Ross and Cromarty (UK Parliament constituency)

For the 1885–1918 constituency in Herefordshire, see Ross (UK Parliament constituency).
Ross and Cromarty
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
Subdivisions of Scotland 1890–1975: Ross and Cromarty
1975–1983: Highland
18321983
Number of members One
Replaced by Ross, Cromarty & Skye
Created from Inverness Burghs, Ross-shire and Cromartyshire

Ross and Cromarty was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 to 1983. The constituency elected one Member of Parliament (MP) using the first-past-the-post voting system.

When created in 1832 by the Scottish Reform Act 1832 it combined in one constituency the former constituencies of Ross-shire and Cromartyshire.

In 1918 Lewis was taken from the constituency and merged into the then new Western Isles constituency, and the Fortrose component of the former Inverness Burghs constituency and the Dingwall and Cromarty components of the former Northern Burghs constituency were merged into the Ross and Cromarty constituency.

In 1983 the area of the Ross and Cromarty constituency was merged with the Isle of Skye and Isle of Raasay areas of the former Inverness constituency to form the then new Ross, Cromarty and Skye constituency.

Local government areas

1890 to 1918

County councils were created in Scotland in 1890, and so the constituency area became also the county council area of Ross and Cromarty, minus the Fortrose, Dingwall and Cromarty parliamentary burghs.

1918 to 1975

When reformed in 1918 the constituency covered the county of Ross and Cromarty (including the former parliamentary burghs) minus Lewis.

1975 to 1983

County councils were abolished in 1975 and replaced with regions and districts and island council areas. The constituency area was then that of the district of Ross and Cromarty plus the Lochalsh area of Skye and Lochalsh. Both districts were within the Highland region.

See also

Members of Parliament

Election Member [1] Party
1832 James Alexander Stewart-Mackenzie Liberal
1837 Thomas Mackenzie Conservative
1847 Sir James Matheson Liberal
1868 Alexander Matheson Liberal
1884 Ronald Crauford Munro-Ferguson
Later Viscount Novar
Liberal
1885 Roderick Macdonald Crofters' Party
1892 James Galloway Weir Liberal
1911 Ian Macpherson
Later Baron Strathcarron
Liberal
1931 Liberal National
1936 Malcolm MacDonald National Labour
1945 John MacLeod Independent Liberal
1947 National Liberal
1964 Alasdair Mackenzie Liberal
1970 Hamish Gray Conservative
1983 constituency abolished

Election results

Elections in the 1880s

General Election 1885: Ross and Cromarty Shire [2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Independent Liberal 4,942 62.8
Liberal Ronald Craufurd Munro Ferguson 2,925 37.2
Majority 2,017 25.6
Turnout 76.6
Independent Liberal gain from Liberal Swing
General Election 1886: Ross and Cromarty Shire [3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Roderick Macdonald 4,263 78.1 n/a
Liberal Unionist John Peter Grant 1,197 21.9 n/a
Majority 3,066 56.2 +30.6
Turnout 53.2 -23.4
Liberal gain from Independent Liberal Swing n/a

Elections in the 1890s

Weir
General Election 1892: Ross and Cromarty Shire [4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal James Galloway Weir 3,171 56.8
Liberal Unionist N. McLean 2,413 43.2
Majority 758 13.6
Turnout 62.3
Liberal hold Swing
General Election 1895: Ross and Cromarty Shire [5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal James Galloway Weir 3,272 57.6 +0.8
Conservative Randle Jackson 2,413 42.4 -0.8
Majority 863 15.2 +1.6
Turnout 68.8
Liberal hold Swing +0.8

Elections in the 1900s

General Election 1900: Ross and Cromarty Shire [6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal James Galloway Weir 3,554 68.3
Conservative J.D. Fletcher 1,651 31.7
Majority 1,903 36.6
Turnout 65.8
Liberal hold Swing
General Election 1906: Ross and Cromarty Shire [7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal James Galloway Weir 3,883 68.7 +0.4
Conservative James Crabb Watt 1,771 31.3 -0.4
Majority 2,112 37.4 +0.8
Turnout 69.8 +4.0
Liberal hold Swing +0.4

Elections in the 1910s

General Election Jan 1910: Ross and Cromarty Shire [8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal James Galloway Weir 4,430 75.8
Liberal Unionist Neil Maclean 1,418 24.2
Majority 3,012 51.6
Turnout 71.2
Liberal hold Swing
General Election Dec 1910: Ross and Cromarty Shire [9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal James Galloway Weir unopposed n/a n/a
Liberal hold Swing n/a
Ross and Cromarty by-election, 1911 [10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal James Ian Macpherson 3,717 74.8 n/a
Liberal Unionist William Paterson Templeton 1,253 25.2 n/a
Majority 2,464 49.6 n/a
Turnout n/a
Liberal hold Swing n/a

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 the July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

General Election 1918: Ross and Cromarty Shire [11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal 8,358 78.9
Independent Labour
  • Hector Munro
2,278 21.1 n/a
Majority 6,120 57.8
Turnout 51.2
Liberal hold Swing

Elections in the 1920s

Ian MacPherson
General Election 1922: Ross and Cromarty [12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
National Liberal Rt Hon. James Ian Macpherson 5,923 56.7 n/a
Liberal John Macdonald 4,521 43.3 n/a
Majority 1,402 13.4 -44.4
Turnout 42.4 -8.8
National Liberal hold Swing n/a
General Election 1923: Ross and Cromarty [13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Rt Hon. James Ian Macpherson unopposed n/a n/a
Liberal hold Swing n/a
General Election 1924: Ross and Cromarty [14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Rt Hon. James Ian Macpherson unopposed n/a n/a
Liberal hold Swing n/a
General Election 1929: Ross and Cromarty [15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Rt Hon. James Ian Macpherson 9,564 58.8 n/a
Labour Hugh Donald MacIntosh 6,710 41.2 n/a
Majority 2,854 17.6 n/a
Turnout 16,274 55.6 n/a
Liberal hold Swing n/a

