Belfast (constituency)

Belfast was a constituency in Ireland, which was (as Belfast Borough) a borough constituency used to elect members of the Parliament of Ireland and (as Belfast) was a former United Kingdom Parliament constituency, in Ireland.

ummary

Representation

1613-1800: "Belfast" in County Antrim was enfranchised as a borough constituency in 1613. It continued to be entitled to send two Members of Parliament to the Irish House of Commons until the Parliament of Ireland was merged into the Parliament of the United Kingdom on 1 January 1801.

During the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland Belfast was represented from 1654 in the Westminster Parliament as part of the Carrickfergus and Belfast constituency. Belfast was the place of election in this single-member constituency. See First Protectorate Parliament for further details.

In 1661, following the restoration of the King, the Parliament of Ireland was re-established as it had existed before the Protectorate.

Under the Act of Union 1800 the Parliament of Ireland was merged with the Parliament of Great Britain to form the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The 300 members of the Irish House of Commons were reduced to 100 Irish members of the United Kingdom House of Commons. As part of that process "Belfast" lost one of its seats.

There was no new election for the 1st Parliament of the United Kingdom. In Irish constituencies, where the number of seats were reduced from two to one, the MP to go to Westminster was selected by drawing lots.

UK former constituency infobox
Name = Belfast
Type = Borough
Year = 1801
Abolition = 1885

1801-1885: "Belfast" was an original constituency represented in Parliament when the Union of Great Britain and Ireland took effect on 1 January, 1801. It returned one MP 1801-1832 and two MPs 1832-1885.

Boundaries and Boundary Changes

The map and other details relate to the modern area of Belfast, but are included in this article to give a general idea of the location of the historic constituency.

This constituency was the Parliamentary borough of Belfast in County Antrim. In 1832 and 1868 the boundaries of that borough were extended.

In the redistribution of 1885 Belfast was further expanded (including parts of County Down as well as County Antrim) and split into four single member divisions; Belfast East, Belfast North, Belfast South and Belfast West.

Electoral System and Electorate

The parliamentary representatives of the borough were elected using the bloc vote for two-member elections and first past the post for single-member ones.

Until 1832 the electorate were the members of Belfast Corporation (the local Council). This had long been resented by reformers as it made the constituency a pocket borough of the Marquess of Donegall.

In 1784 a petition was sent to the Parliament of Ireland.

"Your petitioners in the most humble and respectful manner, take leave to represent to your Hon House,"

"That Belfast is a large and populous town, containing above 15,000 inhabitants, carrying on a very extensive foreign commerce, as well as inland trade, and paying annually upwards of £80,000 towards the public revenue."

"That this numerous body of people not being represented in your Hon House, are, contrary to the fundamental principle of the constitution, governed by laws to which they give no assent; for although the borough of Belfast sends two Members to parliament, yet those members are returned (under the immediate direction of a noble peer) by five or six Burgesses, in the appointment of whom your Petitioners have no share, and therefore the members so returned cannot in any sense, be deemed the Representatives of your Petitioners."

In such circumstances it is hardly surprising that there were no contested elections, for the United Kingdom Parliament, in the constituency until reform took place.

In 1832 the electorate was consideraby extended by the Irish part of the Reform Act 1832. Boroughs in Ireland were given a uniform franchise for the first time. The vote was given to occupiers of land valued at least £10 and resident freemen by birth or servitude (descent from or apprenticeship to an existing freeman of the borough) or who were admitted before March 1831.

Members of Parliament

House of Commons (Ireland)

* 1613-1615 ?
* 1634-1635 ?
* 1639-1649 ?
* 1661-1666 ?
* 1689-1689 Marcus Talbot and Daniel O'Neale ("Members of the Patriot Parliament)"
* 1692-1693 ?
* 1695-1699 ?
* 1703-1713 ?
* 1713-1714 ?
* 1715-1727 ?
* 1727-1760 ?
* 1761-1768 ?
* 1769-1776 ?
* 1776-1783 ?
* 1783-1790 ?
* 1790-1797 Sir William Godfrey, Bt (d. 19 January 1817) "of Bushfield, Co. Kerry" and ?
* 1798-1800 James Edward May (5 October 1751-23 July 1814) and ?

House of Commons (United Kingdom)

"Key to parties: C Conservative, L Liberal, P Peelite Liberal Conservative, T Tory, W Whig."

"Notes:
* (1) Lord Arthur Chichester and James Emerson Tennent changed party allegiance in 1834 (L,C).
* (2) Lord John Ludford Chichester cganged party allegiance by 1847 (C,P)."

Elections

"After 1832, when registration of voters was introduced, a turnout figure is given for contested elections. In two-member elections (when the exact number of voters is unknowmn) this is calculated by dividing the number of votes by two. To the extent that voters did not use both their votes this will be an underestimate of turnout. If the electorate figure is unknown the last known electorate figure is used to provide an estimate of turnout."

"Where a party had more than one candidate in one or both of a pair of successive elections change is calculated for each individual candidate, otherwise change is based on the party vote."

Election box begin
title=Co-option 1 January 1801: BelfastElection box candidate with party link
party = Tory Party
candidate = James Edward May
votes = Co-opted
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box gain with party link
winner = Tory Party
loser = new seat
swing = "N/A"

Election box begin
title=General Election 12 July 1802: BelfastElection box candidate with party link
party = Tory Party
candidate = James Edward May
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = Tory Party
swing = "N/A"

Election box begin
title=General Election 17 November 1806: BelfastElection box candidate with party link
party = Tory Party
candidate = James Edward May
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = Tory Party
swing = "N/A"

Election box begin
title=General Election 15 May 1807: BelfastElection box candidate with party link
party = Tory Party
candidate = James Edward May
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = Tory Party
swing = "N/A"

Election box begin
title=General Election 23 October 1812: BelfastElection box candidate with party link
party = Tory Party
candidate = Sir James Edward May, Bt
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = Tory Party
swing = "N/A"

* "Death of May"

Election box begin
title=By-Election 16 September 1814: BelfastElection box candidate with party link
party = Tory Party
candidate = Sir Stephen Edward May, Bt
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = Tory Party
swing = "N/A"

* "Appointment of May as Collector of Customs in Belfast Port"

Election box begin
title=By-Election 3 May 1816: BelfastElection box candidate with party link
party = Tory Party
candidate = John Michel
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = Tory Party
swing = "N/A"

Election box begin
title=General Election 8 July 1818: BelfastElection box candidate with party link
party = Tory Party
candidate = Arthur Chichester
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = Tory Party
swing = "N/A"

Election box begin
title=General Election 16 March 1820: BelfastElection box candidate with party link
party = Tory Party
candidate = Earl of Belfast
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = Tory Party
swing = "N/A"

Election box begin
title=General Election 15 June 1826: BelfastElection box candidate with party link
party = Tory Party
candidate = Earl of Belfast
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = Tory Party
swing = "N/A"

Election box begin
title=General Election 6 August 1830: BelfastElection box candidate with party link
party = British Whig Party
candidate = Sir Arthur Chichester, Bt
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box gain with party link
winner = British Whig Party
loser = Tory Party
swing = "N/A"

Election box begin
title=General Election 20 May 1831: BelfastElection box candidate with party link
party = British Whig Party
candidate = Sir Arthur Chichester, Bt
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = British Whig Party
swing = "N/A"

Election box begin
title=General Election 21 December 1832: Belfast (2 seats)Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Lord Arthur Chichester
votes = 834
percentage = 29.81
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = James Emerson Tennent
votes = 723
percentage = 25.84
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Robert James Tennent
votes = 625
percentage = 22.34
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = William Sharman Crawford
votes = 616
percentage = 22.02
change = "N/A"Election box turnout
votes = 1,659
percentage = 85.59
change = "N/A""Note: 1,420 electors voted. J. Emerson Tennent and presumably Chichester ceased to support Lord Grey in 1834 (see Emerson Tennent's article in The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography)."

Election box begin
title=General Election 17 January 1835: Belfast (2 seats)Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = James Emerson Tennent
votes = 773
percentage = 35.01
change = +9.17Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = John McCance
votes = 719
percentage = 32.56
change = +32.56Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Lord Arthur Chichester
votes = 713
percentage = 32.29
change = +2.48Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = John French
votes = 3
percentage = 0.14
change = +0.14Election box turnout
votes = 2,137
percentage = 65.84
change = -19.75"Note: 1,407 electors voted. Stooks Smith suggests there were 1,451 registered electors. Walker gives the electorate figure as above."

