# Banffshire (UK Parliament constituency)

Banffshire was a constituency of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1708 to 1800, and of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1983. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP), using the first-past-the-post voting system.

## Creation

The British parliamentary constituency was created in 1708 following the Acts of Union, 1707 and replaced the former Parliament of Scotland shire constituency of Banffshire.

## History

The constituency elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system until 1983 when it was split and merged into Moray and Banff and Buchan.
The constituency covered the county of Banffshire, Scotland, but until 1918 the county town of Banff and the burgh of Cullen were represented as part of Elgin Burghs.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1707 | John Murray | |
| 1708 | Alexander Abercromby | |
| 1727 | William Duff, later 1st Earl Fife | |
| 1734 | James Abercromby | |
| 1754 | James Duff, later 2nd Earl Fife | |
| 1784 | Sir James Duff | |
| 1789 by-election | James Ferguson | Tory |
| 1790 | Sir James Grant, Bt | Tory |
| 1795 by-election | David McDowall-Grant | |
| 1796 | Sir William Grant | Whig |
| 1812 | Robert Abercromby | |
| 1818 | James Duff | Whig |
| 1827 by-election | John Morison | Tory |
| 1832 | George Ferguson | Tory |
| 1834 | George Ferguson | Conservative |
| 1837 | James Duff, later 5th Earl Fife | Whig |
| 1857 by-election | Lachlan Gordon-Duff | Whig |
| 1859 | Lachlan Gordon-Duff | Liberal |
| 1861 by-election | Robert Duff | Liberal |
| 1893 by-election | Sir William Wedderburn | Liberal |
| 1900 | Alexander William Black | Liberal |
| 1907 by-election | Walter Waring | Liberal |
| 1918 | Charles Barrie, later Baron Abertay | Liberal |
| 1924 | William Templeton | Unionist |
| 1929 | Sir Murdoch McKenzie Wood | Liberal |
| 1935 | Sir Edmund Findlay | Unionist |
| 1945 | Sir William Duthie | Unionist |
| 1964 | Wilfred Baker | Conservative |
| Feb 1974 | Hamish Watt | SNP |
| 1979 | David Myles | Conservative |
| 1983 | constituency abolished: see Banff & Buchan and Moray | constituency abolished: see Banff & Buchan and Moray |

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

General election 1830: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | John Morison | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 49 | |
| | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig |
General election 1831: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | John Morison | 20 | 60.6 |
| | Tory | George Ferguson | 13 | 39.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7 | 21.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 33 | c. 67.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | c. 49 | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
General election 1832: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | George Ferguson | 295 | 69.7 | −30.3 |
| | Whig | Thomas Gordon | 128 | 30.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 167 | 39.4 | +18.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 423 | 84.9 | c. +17.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 498 | | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Swing | +30.3 | |
General election 1835: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | George Ferguson | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 525 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1837: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | James Duff | 292 | 57.7 |
| | Conservative | George Ferguson | 214 | 42.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 78 | 15.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 506 | 73.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 685 | |
| | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | James Duff | 316 | 53.7 | −4.0 |
| | Conservative | John Ogilvy-Grant | 273 | 46.3 | +4.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 43 | 7.4 | −8.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 589 | 82.1 | +8.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 717 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | −4.0 | |
General election 1847: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | James Duff | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 833 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | James Duff | 327 | 52.1 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Hay Macdowall-Grant | 301 | 47.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 26 | 4.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 628 | 77.2 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 813 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1857: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | James Duff | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 927 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
Duff resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Manor of Hempholme, causing a by-election.
By-election, 30 June 1857: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Lachlan Gordon | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1859: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Lachlan Gordon-Duff | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 905 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
Back to Election results

### Elections in the 1860s

Duff's resignation caused a by-election.
By-election, 1 May 1861: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Duff | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1865: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Duff | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,062 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1868: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Duff | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,291 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
Back to Election results

### Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Duff | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,418 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
Back to Election results

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Duff | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,649 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
Duff was appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 19 Jun 1882: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Duff | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,649 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1885: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Duff | 3,740 | 65.1 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Moir Stormonth-Darling | 2,008 | 34.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,732 | 30.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,748 | 81.9 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,018 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
Duff was appointed Civil Lord of the Admiralty, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 13 Feb 1886: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Duff | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1886: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Duff | 2,583 | 64.9 | −0.2 |
| | Liberal Unionist | Charles Grant | 1,394 | 35.1 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,189 | 29.8 | −0.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,977 | 56.7 | −25.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,018 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −0.2 | |
Back to Election results

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Duff | 2,293 | 61.7 | −3.2 |
| | Ind. Conservative | Maltman Barry | 1,424 | 38.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 869 | 23.4 | −6.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,717 | 51.7 | −5.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,185 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −3.2 | |
1893 Banffshire by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | William Wedderburn | 3,166 | 56.9 | −4.8 |
| | Conservative | James Grant | 2,395 | 43.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 771 | 13.8 | −9.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,561 | 76.8 | +25.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,241 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −4.8 | |
General election 1895: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | William Wedderburn | 2,977 | 54.7 | −7.0 |
| | Conservative | James Grant | 2,467 | 45.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 510 | 9.4 | −14.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,444 | 72.4 | +20.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,520 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −7.0 | |
Back to Election results

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Alexander William Black | 2,768 | 52.8 | −1.9 |
| | Liberal Unionist | George Watt (1854–1940) | 2,470 | 47.2 | +1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 298 | 5.6 | −3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,238 | 64.2 | −8.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,156 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −1.9 | |
General election 1906: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Alexander William Black | 4,101 | 68.3 | +15.5 |
| | Conservative | James Grant | 1,901 | 31.7 | −15.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,200 | 36.6 | +31.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,002 | 73.9 | +9.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,118 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +15.5 | |
1907 Banffshire by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Walter Waring | 3,901 | 67.3 | −1.0 |
| | Conservative | William Whitelaw | 1,892 | 32.7 | +1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,009 | 34.6 | −2.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,793 | 70.8 | −3.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,179 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −1.0 | |
Back to Election results

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Walter Waring | 4,066 | 66.4 | −1.9 |
| | Conservative | James Crabb Watt | 2,053 | 33.6 | +1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,013 | 32.8 | −3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,119 | 74.8 | +0.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,181 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −1.9 | |
General election December 1910: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Walter Waring | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
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: Walter Waring
* Unionist: Edward Archibald Hume
General election 1918: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | Liberal | Charles Barrie | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||
Back to Election results

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Charles Barrie | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1923: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Charles Barrie | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1924: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | William Templeton | 6,829 | 42.7 | New |
| | Liberal | Charles Barrie | 5,426 | 34.0 | N/A |
| | Labour | A W Groundwater | 3,722 | 23.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 403 | 8.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 15,977 | | N/A |
| | Unionist gain from Liberal | Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1929: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Murdoch McKenzie Wood | 9,278 | 44.3 | +10.3 |
| | Unionist | William Templeton | 6,720 | 32.0 | −10.7 |
| | Labour | Alasdair Alpin MacGregor | 4,982 | 23.7 | +0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,558 | 12.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 20,980 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Unionist | Liberal gain from Unionist | Swing | +10.5 | |
Back to Election results

### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Murdoch McKenzie Wood | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1935: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Edmund Findlay | 11,771 | 51.3 | New |
| | Liberal | Murdoch McKenzie Wood | 11,168 | 48.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 603 | 2.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 22,939 | 70.5 | N/A |
| | Unionist gain from Liberal | Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |
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;
* Unionist: William Lindsay
* Liberal: Murdoch McKenzie Wood
* Labour: George A Mair
Back to Election results

### Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | William Duthie | 10,689 | 49.45 | |
| | Liberal | Ian Alistair Duncan Millar | 6,401 | 29.62 | |
| | Labour | D. Macpherson | 4,524 | 20.93 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,288 | 19.83 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,614 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | | |
Back to Election results

### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1950: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Unionist | William Duthie | 13,952 | 58.15 |
| | Labour | J. Brown | 6,303 | 26.27 |
| | Liberal | Gordon Lethem | 3,739 | 15.58 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,649 | 31.88 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 23,994 | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | |
General election 1951: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Unionist | William Duthie | 16,562 | 70.87 |
| | Labour | Alexander Flett | 6,806 | 29.13 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,756 | 41.74 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 23,368 | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | |
General election 1955: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Unionist | William Duthie | 14,643 | 69.80 |
| | Labour | William Paterson | 6,337 | 30.20 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,306 | 39.60 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 20,980 | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | |
General election 1959: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Unionist | William Duthie | 14,359 | 70.56 |
| | Labour | Robert W. Irvine | 5,992 | 29.44 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,367 | 41.12 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 20,351 | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | |
Back to Election results

### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1964: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Wilfred Baker | 9,995 | 47.77 | |
| | Labour | Henry Dickson | 5,574 | 26.64 | |
| | Liberal | Thomas Alexander Macnair | 5,354 | 25.59 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,421 | 21.13 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 20,923 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1966: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Wilfred Baker | 8,139 | 41.4 | −6.4 |
| | Liberal | Basil Wishart | 6,762 | 34.4 | +8.8 |
| | Labour | Robert Middleton | 4,775 | 24.3 | −2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,377 | 7.0 | −14.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 19,676 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Back to Election results

### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Wilfred Baker | 8,457 | 38.7 | −2.7 |
| | SNP | Hamish Watt | 5,006 | 22.9 | New |
| | Liberal | Ronnie Fraser | 4,589 | 21.0 | −13.4 |
| | Labour | Andrew F. Walls | 3,795 | 17.4 | −6.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,451 | 15.8 | +7.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,847 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election February 1974: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SNP | Hamish Watt | 11,037 | 46.1 | +23.2 |
| | Conservative | Wilfred Baker | 8,252 | 34.5 | −4.2 |
| | Liberal | Ronnie Fraser | 3,121 | 13.0 | −8.0 |
| | Labour | R. Dool | 1,528 | 6.4 | −11.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,785 | 11.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 23,938 | 75.7 | |
| | SNP gain from Conservative | SNP gain from Conservative | Swing | +13.7 | |
General election October 1974: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SNP | Hamish Watt | 10,638 | 45.9 | −0.2 |
| | Conservative | J.S. Gordon | 8,797 | 37.9 | +3.4 |
| | Liberal | C. McLeod | 2,059 | 8.9 | −4.1 |
| | Labour | A.W.M. Porteous | 1,700 | 7.3 | +0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,851 | 8.0 | −3.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 23,194 | 72.5 | −3.2 |
| | SNP hold | SNP hold | Swing | −1.8 | |
General election 1979: Banffshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Fairlie Myles | 10,580 | 44.6 | +6.7 |
| | SNP | Hamish Watt | 9,781 | 41.2 | −4.7 |
| | Labour | Robert E. Duncan | 3,381 | 14.2 | +6.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 799 | 3.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 23,742 | 72.4 | −0.1 |
| | Conservative gain from SNP | Conservative gain from SNP | Swing | +5.7 | |
Back to Top