# Londonderry City (UK Parliament constituency)

Londonderry City was a parliamentary constituency in Ireland. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the United Kingdom House of Commons, elected by the first past the post voting system.

## Boundaries and boundary changes

This constituency was the parliamentary borough of Londonderry (or Derry) in County Londonderry.
It was an original constituency represented in the first UK Parliament when the Acts of Union 1800 took effect on 1 January 1801, inheriting the boundaries and franchise of the Londonderry City constituency of the abolished Irish House of Commons. In 1922 it was combined with North Londonderry and South Londonderry, to form the Londonderry county constituency.

## Politics

After the extension of the franchise in 1885, the constituency was one of the most marginal seats in Ireland.
Sinn Féin won in 1918. The MP, Professor Eoin MacNeill, was also returned for National University of Ireland. As MacNeill did not take his seat in the United Kingdom House of Commons he could not choose which constituency he would represent and arrange a by-election in the other. He played an active role in the First Dáil and in the government it set up.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1801 co-option | Henry Alexander | Tory |
| 1802 | Sir George Hill, Bt | Tory |
| 1830 | Sir Robert Ferguson, Bt | Whig |
| 1860 by-election | William McCormick | Conservative |
| 1865 | Lord Claud Hamilton | Conservative |
| 1868 | Richard Dowse | Liberal Party |
| 1872 by-election | Charles Lewis | Conservative |
| 1886 | Justin McCarthy | Irish Parliamentary Party |
| 1892 | John Ross | Unionist |
| 1895 | Edmund Vesey Knox | Irish Parliamentary Party |
| 1899 by-election | Arthur John Moore | Irish Parliamentary Party |
| 1900 | James Hamilton | Unionist |
| 1913 by-election | David Cleghorn Hogg | Liberal Party |
| 1914 by-election | James Brown Dougherty | Liberal Party |
| 1918 | Eoin MacNeill | Sinn Féin |
| 1922 | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished |

## Elections

The elections in this constituency took place using the first past the post electoral system.

### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Londonderry City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Robert Ferguson | 258 | 73.5 |
| | Tory | John Richard James Hart | 87 | 24.8 |
| | Whig | John Montgomery | 6 | 1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 171 | 48.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 351 | c. 54.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | c. 650 | |
| | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory |
On petition, Ferguson's election was declared void, causing a by-election.
By-election, 2 April 1831: Londonderry City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Robert Ferguson | 202 | 76.5 | +3.0 |
| | Tory | John Richard James Hart | 62 | 23.5 | −1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 140 | 53.0 | +4.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 264 | c. 40.6 | c. −13.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | c. 650 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | +2.2 | |
General election 1831: Londonderry City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Robert Ferguson | 205 | 77.4 | +3.9 |
| | Whig | Conolly McClausland Lecky | 60 | 22.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 145 | 54.8 | +6.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 265 | 40.8 | c. −13.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 650 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | +3.9 | |
General election 1832: Londonderry City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Robert Ferguson | 308 | 57.7 | −19.7 |
| | Tory | George Robert Dawson | 226 | 42.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 82 | 15.4 | −39.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 534 | 87.4 | +46.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 611 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | −19.7 | |
General election 1835: Londonderry City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Robert Ferguson | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 703 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1837: Londonderry City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Robert Ferguson | 212 | 60.7 |
| | Conservative | George Robert Dawson | 137 | 39.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 75 | 21.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 349 | 43.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 804 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Londonderry City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Robert Ferguson | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 742 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1847: Londonderry City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Robert Ferguson | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,904 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Londonderry City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Robert Ferguson | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 724 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1857: Londonderry City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Robert Ferguson | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 825 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1859: Londonderry City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Ferguson | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 825 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1860s

Ferguson's death caused a by-election.
By-election, 2 April 1860: Londonderry City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Conservative | William McCormick | 326 | 45.6 | New |
| | Liberal | Samuel MacCurdy Greer | 307 | 42.9 | N/A |
| | Liberal | George Skipton | 82 | 11.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 19 | 2.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 715 | 86.7 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 825 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1865: Londonderry City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Conservative | Claud Hamilton | 379 | 53.4 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Samuel MacCurdy Greer | 331 | 46.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 48 | 6.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 710 | 81.1 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 876 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1868: Londonderry City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Richard Dowse | 704 | 54.0 | +7.4 |
| | Irish Conservative | Claud Hamilton | 599 | 46.0 | −7.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 105 | 8.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,303 | 87.9 | +6.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,483 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +7.4 | |

### Elections in the 1870s

Dowse was appointed Solicitor-General for Ireland, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 15 Feb 1870: Londonderry City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Richard Dowse | 680 | 53.5 | −0.5 |
| | Irish Conservative | Robert Baxter | 592 | 46.5 | +0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 88 | 7.0 | −1.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,272 | 85.8 | −2.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,483 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −0.5 | |
Dowse resigned after being appointed Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer, causing a by-election.
By-election, 27 Nov 1872: Londonderry City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Conservative | Charles Lewis | 696 | 53.2 | +7.2 |
| | Liberal | Christopher Palles | 522 | 39.9 | −14.1 |
| | Home Rule | Joseph Biggar | 89 | 6.8 | New |
| | Irish Conservative | Bartholomew McCorkell | 2 | 0.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 174 | 13.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,309 | 80.7 | −7.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,622 | | |
| | Irish Conservative gain from Liberal | Irish Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +10.7 | |
General election 1874: Londonderry City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Conservative | Charles Lewis | 744 | 51.0 | +5.0 |
| | Liberal | Bartholomew McCorkell | 715 | 49.0 | −5.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 29 | 2.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,459 | 86.6 | −1.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,685 | | |
| | Irish Conservative gain from Liberal | Irish Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +5.0 | |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Londonderry City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Conservative | Charles Lewis | 964 | 52.4 | +1.4 |
| | Liberal | Adam Hogg | 876 | 47.6 | −1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 88 | 4.8 | +2.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,840 | 91.8 | +5.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,005 | | |
| | Irish Conservative hold | Irish Conservative hold | Swing | +1.4 | |
1885 general election: Londonderry City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Conservative | Charles Lewis | 1,824 | 50.4 | −2.0 |
| | Irish Parliamentary | Justin McCarthy | 1,792 | 49.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 32 | 0.8 | −4.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,616 | 93.2 | +1.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,879 | | |
| | Irish Conservative hold | Irish Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
1886 general election: Londonderry City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Conservative | Charles Lewis | 1,781 | 50.0 | −0.4 |
| | Irish Parliamentary | Justin McCarthy | 1,778 | 50.0 | +0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3 | 0.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,559 | 91.8 | −1.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,879 | | |
| | Irish Conservative hold | Irish Conservative hold | Swing | −0.4 | |
On petition, Lewis was unseated. McCarthy was named as MP on 25 October.

### Elections in the 1890s

1892 general election: Londonderry City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Unionist | John Ross | 1,986 | 50.3 | +0.3 |
| | Irish National Federation | Justin McCarthy | 1,960 | 49.7 | −0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 26 | 0.6 | +0.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,946 | 94.8 | +3.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,161 | | |
| | Irish Unionist hold | Irish Unionist hold | Swing | +0.3 | |
1895 general election: Londonderry City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish National Federation | Edmund Vesey Knox | 2,033 | 50.5 | +0.8 |
| | Irish Unionist | John Ross | 1,994 | 49.5 | −0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 39 | 1.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,027 | 96.1 | +1.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,191 | | |
| | Irish National Federation gain from Irish Unionist | Irish National Federation gain from Irish Unionist | Swing | +0.8 | |
Knox resigns, triggering a by-election.
By-election, 1899: Londonderry City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Parliamentary | Arthur John Moore | 2,343 | 50.5 | 0.0 |
| | Liberal Unionist | Emerson Herdman | 2,301 | 49.5 | 0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 42 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,644 | 95.7 | −0.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,855 | | |
| | Irish Parliamentary hold | Irish Parliamentary hold | Swing | 0.0 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

