Alford, Deeside, and Garioch.
The same boundaries were used for the 1951 general election.

#### 1955 to 1983

For the 1955 general election, West Aberdeenshire was enlarged to include the burgh of Huntly and the district of Huntly, which were previously within East Aberdeenshire.
West Aberdeenshire retained the same boundaries for the 1959 general election, the 1964 general election, the 1966 general election, the 1970 general election, the February 1974 general election and the October 1974 general election.
In 1975, throughout Scotland, under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, counties and burghs were abolished as local government areas, and West Aberdeenshire became a constituency within the Grampian region.
The 1979 general election was held before a review of constituency boundaries took account of new local government boundaries.
For the 1983 general election, the West Aberdeenshire constituency was replaced by Kincardine and Deeside.

## Members of Parliament
### Western Aberdeenshire, 1868 to 1918

| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| | 1868 | William McCombie | Liberal |
| | 1876 | Lord Douglas Gordon | Liberal |
| | 1880 | Robert Farquharson | Liberal |
| | 1906 | John Henderson | Liberal |
| 1918 | 1918 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |

### West Aberdeenshire, 1950 to 1983

| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| | 1950 | Henry Spence | Unionist |
| | 1959 | Forbes Hendry | Conservative |
| | 1966 | James Davidson | Liberal |
| | 1970 | Colin Mitchell | Conservative |
| | Feb 1974 | Sir Russell Fairgrieve | Conservative |
| 1983 | 1983 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |

## Election results 1868-1918
### Elections in the 1860s

1868 general election: Aberdeenshire Western :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | William McCombie | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,081 | | |
| | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) |

### Elections in the 1870s

1874 general election: West Aberdeenshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | William McCombie | 2,401 | 88.0 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Edward Ross | 326 | 12.0 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,075 | 76.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,727 | 69.0 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,954 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | | |
McCombie resigned, causing a by-election.
By-election 1876: West Aberdeenshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Douglas Gordon | 2,343 | 74.2 | −13.8 |
| | Conservative | Col. Thomas Innes of Learney | 813 | 25.8 | +13.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,530 | 48.4 | −27.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,156 | 80.9 | +11.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,899 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | -13.8 | |

### Elections in the 1880s

1880 general election: Aberdeenshire Western :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Farquharson | 2,390 | 69.6 | −18.4 |
| | Conservative | William Forbes | 1,042 | 30.4 | +18.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,348 | 39.2 | −36.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,432 | 82.6 | +13.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,155 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | -18.4 | |
1885 general election: Aberdeenshire Western :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Farquharson | 4,248 | 54.6 | −15.0 |
| | Conservative | Francis Hugh Irvine, jun. | 2,010 | 25.8 | −4.6 |
| | Scottish Farmers' Alliance | Quintin Kerr | 1,530 | 19.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,238 | 28.8 | −10.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,788 | 76.8 | −5.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,144 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −5.3 | |
1886 general election: Aberdeenshire Western :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Farquharson | 3,854 | 69.9 | +15.3 |
| | Conservative | Francis Hugh Irvine, jun. | 1,657 | 30.1 | +4.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,197 | 39.8 | +11.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,511 | 54.3 | −22.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,144 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +5.5 | |

### Elections in the 1890s

1892 general election: Aberdeenshire Western :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Farquharson | 3,720 | 50.5 | −19.4 |
| | Conservative | Arthur Henry Grant | 3,640 | 49.5 | +19.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 80 | 1.0 | −38.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,360 | 73.4 | +19.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,027 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | -19.4 | |
1895 general election: Aberdeenshire Western :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Farquharson | 4,187 | 51.3 | +0.8 |
| | Conservative | Arthur Henry Grant | 3,967 | 48.7 | −0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 220 | 2.6 | +1.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,154 | 79.9 | +6.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,208 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +0.8 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

1900 general election: Aberdeenshire Western :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Farquharson | 4,352 | 57.5 | +6.2 |
| | Conservative | Arthur Henry Grant | 3,213 | 42.5 | −6.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,139 | 15.0 | +12.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,565 | 71.0 | −8.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,656 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +6.2 | |
1906 general election: Aberdeenshire Western :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Henderson | 5,949 | 68.1 | +10.6 |
| | Conservative | Ronald McNeill | 2,791 | 31.9 | −10.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,158 | 36.2 | +21.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,740 | 81.7 | +10.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,704 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +10.6 | |

