# Stirling Burghs (UK Parliament constituency)

Stirling Burghs was a district of burghs constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1708 to 1918.

## 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 Stirling, Culross, Dunfermline, Inverkeithing and Queensferry

## Boundaries

The constituency comprised the burghs of Stirling in Stirlingshire, Dunfermline, and Inverkeithing in Fife, Queensferry, in Linlithgowshire (West Lothian), and Culross, which was an exclave of Perthshire, transferring to Fife in 1889. By 1832, the burgh of Queensferry had become the burgh of South Queensferry.

## History

The constituency elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system until the seat was abolished for the 1918 general election.
In 1918, Stirling became part of Stirling and Falkirk Burghs and Dunfermline became part of Dunfermline Burghs, with the other burghs being represented as part of their respective counties.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| | 1708 | John Erskine | |
| | 1710 | Henry Cunningham | |
| | 1728 | Lord Erskine | |
| | 1734 | Peter Halkett | |
| | 1741 | James Erskine | |
| | 1747 | George Haldane | |
| | 1758 | Robert Haldane | |
| | 1761 | Francis Holburne | |
| | 1768 | James Masterton | |
| | 1774 | Archibald Campbell | |
| | 1780 | James Campbell | |
| | 1789 | Archibald Campbell | |
| | 1791 | Andrew Cochrane (from 1793, Cochrane Johnstone) | |
| | 1797 | William Tait | |
| | 1800 | Alexander Cochrane | |
| | 1806 | Sir John Henderson, Bt | |
| | 1807 | Alexander Campbell | |
| | 1818 | John Campbell | |
| | 1819 | Francis Primrose | |
| | 1820 | Robert Downie | Non Partisan |
| | 1830 | James Johnston | Non Partisan |
| | 1832 | Archibald Primrose, Lord Dalmeny | Whig |
| | 1847 | John Benjamin Smith | Radical |
| | 1852 | Sir James Anderson | Radical |
| | 1859 | James Caird | Liberal |
| | 1865 | Laurence Oliphant | Liberal |
| | 1868 | John Ramsay | Liberal |
| | 1868 | Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman | Liberal |
| | 1908 | Arthur Ponsonby | Liberal |
| 1918 | 1918 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |

## Election results 1708-1885
### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Stirling Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Nonpartisan | James Johnston (MP) | 3 | 60.0 |
| | Nonpartisan | Robert Downie (MP) | 2 | 40.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1 | 20.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5 | c. 4.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | c. 103 | |
| | Nonpartisan gain from Nonpartisan | Nonpartisan gain from Nonpartisan | Swing | |
General election 1831: Stirling Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Nonpartisan | James Johnston (MP) | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | c. 103 | |
| | Nonpartisan hold | Nonpartisan hold | Nonpartisan hold | Nonpartisan hold |
General election 1832: Stirling Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Archibald Primrose | 492 | 57.3 |
| | Whig | James Johnston (MP) | 366 | 42.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 126 | 14.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 858 | 89.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 956 | |
| | Whig gain from Nonpartisan | Whig gain from Nonpartisan | Whig gain from Nonpartisan | Whig gain from Nonpartisan |
General election 1835: Stirling Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Archibald Primrose | 418 | 54.8 | −2.5 |
| | Radical | John Crawfurd | 345 | 45.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 73 | 9.6 | −5.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 763 | 72.0 | −17.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,060 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | −2.5 | |
Primrose was appointed as a Civil Lord of the Admiralty, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 5 May 1835: Stirling Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Archibald Primrose | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1837: Stirling Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Archibald Primrose | 455 | 99.6 | +44.8 |
| | Radical | Thomas Perronet Thompson | 2 | 0.4 | −44.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 453 | 99.2 | +89.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 457 | 36.8 | −35.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,241 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | +44.8 | |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Stirling Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Archibald Primrose | 438 | 51.0 | −48.6 |
| | Radical | James Aytoun | 420 | 49.0 | +48.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 18 | 2.0 | −97.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 858 | 75.2 | +38.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,141 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | −48.6 | |
General election 1847: Stirling Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Radical | John Benjamin Smith | 345 | 42.4 | −6.6 |
| | Whig | Alexander Ramsay-Gibson-Maitland | 312 | 38.4 | −12.6 |
| | Whig | Alexander Alison | 156 | 19.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 33 | 4.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 813 | 72.3 | −2.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,125 | | |
| | Radical gain from Whig | Radical gain from Whig | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Stirling Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Radical | James Anderson | 431 | 51.2 | +8.8 |
| | Whig | John Miller | 411 | 48.8 | −8.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20 | 2.4 | −1.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 842 | 76.8 | +4.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,097 | | |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Swing | +8.8 | |
General election 1857: Stirling Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Radical | James Anderson | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,149 | | |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold |
General election 1859: Stirling Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | James Caird | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,224 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Stirling Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Laurence Oliphant | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,262 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
Oliphant resigned, causing a by-election.
By-election, 30 April 1868: Stirling Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Ramsay | 565 | 53.4 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Henry Campbell-Bannerman | 494 | 46.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 71 | 6.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,059 | 84.2 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,257 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1868: Stirling Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Henry Campbell-Bannerman | 2,201 | 56.7 | N/A |
| | Liberal | John Ramsay | 1,682 | 43.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 519 | 13.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,883 | 88.8 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,372 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Stirling Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Henry Campbell-Bannerman | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,779 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Stirling Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Henry Campbell-Bannerman | 2,906 | 95.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | James Gibson-Maitland | 132 | 4.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,774 | 91.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,038 | 63.2 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,807 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
Campbell-Bannerman was appointed Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 31 Oct 1884: Stirling Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Henry Campbell-Bannerman | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

## Election results 1885-1918
### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1885: Stirling Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Henry Campbell-Bannerman | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
A by-election was called after Campbell-Bannerman accepted office as Secretary of State for War as at that time Cabinet Ministers were required on appointment to submit themselves for re-election.
By-election, 10 Feb 1886: Stirling Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Henry Campbell-Bannerman | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1886: Stirling Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Henry Campbell-Bannerman | 2,440 | 62.4 | N/A |
| | Liberal Unionist | John Pender | 1,471 | 37.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 969 | 24.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,911 | 74.8 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,228 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Stirling Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Henry Campbell-Bannerman | 2,791 | 62.2 | −0.2 |
| | Liberal Unionist | Walter Hughes | 1,695 | 37.8 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,096 | 24.4 | −0.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,486 | 80.3 | +5.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,590 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | -0.2 | |
Campbell-Bannerman was appointed Secretary of State for War requiring a by-election.
By-election, 25 Aug 1892: Stirling Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Henry Campbell-Bannerman | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1895: Stirling Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Henry Campbell-Bannerman | 2,783 | 62.7 | +0.5 |
| | Conservative | Stuart Cunningham Macaskie | 1,656 | 37.3 | −0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,127 | 25.4 | +1.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,439 | 73.9 | −6.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,007 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +0.5 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Stirling Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Henry Campbell-Bannerman | 2,715 | 56.6 | −6.1 |
| | Liberal Unionist | Oliver Thomas Duke | 2,085 | 43.4 | +6.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 630 | 12.2 | −12.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,800 | 74.7 | +0.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,422 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | -6.1 | |
General election 1906: Stirling Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Henry Campbell-Bannerman | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
1908 Stirling Burghs by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Arthur Ponsonby | 3,873 | 60.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | William Whitelaw | 2,512 | 39.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,361 | 21.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,385 | 84.5 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,558 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Stirling Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Arthur Ponsonby | 4,471 | 64.9 | +4.2 |
| | Conservative | Neil Cochran-Patrick | 2,419 | 35.1 | −4.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,052 | 29.8 | +8.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,890 | 84.6 | +0.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +4.2 | |
General election December 1910: Stirling Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Arthur Ponsonby | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |