# Down (UK Parliament constituency)

County Down was a UK Parliament constituency in Ireland and later Northern Ireland. It was a two-member constituency and existed in two periods, 1801–1885 and 1922–1950.

## Boundaries

1801–1885: The whole of County Down, excluding the Boroughs of Downpatrick and Newry.
1922–1950: The Administrative county of Down, that is the whole of County Down excluding the part in the City of Belfast.

## Members of Parliament
### 1801–1885

| Election | | First member | First party | | Second member | Second party |
| 1801 | | Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh | Tory | | Francis Savage | |
| 1802 | | Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh | Tory | | Francis Savage | |
| 1805 | | Hon. John Meade | Whig | | Francis Savage | |
| 1806 | | Hon. John Meade | Whig | | Francis Savage | |
| 1807 | | Hon. John Meade | Whig | | Francis Savage | |
| May 1812 | | Hon. John Meade | Whig | | Hon. Robert Ward | |
| October 1812 | | Hon. John Meade | Whig | | Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh | Tory |
| 1817 | | Lord Arthur Hill | Whig | | Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh | Tory |
| 1818 | | Lord Arthur Hill | Whig | | Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh | Tory |
| 1820 | | Lord Arthur Hill | Whig | | Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh | Tory |
| 1821 | | Lord Arthur Hill | Whig | | Mathew Forde | Tory |
| 1826 | | Lord Arthur Hill | Whig | | Frederick Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh | Tory |
| 1830 | | Lord Arthur Hill | Whig | | Frederick Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh | Tory |
| 1831 | | Lord Arthur Hill | Whig | | Frederick Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh | Tory |
| 1834 | | Lord Arthur Hill | Whig | | Frederick Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh | Conservative |
| 1832 | | Lord Arthur Hill | Whig | | Frederick Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh | Conservative |
| 1835 | | Lord Arthur Hill | Whig | | Frederick Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh | Conservative |
| 1836 | | Earl of Hillsborough | Conservative | | Frederick Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh | Conservative |
| 1837 | | Earl of Hillsborough | Conservative | | Frederick Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh | Conservative |
| 1841 | | Earl of Hillsborough | Conservative | | Frederick Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh | Conservative |
| 1845 | | Lord Arthur Hill-Trevor | Conservative | | Frederick Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh | Conservative |
| 1847 | | Lord Arthur Hill-Trevor | Conservative | | Frederick Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh | Conservative |
| 1852 | | Lord Arthur Hill-Trevor | Conservative | | David Stewart Ker | Conservative |
| 1857 | | Lord Arthur Hill-Trevor | Conservative | | William Brownlow Forde | Conservative |
| 1859 | | Lord Arthur Hill-Trevor | Conservative | | William Brownlow Forde | Conservative |
| 1865 | | Lord Arthur Hill-Trevor | Conservative | | William Brownlow Forde | Conservative |
| 1868 | | Lord Arthur Hill-Trevor | Conservative | | William Brownlow Forde | Conservative |
| 1874 | | Lord Arthur Hill-Trevor | Conservative | | James Sharman Crawford | Liberal |
| 1878 | | Lord Arthur Hill-Trevor | Conservative | | Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh | Conservative |
| 1880 | | Lord Arthur Hill | Conservative | | Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh | Conservative |
| 1884 | | Lord Arthur Hill | Conservative | | Richard Ker | Conservative |
| 1885 | constituency abolished: see East Down, West Down, South Down and North Down | constituency abolished: see East Down, West Down, South Down and North Down | constituency abolished: see East Down, West Down, South Down and North Down | constituency abolished: see East Down, West Down, South Down and North Down | constituency abolished: see East Down, West Down, South Down and North Down | constituency abolished: see East Down, West Down, South Down and North Down |

### 1922–1950

| Election | First member | First party | Second member | Second party |
| 1922 | David Reid | Ulster Unionist Party | John Simms | Ulster Unionist Party |
| 1931 | David Reid | Ulster Unionist Party | Viscount Castlereagh | Ulster Unionist Party |
| 1939 | James Little | Ulster Unionist Party | Viscount Castlereagh | Ulster Unionist Party |
| 1945 | James Little | Independent Unionist | Walter Smiles | Ulster Unionist Party |
| 1946 | C. H. Mullan | Ulster Unionist Party | Walter Smiles | Ulster Unionist Party |

## Elections
### Elections in the 1940s

1946 Down by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | C. H. Mullan | 50,699 | 51.4 | +30.5 |
| | NI Labour | Desmond Donnelly | 28,846 | 29.3 | New |
| | Ind. Unionist | J. Hastings-Little | 16,895 | 17.1 | −23.3 |
| | Ind. Unionist | James Brown | 2,125 | 2.2 | −16.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 21,853 | 22.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 98,565 | | |
| | UUP gain from Ind. Unionist | UUP gain from Ind. Unionist | Swing | | |
General election 1945: Down (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Ind. Unionist | James Little | 46,732 | 40.4 | N/A |
| | UUP | Walter Smiles | 24,148 | 20.9 | −22.6 |
| | UUP | John Blakiston Houston | 22,730 | 19.6 | −26.8 |
| | Ind. Unionist | James Brown | 22,163 | 19.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 24,002 | 20.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 115,773 | 39.8 | −16.9 |
| | Ind. Unionist gain from UUP | Ind. Unionist gain from UUP | Swing | N/A | |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1930s

1939 Down by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | James Little | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold |
General election 1935: Down (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | David Reid | 66,324 | 46.4 | N/A |
| | UUP | Robin Vane-Tempest-Stewart | 58,777 | 43.5 | N/A |
| | Ind. Republican | Patrick O'Hagan | 20,236 | 13.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 38,541 | 30.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 145,337 | 56.7 | N/A |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | N/A | |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | N/A | |
1931 general election: Down (2 seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| UUP | David Reid | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| UUP | Robin Vane-Tempest-Stewart | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold |
| UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold |

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1929: Down (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | David Reid | 54,073 | 36.3 | −10.2 |
| | UUP | John Simms | 53,943 | 36.2 | −10.2 |
| | Ulster Liberal | Robert Pollock | 20,999 | 14.1 | New |
| | Ulster Liberal | David Johnston | 20,013 | 13.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 32,944 | 22.1 | −17.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 149,028 | 58.5 | −7.3 |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | | |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | | |
General election 1924: Down (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | David Reid | 58,929 | 46.5 | N/A |
| | UUP | John Simms | 58,777 | 46.4 | N/A |
| | Sinn Féin | Michael Murney | 8,941 | 7.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 49,836 | 39.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 117,706 | 65.8 | N/A |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | N/A | |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1923: Down (2 seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| UUP | David Reid | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| UUP | John Simms | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold |
| UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold |
General election 1922: Down (2 seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| UUP | David Reid | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| UUP | John Simms | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| UUP win (new seat) | UUP win (new seat) | UUP win (new seat) | UUP win (new seat) | UUP win (new seat) |
| UUP win (new seat) | UUP win (new seat) | UUP win (new seat) | UUP win (new seat) | UUP win (new seat) |

### Elections in the 1880s

By-election, 8 July 1885: Down :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Arthur Hill | 5,097 | 52.0 | −15.2 |
| | Liberal | John Shaw Brown | 4,696 | 48.0 | +15.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 401 | 4.0 | +3.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,793 | 78.9 | −7.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,412 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −15.3 | |
* Caused by Hill's appointment as Comptroller of the Household.
By-election, 27 Nov 1884: Down (1 seat) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Richard Ker | 4,387 | 52.3 | −14.9 |
| | Liberal | Arthur Crawford (Liberal politician) | 3,998 | 47.7 | +15.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 389 | 4.6 | +4.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,385 | 67.6 | −18.9 (est) |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,412 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −15.0 | |
The electorate was 12,718 in 1881.
* Caused by Vane-Tempest's succession to the peerage, becoming Marquess of Londonderry.
General election 1880: Down (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Arthur Hill | 5,873 | 34.4 | −0.2 |
| | Conservative | Charles Vane-Tempest | 5,599 | 32.8 | +0.6 |
| | Liberal | John Crawford (Liberal politician) | 5,579 | 32.7 | −0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20 | 0.1 | −1.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,452 (est) | 86.5 (est) | +4.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 13,236 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 0.0 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.4 | |
Blakely McCartney brought a petition against Vane-Tempest under the Parliamentary Elections Act 1868, which was tried in June by Francis Alexander FitzGerald and Charles Robert Barry. FitzGerald found no corrupt practices, while Barry found there was undue influence in favour of Vane-Tempest but not with his knowledge or consent.

### Elections in the 1870s

By-election, 17 May 1878: Down :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Vane-Tempest | 6,076 | 56.4 | −10.4 |
| | Liberal | William Drennan Andrews | 4,701 | 43.6 | +10.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,375 | 12.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,777 | 84.1 | +2.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,814 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | −10.5 | |
* Sharman Crawford's death caused a by-election.
General election 1874: Down :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edwin Hill-Trevor | 5,029 | 34.6 | N/A |
| | Liberal | James Sharman Crawford | 4,814 | 33.1 | New |
| | Conservative | William Brownlow Forde | 4,683 | 32.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,670 (est) | 82.0 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,797 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 215 | 1.5 | N/A |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 131 | 0.9 | N/A |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1868: Down :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edwin Hill-Trevor | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | William Brownlow Forde | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,646 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1865: Down :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edwin Hill-Trevor | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | William Brownlow Forde | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,435 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
The electorate was 11,470 in 1862.

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1859: Down :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edwin Hill | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | William Brownlow Forde | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,367 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1857: Down :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edwin Hill | 5,839 | 39.1 | −0.1 |
| | Conservative | William Brownlow Forde | 5,341 | 35.8 | +1.2 |
| | Peelite | David Stewart Ker | 3,735 | 25.0 | −1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,606 | 10.8 | +2.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,325 (est) | 86.7 (est) | +11.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,759 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.3 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.9 | |
The Poll Books for part of County Down, showing how each elector voted in the 1857 general election are available in the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland under reference D/671/O/2/7-8.
General election 1852: Down :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edwin Hill | 4,654 | 39.2 | N/A |
| | Conservative | David Stewart Ker | 4,117 | 34.6 | N/A |
| | Radical | William Sharman Crawford | 3,113 | 26.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,004 | 8.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,499 (est) | 74.8 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,028 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
The Poll Books for part of County Down, showing how each elector voted in the 1852 general election are available in the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland under reference D/671/O/2/5-6.

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1847: Down :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edwin Hill | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Frederick Stewart | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,446 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
By-election, 3 June 1845: Down :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edwin Hill | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
* Caused by Hill's succession to the peerage, becoming 4th Marquess of Downshire
General election 1841: Down :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Arthur Hill | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Frederick Stewart | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,215 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1837: Down :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Arthur Hill | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Frederick Stewart | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,525 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig |
By-election, 30 August 1836: Down :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Arthur Hill | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig |
* Caused by Arthur Hill's succession as 2nd Baron Sandys
General election 1835: Down :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Arthur Hill | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Frederick Stewart | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,729 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1832: Down :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Arthur Hill | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Tory | Frederick Stewart | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,130 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
General election 1831: Down :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Arthur Hill | 1,671 | 45.7 | +12.7 |
| | Tory | Frederick Stewart | 1,067 | 29.2 | −7.5 |
| | Radical | William Sharman Crawford | 917 | 25.1 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | c. 1,828 | c. 91.8 | c. +12.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,990 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 604 | 16.5 | +13.7 |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | +10.1 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 150 | 4.1 | +0.4 |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Swing | −10.1 | |
General election 1830: Down :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | Frederick Stewart | 930 | 36.7 | −12.6 |
| | Whig | Arthur Hill | 837 | 33.0 | −16.5 |
| | Whig | Mathew Forde | 766 | 30.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,570 | 78.9 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,990 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 93 | 3.7 | −44.4 |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Swing | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 71 | 2.8 | −45.5 |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1820s

At the by-election on 15 July 1829 following Frederick Stewart's appointment as a Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty, he was re-elected unopposed.
General election 1826: Down :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Arthur Hill | 667 | 49.5 | N/A |
| | Tory | Frederick Stewart | 665 | 49.3 | N/A |
| | Tory | John Stewart | 16 | 1.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 649 | 48.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,348 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Swing | | |
At the by-election on 9 May 1821 following Robert Stewart vacating his seat, Mathew Forde was returned unopposed.

### Elections in the 1810s

At the 1818 and 1820 general elections, Arthur Hill and Robert Stewart were elected unopposed.
At the by-election on 26 February 1817 following the Hon. John Meade's appointment as consul general in Spain, Arthur Hill was returned unopposed.
The electorate was approximately 15,000 in 1815.
General election 1812: Down :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | Robert Stewart | 55 | 50.9 | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan | John Meade | 52 | 48.1 | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan | Eldred Pottinger | 13 | 12.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 39 | 36.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 118 | | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Swing | | |
| | Nonpartisan hold | Nonpartisan hold | Swing | | |
At the by-election on 30 May 1812 following Francis Savage's acceptance of the Chiltern Hundreds, Robert Ward was returned unopposed. "Castlereagh ... was not prepared to come in at that moment, and after an unsuccessful attempt to persuade Savage to reconsider his decision, he arranged for his old friend Colonel Ward to stand as a 'stopgap' until the general election".

### Elections in the 1800s

At the 1806 and 1807 general elections, Francis Savage and John Meade were elected unopposed.
Down by-election, 1805 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Nonpartisan | John Meade | 1,973 | 57.1 | N/A |
| | Tory | Robert Stewart | c. 1481 | 42.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 492 | 14.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,454 | | |
| | Nonpartisan gain from Whig | Nonpartisan gain from Whig | Swing | | |
At the creation of the Parliament of the United Kingdom in 1801, the sitting members of the Parliament of Ireland for County Down, Francis Savage and Viscount Castlereagh, continued as MPs for the county. At the 1802 general election, Savage and Castlereagh were returned unopposed.