# Montrose Burghs (UK Parliament constituency)

Montrose Burghs was a district of burghs constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 until 1950.
The constituency elected one Member of Parliament (MP) to represent the parliamentary burghs of Montrose, Arbroath, Brechin, Forfar and Inverbervie.
In 1950, Montrose, Brechin and Inverbervie were merged into North Angus and Mearns, and Arbroath and Forfar were merged into South Angus.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| | 1832 | Horatio Ross | Whig |
| | 1835 | Patrick Chalmers | Radical |
| | 1842 by-election | Joseph Hume | Radical |
| | 1855 by-election | William Edward Baxter | Radical |
| | 1859 | William Edward Baxter | Liberal |
| | 1885 | John Shiress Will | Liberal |
| | 1896 by-election | John Morley | Liberal |
| | 1908 by-election | Robert Harcourt | Liberal |
| | 1918 | John Sturrock | Coalition Liberal |
| | 1922 | John Sturrock | National Liberal |
| | 1923 | John Sturrock | Liberal |
| | 1924 | Robert Hutchison | Liberal |
| | 1930 | Robert Hutchison | Independent Liberal |
| | 1931 | Robert Hutchison | National Liberal |
| | 1932 by-election | Charles Kerr | National Liberal |
| | 1940 by-election | John Maclay | National Liberal |
| 1950 | 1950 | constituency abolished: see North Angus & Mearns and South Angus | constituency abolished: see North Angus & Mearns and South Angus |

## Elections
### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1832: Montrose Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Horatio Ross | 796 | 59.8 |
| | Radical | Patrick Chalmers | 535 | 40.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 261 | 19.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,331 | 89.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,494 | |
| | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) |
General election 1835: Montrose Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Radical | Patrick Chalmers | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,551 | |
| | Radical gain from Whig | Radical gain from Whig | Radical gain from Whig | Radical gain from Whig |
General election 1837: Montrose Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Radical | Patrick Chalmers | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,636 | |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Montrose Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Radical | Patrick Chalmers | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,403 | | |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold |
Chalmers resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Manor of Northstead, causing a by-election.
By-election, 16 April 1842: Montrose Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Radical | Joseph Hume | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold |
General election 1847: Montrose Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Radical | Joseph Hume | 532 | 69.7 | N/A |
| | Radical | David Greenhill | 231 | 30.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 301 | 39.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 763 | 64.8 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,178 | | |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Montrose Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Radical | Joseph Hume | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,586 | | |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold |
Hume's death caused a by-election.
By-election, 9 March 1855: Montrose Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Radical | William Edward Baxter | 478 | 52.4 | N/A |
| | Whig | John Ogilvy | 434 | 47.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 44 | 4.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 912 | 57.5 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,585 | | |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1857: Montrose Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Radical | William Edward Baxter | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,575 | | |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold |
General election 1859: Montrose Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | William Edward Baxter | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,651 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Montrose Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | William Edward Baxter | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,806 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1868: Montrose Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | William Edward Baxter | 3,199 | 75.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | William Macdonald Macdonald | 1,027 | 24.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,172 | 51.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,226 | 66.7 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,337 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Montrose Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | William Edward Baxter | 3,333 | 64.0 | −11.7 |
| | Conservative | William Macdonald Macdonald | 1,875 | 36.0 | +11.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,458 | 28.0 | −23.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,208 | 66.0 | −0.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,891 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −11.7 | |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Montrose Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | William Edward Baxter | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,343 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1885: Montrose Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Shiress Will | 3,532 | 49.9 | N/A |
| | Independent Liberal | Alexander Gordon | 2,779 | 39.3 | New |
| | Conservative | Alexander Mackenzie | 763 | 10.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 753 | 10.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,074 | 78.9 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,963 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1886: Montrose Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Shiress Will | 3,357 | 61.7 | +11.8 |
| | Liberal Unionist | Arthur Patton | 2,088 | 38.3 | +27.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,269 | 23.4 | +12.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,445 | 60.7 | −18.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,963 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +6.4 | |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Montrose Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Shiress Will | 3,941 | 65.3 | +3.6 |
| | Liberal Unionist | Robert Arthur Lockhart | 2,090 | 34.7 | −3.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,851 | 30.6 | +7.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,031 | 71.5 | +10.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,436 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +3.6 | |
General election 1895: Montrose Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Shiress Will | 3,594 | 59.3 | −6.0 |
| | Liberal Unionist | George Washington Baxter | 2,462 | 40.7 | +6.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,132 | 18.6 | −12.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,056 | 71.4 | −0.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,484 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −6.0 | |
1896 Montrose Burghs by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Morley | 4,565 | 64.0 | +4.7 |
| | Conservative | John Wilson | 2,572 | 36.0 | −4.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,993 | 28.0 | +9.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,137 | 82.1 | +10.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,692 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +4.7 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Montrose Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Morley | 3,960 | 62.4 | +3.1 |
| | Liberal Unionist | John Birrell Don | 2,390 | 37.6 | −3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,570 | 24.8 | +6.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,350 | 71.5 | +0.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,881 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +3.1 | |
General election 1906: Montrose Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Morley | 4,416 | 69.7 | +7.3 |
| | Conservative | Alexander Sprot | 1,922 | 30.3 | −7.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,494 | 39.4 | +14.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,338 | 75.7 | +4.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,373 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +7.3 | |
Montrose Burghs by-election, 1908 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Harcourt | 3,083 | 46.7 | −23.0 |
| | Ind. Labour Party | Joseph Burgess | 1,937 | 29.4 | New |
| | Conservative | Andrew Constable | 1,576 | 23.9 | −6.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,146 | 17.3 | −22.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,596 | 80.4 | +4.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,205 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −8.3 | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Montrose Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Harcourt | 3,606 | 50.9 | −18.8 |
| | Ind. Labour Party | Joseph Burgess | 1,888 | 26.6 | N/A |
| | Conservative | William Low | 1,592 | 22.5 | −7.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,718 | 24.3 | −15.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,086 | 84.2 | +8.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,414 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −5.5 | |
General election December 1910: Montrose Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Harcourt | 3,878 | 64.3 | +13.4 |
| | Conservative | William Low | 2,155 | 35.7 | +13.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,723 | 28.6 | +4.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,033 | 72.0 | −12.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,383 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +0.1 | |
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: Robert Harcourt
* Unionist: John Hossell Henderson
* Labour: James Maxton
General election 1918: Montrose Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | Liberal | John Sturrock | 9,309 | 76.0 | +11.7 |
| | Labour | H. N. Brailsford | 2,940 | 24.0 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,369 | 52.0 | +23.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,249 | 49.1 | −22.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 24,956 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: Montrose Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National Liberal | John Sturrock | 8,407 | 54.4 | −21.6 |
| | Labour | John Carnegie | 7,044 | 45.6 | +21.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,363 | 8.8 | −43.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 15,451 | 62.7 | +13.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 24,628 | | |
| | National Liberal gain from Liberal | National Liberal gain from Liberal | Swing | −21.6 | |
General election 1923: Montrose Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Sturrock | 8,717 | 55.3 | +0.9 |
| | Labour | John Carnegie | 7,032 | 44.7 | −0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,685 | 10.6 | +1.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 15,749 | 62.9 | +0.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 25,031 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +0.9 | |
General election 1924: Montrose Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Hutchison | 9,226 | 57.2 | +1.9 |
| | Labour | Thomas Barron | 6,914 | 42.8 | −1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,312 | 14.4 | +3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 16,140 | 68.5 | +5.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 23,568 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +1.9 | |
General election 1929: Montrose Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Hutchison | 11,715 | 55.5 | −1.7 |
| | Labour | Thomas Irwin | 9,381 | 44.5 | +1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,334 | 11.0 | −3.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,096 | 71.3 | +2.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 29,573 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −1.7 | |

### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Montrose Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National Liberal | Robert Hutchison | 17,212 | 77.0 | N/A |
| | Labour | Arthur Fraser Macintosh | 5,137 | 23.0 | −21.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,075 | 54.0 | +43.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 22,349 | 74.6 | +3.3 |
| | National Liberal hold | National Liberal hold | Swing | | |
1932 Montrose Burghs by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National Liberal | Charles Kerr | 7,963 | 46.9 | −30.1 |
| | Labour | Tom Kennedy | 7,030 | 41.4 | +18.4 |
| | National (Scotland) | Douglas Emslie | 1,996 | 11.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 933 | 5.5 | −48.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 16,989 | 56.7 | −17.9 |
| | National Liberal hold | National Liberal hold | Swing | | |
General election 1935: Montrose Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National Liberal | Charles Kerr | 15,198 | 69.6 | −7.4 |
| | Labour | James Erskine Harper | 6,632 | 30.4 | +7.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,566 | 39.2 | −14.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,830 | 70.6 | −4.0 |
| | National Liberal hold | National Liberal hold | Swing | | |
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 and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected;
* Liberal National: John Maclay
* Labour: Olive R Crutchley

### Elections in the 1940s

1940 Montrose Burghs by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National Liberal | John Maclay | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | National Liberal hold | National Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1945: Montrose Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National Liberal | John Maclay | 13,966 | 58.2 | −11.4 |
| | Labour | Thomas Alexander MacNair | 10,011 | 41.8 | +11.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,955 | 16.4 | −22.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 24,007 | 72.3 | +1.7 |
| | National Liberal hold | National Liberal hold | Swing | | |