# Armagh (UK Parliament constituency)

54°20′53″N 6°39′22″W﻿ / ﻿54.348°N 6.656°W﻿ / 54.348; -6.656
Armagh or County Armagh is a former county constituency in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. It was a two-member constituency in Ireland from 1801 to 1885 and a single-member constituency in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 1950. It was replaced in boundary changes in 1983.

## History and boundaries

County Armagh had been represented by two seats in the Irish House of Commons. From 1 January 1801, when the Acts of Union 1800 came into effect, it was represented by a county constituency with two MPs in the United Kingdom House of Commons. It consisted of County Armagh, except the parts in the parliamentary borough constituencies of Armagh City and Newry. The borough of Charlemont was disfranchised in 1801. The First Parliament of the United Kingdom in 1801 was composed all members of the parliament of Great Britain and members continuing from areas which were enfranchised in Ireland.
Catholics were excluded from taking seats until the enactment of the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829. Under the Parliamentary Elections (Ireland) Act 1829, the traditional county 40 shilling freehold landowning qualification was changed to a £10 qualification (which was an increase to five times the previous level). Before the Representation of the People Act 1884, there was a restrictive property-based franchise. It was not until the householder franchise was introduced for county elections, in the electoral reforms which took effect in 1885, that most (but not all) adult males became voters. In these circumstances, most members of parliament came from a limited number of Protestant aristocratic and gentry families. There were few contested elections.
In the first half-century or so after the union, the constituency was fairly evenly balanced between Whig/Liberal and Tory/Conservative parties. Thereafter the area became more Conservative.
In 1885, under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, it was split into Mid Armagh, North Armagh and South Armagh.
In 1922, following the establishment of the Parliament of Northern Ireland, the number of seats in Northern Ireland at Westminster was cut from 30 to 13 under the Government of Ireland Act 1920. The single-seat constituency of Armagh consisted of the entirety of County Armagh. From its inception, Armagh had a unionist majority, though by the 1970s the nationalist vote was in the mid-30s%. In 1951, it was one of the last four seats to be uncontested in a UK general election, and in 1954 it saw the last uncontested by-election in the UK. In 1974 the Ulster Unionist Party repudiated the Sunningdale Agreement and so did not reselect the pro-Sunningdale MP, John Maginnis. Instead, they ran Harold McCusker, who held the seat until 1983. He was then elected for Upper Bann, which contained part of Armagh.
In 1983 most of the constituency became part of the Newry and Armagh constituency, with part going to Upper Bann.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | 1st Member | 1st Member | 1st Party | 2nd Member | 2nd Member | 2nd Party |
| 1801 | | Archibald Acheson | Non-partisan/Tory | | Robert Camden Cope | Non-partisan |
| 1802 | | Archibald Acheson | Non-partisan/Tory | | Henry Caulfeild | Whig |
| 1807 | | William Brownlow | Tory | | William Richardson | Tory |
| 1815 | | Henry Caulfeild | Whig | | William Richardson | Tory |
| 1818 | | Charles Brownlow | Whig | | William Richardson | Tory |
| 1820 | | Charles Brownlow | Whig | | Henry Caulfeild | Whig |
| 1830 | | Charles Brownlow | Whig | | Archibald Acheson | Whig |
| 1832 | | William Verner | Tory | | Archibald Acheson | Whig |
| 1834 | | William Verner | Conservative | | Archibald Acheson | Whig |
| 1847 | | William Verner | Conservative | | James Caulfeild | Whig |
| 1857 | | William Verner | Conservative | | Maxwell Close | Conservative |
| 1864 | | William Verner | Conservative | | James Stronge | Conservative |
| 1868 | | William Verner | Conservative | | James Stronge | Conservative |
| 1873 | | Edward Wingfield Verner | Conservative | | James Stronge | Conservative |
| 1874 | | Edward Wingfield Verner | Conservative | | Maxwell Close | Conservative |
| 1880 | | James Richardson | Liberal | | Maxwell Close | Conservative |
| 1885 | Constituency abolished. See Mid Armagh, North Armagh and South Armagh | Constituency abolished. See Mid Armagh, North Armagh and South Armagh | Constituency abolished. See Mid Armagh, North Armagh and South Armagh | Constituency abolished. See Mid Armagh, North Armagh and South Armagh | Constituency abolished. See Mid Armagh, North Armagh and South Armagh | Constituency abolished. See Mid Armagh, North Armagh and South Armagh |
| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| 1922 | 1922 | Constituency recreated | Constituency recreated |
| | 1922 | Sir William Allen | Ulster Unionist |
| | 1948 by-election | Richard Harden | Ulster Unionist |
| | 1954 by-election | C. W. Armstrong | Ulster Unionist |
| | 1959 | John Maginnis | Ulster Unionist |
| | Feb 1974 | Harold McCusker | Ulster Unionist |
| 1983 | 1983 | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished |

## Elections

In two-member elections, the bloc voting system was used. Voters could cast a vote for one or two candidates, as they chose. The two candidates with the largest number of votes were elected.
In by-elections to fill a single seat, the first past the post system applied.
After 1832, when registration of voters was introduced, a turnout figure is given for contested elections. In two-member elections, when the exact number of participating voters is unknown, this is calculated by dividing the number of votes by two. To the extent that voters did not use both their votes this will be an underestimate of turnout. If the electorate figure is unknown the last known electorate figure is used to provide an estimate of turnout.
Where a party had more than one candidate in one or both of a pair of successive elections change is calculated for each individual candidate, otherwise change is based on the party vote.

### Elections in the 19th century

    Archibald Acheson and Robert Camden Cope were co-opted as non-partisans in 1801.
    At the 1802 and 1806 general elections, Archibald Acheson and Henry Caulfeild were elected unopposed.
    At the 1807 Armagh by-election, Brownlow was elected unopposed.
    At the 1807 general election, Richardson and Brownlow were elected unopposed.
    At the 1812 general election, Richardson and William Brownlow were elected unopposed.
    At the 1815 Armagh by-election, Henry Caulfeild was elected unopposed.

### Elections in the 1810s

General election 10 July 1818: Armagh (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | Charles Brownlow | 1,839 | 38.53 | N/A |
| | Tory | William Richardson | 1,673 | 35.05 | N/A |
| | Whig | Henry Caulfeild | 1,261 | 26.42 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 412 | 8.63 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,773 | | N/A |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Swing | | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1820s

    At the 1820 general election, Charles Brownlow and Henry Caulfeild were elected unopposed.
General election 29 June 1826: Armagh (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Henry Caulfeild | 2,897 | 35,84 | N/A |
| | Whig | Charles Brownlow | 2,563 | 31.70 | N/A |
| | Tory | William Verner | 1,894 | 23.43 | New |
| | Tory | John Ynyr Burgess | 730 | 9.03 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 669 | 7.27 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,084 | | N/A |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1830s

General election 9 August 1830: Armagh (2 seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Whig | Charles Brownlow | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Whig | Archibald Acheson | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
| Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 11 May 1831: Armagh (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Charles Brownlow | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig | Archibald Acheson | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,361 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 19 December 1832: Armagh (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | William Verner | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig | Archibald Acheson | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,342 | |
| | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 15 January 1835: Armagh (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | William Verner | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig | Archibald Acheson | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,423 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 7 August 1837: Armagh (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | William Verner | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig | Archibald Acheson | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,574 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 9 July 1841: Armagh (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Verner | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig | Archibald Acheson | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,578 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 9 August 1847: Armagh (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Verner | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig | James Caulfeild | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,054 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 16 July 1852: Armagh (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Verner | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig | James Caulfeild | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,341 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 16 April 1857: Armagh (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Maxwell Close | 940 | 50.2 | N/A |
| | Conservative | William Verner | 928 | 49.5 | N/A |
| | Whig | James Caulfeild | 6 | 0.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 922 | 49.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 937 (est) | 16.7 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,596 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
| | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Swing | N/A | |
General election 7 May 1859: Armagh (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Maxwell Close | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | William Verner | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,805 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1860s

By-election, 23 March 1863: Armagh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Stronge | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
* Caused by Close's resignation.
General election, 19 July 1865: Armagh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Stronge | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | William Verner | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,721 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election, 21 November 1868: Armagh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Stronge | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | William Verner | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,443 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1870s

