# Tain Burghs (UK Parliament constituency)

Tain Burghs was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832, sometimes known as Northern Burghs. It was represented by 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 Tain, Dingwall, Dornoch, Kirkwall and Wick which had all been separately represented with one commissioner each in the former Parliament of Scotland. In 1707-08, members of the 1702-1707 Parliament of Scotland were co-opted to serve in the first Parliament of Great Britain. See Scottish representatives to the 1st Parliament of Great Britain, for further details.

## Boundaries

The constituency was a district of burghs representing the Royal burghs of Dingwall, Dornoch, Kirkwall, Tain and Wick.
In 1832 the constituency was replaced by Wick Burghs and Cromarty was added to the district.

## 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.
The first Member of Parliament (MP), for the five Burghs, was elected at Tain in 1708. Lord Strathnaver was the eldest son of a Scottish peer. He would not have been eligible to be elected to the Parliament of Scotland. It was disputed that Strathnaver was eligible to be elected to the Parliament of Great Britain, as the representative of a Scottish seat.
On 3 December 1708, the House of Commons decided the issue, as at that time the House judged the eligibility of its members itself rather than leaving the issue to be decided by a Judge.
After the House called in counsel, the election petitions and representations in writing were read out and the lawyers put forward arguments for their clients. After counsel had withdrawn a question was formulated and put to a vote.
The proposition the House voted on was "that the eldest sons of the Peers of Scotland were capable by the Laws of Scotland at the time of the Union, to elect or be elected as Commissioners for the Shire or Boroughs [sic, see Burghs] to the Parliament of Scotland; and therefore by the Treaty of Union are capable to elect, or be elected to represent any Shire or Borough [sic] in Scotland, to sit in the House of Commons of Great Britain".
The House rejected the motion and so declared that Lord Strathnaver was ineligible to be elected an MP for Tain Burghs.
The most prominent English political figure, to represent a Scottish constituency in the 18th century, was Charles James Fox. In the 1784 general election, Fox sought re-election for the Westminster constituency. Political opponents challenged Fox's election. As Westminster had the largest electorate of any English borough, the scrutiny of votes (to check that each voter had been legally qualified to participate in the election) was thought likely to take a long time. To avoid Fox being out of Parliament, until the Westminster election petition was decided, a Scottish friend arranged for him to become member for Tain Burghs.
It took until 1786 for Fox to be confirmed as a duly elected MP for Westminster. Fox then chose to represent his English constituency and the Scottish one became vacant.

## Members of Parliament

| Elected | Member | Party |
| 1708 | Lord Strathnaver | |
| 1709 by-election | Robert Douglas | |
| 1710 | Sir Robert Munro, Bt | Whig |
| 1741 | Charles Erskine | |
| 1742 by-election | Robert Craigie | |
| 1747 | Sir Harry Munro, Bt | Whig |
| 1761 | John Scott | |
| 1768 | Hon. Alexander Mackay | |
| 1773 by-election | James Grant | |
| 1780 | Charles Ross | Whig (Foxite) |
| 1784 | Charles James Fox | Whig (Foxite) |
| 1786 by-election | George Ross | Whig (Foxite) |
| 1786 by-election | Sir Charles Lockhart-Ross, Bt | Tory (Pittite) |
| 1796 | William Dundas | Tory |
| 1802 | John Villiers | |
| 1805 by-election | James MacDonald | |
| 1806 | John Randoll Mackenzie | |
| 1808 by-election | William Fremantle | |
| 1812 | Sir Hugh Innes, Bt | Tory |
| 1830 | James Loch | Whig |
| 1832 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |

## Elections

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 primary source for the results was Stooks Smith with additional information from the History of Parliament series. For details of the books used, see the Reference section below.
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.

### Elections of the 1700s

General election 26 May 1708: Tain Burghs (election at Tain) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Nonpartisan | Lord Strathnaver | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan gain from new seat | Nonpartisan gain from new seat | Swing | N/A | |
* 1708 (3 December): Strathnaver declared ineligible as the eldest son of a Peer of Scotland
By-Election 5 May 1709: Tain Burghs (election at Tain) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Nonpartisan | Robert Douglas | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan hold | Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections of the 1710s

General election 27 October 1710: Tain Burghs (election at Dingwall) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Robert Munro | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Whig gain from Nonpartisan | Whig gain from Nonpartisan | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1713: Tain Burghs (election at Dornoch) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Robert Munro | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1715: Tain Burghs (election at Wick) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Robert Munro | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections of the 1720s

General election 1722: Tain Burghs (election at Kirkwall) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Whig | Robert Munro | Elected | N/A | N/A |
| Nonpartisan | Robert Gordon | Defeated | N/A | N/A |
| Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1727: Tain Burghs (election at Tain) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Robert Munro | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections of the 1730s

General election 1734: Tain Burghs (election at Dingwall) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Robert Munro | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections of the 1740s

General election 28 May 1741: Tain Burghs (election at Dornoch) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Nonpartisan | Charles Erskine | Elected | N/A | N/A |
| Whig | Robert Munro | Defeated | N/A | N/A |
| Nonpartisan gain from Whig | Nonpartisan gain from Whig | Swing | N/A | |
* Election declared void
By-Election 2 April 1742: Tain Burghs (election at Dornoch) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Nonpartisan | Robert Craigie | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan hold | Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 22 July 1747: Tain Burghs (election at Wick) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Harry Munro | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Whig gain from Nonpartisan | Whig gain from Nonpartisan | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections of the 1750s

General election 9 May 1754: Tain Burghs (election at Kirkwall) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Harry Munro | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections of the 1760s

General election 20 April 1761: Tain Burghs (election at Tain) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Nonpartisan | John Scott | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan gain from Whig | Nonpartisan gain from Whig | Swing | N/A | |
General election 11 April 1768: Tain Burghs (election at Dingwall) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Nonpartisan | Alexander Mackay | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan hold | Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections of the 1770s

* 1773 (February): Resignation of Mackay
By-Election 26 April 1773: Tain Burghs (election at Dingwall) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Nonpartisan | James Grant | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan hold | Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 31 October 1774: Tain Burghs (election at Dornoch) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Nonpartisan | James Grant | 3 Dingwall, Dornoch, Kirkwall | 60.0 | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan | Adam Fergusson | 2 Tain, Wick | 40.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1 | 20.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5 | 100.0 | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan hold | Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections of the 1780s

General election 2 October 1780: Tain Burghs (election at Wick) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Charles Ross | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Whig gain from Nonpartisan | Whig gain from Nonpartisan | Swing | N/A | |
General election 26 April 1784: Tain Burghs (election at Kirkwall) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Charles James Fox | 3 Dingwall, Kirkwall, Tain | 60.0 | N/A |
| | Tory | John Sinclair | 2 Dornoch, Wick | 40.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1 | 20.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5 | 100.0 | N/A |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |
* 1786 (March): Fox chose to represent Westminster, where he had been declared duly elected in the 1784 general election, after an election petition and a prolonged scrutiny of votes
By-Election 15 March 1786: Tain Burghs (election at Kirkwall) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | George Ross | 3 Dingwall, Kirkwall, Tain | 60.0 | N/A |
| | Tory | James Riddell | 2 Dornoch, Wick | 40.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1 | 20.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5 | 100.0 | N/A |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |
* 1786 (7 April): Ross died
By-Election 30 June 1786: Tain Burghs (election at Kirkwall) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | Charles Lockhart-Ross | 3 Dornoch, Tain, Wick | 60.0 | +20.0 |
| | Whig | Charles Ross | 2 Dingwall, Kirkwall | 40.0 | −20.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1 | 20.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5 | 100.0 | N/A |
| | Tory gain from Whig | Tory gain from Whig | Swing | +20.0 (W to T) | |

### Elections of the 1790s

General election 12 July 1790: Tain Burghs (election at Tain) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | Charles Lockhart-Ross | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 20 June 1796: Tain Burghs (election at Dingwall) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Nonpartisan | William Dundas | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan gain from Tory | Nonpartisan gain from Tory | Swing | N/A | |
* November 1797: Dundas appointed a Commissioner for the Affairs of India
By-Election 1797: Tain Burghs (election at Dingwall) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Nonpartisan | William Dundas | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan hold | Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections of the 1800s

General election 30 July 1802: Tain Burghs (election at Dornoch) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Nonpartisan | John Villiers | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan hold | Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A | |
By-Election 1804: Tain Burghs (election at Dornoch) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Nonpartisan | John Villiers | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan hold | Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A | |
* July 1804: Villiers appointed Chief Prothonotary Common Pleas of the County Palatine of Lancaster
* 1805: Villiers resigned
By-Election 26 June 1805: Tain Burghs (election at Dornoch) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Nonpartisan | James MacDonald | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan hold | Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 24 November 1806: Tain Burghs (election at Wick) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Nonpartisan | John Mackenzie (MP) | 3 | 60.0 | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan | John Sinclair | 2 | 40.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1 | 20.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5 | 100.0 | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan hold | Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1807: Tain Burghs (election at Kirkwall) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Nonpartisan | John Mackenzie (MP) | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan hold | Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A | |
* Mackenzie resigned to stand for Sutherland
By-Election 7 May 1808: Tain Burghs (election at Kirkwall) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Nonpartisan | William Fremantle | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Nonpartisan hold | Nonpartisan hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections of the 1810s

General election 30 October 1812: Tain Burghs (election at Tain) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | Hugh Innes | 3 | 60.0 | New |
| | Nonpartisan | Charles Lockhart-Ross | 2 | 40.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1 | 20.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5 | 100.0 | N/A |
| | Tory gain from Nonpartisan | Tory gain from Nonpartisan | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1818: Tain Burghs (election at Dingwall) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | Hugh Innes | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections of the 1820s

General election 1820: Tain Burghs (election at Dornoch) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | Hugh Innes | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1826: Tain Burghs (election at Wick) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | Hugh Innes | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections of the 1830s

General election 23 August 1830: Tain Burghs (election at Kirkwall) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | James Loch | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Whig gain from Tory | Whig gain from Tory | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1831: Tain Burghs (election at Tain) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | James Loch | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | N/A | |
* Constituency expanded and re-named in the 1832 redistribution