# Buteshire (UK Parliament constituency)

Buteshire was a county 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.

## 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 Buteshire.

## History

From 1708 to 1832 Buteshire and Caithness were paired as alternating constituencies: one of the constituencies elected a Member of Parliament (MP) to one parliament, the other to the next. The areas which were covered by the two constituencies are quite remote from each other, Caithness in the northeast of Scotland and Buteshire in the southwest.
From 1832 to 1918, Buteshire was represented continuously by its own MP.

## Boundaries

From 1708 to 1832, the Buteshire constituency covered the county of Bute (which historically included the islands of Arran, Great Cumbrae and Little Cumbrae) minus the parliamentary burgh of Rothesay, which was a component of the Ayr Burghs constituency. In 1832, Rothesay was merged into the Buteshire constituency.
By 1892, Bute had become a local government county and, throughout Scotland, under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889, county boundaries had been redefined for all purposes except parliamentary representation. 26 years were to elapse before constituency boundaries were redrawn, by the Representation of the People Act 1918, to take account of new local government boundaries.
In 1918, the Bute and Northern Ayrshire county constituency was created, to cover the county of Bute and a northern portion of the county of Ayr. The rest of the county of Ayr was divided between three other constituencies, all entirely within the county: the county constituencies of South Ayrshire and Kilmarnock, and a remodelled Ayr Burghs.

## Members of Parliament
### MPs 1708 to 1832

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1708 | Dugald Stewart | |
| 1710 | John Montgomerie | |
| 1710 | none | |
| 1713 | John Campbell, later Duke of Argyll | Whig |
| 1715 | none | |
| 1722 | Patrick Campbell | |
| 1727 | none | |
| 1734 | Patrick Campbell | |
| 1741 | none | |
| 1747 | James Stuart-Mackenzie | |
| 1754 | none | |
| 1761 | James Stuart I | |
| 1762 | Henry Wauchope | |
| 1768 | none | |
| 1774 | James Stuart II (later Stuart-Wortley-Mackenzie) | |
| 1780 | none | |
| 1784 | James Stuart II | |
| 1790 | none | |
| 1796 | Frederick Stuart | |
| 1802 | none | |
| 1806 | James Stuart-Wortley-Mackenzie | |
| 1807 | none | |
| 1812 | John Marjoribanks | |
| 1818 | none | |
| 1820 | Lord Patrick Crichton-Stuart | Whig |
| 1826 | none | |
| 1830 | Sir William Rae, 3rd Baronet | Tory |
| 1831 | none | |

### MPs 1832 to 1918

| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| | 1832 | Charles Stuart | Conservative |
| | 1833 by-election | Sir William Rae | Conservative |
| | 1842 by-election | James Stuart-Wortley | Conservative |
| | 1852 | James Stuart-Wortley | Peelite |
| | 1859 | David Mure | Conservative |
| | 1865 by-election | George Boyle | Conservative |
| | 1865 | James Lamont | Liberal |
| | 1868 | Charles Dalrymple | Conservative |
| | 1880 | Thomas Russell | Liberal |
| | 1880 by-election | Charles Dalrymple | Conservative |
| | 1885 | James Robertson | Conservative |
| | 1891 by-election | Andrew Murray | Conservative |
| | 1905 | Norman Lamont | Liberal |
| | January 1910 | Sir Harry Hope | Conservative |
| 1918 | 1918 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |

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

General election 1830: Buteshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | William Rae | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 21 | |
| | Tory gain from Nonpartisan | Tory gain from Nonpartisan | Tory gain from Nonpartisan | Tory gain from Nonpartisan |
* Gain from Non Partisan at Caithness, which returned the 1826 MP as this seat's alternating pair
For the 1831 election, Caithness returned the MP.
General election 1832: Buteshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | Charles Stuart | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 279 | |
| | Tory win (new seat) | Tory win (new seat) | Tory win (new seat) | Tory win (new seat) |
* Considered a 'new seat' as the constituency did not elect an MP in 1831
Stuart resigned, causing a by-election.
By-election, 4 September 1833: Buteshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | William Rae | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
General election 1835: Buteshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | William Rae | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 310 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1837: Buteshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | William Rae | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 345 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Buteshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Rae | 134 | 65.0 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Henry Dunlop | 72 | 35.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 62 | 30.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 206 | 54.2 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 380 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
Rae was appointed Lord Advocate, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 23 September 1841: Buteshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Rae | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Rae's death caused a by-election.
By-election, 1 December 1842: Buteshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Stuart-Wortley | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Stuart-Wortley was appointed Judge Advocate General of the Armed Forces, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 7 February 1846: Buteshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Stuart-Wortley | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1847: Buteshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Stuart-Wortley | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 410 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Buteshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Peelite | James Stuart-Wortley | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 491 | | |
| | Peelite gain from Conservative | Peelite gain from Conservative | Peelite gain from Conservative | Peelite gain from Conservative | Peelite gain from Conservative |
Stuart-Wortley was appointed Solicitor General for England and Wales, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 12 February 1857: Buteshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Peelite | James Stuart-Wortley | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Peelite hold | Peelite hold | Peelite hold | Peelite hold | Peelite hold |
General election 1857: Buteshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Peelite | James Stuart-Wortley | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 489 | | |
| | Peelite hold | Peelite hold | Peelite hold | Peelite hold | Peelite hold |
General election 1859: Buteshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Mure | 138 | 51.7 | N/A |
| | Liberal | James Lamont | 129 | 48.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9 | 3.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 267 | 55.7 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 479 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Peelite | Conservative gain from Peelite | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1860s

Mure's appointment as a Senator of the College of Justice, becoming Lord Mure, caused a by-election.
By-election, 16 Feb 1865: Buteshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Boyle | 205 | 51.9 | +0.2 |
| | Liberal | James Lamont | 190 | 48.1 | −0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15 | 3.8 | +0.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 395 | 77.0 | +21.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 513 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1865: Buteshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | James Lamont | 203 | 51.4 | +3.1 |
| | Conservative | George Boyle | 192 | 48.6 | −3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11 | 2.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 395 | 77.0 | +21.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 513 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
General election 1868: Buteshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Dalrymple | 527 | 59.3 | +10.7 |
| | Liberal | John William Burns | 362 | 40.7 | −10.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 165 | 18.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 889 | 82.9 | +5.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,073 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +10.7 | |

### Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Buteshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Dalrymple | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,113 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Buteshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Thomas Russell | 568 | 50.8 | New |
| | Conservative | Charles Dalrymple | 551 | 49.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17 | 1.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,119 | 85.4 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,311 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |
Russell was disqualified due to his holding of a government contract at the time of the election, causing a by-election.
By-election, 6 Jul 1880: Buteshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Dalrymple | 585 | 52.0 | +2.8 |
| | Liberal | Thomas Russell | 540 | 48.0 | −2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 45 | 4.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,125 | 85.8 | +0.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,311 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |
Dalrymple was appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 3 Jul 1885: Buteshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Dalrymple | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal |
General election 1885: Buteshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Robertson | 1,374 | 55.8 | +6.6 |
| | Liberal | Robert Allan Maclean | 1,090 | 44.2 | −6.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 284 | 11.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,464 | 83.7 | −1.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,943 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +6.6 | |
General election 1886: Buteshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Robertson | 1,364 | 62.5 | +6.7 |
| | Liberal | Nigel MacNeill | 819 | 37.5 | −6.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 545 | 25.0 | +13.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,183 | 74.2 | −9.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,943 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +6.7 | |
Robertson was appointed as Solicitor General for Scotland, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 12 Aug 1886: Buteshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Robertson | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1890s

1891 Buteshire by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew Murray | 1,335 | 57.4 | −5.1 |
| | Liberal | John McCulloch | 990 | 42.6 | +5.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 345 | 14.8 | −10.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,325 | 73.6 | −0.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,159 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1892: Buteshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew Murray | 1,466 | 59.1 | −3.4 |
| | Liberal | Robert Earle M Smith | 1,013 | 40.9 | +3.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 453 | 18.2 | −6.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,479 | 77.6 | +3.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,195 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.7 | |
General election 1895: Buteshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew Murray | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Buteshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew Murray | 1,241 | 54.3 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Norman Lamont | 1,046 | 45.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 195 | 8.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,287 | 67.0 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,412 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
1905 Buteshire by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Norman Lamont | 1,460 | 50.6 | +4.9 |
| | Liberal Unionist | Edward Theodore Salvesen | 1,426 | 49.4 | −4.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 34 | 1.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,886 | 80.7 | +13.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,578 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +4.9 | |
General election 1906: Buteshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Norman Lamont | 1,637 | 51.9 | +6.2 |
| | Conservative | Guy Thomas Speir | 1,517 | 48.1 | −6.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 120 | 3.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,154 | 82.7 | +15.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,816 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +6.2 | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Buteshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Harry Hope | 1,531 | 52.7 | +4.6 |
| | Liberal | Norman Lamont | 1,372 | 47.3 | −4.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 159 | 5.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,903 | 81.5 | −1.2 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | | |
General election December 1910: Buteshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Harry Hope | 1,569 | 54.4 | +1.7 |
| | Liberal | Edward Mitchell | 1,316 | 45.6 | −1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 253 | 8.8 | +3.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,885 | 81.9 | +0.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.7 | |