# Caithness (UK Parliament constituency)

Caithness 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 Caithness-shire.

## History

From 1708 to 1832 Caithness and Buteshire 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 Caithness was represented continuously by its own MP.
The constituency elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system until the seat was abolished in 1918.

## Boundaries

From 1708 to 1832, the Caithness constituency covered the county of Caithness minus the parliamentary burgh of Wick, which was a component of the Tain Burghs constituency. In 1832, Wick retained its status as a parliamentary burgh and became a component of the Wick Burghs constituency.
By 1892, Caithness 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 Caithness and Sutherland county constituency was created. The Caithness and Sutherland constituency was created to cover the county of Caithness and the county of Sutherland. The Wick Burghs constituency was abolished and two of its former components, Wick and Dornoch, were merged into the new Caithness and Sutherland constituency.

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

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1708 | none | |
| 1710 | Sir James Dunbar, 1st Baronet | |
| 1713 | none | |
| 1715 | Sir Robert Gordon, 4th Baronet | |
| 1722 | none | |
| 1727 | Sir Patrick Dunbar, 3rd Baronet | |
| 1734 | none | |
| 1741 | Alexander Brodie | |
| 1747 | none | |
| 1754 | John Scott | |
| 1761 | none | |
| 1768 | Viscount Fortrose | |
| 1774 | none | |
| 1780 | John Sinclair | Whig |
| 1784 | none | |
| 1790 | Sir John Sinclair, Bt | Whig |
| 1796 | none | |
| 1802 | Sir John Sinclair, Bt | Whig |
| 1806 | none | |
| 1807 | Sir John Sinclair, Bt | Whig |
| 1811 | George Sinclair | Whig |
| 1812 | none | |
| 1818 | George Sinclair | Whig |
| 1820 | none | |
| 1826 | James Sinclair | Non Partisan |
| 1830 | none | |
| 1831 | George Sinclair | Whig |

### MPs 1832 to 1918

| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| | 1832 | George Sinclair | Whig |
| | 1837 | George Sinclair | Conservative |
| | 1841 | George Traill | Whig |
| | 1859 | George Traill | Liberal |
| | 1869 | Sir John Sinclair, Bt | Independent Liberal |
| | 1874 | Sir John Sinclair, Bt | Liberal |
| | 1885 | Gavin Brown Clark | Independent Liberal/Crofters |
| | 1886 | Gavin Brown Clark | Liberal/Crofters |
| | 1900 | Leicester Harmsworth | Liberal |
| 1918 | 1918 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |

## Elections
### Elections in the 1840s

As the alternating pair Buteshire returned the MP for the 1830 general election. The 1831 result is compared to the 1830 result at Buteshire.
General election 1831: Caithness-shire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | George Sinclair | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 46 | |
| | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory |
General election 1832: Caithness-shire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | George Sinclair | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 221 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1835: Caithness-shire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | George Sinclair | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 246 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1837: Caithness-shire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | George Sinclair | 129 | 54.9 |
| | Whig | George Traill | 106 | 45.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 23 | 9.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 235 | 70.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 333 | |
| | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Caithness-shire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | George Traill | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 420 | | |
| | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative |
General election 1847: Caithness-shire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | George Traill | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 571 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Caithness-shire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | George Traill | 147 | 58.1 | N/A |
| | Independent Liberal | John Sinclair | 106 | 41.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 41 | 16.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 253 | 39.4 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 642 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1857: Caithness-shire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | George Traill | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 779 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1859: Caithness-shire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | George Traill | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 789 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Caithness-shire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | George Traill | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 512 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1868: Caithness-shire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | George Traill | 512 | 68.4 | N/A |
| | Conservative | James Horne | 237 | 31.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 275 | 36.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 749 | 74.5 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,005 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
Traill resigned, causing a by-election.
By-election, 26 Aug 1869: Caithness :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent Liberal | John Sinclair | 432 | 54.5 | New |
| | Liberal | James Christie Traill | 360 | 45.5 | −22.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 72 | 9.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 792 | 78.8 | +4.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,005 | | |
| | Independent Liberal gain from Liberal | Independent Liberal gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Caithness-shire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Sinclair | 452 | 50.7 | −17.7 |
| | Conservative | William Kidston | 439 | 49.3 | +17.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13 | 1.4 | −35.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 891 | 79.1 | +4.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,126 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −17.7 | |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Caithness-shire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Sinclair | 696 | 65.4 | +14.7 |
| | Conservative | Alexander Henderson | 369 | 34.6 | −14.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 327 | 30.8 | +29.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,065 | 84.3 | +5.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,263 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +14.7 | |
General election 1885: Caithness-shire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent Liberal (Crofters) | Gavin Brown Clark | 2,110 | 63.4 | New |
| | Liberal | Clarence Granville Sinclair | 1,218 | 36.6 | −28.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 892 | 26.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,328 | 77.0 | −7.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,320 | | |
| | Independent Liberal gain from Liberal | Independent Liberal gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1886: Caithness-shire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal (Crofters) | Gavin Brown Clark | 2,034 | 77.7 | +31.1 |
| | Liberal Unionist | Robert Niven | 584 | 22.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,450 | 55.4 | +28.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,618 | 60.6 | −16.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,320 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Independent Liberal | Liberal gain from Independent Liberal | Liberal gain from Independent Liberal | Liberal gain from Independent Liberal | Liberal gain from Independent Liberal |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Caithness-shire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal (Crofters) | Gavin Brown Clark | 2,134 | 75.5 | −2.2 |
| | Liberal Unionist | William James Bell | 693 | 24.5 | +2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,441 | 51.0 | −4.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,827 | 71.8 | +11.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,936 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | -2.2 | |
General election 1895: Caithness-shire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal (Crofters) | Gavin Brown Clark | 1,828 | 77.6 | +2.1 |
| | Liberal Unionist | John Cowper | 528 | 22.4 | −2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,300 | 55.2 | +4.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,356 | 59.3 | −12.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,976 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +2.1 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Caithness-shire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Leicester Harmsworth | 1,189 | 37.5 | −40.1 |
| | Conservative | David Patrick Henderson | 1,161 | 36.7 | +14.3 |
| | Crofters | Gavin Brown Clark | 673 | 21.3 | −56.3 |
| | Land Law Reform Association of Caithness | F.C. Auld | 141 | 4.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 28 | 0.8 | −54.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,164 | 78.3 | +19.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,043 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −27.2 | |
General election 1906: Caithness-shire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Leicester Harmsworth | 2,686 | 84.8 | +47.3 |
| | Conservative | Keith Fraser | 483 | 15.2 | −21.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,203 | 69.6 | +68.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,169 | 77.5 | −0.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,091 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +34.4 | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Caithness-shire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Leicester Harmsworth | 2,643 | 81.8 | −3.0 |
| | Conservative | Laurence Strain | 590 | 18.2 | +3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,053 | 63.6 | −6.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,233 | 82.0 | +4.5 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | -3.0 | |
General election December 1910: Caithness-shire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Leicester Harmsworth | 2,718 | 96.9 | +15.1 |
| | Ind. Conservative | Archibald Macleod | 87 | 3.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,631 | 93.8 | +30.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,805 | 66.8 | −15.2 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General Election 1914–15:
Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;
* Liberal: Leicester Harmsworth
* Unionist: