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Paisley (UK Parliament constituency)

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Not to be confused with Paisley (Scottish Parliament constituency).

Paisley
Former burgh constituency
for the House of Commons
Major settlementsPaisley
1832–1983
SeatsOne
Created fromRenfrewshire[1]
Replaced byPaisley North
Paisley South

Paisley was a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 until 1983, when it was divided into Paisley North and Paisley South. These two constituencies were in turn amalgamated into Paisley and Renfrewshire South and Paisley and Renfrewshire North in 2005.

Boundaries

The constituency covered the burgh of Paisley.

The boundaries of the constituency, as set out in the Representation of the People (Scotland) Act 1832, were-

"From the Summit of Byres Hill, on the North-east of the Town, in a straight Line to the Point near Knock Hill at which the Renfrew Road is joined by a Road from Glasgow; thence in a straight Line to the Summit of Knock Hill; thence in a straight Line to the Northern Gable of the Moss Toll House on the Greenock Road; thence in a straight Line in the Direction of the Chimney of Linwood Cotton Mill to the Point at which such straight Line cuts the Candren Burn; thence up the Candren Burn to the Point at which the same is joined by the Braidiland Burn at the Bridge over the same on the Johnstone Road; thence up the Braidiland Burn to a Point which is distant Five hundred Yards (measured along the Braidiland Burn) above the said Bridge; thence in a straight Line to Meikleridge Bridge over the Candren Burn; thence in a straight Line to the Point at which the old Neilston Road leaves the new Neilston Road; thence in a straight Line to the Summit of Dykebar Hill; thence in a straight Line to a Point which is One hundred Yards due North-east of the Summit of Bathgo Hill; thence in a straight Line to the Point first described."[2]

Members of Parliament

Election Member Party
1832 Sir John Maxwell Whig[3]
1834 by-election Sir Daniel Sandford Whig[3]
1835 Alexander Speirs Whig[3]
1836 by-election Archibald Hastie Radical[4][5][6]
1857 by-election Humphrey Crum-Ewing Whig[7]
1859 Liberal
1874 William Holms Liberal
1884 by-election Stewart Clark Liberal
1885 William Barbour Liberal
1891 by-election Sir William Dunn Liberal
1906 Sir John McCallum Liberal
1920 by-election H. H. Asquith Liberal
1924 Edward Mitchell Labour
1929 James Welsh Labour
1931 Joseph Maclay Liberal
1945 Oliver Baldwin Labour
1948 by-election Douglas Johnston Labour
1961 by-election John Robertson Labour
1976 Scottish Labour Party (1976)
1979 Allen Adams Labour
1983 constituency abolished

Election results

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1832: Paisley[8][3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig John Maxwell 775 81.2
Tory John McKerrell 180 18.8
Majority 595 62.4
Turnout 955 76.9
Registered electors 1,242
Whig win (new seat)

Maxwell resigned, causing a by-election.

By-election, 24 March 1834: Paisley[8][3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Daniel Sandford 542 50.2 −31.0
Radical John Crawfurd 509 47.1 New
Tory James Edward Gordon (MP) 29 2.7 −16.1
Majority 33 3.1 −59.3
Turnout 1,080 85.6 +8.7
Registered electors 1,261
Whig hold Swing −7.5
  • Gordon retired in favour of Sandford
General election 1835: Paisley[8][3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Alexander Graham Speirs 661 58.1 −23.1
Conservative Horatio Ross 477 41.9 +23.1
Majority 184 16.2 −46.2
Turnout 1,138 75.4 −1.5
Registered electors 1,510
Whig hold Swing −23.1

Speirs resigned, causing a by-election.

By-election, 17 March 1836: Paisley[8][3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Radical Archibald Hastie 680 56.2 New
Radical James Aytoun 529 43.8 New
Majority 151 12.4 N/A
Turnout 1,209 82.5 +7.1
Registered electors 1,465
Radical gain from Whig Swing N/A
General election 1837: Paisley[8][3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Radical Archibald Hastie Unopposed
Registered electors 1,610
Radical gain from Whig

Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Paisley[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Radical Archibald Hastie 157 100.0 N/A
Chartist William Thomason[9] 0 0.0 N/A
Majority 157 100.0 N/A
Turnout 157 11.9 N/A
Registered electors 1,324
Radical hold Swing N/A
General election 1847: Paisley[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Radical Archibald Hastie Unopposed
Registered electors 1,060
Radical hold

Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Paisley[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Radical Archibald Hastie 406 52.1 N/A
Radical William Taylor Haly[10] 374 47.9 N/A
Majority 32 4.2 N/A
Turnout 780 58.1 N/A
Registered electors 1,342
Radical hold Swing N/A
General election 1857: Paisley[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Radical Archibald Hastie 611 53.6 +1.5
Whig Humphrey Crum-Ewing 524 46.0 New
Chartist Charles Favell Forth Wordsworth[11] 4 0.4 New
Majority 87 7.6 +3.4
Turnout 1,139 87.3 +29.2
Registered electors 1,305
Radical hold Swing N/A

Hastie's death caused a by-election.

By-election, 11 December 1857: Paisley[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig Humphrey Crum-Ewing 767 88.7 +42.7
Radical William Taylor Haly[12] 98 11.3 −42.3
Majority 669 77.4 N/A
Turnout 865 64.1 −23.2
Registered electors 1,349
Whig gain from Radical Swing +42.5
General election 1859: Paisley[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Humphrey Crum-Ewing Unopposed
Registered electors 1,370
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Paisley[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Humphrey Crum-Ewing Unopposed
Registered electors 1,361
Liberal hold
General election 1868: Paisley[13][8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Humphrey Crum-Ewing 1,576 54.0 N/A
Conservative Archibald Campbell[14] 921 31.6 New
Liberal Archibald Kintrea 421 14.4 N/A
Majority 655 22.4 N/A
Turnout 2,918 89.4 N/A
Registered electors 3,264
Liberal hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Paisley[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Holms Unopposed
Registered electors 5,083
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Paisley[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Holms Unopposed
Registered electors 4,979
Liberal hold

Holms' resignation caused a by-election.

By-election, 18 Feb 1884: Paisley[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Stewart Clark 3,049 62.8 N/A
Conservative Ernest Hamilton 1,806 37.2 New
Majority 1,243 25.6 N/A
Turnout 4,855 85.4 N/A
Registered electors 5,688
Liberal hold Swing N/A
General election 1885: Paisley[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Barbour 3,390 57.3 N/A
Conservative Robert Mure McKerrell 2,523 42.7 N/A
Majority 867 14.6 N/A
Turnout 5,913 87.0 N/A
Registered electors 6,794
Liberal hold Swing N/A
General election 1886: Paisley[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Barbour 3,057 55.1 −2.2
Liberal Unionist James Smith 2,491 44.9 +2.2
Majority 566 10.2 −4.4
Turnout 5,548 81.7 −5.3
Registered electors 6,794
Liberal hold Swing −2.2

Elections in the 1890s

William Dunn
1891 Paisley by-election[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Dunn 4,145 59.6 +4.5
Conservative Robert Mure McKerrell 2,807 40.4 −4.5
Majority 1,338 19.2 +9.0
Turnout 6,952 85.8 +4.1
Registered electors 8,107
Liberal hold Swing +4.5
General election 1892: Paisley[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Dunn 4,262 63.6 +8.5
Conservative Christopher Nicholson Johnston[16] 2,441 36.4 −8.5
Majority 1,821 27.2 +17.0
Turnout 6,703 81.5 −0.2
Registered electors 8,223
Liberal hold Swing +8.5
General election 1895: Paisley[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Dunn 4,404 59.0 −4.6
Conservative Alexander Moffat 3,062 41.0 +4.6
Majority 1,342 18.0 −9.2
Turnout 7,466 82.0 +0.5
Registered electors 9,105
Liberal hold Swing −4.6

Elections in the 1900s

Sir William Dunn
General election 1900: Paisley[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Dunn 4,532 56.6 −2.4
Conservative George Swinton 3,474 43.4 +2.4
Majority 1,058 13.2 −4.8
Turnout 8,006 74.4 −7.6
Registered electors 10,758
Liberal hold Swing −2.4
Robert Smillie
General election 1906: Paisley[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John McCallum 5,664 52.7 −3.9
Liberal Unionist James MacKean 2,594 24.2 −19.2
Scottish Workers Robert Smillie 2,482 23.1 New
Majority 3,070 28.5 +15.3
Turnout 10,740 88.2 +13.8
Registered electors 12,179
Liberal hold Swing +7.7

Elections in the 1910s

McCallum
General election January 1910: Paisley[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John McCallum 6,812 63.7 +11.0
Conservative Duncan Campbell 3,890 36.3 +12.1
Majority 2,922 27.4 −1.1
Turnout 10,702 86.8 −1.4
Registered electors 12,331
Liberal hold Swing −0.6
General election December 1910: Paisley[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John McCallum 6,039 64.3 +0.6
Conservative Alfred Jephcott 3,350 35.7 −0.6
Majority 2,689 28.6 +1.2
Turnout 9,389 74.9 −11.9
Registered electors 12,541
Liberal hold Swing +0.6

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;

General election 1918: Paisley[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John McCallum 7,542 34.0 −30.3
Co-operative Party John Biggar 7,436 33.5 New
C National Democratic John Taylor 7,201 32.5 New
Majority 106 0.5 −28.1
Turnout 22,179 57.6 −17.3
Registered electors 38,508
Liberal hold Swing N/A
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Elections in the 1920s

1920 Paisley by-election[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal H. H. Asquith 14,736 48.4 +14.4
Labour Co-op John Biggar 11,902 39.1 +5.6
C Unionist James Anderson Dunlop MacKean 3,795 12.5 New
Majority 2,834 9.3 +8.8
Turnout 30,433 77.6 +20.0
Registered electors 39,235
Liberal hold Swing +4.4
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.
General election 1922:Paisley[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal H. H. Asquith 15,005 50.5 +16.5
Labour Co-op John Biggar 14,689 49.5 +16.0
Majority 316 1.0 +0.5
Turnout 29,694 78.0 +22.4
Registered electors 38,093
Liberal hold Swing +0.3
General election 1923: Paisley[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal H H Asquith 9,723 33.4 −17.1
Labour Co-op John Biggar 7,977 27.4 −22.1
Unionist McInnes Shaw 7,758 26.6 New
Independent Labour D.D. Cormack* 3,685 12.6 New
Majority 1,746 6.0 +5.0
Turnout 29,143 77.1 −0.9
Registered electors 37,792
Liberal hold Swing +2.5

* Cormack was the nominee of the local branch of the Labour party, which did not accept Biggar as the official candidate.

Mitchell
General election 1924: Paisley[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Edward Mitchell 17,057 53.5 +26.1
Liberal H H Asquith 14,829 46.5 +13.1
Majority 2,228 7.0 N/A
Turnout 31,886 84.1 +7.0
Registered electors 37,901
Labour gain from Liberal Swing +6.5
General election 1929: Paisley[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour James C. Welsh 22,425 55.8 +2.3
Liberal James McCulloch 10,640 26.5 −20.0
Unionist Minna Cowan 7,094 17.7 New
Majority 11,785 29.3 +22.3
Turnout 40,159 78.2 −5.9
Registered electors 51,385
Labour hold Swing +11.2

Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Paisley[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Joseph Maclay 26,187 61.8 +35.3
Labour James C. Welsh 16,183 38.2 −17.6
Majority 10,004 23.6 N/A
Turnout 42,370 79.4 +1.2
Liberal gain from Labour Swing
General election 1935: Paisley[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Joseph Maclay 22,466 50.4 −11.4
Labour Oliver Baldwin 22,077 49.6 +11.4
Majority 389 0.8 −22.8
Turnout 44,543 79.7 +0.3
Liberal hold Swing

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;

Election in the 1940s

General election 1945: Paisley[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Oliver Baldwin 25,156 55.6 +6.0
Unionist Tam Galbraith 14,826 32.7 New
Liberal Louise Glen-Coats 4,532 10.0 −40.4
Independent Allan Richard Eagles 765 1.7 New
Majority 10,330 22.9 N/A
Turnout 45,279 74.1 −5.6
Labour gain from Liberal Swing
1948 Paisley by-election[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Douglas Johnston 27,213 56.8 +1.2
Independent John MacCormick 20,668 43.2 New
Majority 6,545 13.6 −9.3
Turnout 47,881
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1950: Paisley[22][23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Douglas Johnston 29,204 56.12 +0.5
Unionist H Black 19,001 36.52 +3.8
Liberal Vaughan M Shaw 3,830 7.36 −2.6
Majority 10,203 19.60 −3.3
Turnout 52,035 84.10 +10.0
Registered electors 61,874
Labour hold Swing -1.85
General election 1951: Paisley[22][24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Douglas Johnston 29,570 55.37 −0.75
Unionist John F Wilson 16,545 30.98 −5.54
Liberal Vaughan M Shaw 7,291 13.65 +6.29
Majority 13,025 24.39 +4.79
Turnout 53,406 84.40 +0.30
Registered electors 63,281
Labour hold Swing +2.40
General election 1955: Paisley[22][25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Douglas Johnston 26,723 56.41 +1.04
Unionist Robert D Kernohan 20,725 43.59 +12.61
Majority 6,098 12.82 −11.57
Turnout 47,548 76.23 −8.17
Registered electors 62,376
Labour hold Swing -5.79
General election 1959: Paisley[22][26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Douglas Johnston 28,519 57.30 +0.89
Unionist Geoffrey R Rickman 21,250 42.70 −0.89
Majority 7,269 14.60 +1.78
Turnout 49,769 78.88 +2.65
Registered electors 63,097
Labour hold Swing +0.89

Election in the 1960s

1961 Paisley by-election[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Robertson 19,200 45.35 −11.95
Liberal John Bannerman 17,542 41.43 New
Unionist Geoffrey R. Rickman 5,597 13.22 −29.48
Majority 1,658 3.92 −10.69
Turnout 42,339 68.1 =10.8
Labour hold Swing -26.7
General election 1964: Paisley[22][27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Robertson 26,318 52.91 −4.39
Liberal John Bannerman 16,837 33.85 N/A
Unionist Maurice Crichton 6,583 13.24 −29.46
Majority 9,481 19.06 +4.46
Turnout 49,738 79.79 +0.91
Registered electors 62,336
Labour hold Swing -19.12
General election 1966: Paisley[22][28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Robertson 28,074 59.97 +7.06
Conservative Maurice Crichton 10,871 23.22 +9.98
Liberal Vaughan M Shaw 7,871 16.81 −17.04
Majority 17,203 36.75 +17.69
Turnout 46,816 76.29 −3.50
Registered electors 61,363
Labour hold Swing -1.46

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: Paisley[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Robertson 25,429 54.09 −5.88
Conservative John Cooperwhite Workman 15,232 32.40 +9.18
SNP Margo MacDonald 3,432 7.30 New
Liberal Alan Sked 2,918 6.21 −10.60
Majority 10,197 21.69 −15.06
Turnout 47,011 71.44 −4.9
Labour hold Swing
General election February 1974: Paisley[30][31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Robertson 23,820 48.42 −5.67
Conservative John Cooperwhite Workman 14,923 30.33 −2.07
SNP David Rollo 10,455 21.25 +13.95
Majority 8,897 18.09 −3.60
Turnout 49,198 75.16 +3.72
Labour hold Swing
General election October 1974: Paisley[30][32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Robertson 21,368 44.79 −3.63
SNP David Rollo 15,778 33.08 +11.83
Conservative Ian Robertson 7,440 15.60 −14.73
Liberal Donald Thompson 3,116 6.53 New
Majority 5,590 11.71 −6.34
Turnout 47,702 72.21 −2.95
Labour hold Swing -7.72
General election 1979: Paisley[30][33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Allen Adams 25,894 55.79 +11.00
Conservative George Wills 12,139 26.15 +10.55
SNP David Rollo 7,305 15.74 −17.34
SLP Brian Monaghan 811 1.75 New
Communist June Janette Tait 145 0.31 New
Workers Revolutionary Thomas White 122 0.26 New
Majority 13,755 29.64 +17.93
Turnout 46,416 72.79 +0.58
Labour hold Swing +0.22

References

  1. ^ Jenkins, Terry. "Renfrewshire". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  2. ^ Representation of the People (Scotland) Act 1832, Schedule (M).
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Smith, Henry Stooks (1842). The Register of Parliamentary Contested Elections (Second ed.). Simpkin, Marshall & Company. p. 208. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  4. ^ Harris, Bob (2005). "Scottish-English Connections in British Radicalism in the 1790s". In Smout, T. C. (ed.). Anglo-Scottish Relations from 1603 to 1900. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 210. ISBN 0-19-726330-5. Retrieved 3 September 2018 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ Pentland, Gordon (2016). The Spirit of the Union. London: Routledge. p. 14. ISBN 978-1-85196-153-5. Retrieved 3 September 2018 – via Google Books.
  6. ^ "Lancaster Gazette". 26 March 1836. p. 4. Retrieved 3 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ "Scotland". Aberdeen Press and Journal. 16 December 1857. p. 3. Retrieved 3 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p 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.
  9. ^ "Election News". Northern Star and Leeds General Advertiser. 10 July 1841. pp. 20–21. Retrieved 17 August 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ^ "Paisley". Evening Mail. 12 July 1852. p. 2. Retrieved 3 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^ "Charles Favell Forth Wordsworth". Grace's Guide to British Industrial History. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  12. ^ "Scotland". Greenock Telegraph and Clyde Shipping Gazette. 12 December 1857. p. 4. Retrieved 3 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  13. ^ Debrett's House of Commons, 1870
  14. ^ "Archibald Campbell Campbell (Douglas)". The Douglas Archives. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
  16. ^ "Lord Sands ~ Politician, Lawyer, Church Advisor, and Educationalist". Made in Perth. 4 May 2014. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  18. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1934
  19. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1939
  20. ^ Report of the Annual Conference of the Labour Party, 1939
  21. ^ "1948 By Election Results". Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  22. ^ a b c d e f g F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1950-1973; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow 1973
  23. ^ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1950". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  24. ^ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1951". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  25. ^ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1955". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  26. ^ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1959". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  27. ^ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1964". Political Science Resources. Archived from the original on 29 June 2017. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  28. ^ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1966". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  29. ^ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1970". Political Science Resources. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  30. ^ a b c "'Paisley', Feb 1974 - May 1983". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Archived from the original on 3 April 2016. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  31. ^ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results February 1974". Political Science Resources. Archived from the original on 27 January 2015. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  32. ^ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results October 1974". Political Science Resources. Archived from the original on 8 May 2015. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  33. ^ Kimber, Richard. "UK General Election results 1979". Political Science Resources. Archived from the original on 14 October 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
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