1900 general election: Londonderry City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Unionist | James Hamilton | 2,361 | 50.7 | +1.2 |
| | Irish Parliamentary | Arthur John Moore | 2,294 | 49.3 | −1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 67 | 1.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,655 | 92.1 | −4.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,056 | | |
| | Irish Unionist gain from Irish National Federation | Irish Unionist gain from Irish National Federation | Swing | +1.2 | |
* Results are compared to the 1895 election, not the by-election.
Hamilton is appointed Treasurer of the Household, prompting a by-election in which he stood unopposed.
By-election, 1903: Londonderry City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Unionist | James Hamilton | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Irish Unionist hold | Irish Unionist hold | Irish Unionist hold | Irish Unionist hold | Irish Unionist hold |
1906 general election: Londonderry City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Unionist | James Hamilton | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Irish Unionist hold | Irish Unionist hold | Irish Unionist hold | Irish Unionist hold | Irish Unionist hold |

### Elections in the 1910s

January 1910 general election: Londonderry City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Unionist | James Hamilton | 2,435 | 50.6 | N/A |
| | Irish Parliamentary | Shane Randolph Leslie | 2,378 | 49.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 57 | 1.2 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,813 | 95.0 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,068 | | |
| | Irish Unionist hold | Irish Unionist hold | Swing | N/A | |
December 1910 general election: Londonderry City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Unionist | James Hamilton | 2,415 | 51.1 | +0.5 |
| | Irish Parliamentary | Shane Randolph Leslie | 2,310 | 48.9 | −0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 105 | 2.2 | +1.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,725 | 93.2 | −1.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,068 | | |
| | Irish Unionist hold | Irish Unionist hold | Swing | +0.5 | |
Hamilton becomes Duke of Abercorn, prompting a by-election.
By-election 1913: Londonderry City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | David Cleghorn Hogg | 2,699 | 50.5 | New |
| | Irish Unionist | Hercules Pakenham | 2,642 | 49.5 | −1.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 57 | 1.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,341 | 97.6 | +4.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,470 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Irish Unionist | Liberal gain from Irish Unionist | Swing | N/A | |
Hogg's death prompts another by-election.
By-election, 1914: Londonderry City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | James Brown Dougherty | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
1918 general election: Londonderry City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Sinn Féin | Eoin MacNeill | 7,335 | 50.7 | New |
| | Irish Unionist | Robert Newton Anderson | 7,020 | 48.5 | −2.6 |
| | Irish Parliamentary | William Hamilton Davey | 120 | 0.8 | −48.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 315 | 2.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,475 | 86.5 | −6.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 16,736 | | |
| | Sinn Féin gain from Liberal | Sinn Féin gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |
* Results are compared to the December 1910 election, not the later by-elections.
* In common with other Sinn Féin MPs, Eoin MacNeill abstained from Westminster and took his seat as a TD in the First Dáil. He was also elected for the National University.

## Footnotes

* 1 2 3 4 Farrell, Stephen. "Londonderry". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Smith, Henry Stooks (1842). The Register of Parliamentary Contested Elections (Second ed.). Simpkin, Marshall & Company. p. 234.
* ↑ Dod, Charles Roger; Dod, Robert Phipps (1847). Dod's Parliamentary Companion, Volume 15. Dod's Parliamentary Companion. p. 166.
* ↑ Churton, Edward (1838). The Assembled Commons or Parliamentary Biographer: 1838. pp. 90–91.
* ↑ "Irish Members Return". Northern Standard. 7 August 1847. p. 2. Retrieved 6 October 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
* ↑ Lewis was declared elected at the 1886 general election, but the result was overturned on petition, and the seat awarded to McCarthy
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Walker 1978.
* ↑ Accounts and Papers of the House of Commons, Volume 50. 1843.