Elections in the 1930s

General Election 1931: Ross and Cromarty[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal National Rt Hon. James Ian Macpherson unopposed n/a n/a
Liberal National hold Swing n/a
General Election 1935: Ross and Cromarty
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal National Rt Hon. James Ian Macpherson 10,810 76.7 n/a
Labour John MacKinnon MacDiarmid 3,284 23.3 n/a
Majority 7,526 53.4 n/a
Turnout 14,094 50.8 n/a
Liberal National hold Swing n/a
Ross and Cromarty by-election, 1936 [17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
National Labour Malcolm John MacDonald 8,949 49.5 n/a
Labour Hector McNeil 5,967 33.0
Unionist Randolph Frederick Edward Spencer Churchill 2,427 13.4 n/a
Liberal William Stanley Russell Thomas 738 4.1 n/a
Majority 2,982 16.5
Turnout 18,081 62.4 +11.6
National Labour gain from Liberal National Swing n/a

Elections in the 1940s

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;

General Election 1945: Ross and Cromarty
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Independent Liberal John MacLeod 10,061 62.8 n/a
Labour Angus Mackay Mackintosh 5,959 37.2
Majority 4,102 25.6
Turnout 16,020 62.4 6.1
Independent Liberal gain from National Labour Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General Election 1950: Ross and Cromarty
Party Candidate Votes % ±
National Liberal John MacLeod 10,912 62.6 n/a
Labour Alastair C Reid 6,521 37.4 +0.2
Majority 4,391 25.2
Turnout 17,433 63.1
National Liberal hold Swing
General Election 1951: Ross and Cromarty
Party Candidate Votes % ±
National Liberal John MacLeod 10,969 64.25 +1.7
Labour Alastair C Reid 6,104 35.75 1.7
Majority 4,865 28.5 +3.3
Turnout 17,073 57.5
National Liberal hold Swing
General Election 1955: Ross and Cromarty
Party Candidate Votes % ±
National Liberal John MacLeod 9,929 62.3 1.9
Labour Mrs. Jane B Saggar 6,003 37.7 +1.9
Majority 3,926 24.6 3.9
Turnout 15,932 61.9 +4.4
National Liberal hold Swing
General Election 1959: Ross and Cromarty
Party Candidate Votes % ±
National Liberal John MacLeod 7,813 47.2 15.1
Labour Mrs. Jane B Saggar 4,815 29.1 8.6
Liberal Colin Murchison 3,918 23.7 n/a
Majority 2,998 18.1 6.5
Turnout 21,902 75.2
National Liberal hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General Election 1964: Ross and Cromarty
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Alasdair Roderick Mackenzie 6,923 40.2 +16.6
National Liberal Sir John MacLeod 5,516 32.1 15.2
Labour William Alexander Ross 4,767 27.7 1.4
Majority 1,407 8.2
Turnout 17,306 69.4 6.1
Liberal gain from National Liberal Swing
General Election 1966: Ross and Cromarty
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Alasdair Roderick Mackenzie 7,348 42.1 +1.8
Labour William Alexander Ross 5,304 30.4 +2.7
Conservative Allan John Cameron 4,820 27.6 n/a
Majority 2,044 11.7 +3.5
Turnout 17,472 71.2
Liberal hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General Election 1970: Ross and Cromarty
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative James Hector Northey Gray 6,418 33.2 +5.6
Liberal Alasdair Roderick Mackenzie 5,617 29.1 13.0
Labour Ronald D Maclean 5,023 26.0 4.4
SNP George Nicholson 2,268 11.7 n/a
Majority 801 4.1
Turnout 19,326 71.7 +0.5
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing
General Election February 1974: Ross and Cromarty
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative James Hector Northey Gray 7,908 36.1 +2.9
SNP Willie McRae 5,037 23.0 +11.3
Liberal J.C. Robertson 4,621 21.1 8.0
Labour Ronald D Maclean 4,336 19.8 6.2
Majority 2,871 13.1 +9.0
Turnout 21,902 75.2 +3.5
Conservative hold Swing
General Election October 1974: Ross and Cromarty
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative James Hector Northey Gray 7,954 38.9 +2.8
SNP Willie McRae 7,291 35.7 +12.7
Labour Brian David Henderson Wilson 3,440 16.8 3.0
Liberal T. Glen 1,747 8.6 12.6
Majority 633 3.2 9.9
Turnout 20,432 69.5
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1979: Ross and Cromarty
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative James Hector Northey Gray 10,650 42.4 +3.5
SNP Willie McRae 5,915 23.6 12.1
Labour K. Bloomer 5,055 20.1 +3.3
Liberal H. Morrison 3,496 13.9 +5.4
Majority 4,735 18.9 +15.6
Turnout 25,116 76.4 +6.9
Conservative hold Swing

References

  1. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "R" (part 2)
  2. Debrett's House of Commons and Judicial Bench, 1889
  3. Debrett's House of Commons and Judicial Bench, 1889
  4. Whitaker's Almanack, 1893
  5. Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1901
  6. Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1901
  7. Whitaker's Almanack, 1907
  8. Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1916
  9. Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1916
  10. Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1916
  11. Whitaker's Almanack, 1920
  12. The Times, 17 November 1922
  13. The Times, 8 December 1923
  14. Oliver & Boyd's Edinburgh Almanac, 1927
  15. The Times, 1 June 1929
  16. Whitaker's Almanack, 1934
  17. Whitaker's Almanack, 1939
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