# Peeblesshire (UK Parliament constituency)

Peeblesshire was a Scottish county constituency of Great Britain and after 1801 the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (Westminster) from 1708 until 1868. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post voting system.

## 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 Peeblesshire.

## Boundaries

The name relates the constituency to the county of Peebles. Article XII of the Union with Scotland Act 1706 (Act settling the Manner of electing the Representatives of Scotland), provided that one representative should be chosen for every shire and steuartry (except for some shires which were to take turns).

## History

The constituency elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system until the seat was abolished for the 1868 general election.
This arrangement was continued by the Representation of the People (Scotland) Act 1832.
The Representation of the People (Scotland) Act 1868 abolished the rights of the counties of Peebles and Selkirk to return a member, and provided that those counties should jointly return a member, thereby establishing the Peebles and Selkirk constituency.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| | 1708 | William Morison | |
| | 1710 | Alexander Murray, later 3rd Baronet | |
| | 1713 | William Morison | |
| | 1715 | Alexander Murray | (c. 1686–1755) |
| | 1722 | John Douglas | |
| | 1732 by-election | Sir James Naesmyth, 2nd Baronet | |
| | 1741 | Alexander Murray | (c. 1686–1755) |
| | 1747 | John Dickson | |
| | 1767 by-election | Adam Hay | |
| | 1768 | James William Montgomery | |
| | June 1775 by-election | Adam Hay | |
| | December 1775 by-election | Sir Robert Murray-Keith | |
| | 1780 | Alexander Murray | |
| | 1783 by-election | Alexander Murray, later 7th Lord Elibank | |
| | 1784 | David Murray | |
| | 1790 | William Montgomery | |
| | 1800 by-election | Sir James Montgomery, 2nd Bt | Tory |
| | 1831 by-election | Sir George Montgomery, 2nd Bt | Tory |
| | 1831 | John Hay | Tory |
| | 1834 | John Hay | Conservative |
| | 1837 | William Forbes Mackenzie | Conservative |
| | 1852 | Graham Graham-Montgomery | Conservative |
| 1868 | 1868 | Constituency abolished. See Peebles and Selkirk | Constituency abolished. See Peebles and Selkirk |

## Election results
### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Peeblesshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | James Montgomery | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 48 | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
Montgomery resigned, causing a by-election.
By-election, 4 March 1831: Peeblesshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | Sir George Montgomery, 2nd Baronet | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 48 | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
General election 1831: Peeblesshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | Sir George Montgomery, 2nd Baronet | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 48 | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
Montgomery's death caused a by-election.
By-election, 9 August 1831: Peeblesshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | John Hay | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 48 | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
General election 1832: Peeblesshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | John Hay | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 307 | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
General election 1835: Peeblesshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | John Hay | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 354 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1837: Peeblesshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | William Forbes Mackenzie | 251 | 50.6 |
| | Whig | Sir Alexander Gibson-Carmichael, 8th Baronet | 245 | 49.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6 | 1.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 496 | 71.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 690 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Peeblesshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Forbes Mackenzie | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 863 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Mackenzie was appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 5 May 1845: Peeblesshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Forbes Mackenzie | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1847: Peeblesshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Forbes Mackenzie | 240 | 59.6 | N/A |
| | Whig | Sir Alexander Gibson-Carmichael, 8th Baronet | 163 | 40.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 77 | 19.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 403 | 56.1 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 718 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Peeblesshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Graham Graham-Montgomery | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 542 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1857: Peeblesshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Graham Graham-Montgomery | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 394 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1859: Peeblesshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Graham Graham-Montgomery | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 407 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Peeblesshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Graham Graham-Montgomery | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 499 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Graham-Montgomery was appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 24 July 1866: Peeblesshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Graham Graham-Montgomery | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |