# Forfarshire (UK Parliament constituency)

Forfarshire was a Scottish county constituency represented in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1708 until 1800, and then in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom until 1950.
It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) using 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 Forfarshire.

## Boundaries

The Representation of the People Act 1918 defined the constituency as consisting of the county of Forfar, except the county of the city of Dundee and the burghs of Montrose, Arbroath, Brechin, and Forfar. The four excepted burghs formed part of the Montrose District of Burghs.
The county of Forfarshire was renamed Angus in 1928. However, no change was made in the name of the constituency prior to its abolition.

## History

The constituency elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first-past-the-post system until the seat was abolished for the 1950 general election.
The constituency was abolished under the Representation of the People Act 1948, which reorganised parliamentary boundaries throughout the United Kingdom. The seat was divided between North Angus and Mearns (which also included Kincardineshire) and South Angus.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| | 1708 | John Carnegie (expelled) | |
| | 1716 by-election | James Scott | |
| | 1733 by-election | Robert Scott | |
| | 1734 | Thomas Lyon, later Earl of Strathmore | |
| | 1735 by-election | William Maule, Earl Panmure (from 1743) | |
| | 1782 by-election | Archibald Douglas | Tory |
| | 1790 | David Scott | |
| | 1796 by-election | William Maule, later Baron Panmure | |
| | 1796 | Sir David Carnegie | |
| | 1805 by-election | William Maule, later Baron Panmure | Whig |
| | 1831 by-election | Donald Ogilvy (Unseated on petition Jan 1832) | Whig |
| | January 1832 | Lord Douglas Gordon-Hallyburton | Whig |
| | 1841 | Lord Frederick Gordon-Hallyburton | Whig |
| | 1852 | Lauderdale Maule | Whig |
| | 1854 by-election | Adam Duncan, Viscount Duncan, later Earl of Camperdown | Whig |
| | 1859 | Adam Duncan, Viscount Duncan, later Earl of Camperdown | Liberal |
| | 1860 by-election | Charles Carnegie | Liberal |
| | 1872 by-election | James William Barclay | Liberal |
| | 1886 | James William Barclay | Liberal Unionist |
| | 1892 | Sir John Rigby, QC | Liberal |
| | 1894 | Charles Maule Ramsay Conservative | Liberal Unionist |
| | 1895 | Martin White | Liberal |
| | 1897 by-election | John Sinclair, later Baron Pentland | Liberal |
| | 1909 by-election | James Falconer | Liberal |
| | 1918 | William T. Shaw | Unionist |
| | 1922 | James Falconer | Liberal |
| | 1924 | Sir Harry Hope | Unionist |
| | 1931 | William T. Shaw | Unionist |
| | 1945 | Simon Ramsay, later Earl of Dalhousie | Unionist |
| 1950 | 1950 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |

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

General election 1830: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | William Maule | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 124 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1831: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | William Maule | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 124 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
Maule was elevated to the peerage, becoming 1st Baron Panmure and causing a by-election.
By-election, 3 October 1831: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Donald Ogilvy | 46 | 51.1 |
| | Whig | Douglas Gordon-Hallyburton | 44 | 48.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2 | 2.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 90 | 72.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 124 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
* On petition, Ogilvy was unseated in favour of Gordon-Hallyburton
General election 1832: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Douglas Gordon-Hallyburton | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,241 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1835: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Douglas Gordon-Hallyburton | 625 | 58.4 |
| | Conservative | John Stuart-Wortley | 446 | 41.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 179 | 16.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,071 | 75.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,421 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1837: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Douglas Gordon-Hallyburton | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,790 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Frederick Gordon | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,979 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1847: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Frederick Gordon-Hallyburton | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,540 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Lauderdale Maule | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,873 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
Maule was appointed Surveyor-General of the Ordnance, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 25 February 1853: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Lauderdale Maule | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
Maule's death caused a by-election.
By-election, 11 October 1854: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Adam Haldane-Duncan | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
Haldane-Duncan was appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 10 March 1855: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Adam Haldane-Duncan | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1857: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Adam Haldane-Duncan | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,288 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1859: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Adam Haldane-Duncan | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,421 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1860s

Haldane-Duncan succeeded to the peerage, becoming Earl of Camperdown, and causing a by-election.
By-election, 1 February 1860: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Charles Carnegie | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1865: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Charles Carnegie | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,108 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1868: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Charles Carnegie | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,379 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1870s

Carnegie resigned after being appointed Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland.
By-election, 16 Dec 1872: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | James William Barclay | 1,481 | 56.8 | N/A |
| | Conservative | James Ramsay | 1,128 | 43.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 353 | 13.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,609 | 72.4 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,603 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1874: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | James William Barclay | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,619 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | James William Barclay | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,634 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1885: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | James William Barclay | 6,157 | 76.9 | N/A |
| | Conservative | William Alexander Lindsay | 1,851 | 23.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,306 | 53.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,008 | 71.3 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,232 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1886: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | James William Barclay | 3,839 | 52.8 | +29.7 |
| | Liberal | David Charles Guthrie | 3,432 | 47.2 | −29.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 407 | 5.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,271 | 64.7 | −6.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,232 | | |
| | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | +29.7 | |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Rigby | 4,943 | 54.8 | +7.6 |
| | Liberal Unionist | James William Barclay | 4,077 | 45.2 | −7.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 866 | 9.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,020 | 79.8 | +15.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,307 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist | Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist | Swing | +7.6 | |
Rigby is appointed Solicitor General for England and Wales, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 1892: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Rigby | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
Rigby resigns after being appointed a Lord Justice of Appeal, triggering a by-election.
1894 Forfarshire by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Maule Ramsay | 5,145 | 51.4 | +6.2 |
| | Liberal | Henry Robson | 4,859 | 48.6 | −6.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 286 | 2.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,004 | 83.3 | +3.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,010 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +6.2 | |
General election 1895: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Martin White | 5,159 | 52.2 | −2.6 |
| | Conservative | Charles Maule Ramsay | 4,718 | 47.8 | +2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 441 | 4.4 | −5.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,877 | 82.2 | +2.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,010 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −2.6 | |
White resigns, triggering a by-election.
1897 Forfarshire by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Sinclair | 5,423 | 52.2 | 0.0 |
| | Conservative | Charles Maule Ramsay | 4,965 | 47.8 | 0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 458 | 4.4 | 0.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,388 | 85.1 | +2.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,200 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | 0.0 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Sinclair | 4,962 | 51.3 | −0.9 |
| | Conservative | Charles Maule Ramsay | 4,714 | 48.7 | +0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 248 | 2.6 | −1.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,676 | 78.6 | −3.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,313 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −0.9 | |
General election 1906: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Sinclair | 6,796 | 67.5 | +16.2 |
| | Liberal Unionist | J. Mackay Bernard | 3,277 | 32.5 | −16.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,519 | 35.0 | +32.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,073 | 79.7 | +1.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,644 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +16.2 | |
Forfarshire by-election, 1909 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | James Falconer | 6,422 | 61.8 | −5.7 |
| | Conservative | Robert Blackburn | 3,970 | 38.2 | +5.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,452 | 23.6 | −11.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,392 | 81.3 | +1.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,778 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −5.7 | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | James Falconer | 6,789 | 61.3 | −6.2 |
| | Conservative | Robert Blackburn | 4,284 | 38.7 | +6.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,505 | 22.6 | −12.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,073 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | -0.5 | |
General election December 1910: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | James Falconer | 6,449 | 59.5 | −1.8 |
| | Conservative | James B Duncan | 4,397 | 40.5 | +1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,052 | 19.0 | −3.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,846 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | -1.8 | |
General election 1918: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | William T. Shaw | 5,697 | 52.4 | +11.9 |
| | Liberal | James Falconer | 5,179 | 47.6 | −11.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 518 | 4.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,876 | 44.2 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 24,611 | | |
| | Unionist gain from Liberal | Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | +11.9 | |

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | James Falconer | 8,567 | 54.8 | +7.2 |
| | Unionist | William T. Shaw | 7,071 | 45.2 | −7.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,496 | 9.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 15,638 | 65.0 | +20.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 24,040 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Unionist | Liberal gain from Unionist | Swing | +7.2 | |
General election 1923: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | James Falconer | 7,605 | 52.9 | −1.9 |
| | Unionist | William T. Shaw | 6,758 | 47.1 | +1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 847 | 5.8 | −3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,363 | 60.3 | −4.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 23,828 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −1.9 | |
General election 1924: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Harry Hope | 8,022 | 49.1 | +2.0 |
| | Liberal | James Falconer | 4,581 | 28.0 | −24.9 |
| | Labour | Charles Gallie | 3,736 | 22.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,441 | 21.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 16,339 | 68.3 | +8.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 23,916 | | |
| | Unionist gain from Liberal | Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | +13.5 | |
General election 1929: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Harry Hope | 8,852 | 42.2 | −6.9 |
| | Liberal | William Scott | 6,901 | 32.8 | +4.8 |
| | Labour | Charles Gallie | 5,257 | 25.0 | +2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,951 | 9.4 | −11.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,010 | 70.7 | +2.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 29,737 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −5.9 | |

### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | William T. Shaw | 13,912 | 61.4 | +19.2 |
| | Liberal | William Scott | 8,731 | 38.6 | +5.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,181 | 22.8 | +13.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 22,643 | 75.2 | +4.5 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | | |
General election 1935: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | William T. Shaw | 13,505 | 60.2 | −1.2 |
| | Liberal | William Scott | 8,922 | 39.8 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,583 | 20.4 | −2.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 22,427 | 71.5 | −3.7 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | -1.2 | |

### Elections in the 1940s

General Election 1939–40:
Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;
* Unionist: William T. Shaw
* Liberal:
General election 1945: Forfarshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Simon Ramsay | 13,615 | 51.6 | −8.6 |
| | Labour | E Douglas | 8,199 | 31.1 | New |
| | Liberal | Philip Fothergill | 4,575 | 17.3 | −22.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,416 | 20.5 | +0.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 26,389 | 69.1 | −2.4 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | | |