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Kirkcaldy Burghs
Former Burgh constituency
for the House of Commons
1950–1974 (1974)
SeatsOne
Replaced byKirkcaldy
1832–1950
SeatsOne
Type of constituencyDistrict of burghs constituency
Created fromDysart Burghs[1]

Kirkcaldy Burghs was a burgh constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (Westminster) from 1832 to 1974. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first-past-the-post voting system. From 1832 to 1950 it was, officially, a district of burghs constituency.

Boundaries[edit]

1885–1918[edit]

Comprising Kirkcaldy, Burntisland, Dysart, Kinghorn and the Municipal Burgh of Kirkcaldy not included in the old Parliamentary Burgh (except that portion within the Parliamentary Borough of Dysart).[2]

1918–1949[edit]

The burghs of Kirkcaldy, Buckhaven, Methil and Innerleven, Burntisland, Dysart and Kinghorn.

Members of Parliament[edit]

Election Member Party Notes
1832 Robert Ferguson Whig[3][4]
1835 John Fergus Whig[3]
1837 Robert Ferguson Whig[3][4]
1841 by-election Robert Ferguson Whig[3][5][6]
1859 Liberal
1862 by-election Roger Sinclair Aytoun Liberal
1874 Robert Reid Liberal
1875 by-election Sir George Campbell Liberal
1885 Independent Liberal
1886 Liberal
1892 by-election Henry Dalziel Liberal later Baron Dalziel of Kirkcaldy
1921 by-election Thomas Kennedy Labour
1922 Sir Robert Hutchison National Liberal later Baron Hutchison of Montrose
1923 Thomas Kennedy Labour
1931 Albert Russell Unionist
1935 Thomas Kennedy Labour
1944 by-election Thomas Hubbard Labour
1959 Harry Gourlay Labour subsequently MP for Kirkcaldy
Feb. 1974 constituency abolished: see Kirkcaldy

Election results 1832–1885[edit]

Decades:

Elections in the 1830s[edit]

General election 1832: Kirkcaldy Burghs [7][3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Robert Ferguson Unopposed
Registered electors 507
Whig win (new seat)
General election 1835: Kirkcaldy Burghs [7][3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig John Fergus Unopposed
Registered electors 539
Whig hold
General election 1837: Kirkcaldy Burghs [7][3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Robert Ferguson Unopposed
Registered electors 641
Whig hold

Elections in the 1840s[edit]

Ferguson's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 27 January 1841: Kirkcaldy Burghs [7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Robert Ferguson 218 62.5 N/A
Radical John Bowring 131 37.5 New
Majority 87 25.0 N/A
Turnout 349 53.1 N/A
Registered electors 657
Whig hold Swing N/A
General election 1841: Kirkcaldy Burghs [7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Robert Ferguson Unopposed
Registered electors 657
Whig hold
General election 1847: Kirkcaldy Burghs [7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Robert Ferguson Unopposed
Registered electors 896
Whig hold

Elections in the 1850s[edit]

General election 1852: Kirkcaldy Burghs [7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Robert Ferguson Unopposed
Registered electors 786
Whig hold
General election 1857: Kirkcaldy Burghs [7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Robert Ferguson Unopposed
Registered electors 728
Whig hold
General election 1859: Kirkcaldy Burghs [7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Robert Ferguson 312 51.5 N/A
Conservative William Harcourt[8] 294 48.5 New
Majority 18 3.0 N/A
Turnout 606 78.0 N/A
Registered electors 777
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1860s[edit]

Ferguson resigned, causing a by-election.

By-election, 25 July 1862: Kirkcaldy Burghs [7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Roger Sinclair Aytoun Unopposed
Liberal hold
General election 1865: Kirkcaldy Burghs [7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Roger Sinclair Aytoun Unopposed
Registered electors 816
Liberal hold
General election 1868: Kirkcaldy Burghs [7][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Roger Sinclair Aytoun Unopposed
Registered electors 3,160
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1870s[edit]

General election 1874: Kirkcaldy Burghs [7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Robert Reid 1,967 61.6 N/A
Conservative James Townsend Oswald[10] 1,228 38.4 New
Majority 739 23.2 N/A
Turnout 3,195 84.8 N/A
Registered electors 3,766
Liberal hold Swing N/A

Reid's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 23 Apr 1875: Kirkcaldy Burghs [7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal George Campbell 1,811 60.7 −0.9
Independent Liberal William Jarvis Harker[11] 1,171 39.3 New
Majority 640 21.4 −1.8
Turnout 2,982 78.2 −6.6
Registered electors 3,811
Liberal hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1880s[edit]

General election 1880: Kirkcaldy Burghs [7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal George Campbell 2,763 97.9 +36.3
Conservative Charles Scott[12] 59 2.1 −36.3
Majority 2,704 95.8 +72.6
Turnout 2,822 63.2 −21.6
Registered electors 4,465
Liberal hold Swing +36.3

Election results 1885–1918[edit]

Elections in the 1880s[edit]

General election 1885: Kirkcaldy Burghs [13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Liberal George Campbell 2,180 49.2 New
Lib-Lab John Malcolm Inglis 1,504 34.0 −63.9
Conservative Hugh Munro 746 16.8 +14.7
Majority 676 15.2 −80.6
Turnout 4,430 83.9 +20.7
Registered electors 5,282
Independent Liberal gain from Liberal Swing N/A
General election 1886: Kirkcaldy Burghs [13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal George Campbell 2,014 68.9 +19.7
Liberal Unionist Thomas Barclay 911 31.1 +14.3
Majority 1,103 37.8 +22.6
Turnout 2,925 55.4 −28.5
Registered electors 5,282
Liberal gain from Independent Liberal Swing +2.7

Elections in the 1890s[edit]

Dalziel
1892 Kirkcaldy Burghs by-election[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Henry Dalziel 2,567 62.6 -6.3
Liberal Unionist Robert Cox 1,531 37.4 +6.3
Majority 1,036 25.2 -12.6
Turnout 4,098 77.7 +22.3
Registered electors 5,274
Liberal hold Swing -6.3
General election 1892: Kirkcaldy Burghs [15][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Henry Dalziel 2,741 74.5 +5.6
Conservative John Chisholm (politician) 939 25.5 −5.6
Majority 1,802 49.0 + +11.2
Turnout 3,680 69.8 +14.4
Registered electors 5,274
Liberal hold Swing +5.6
General election 1895: Kirkcaldy Burghs [16][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Henry Dalziel 3,078 73.3 -1.2
Conservative Charles Granville Kekewich 1,122 26.7 +1.2
Majority 1,956 46.6 -2.4
Turnout 4,200 72.3 +2.5
Registered electors 5,808
Liberal hold Swing -1.2

Elections in the 1900s[edit]

General election 1900: Kirkcaldy Burghs [16][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Henry Dalziel 3,354 62.5 −10.8
Liberal Unionist Michael Nairn 2,013 37.5 +10.8
Majority 1,341 25.0 −21.6
Turnout 5,367 78.1 +5.8
Registered electors 6,872
Liberal hold Swing −10.8
General election 1906: Kirkcaldy Burghs [17][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Henry Dalziel 4,659 76.8 +14.3
Conservative Andrew Constable 1,410 23.2 −14.3
Majority 3,249 53.6 +28.6
Turnout 6,069 76.4 −1.7
Registered electors 7,943
Liberal hold Swing +14.3

Elections in the 1910s[edit]

General election January 1910: Kirkcaldy Burghs[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Henry Dalziel 5,035 75.2 -3.6
Conservative Arthur Anthony Baumann 1,659 24.8 +3.6
Majority 3,376 50.4 -7.2
Turnout 6,694
Liberal hold Swing -3.6
General election December 1910: Kirkcaldy Burghs [18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Henry Dalziel Unopposed
Liberal hold