### Elections in the 1910s

January 1910 general election: Aberdeenshire Western :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Henderson | 5,901 | 64.9 | −3.2 |
| | Unionist | George Smith | 3,194 | 35.1 | +3.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,707 | 29.8 | −6.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,095 | 83.8 | +2.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,848 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −3.2 | |
December 1910 general election: Aberdeenshire Western :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Henderson | 5,415 | 62.6 | −2.3 |
| | Unionist | George Smith | 3,232 | 37.4 | +2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,183 | 25.2 | −4.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,647 | 79.2 | −4.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,914 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | -2.3 | |

## Election results 1950-79
### Elections in the 1950s

1950 general election: West Aberdeenshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Henry Spence | 17,550 | 55.6 | |
| | Labour | Tom Oswald | 7,298 | 23.1 | |
| | Liberal | Ivor Davies | 6,740 | 21.3 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,252 | 32.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 31,588 | 80.8 | |
| | Unionist win (new seat) | Unionist win (new seat) | Unionist win (new seat) | Unionist win (new seat) | Unionist win (new seat) |
1951 general election: West Aberdeenshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Henry Spence | 17,761 | 55.2 | −0.4 |
| | Labour | Norman Hogg | 7,278 | 22.6 | −0.5 |
| | Liberal | Maitland Mackie | 7,128 | 22.2 | +0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,483 | 32.6 | +0.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 32,167 | 78.3 | −2.5 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | | |
1955 general election: West Aberdeenshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Henry Spence | 20,216 | 59.1 | +3.9 |
| | Labour | Mary MacNeil | 9,288 | 27.1 | +4.5 |
| | Liberal | Ronnie Fraser | 4,705 | 13.8 | −8.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,928 | 31.9 | −0.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,209 | 72.6 | −5.7 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | | |
1959 general election: West Aberdeenshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Forbes Hendry | 22,937 | 68.5 | +9.4 |
| | Labour | William Kemp | 10,542 | 31.5 | +4.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,395 | 37.0 | +5.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 33,479 | 72.1 | −0.5 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1960s

1964 general election: West Aberdeenshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Forbes Hendry | 16,429 | 46.4 | −21.9 |
| | Liberal | James Davidson | 11,754 | 33.2 | New |
| | Labour | Kenneth A Munro | 7,203 | 20.4 | −11.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,675 | 13.2 | −23.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,386 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | | |
1966 general election: West Aberdeenshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | James Davidson | 15,151 | 43.2 | +10.0 |
| | Conservative | Forbes Hendry | 13,956 | 39.7 | −6.7 |
| | Labour | John Henderson | 6,008 | 17.1 | −3.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,195 | 3.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,115 | 76.3 | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +1.7 | |

### Elections in the 1970s

1970 general election: West Aberdeenshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Colin Mitchell | 18,396 | 46.6 | +6.9 |
| | Liberal | Laura Grimond | 12,847 | 32.5 | −10.7 |
| | Labour | Walter William Hay | 6,141 | 15.5 | −1.6 |
| | SNP | John Gerard McKinlay | 2,112 | 5.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,549 | 14.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,496 | 75.0 | −1.3 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +4.5 | |
February 1974 general election: Aberdeenshire West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Russell Fairgrieve | 17,256 | 38.9 | −7.7 |
| | Liberal | David C.P. Gracie | 15,616 | 35.2 | +2.7 |
| | SNP | Nicol Suttar | 6,827 | 15.4 | +10.1 |
| | Labour | C. William Ellis | 4,661 | 10.5 | −5.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,640 | 3.7 | −10.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,573 | 81.1 | +6.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
October 1974 general election: Aberdeenshire West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Russell Fairgrieve | 15,111 | 35.7 | −3.2 |
| | Liberal | David C.P. Gracie | 12,643 | 29.9 | −5.3 |
| | SNP | Nicol Suttar | 9,409 | 22.2 | +6.8 |
| | Labour | C. William Ellis | 5,185 | 12.2 | +1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,468 | 5.8 | +2.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,573 | 76.5 | −4.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
1979 general election: Aberdeenshire West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Russell Fairgrieve | 21,086 | 40.9 | +5.2 |
| | Liberal | Malcolm Bruce | 18,320 | 35.5 | +5.6 |
| | Labour | George Grant | 7,907 | 15.3 | +3.1 |
| | SNP | John Hulbert | 4,260 | 8.3 | −13.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,766 | 5.4 | −0.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,573 | 75.9 | −0.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |