# Perth Burghs (UK Parliament constituency)

Perth Burghs was a district of burghs constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain (at Westminster) from 1708 to 1801 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (also at Westminster) from 1801 until 1832, representing a seat for one Member of Parliament (MP)

## Creation

The British parliamentary constituency was created in 1708 following the Acts of Union, 1707 and replaced the former Parliament of Scotland burgh constituencies of Perth, Cupar, Dundee, Forfar and St Andrews

## Boundaries

The constituency covered five burghs: Perth in the county of Perth, Cupar and St Andrews in the county of Fife, and Dundee and Forfar in the county of Forfar.

## History

The constituency elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system until the seat was abolished for the 1832 general election.
For the 1832 general election, as a result of the Representation of the People (Scotland) Act 1832, the burgh of Perth was merged into the new Perth burgh constituency, the burghs of Cupar and St Andrews were merged into the Fife county constituency, the burgh of Dundee was merged into new Dundee burgh constituency, and the burgh of Forfar was merged into the new Montrose Burghs constituency.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Member | Party | Notes |
| 1708 | Joseph Austin | | |
| 1710 | George Yeaman | | |
| 1715 | Patrick Haldane | | |
| 1722 | William Erskine | | |
| 1727 | John Drummond | | |
| 1743 by-election | Thomas Leslie | | |
| 1761 | George Dempster | | |
| 1768 | William Pulteney later 5th Baronet | Whig | also returned for Cromartyshire, for which he chose to sit |
| 1769 by-election | George Dempster | Independent Whig | |
| 1790 | George Murray | | |
| 1796 by-election | David Scott | | |
| 1805 by-election | Sir David Wedderburn, Bt | Tory | Postmaster-General for Scotland 1823–31 |
| 1818 | Archibald Campbell | | |
| 1820 | Hon. Hugh Lindsay | | |
| 1830 | John Stuart-Wortley | Tory | later Baron Wharncliffe |
| Jan 1831 by-election | Francis Jeffrey | | later Lord Jeffrey |
| Mar 1831 petition | William Ogilvy | | |
| May 1831 | Francis Jeffrey | Whig | later Lord Jeffrey |
| 1832 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |

## Election results

The electoral system for this constituency gave each of the five burghs one vote, with an additional casting vote (to break ties) for the burgh where the election was held. The place of election rotated amongst the burghs in successive Parliaments. The vote of a burgh was exercised by a burgh commissioner, who was elected by the burgh councillors.
The normal order of rotation for this district was Perth, Dundee, St Andrews, Cupar and Forfar. However the Court of Session had the power to suspend the participation of a burgh, as a punishment for corruption, which could disrupt the rotation if the normal returning burgh was not able to participate.
At the time of the disputed elections in 1830 and 1831, Dundee was not able to take part in the voting. Although Dundee was not the returning burgh for the 1830-31 Parliament, its absence made the elections less certain and encouraged wrongdoing by candidates.
The reference to some candidates as Non Partisan does not, necessarily, mean that they did not have a party allegiance. It means that the sources consulted did not specify a party allegiance. The sources used were Stooks Smith as well as Namier and Brooke (see the References section for further details).

### Elections in the 18th century

General election 1708: Perth Burghs (election at Perth) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Nonpartisan | Joseph Austin | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan gain from new seat | Nonpartisan gain from new seat | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1710s

General election 1710: Perth Burghs (election at Dundee) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Nonpartisan | George Yeaman | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan hold | Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1713: Perth Burghs (election at St Andrews) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Nonpartisan | George Yeaman | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan hold | Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1715: Perth Burghs (election at Cupar) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Nonpartisan | Patrick Haldane | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan hold | Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1720s

General election 1722: Perth Burghs (election at Forfar) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Nonpartisan | William Erskine | Returned and seated | N/A | N/A |
| Nonpartisan | Charles Leslie | Returned and unseated | N/A | N/A |
| Nonpartisan hold | Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A | |
* This election resulted in a double return of both candidates. The House of Commons seated Erskine.
General election 1727: Perth Burghs (election at Perth) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Nonpartisan | John Drummond | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan hold | Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1730s

General election 1734: Perth Burghs (election at Dundee) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Nonpartisan | John Drummond | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan hold | Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1740s

General election 1741: Perth Burghs (election at St Andrews) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Nonpartisan | John Drummond | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan hold | Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A | |
* December 1743: Death of Drummond