# Wick Burghs (UK Parliament constituency)

Wick Burghs, sometimes known as Northern Burghs, was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 to 1918. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post voting system.
A similar constituency had been known as Tain Burghs from 1708 to 1832.

## Boundaries

The constituency was a district of burghs representing the parliamentary burghs of Cromarty, Dingwall, Dornoch, Kirkwall, Tain and Wick. Apart from Cromarty, these burghs had been previously components of Tain Burghs. In 1918 Dornoch and Wick were merged into Caithness and Sutherland, Kirkwall into Orkney and Shetland and Cromarty, Dingwall and Tain into Ross and Cromarty. The first election in Wick Burghs was in 1832. The franchise was extended to wider groups of the population than under the old system of burgh councillors electing a burgh commissioner to participate in the election. From 1832 the votes from each burgh were added together to establish the result.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| 1832 | 1832 | constituency created | constituency created |
| | 1832 | James Loch | Whig |
| | 1852 | Samuel Laing | Radical |
| | 1857 | Lord John Hay | Whig |
| | 1859 | Samuel Laing | Liberal |
| | 1860 by-election | William Keppel, Viscount Bury | Liberal |
| | 1865 | Samuel Laing | Liberal |
| | 1868 | George Loch | Liberal |
| | 1872 by-election | John Pender | Liberal |
| | 1885 | John Macdonald Cameron | Liberal |
| | 1892 | Sir John Pender | Liberal Unionist |
| | 1896 by-election | Thomas Hedderwick | Liberal |
| | 1900 | Sir Arthur Bignold | Liberal Unionist |
| | 1910 | Robert Munro | Liberal |
| 1918 | 1918 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |

## Elections
### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1832: Wick Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | James Loch | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 366 | |
| | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) |
General election 1835: Wick Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | James Loch | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 571 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1837: Wick Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | James Loch | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 680 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Wick Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | James Loch | 270 | 58.8 | N/A |
| | Conservative | George Dempster | 189 | 41.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 81 | 17.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 459 | 61.9 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 742 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1847: Wick Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | James Loch | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 690 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Wick Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Radical | Samuel Laing | 233 | 53.6 | N/A |
| | Whig | James Loch | 202 | 46.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 31 | 7.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 435 | 62.2 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 699 | | |
| | Radical gain from Whig | Radical gain from Whig | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1857: Wick Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | John Hay | 318 | 59.9 | N/A |
| | Whig | Alexander Nesbitt Shaw | 213 | 40.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 105 | 19.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 531 | 83.6 | +21.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 635 | | |
| | Whig gain from Radical | Whig gain from Radical | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1859: Wick Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Samuel Laing | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 657 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1860s

Laing resigned after being appointed a member of the Council of India, causing a by-election.
By-election, 1 December 1860 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | William Keppel | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1865: Wick Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Samuel Laing | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 793 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1868: Wick Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | George Loch | 851 | 57.3 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Samuel Laing | 635 | 42.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 216 | 14.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,486 | 88.8 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,673 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1870s

Loch resigned, causing a by-election.
By-election, 28 Feb 1872: Wick Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Pender | 704 | 58.6 | N/A |
| | Independent Liberal | Robert Reid | 498 | 41.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 206 | 17.2 | +2.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,202 | 83.5 | −5.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,439 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1874: Wick Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Pender | 857 | 54.0 | N/A |
| | Liberal | James Bryce | 730 | 46.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 127 | 8.0 | −6.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,587 | 88.5 | −0.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,793 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Wick Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Pender | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,754 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1885: Wick Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Wick Radical Workingmen's Association | John Macdonald Cameron | 913 | 51.3 | New |
| | Liberal | John Pender | 868 | 48.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 45 | 2.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,781 | 88.4 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,015 | | |
| | Wick Radical Workingmen's Association gain from Liberal | Wick Radical Workingmen's Association gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |
* Cameron was supported by the Highland Land League, and ally of the Crofter MPs.
General election 1886: Wick Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Macdonald Cameron | 910 | 57.0 | +8.3 |
| | Liberal Unionist | John Denison-Pender | 686 | 43.0 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 224 | 14.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,596 | 79.2 | −9.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,015 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Wick Radical Workingmen's Association | Liberal gain from Wick Radical Workingmen's Association | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Wick Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | John Pender | 952 | 53.6 | +10.6 |
| | Liberal | John Macdonald Cameron | 825 | 46.4 | −10.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 127 | 7.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,777 | 80.5 | +1.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,208 | | |
| | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | +10.6 | |
General election 1895: Wick Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | John Pender | 913 | 50.7 | −2.9 |
| | Liberal | Thomas Hedderwick | 889 | 49.3 | +2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 24 | 1.4 | −5.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,802 | 81.7 | +1.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,205 | | |
| | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Swing | -2.9 | |
Pender's resignation caused a by-election.
By-election, 2 Jun 1896: Wick Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Thomas Hedderwick | 1,054 | 55.6 | +6.3 |
| | Liberal Unionist | William Charles Smith | 842 | 44.4 | −6.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 212 | 11.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,896 | 83.3 | +1.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,277 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist | Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist | Swing | +6.3 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Wick Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | Arthur Bignold | 1,154 | 52.6 | +1.9 |
| | Liberal | Thomas Hedderwick | 1,041 | 47.4 | −1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 113 | 5.2 | +3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,195 | 79.9 | −1.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,746 | | |
| | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Swing | +1.9 | |
General election 1906: Wick Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | Arthur Bignold | 1,362 | 51.8 | −0.8 |
| | Liberal | William Thomson | 1,266 | 48.2 | +0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 96 | 3.6 | −1.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,628 | 91.0 | +11.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,887 | | |
| | Liberal Unionist hold | Liberal Unionist hold | Swing | -0.8 | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Wick Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Munro | 1,537 | 54.9 | +6.7 |
| | Liberal Unionist | Arthur Bignold | 1,262 | 45.1 | −6.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 275 | 9.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,799 | 92.7 | +1.7 |
| | Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist | Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist | Swing | +6.7 | |
General election December 1910: Wick Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Munro | 1,515 | 53.7 | −1.2 |
| | Liberal Unionist | Arthur Bignold | 1,304 | 46.3 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 211 | 7.4 | −2.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,819 | 92.8 | +0.1 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | -1.2 | |
1913 Wick Burghs by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Munro | 1,577 | 58.2 | +4.5 |
| | Unionist | A.G. Mackenzie | 1,134 | 41.8 | −4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 443 | 16.4 | +9.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,711 | 87.6 | −5.2 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +4.5 | |