* "Death of McCance"

Election box begin
title=By-Election 27 August 1835: BelfastElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = George Dunbar
votes = 162
percentage = 66.39
change = +66.39Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Robert James Tennent
votes = 82
percentage = 33.61
change = +33.61Election box majority
votes = 80
percentage = 32.79
change = "N/A"Election box turnout
votes = 2,458
percentage = 9.93
change = -55.91Election box gain with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
loser = Liberal Party (UK)
swing = "N/A""Note: Stooks Smith suggests there were 1,508 registered electors. Walker gives the electorate figure as above. Stooks Smith also indicates that 'Mr Tennent resigned in consequence of a decision of the Assessors'."

Election box begin
title=General Election 5 August 1837: Belfast (2 seats)Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = James Gibson
votes = 941
percentage = 25.90
change = +25.90Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Earl of Belfast
votes = 922
percentage = 25.38
change = +25.38Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = James Emerson Tennent
votes = 901
percentage = 24.80
change = +24.80Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = George Dunbar
votes = 869
percentage = 23.92
change = -42.47Election box turnout
votes = 3,641
percentage = 50.51
change = +40.58"Note: 1,839 electors voted. Stooks Smith suggests there were 1,926 registered electors. Walker gives the electorate figure as above."

* "8 March 1838: On petition Gibson and the Earl of Belfast were unseated and Emerson Tennent and Dunbar declared elected"

Election box begin
title=General Election 10 July 1841: Belfast (2 seats)Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = James Emerson Tennent
votes = 927
percentage = 26.85
change = +1.95Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = William Gillilan Johnson
votes = 913
percentage = 26.44
change = +26.44Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Earl of Belfast
votes = 821
percentage = 23.78
change = -1.60Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = David Robert Ross
votes = 792
percentage = 22.94
change = +22.94Election box turnout
votes = 4,234
percentage = 45.75
change = -4.76"Note: 1,740 electors voted. Stooks Smith suggests there were 1,937 registered electors. Walker gives the electorate figure as above."

* "On petition Emerson Tennent and Johnson unseated and new writ issued"

Election box begin
title=By-Election 18 August 1842: Belfast (2 seats)Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = David Robert Ross
votes = 886
percentage = 39.47
change = +16.53Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = James Emerson Tennent
votes = 859
percentage = 38.26
change = +11.41Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Lord Hamilton Francis Chichester
votes = 500
percentage = 22.27
change = +22.27Election box turnout
votes = 4,234 (1841)
percentage = 53.02
change = +7.27"Note: Stooks Smith comments that 'a compromise was entered into by which one of each party was to be returned'."

* "Resignation of Emerson Tennent"

Election box begin
title=By-Election 20 August 1845: BelfastElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Lord John Ludford Chichester
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing = "N/A"

Election box begin
title=General Election 9 August 1847: Belfast (2 seats)Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Robert James Tennent
votes = 929
percentage = 39.28
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Peelite
candidate = Lord John Ludford Chichester
votes = 747
percentage = 31.59
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = George Suffern
votes = 689
percentage = 29.13
change = "N/A"Election box turnout
votes = 9,672
percentage = 12.23
change = "N/A"

Election box begin
title=General Election 13 July 1852: Belfast (2 seats)Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Richard Davison
votes = 1,259
percentage = 37.51
change = +37.51Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Hugh McCalmont Cairns
votes = 1,193
percentage = 35.55
change = +35.55Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Robert James Tennent
votes = 904
percentage = 26.94
change = -12.34Election box turnout
votes = 2,697
percentage = 62.22
change = +49.99

Election box begin
title=General Election 3 April 1857: Belfast (2 seats)Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Hugh McCalmont Cairns
votes = 1,479
percentage = 28.54
change = -7.01Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Richard Davison
votes = 1,410
percentage = 27.20
change = -10.31Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = John Robinson McClean
votes = 995
percentage = 19.20
change = +19.20Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = John Francis Ferguson
votes = 733
percentage = 14.14
change = +14.14Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Thomas McClure
votes = 566
percentage = 10.92
change = +10.92Election box turnout
votes = 3,518
percentage = 73.66
change = +11.44

* "Appointment of Cairns as Solicitor-General"

Election box begin
title=By-Election 5 March 1858: BelfastElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Hugh McCalmont Cairns
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing = "N/A"

Election box begin
title=General Election 2 May 1859: Belfast (2 seats)Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Sir Hugh McCalmont Cairns
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Richard Davison
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"

* "Resignation of Davison"

Election box begin
title=By-Election 15 June 1860: BelfastElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Samuel Gibson Getty
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing = "N/A"

Election box begin
title=General Election 15 July 1865: Belfast (2 seats)Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Sir Hugh McCalmont Cairns
votes = 1,822
percentage = 40.12
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Samuel Gibson Getty
votes = 1,728
percentage = 38.05
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Lord John Hay (Royal Navy admiral of the fleet)
votes = 991
percentage = 21.82
change = "N/A"Election box turnout
votes = 3,415
percentage = 66.49
change = "N/A"

* "Appointment of Cairns as Attorney-General"

Election box begin
title=By-Election 13 July 1866: BelfastElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Sir Hugh McCalmont Cairns
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing = "N/A"

* "Appointment of Cairns as Lord Justice of Appeal in Chancery (of England and Wales)"

Election box begin
title=By-Election 2 November 1866: BelfastElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Charles Lanyon
votes = 1,263
percentage = 98.98
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = William McMeechan
votes = 13
percentage = 1.02
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 1,250
percentage = 97.96
change = "N/A"Election box turnout
votes = 3,615
percentage = 35.30
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing = "N/A"

Election box begin
title=General Election 21 November 1868: Belfast (2 seats)Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = William Johnston
votes = 5,975
percentage = 39.06
change = +39.06Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Thomas McClure
votes = 4,202
percentage = 27.47
change = +27.47Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Sir Charles Lanyon
votes = 3,540
percentage = 23.14
change = -75.84Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = John Mulholland
votes = 1,580
percentage = 10.33
change = +10.33Election box turnout
votes = 12,168
percentage = 62.86
change = +27.56

Election box begin
title=General Election 5 February 1874: Belfast (2 seats)Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = James Porter Corry
votes = 8,412
percentage = 39.70
change = +39.70Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = William Johnston
votes = 8,176
percentage = 38.58
change = -0.48Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Thomas McClure
votes = 4,096
percentage = 19.33
change = -8.14Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = John Rea
votes = 506
percentage = 2.39
change = +2.39Election box turnout
votes = 15,979
percentage = 66.31
change = +3.45

* "Appointment of Johnston as Inspector of Fisheries"

Election box begin
title=By-Election 2 April 1878: BelfastElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = William Ewart
votes = 8,241
percentage = 62.74
change = +62.74Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Robert Seeds
votes = 4,895
percentage = 37.26
change = +37.26Election box majority
votes = 3,346
percentage = 25.47
change = "N/A"Election box turnout
votes = 20,005
percentage = 65.66
change = -0.65Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing = "N/A"

Election box begin
title=General Election 1 April 1880: Belfast (2 seats)Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = William Ewart
votes = 8,132
percentage = 30.06
change = -32.68Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = James Porter Corry
votes = 7,683
percentage = 28.40
change = +28.40Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Robert Seeds
votes = 6,119
percentage = 22.62
change = -14.64Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = John Shaw Brown
votes = 5,122
percentage = 18.93
change = +18.93Election box turnout
votes = 21,188
percentage = 63.85
change = -1.81

* "Constituency divided in the 1885 redistribution"

References

*"The Parliaments of England" by Henry Stooks Smith (1st edition published in three volumes 1844-50), 2nd edition edited (in one volume) by F.W.S. Craig (Political Reference Publications 1973)
*"Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801-1922", edited by B.M. Walker (Royal Irish Academy 1978)

ee also

* List of Irish constituencies
* List of UK Parliament Constituencies in Ireland and Northern Ireland

External links

* "Peter Robinson MP provides details on his web-site of the Parliamentary boundaries and electoral history of Belfast since the Union and provides brief biographies of Belfast MPs" http://www.peterrobinson.org/electionhistory.html

*rayment