# Elgin Burghs (UK Parliament constituency)

Elgin Burghs was a district of burghs constituency of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918. Until 1832, when Peterhead was added, the constituency comprised the parliamentary burghs of Elgin, Cullen, Banff, Inverurie and Kintore, lying in Elginshire (later known as Morayshire), Banffshire and Aberdeenshire.

## 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 Elgin, Banff, Cullen, Inverurie and Kintore.

## History

The constituency elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system until the seat was abolished in 1918.
In 1918, Elgin became part of Moray and Nairn, Banff and Cullen part of Banffshire, Inverurie and Kintore part of Central Aberdeenshire and Peterhead part of East Aberdeenshire.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1708 | Hon. Patrick Ogilvy | |
| 1710 | Alexander Reid | |
| 1713 | James Murray | Tory |
| 1715 | John Campbell, later Duke of Argyll | Whig |
| 1722 | William Fraser | Tory |
| 1725 | John Campbell, later Duke of Argyll | |
| 1727 | William Steuart | |
| 1728 | Patrick Campbell | |
| 1734 | William Steuart | |
| 1741 | Sir James Grant, Bt | |
| 1747 | William Grant | |
| 1755 | Sir Andrew Mitchell | |
| 1771 | Thomas Lockhart | |
| 1774 | Staats Long Morris | |
| 1784 | William Adam | |
| 1790 | Alexander Brodie | |
| 1802 | Francis Ogilvy-Grant, later Earl of Seafield | |
| 1806 | George Skene | |
| 1807 | Archibald Colquhoun | |
| 1810 | William Dundas | Tory |
| 1812 | Archibald Campbell | Tory |
| 1812 | Patrick Milne | Tory |
| 1818 | Robert Grant | Tory |
| 1820 | Archibald Farquharson | Whig |
| 1826 | Alexander Duff | |
| 1830 | Alexander Duff | Tory |
| 1831 | Sir William Gordon-Cumming, Bt | Tory |
| 1832 | Sir Andrew Leith Hay | Whig |
| 1838 | Fox Maule, later Earl of Dalhousie | Whig |
| 1841 | Sir Andrew Leith Hay | Whig |
| 1847 | George Skene Duff | Whig |
| 1857 | M. E. Grant Duff | Whig |
| 1859 | M. E. Grant Duff | Liberal |
| 1881 by-election | Alexander Asher | Liberal |
| 1905 by-election | John Sutherland | Liberal |
| 1918 by-election | Charles Barrie, later Baron Abertay | Liberal |
| 1918 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |

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

General election 1830: Elgin Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | Alexander Duff | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | c. 84 | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
General election 1831: Elgin Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | William Gordon-Cumming | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | c. 84 | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
General election 1832: Elgin Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Andrew Leith Hay | 350 | 50.1 |
| | Tory | Holt Mackenzie | 225 | 32.2 |
| | Whig | Alexander Morison | 123 | 17.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 125 | 17.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 698 | 89.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 776 | |
| | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory |
Hay was appointed as Clerk of the Ordnance, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 30 June 1834: Elgin Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Andrew Leith Hay | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1835: Elgin Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Andrew Leith Hay | 384 | 59.3 | −8.4 |
| | Conservative | William Brodie | 264 | 40.7 | +8.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 120 | 18.6 | +0.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 648 | 79.8 | −10.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 812 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | +0.4 | |
Hay was appointed as Clerk of the Ordnance, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 2 May 1835: Elgin Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Andrew Leith Hay | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1837: Elgin Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Andrew Leith Hay | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 858 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
Hay resigned after being appointed as Governor of Bermuda, causing a by-election.
By-election, 13 February 1838: Elgin Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Fox Maule | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Elgin Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Andrew Leith Hay | 311 | 51.2 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Thomas Abercromby Duff | 297 | 48.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14 | 2.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 608 | 70.9 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 857 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1847: Elgin Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | George Skene Duff | 242 | 41.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Alexander Bannerman | 192 | 33.0 | −15.8 |
| | Whig | Andrew Leith Hay | 147 | 25.3 | −25.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 50 | 8.7 | +6.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 581 | 67.4 | −3.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 862 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Elgin Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | George Skene Duff | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 988 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1857: Elgin Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | George Skene Duff | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 967 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
Duff resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, causing a by-election.
By-election, 19 December 1857: Elgin Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | M. E. Grant Duff | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1859: Elgin Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | M. E. Grant Duff | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 969 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Elgin Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | M. E. Grant Duff | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,059 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1868: Elgin Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | M. E. Grant Duff | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,962 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Elgin Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | M. E. Grant Duff | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,501 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Elgin Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | M. E. Grant Duff | 2,082 | 73.2 | N/A |
| | Conservative | James Mackenzie Maclean | 764 | 26.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,318 | 46.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,846 | 74.8 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,806 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
Duff resigned after being appointed Governor of Madras, causing a by-election.
By-election, 15 Jul 1881: Elgin Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Alexander Asher | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
Asher was appointed as Solicitor General for Scotland, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 27 Aug 1881: Elgin Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Alexander Asher | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1885: Elgin Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Alexander Asher | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
Asher was re-appointed as Solicitor General for Scotland, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 12 Feb 1886: Elgin Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Alexander Asher | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1886: Elgin Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Alexander Asher | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Elgin Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Alexander Asher | 1,668 | 59.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | James Augustus Grant | 1,127 | 40.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 541 | 19.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,795 | 66.8 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,182 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
Asher is appointed Solicitor General for Scotland, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 1892: Elgin Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Alexander Asher | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1895: Elgin Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Alexander Asher | 1,853 | 61.5 | +1.8 |
| | Liberal Unionist | Charles Thomas Gordon | 1,161 | 38.5 | −1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 692 | 23.0 | +3.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,014 | 67.9 | +1.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,440 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +1.8 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Elgin Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Alexander Asher | 1,744 | 59.5 | −2.0 |
| | Conservative | John Moffatt | 1,187 | 40.5 | +2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 557 | 19.0 | −4.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,931 | 64.6 | −3.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,535 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −2.0 | |
Elgin Burghs by-election, 1905 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Sutherland | 2,474 | 70.8 | +11.3 |
| | Conservative | Patrick Rose-Innes | 1,021 | 29.2 | −11.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,453 | 41.6 | +22.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,495 | 73.6 | +9.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,748 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +11.3 | |
General election 1906: Elgin Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Sutherland | 2,742 | 77.7 | +18.2 |
| | Conservative | Evan N B Mackenzie | 786 | 22.3 | −18.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,956 | 55.4 | +36.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,528 | 72.5 | +7.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,867 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +18.2 | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Elgin Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Sutherland | 3,031 | 71.6 | −6.1 |
| | Liberal Unionist | William George Black | 1,201 | 28.4 | +6.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,830 | 43.2 | −12.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,232 | 79.8 | +7.3 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | -6.1 | |
General election December 1910: Elgin Burghs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Sutherland | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
Elgin Burghs by-election, 1918 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Charles Barrie | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |