Banffshire was a constituency of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1708 to 1800, and of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1983. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP), using the first-past-the-post voting system.

Creation The British parliamentary constituency was created in 1708 following the Acts of Union, 1707 and replaced the former Parliament of Scotland shire constituency of Banffshire.

History The constituency elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system until 1983 when it was split and merged into Moray and Banff and Buchan.

The constituency covered the county of Banffshire, Scotland, but until 1918 the county town of Banff and the burgh of Cullen were represented as part of Elgin Burghs.

Members of Parliament Election Member Party Notes1707 John Murray1708 Alexander Abercromby1727 William Dufflater 1st Earl Fife1734 James Abercromby1754 James Duff, later 2nd Earl Fife1784 Sir James Duff1789 by-election James Ferguson Tory1790 Sir James Grant, Bt Tory1795 by-election David McDowall-Grant1796 Sir William Grant Whig1812 Robert Abercromby1818 James Duff Whig1827 by-election John Morison Tory1832 George Ferguson Tory1834 Conservative1837 James Duff Whiglater 5th Earl Fife1857 by-election Lachlan Gordon-Duff Whig1859 Liberal1861 by-election Robert Duff Liberal1893 by-election Sir William Wedderburn Liberal1900 Alexander William Black Liberal1907 by-election Walter Waring Liberal 1916 Coalition Liberal Contested Blaydon following redistribution1918 Charles Barrie Liberal Member for Elgin Burghs (Oct–Dec 1918), later Baron Abertay1924 William Templeton Unionist1929 Sir Murdoch McKenzie Wood Liberal1935 Sir Edmund Findlay Unionist1945 Sir William Duthie Unionist1964 Wilfred Baker ConservativeFeb 1974 Hamish Watt SNP1979 David Myles Conservative Contested Orkney and Shetland following redistribution 1983 constituency abolished: see Banff & Buchan and Moray

Election results

Elections in the 1830s

Elections in the 1840s

Elections in the 1850s

Duff resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Manor of Hempholme, causing a by-election.

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Elections in the 1860s Duff's resignation caused a by-election.

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Elections in the 1870s

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Elections in the 1880s

Duff was appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, requiring a by-election.

Duff was appointed Civil Lord of the Admiralty, requiring a by-election.

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Elections in the 1890s

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Elections in the 1900s

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Elections in the 1910s

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; Liberal: Walter Waring Unionist: Edward Archibald Hume

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Elections in the 1920s

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Elections in the 1930s

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; Unionist: William Lindsay Liberal: Murdoch McKenzie WoodThe Liberal Magazine, 1939 Labour: George A MairReport of the Annual Conference of the Labour Party, 1939 Back to Election results

Elections in the 1940s

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Elections in the 1950s

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Elections in the 1960s

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Elections in the 1970s

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References