Election results 1918–1949[edit]

Decades:

Elections in the 1910s[edit]

General election 1918: Kirkcaldy Burghs[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Liberal Henry Dalziel Unopposed
Liberal hold
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Elections in the 1920s[edit]

Kennedy
1921 Kirkcaldy Burghs by-election[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Tom Kennedy 11,674 53.4 New
C Liberal Robert Cook Lockhart 10,199 46.6 N/A
Majority 1,475 6.8 N/A
Turnout 21,873 65.6 N/A
Labour gain from National Liberal Swing N/A
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.
Hutchison
General election 1922: Kirkcaldy Burghs
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal Robert Hutchison 12,762 51.4 +4.8
Labour Tom Kennedy 12,089 48.6 -4.8
Majority 673 2.8 N/A
Turnout 24,851 79.3 +13.7
National Liberal gain from Labour Swing +4.8
General election 1923: Kirkcaldy Burghs [21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Tom Kennedy 14,221 54.4 +5.8
Liberal Robert Hutchison 11,937 45.6 -5.8
Majority 2,284 8.8 N/A
Turnout 26,158 81.7 +2.4
Labour gain from Liberal Swing +5.8
General election 1924: Kirkcaldy Burghs [22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Tom Kennedy 14,038 52.7 -1.7
Liberal John Murray 12,607 47.3 +1.7
Majority 1,431 5.4 -3.4
Turnout 26,645 81.8 +0.1
Labour hold Swing -1.7
General election 1929: Kirkcaldy Burghs
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Tom Kennedy 17,410 59.6 +6.9
Unionist Henry Scrymgeour-Wedderburn 11,805 40.4 New
Majority 5,605 19.2 +13.8
Turnout 29,215 72.2 -9.6
Labour hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1930s[edit]

General election 1931: Kirkcaldy Burghs[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Albert Russell 19,132 56.9 +16.5
Labour Tom Kennedy 14,492 43.1 -16.5
Majority 4,640 13.8 N/A
Turnout 33,624 81.1 +8.9
Unionist gain from Labour Swing +16.5
General election 1935: Kirkcaldy Burghs [24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Tom Kennedy 19,457 56.3 +13.2
Unionist Albert Russell 15,086 43.7 -13.2
Majority 4,371 12.6 N/A
Turnout 34,543 79.9 -1.2
Labour gain from Unionist Swing +13.2

Elections in the 1940s[edit]

1944 Kirkcaldy Burghs by-election[25][26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Thomas Hubbard 8,268 51.6 -4.7
SNP Douglas Young 6,621 41.3 New
Christian Socialist Henry Hilditch 1,136 7.1 New
Majority 1,647 10.9 -1.7
Turnout 16,025
Labour hold Swing
General election 1945: Kirkcaldy Burghs[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Thomas Hubbard 15,401 45.0 -11.3
Unionist Christopher Guest 10,099 29.5 -14.2
SNP Douglas Young 5,811 17.0 N/A
Communist John McArthur 2,898 8.5 New
Majority 5,302 15.5 +2.9
Turnout 34,209 76.4 -3.5
Labour hold Swing +1.4

Election results 1950–1973[edit]

Decades:

Elections in the 1950s[edit]

General election 1950: Kirkcaldy Burghs[28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Thomas Hubbard 25,756 59.97 +14.95
Unionist R Bell 17,192 40.03 +10.51
Majority 8,564 19.94 +4.44
Turnout 42,948 84.80 +8.40
Labour hold Swing +2.22
General election 1951: Kirkcaldy Burghs[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Thomas Hubbard 26,885 60.59 +0.62
National Liberal Ralph Harris 17,484 39.41 -0.62
Majority 9,401 21.18 +1.24
Turnout 44,369 84.63 -0.17
Labour hold Swing +0.62
General election 1955: Kirkcaldy Burghs[30]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Thomas Hubbard 23,861 59.28 -1.31
National Liberal Duncan Drummond Young 16,392 40.72 +1.31
Majority 7,469 18.56 -2.62
Turnout 40,253 75.31 -9.32
Labour hold Swing -1.31
General election 1959: Kirkcaldy Burghs[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Harry Gourlay 25,428 58.28 -1.00
Unionist James Law QC 14,186 32.51 -8.21
Liberal David Blyth 4,020 9.21 New
Majority 11,242 25.77 +7.21
Turnout 43,634 80.46 +5.15
Labour hold Swing +3.61

Elections in the 1960s[edit]

General election 1964: Kirkcaldy Burghs[32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Harry Gourlay 24,263 59.99 +1.71
National Liberal Neil Gow QC 11,756 29.07 -3.44
SNP James C. Lees 4,423 10.94 New
Majority 12,507 30.92 +5.15
Turnout 40,442 77.25 -3.21
Labour hold Swing
General election 1966: Kirkcaldy Burghs[33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Harry Gourlay 23,273 59.62 -0.37
Conservative Neil Gow QC 10,539 27.00 -2.07
SNP James C. Lees 4,423 13.38 +2.44
Majority 12,734 32.62 +1.60
Turnout 39,035 75.41 -1.84
Registered electors 52,355
Labour hold Swing +0.85

Elections in the 1970s[edit]

General election 1970: Kirkcaldy Burghs[34]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Harry Gourlay 22,986 56.01 -3.61
Conservative A Myles Hogg 13,193 32.15 +5.15
SNP James C. Lees 4,863 11.85 -1.53
Majority 9,793 23.86 -8.76
Turnout 41,042 71.87 -3.54
Registered electors 52,355
Labour hold Swing -4.38

References[edit]

  1. ^ Escott, Margaret. "Dysart Burghs". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  2. ^ Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1886
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Smith, Henry Stooks (1842). The Register of Parliamentary Contested Elections (Second ed.). Simpkin, Marshall & Company. p. 205.
  4. ^ a b Urban, Sylvanus (1841). The Gentleman's Magazine, Volume XV. London: William Pickering; John Bowyer Nichols and Son. pp. 315–316.
  5. ^ "Election Movements". Gloucestershire Chronicle. 30 January 1841. p. 4. Retrieved 2 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ "Leeds Intelligencer". 30 January 1841. pp. 4–5. Retrieved 2 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885 (e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
  8. ^ "To The Constituency of the Kirkcaldy District of Burghs". Fife Herald. 21 April 1859. p. 1. Retrieved 2 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ^ Debrett's House of Commons, 1870
  10. ^ "The General Election". Eddowes's Journal, and General Advertiser for Shropshire, and the Principality of Wales. 4 February 1874. p. 8. Retrieved 3 January 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^ "Mr W. Jarvis Harker". Edinburgh Evening News. 31 July 1875. p. 2. Retrieved 3 January 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. ^ "At Kirkcaldy". Fife Herald. 1 April 1880. p. 8. Retrieved 3 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  13. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1889
  14. ^ a b c d e f g Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885–1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
  15. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1893
  16. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1901
  17. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1907
  18. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1916
  19. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1920
  20. ^ The Times, 7 March 1921
  21. ^ The Times, 8 December 1923
  22. ^ Oliver & Boyd's Edinburgh Almanac, 1927
  23. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1934
  24. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1939
  25. ^ Herald 18Feb1944
  26. ^ '"See by-election", Ottawa Citizen, 16 February 1944
  27. ^ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results July 1945". Political Science Resources. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  28. ^ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1950". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  29. ^ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1951". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  30. ^ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1955". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  31. ^ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1959". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  32. ^ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1964". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  33. ^ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1966". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  34. ^ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1970". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirkcaldy_Burghs_(UK_Parliament_constituency)

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