By-election, 15 February 1873: Armagh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Wingfield Verner | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
* Caused by Verner's death.
General election 7 February 1874: Armagh (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Wingfield Verner | 3,527 | 40.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Maxwell Close | 3,469 | 40.0 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Frederick William McBlaine | 1,673 | 19.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,796 | 20.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,171 (est) | 73.4 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,044 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 9 April 1880: Armagh (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | James Richardson | 2,738 | 29.0 | +9.7 |
| | Conservative | Maxwell Close | 2,654 | 28.1 | −11.9 |
| | Conservative | St John Thomas Blacker | 2,275 | 24.1 | N/A |
| | Conservative | William Verner | 1,781 | 18.9 | −21.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,724 (est) | 68.1 (est) | −5.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,937 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 84 | 4.0 | N/A |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +10.8 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: Armagh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | William Allen | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold |
General election 1923: Armagh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | William Allen | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold |
General election 1924: Armagh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | William Allen | 29,021 | 71.2 | N/A |
| | Sinn Féin | James McKee | 11,756 | 28.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17,265 | 42.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,777 | 75.0 | N/A |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | | |
General election 1929: Armagh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | William Allen | 29,966 | 67.4 | −3.8 |
| | Ulster Liberal | William Todd | 13,052 | 32.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,914 | 34.8 | −7.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,018 | 60.2 | −14.8 |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Armagh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | William Allen | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold |
General election 1935: Armagh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | William Allen | 34,002 | 67.6 | N/A |
| | Ind. Republican | Charles McGleenan | 16,284 | 32.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17,718 | 35.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,286 | 73.3 | N/A |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1940s

1945 general election: Armagh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | William Allen | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold |
1948 Armagh by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | James Harden | 36,200 | 59.7 | N/A |
| | Anti-Partition | James O'Reilly | 24,422 | 40.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,314 | 20.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 60,622 | | N/A |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1950: Armagh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | James Harden | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold |
General election 1951: Armagh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | James Harden | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold |
1954 Armagh by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | C. W. Armstrong | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold |
General election 1955: Armagh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | C. W. Armstrong | 38,617 | 64.4 | N/A |
| | Sinn Féin | Tomás Mac Curtain | 21,363 | 35.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17,254 | 28.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 59,980 | 82.7 | N/A |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | | |
General election 1959: Armagh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | John Maginnis | 40,325 | 85.5 | +21.1 |
| | Sinn Féin | John Lynch | 6,823 | 14.5 | −21.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 33,502 | 71.0 | +42.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,148 | 64.2 | −18.5 |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1964: Armagh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | John Maginnis | 35,223 | 65.0 | −20.5 |
| | Ind. Republican | John Lynch | 12,432 | 23.0 | N/A |
| | NI Labour | Samuel Ewart | 6,523 | 12.0 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 22,791 | 42.0 | −29.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 54,178 | 73.0 | −8.8 |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | | |
General election 1966: Armagh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | John Maginnis | 34,687 | 72.0 | +7.0 |
| | Ind. Republican | Charles McGleenan | 13,467 | 28.0 | +5.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 21,220 | 44.0 | +2.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,154 | 63.3 | −9.7 |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: Armagh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | John Maginnis | 37,667 | 55.3 | −16.7 |
| | Unity | Hugh Lewis | 21,696 | 31.9 | New |
| | NI Labour | Erskine Holmes | 8,781 | 12.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,971 | 23.4 | −20.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 68,144 | 78.4 | +15.1 |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | | |
General election February 1974: Armagh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | Harold McCusker | 33,194 | 53.7 | −1.6 |
| | SDLP | Paddy O'Hanlon | 18,090 | 29.3 | New |
| | Alliance | Robin Glendinning | 4,983 | 8.1 | New |
| | Republican Clubs | Thomas Moore | 4,129 | 6.7 | New |
| | Unity | Hugh Lewis | 1,364 | 2.2 | −29.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,104 | 24.4 | +1.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 61,760 | 68.4 | −10.0 |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | | |
General election October 1974: Armagh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | Harold McCusker | 37,518 | 60.0 | +6.3 |
| | SDLP | Seamus Mallon | 19,855 | 31.8 | +2.5 |
| | Republican Clubs | Malachy McGurran | 5,138 | 8.2 | +1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17,663 | 28.2 | +3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 62,511 | 68.6 | +0.2 |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | | |
General election 1979: Armagh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | Harold McCusker | 31,668 | 48.5 | −11.5 |
| | SDLP | Seamus Mallon | 23,545 | 36.1 | +4.3 |
| | DUP | Davy Calvert | 5,634 | 8.6 | New |
| | Republican Clubs | Thomas Moore | 2,310 | 3.5 | −4.7 |
| | Alliance | William Ramsay | 2,074 | 3.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,123 | 12.4 | −15.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 65,231 | 70.1 | +1.5 |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | | |