Sutherland was a Scottish constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918.

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 Sutherlandshire.

Boundaries The constituency represented essentially the traditional county of Sutherland. The county town of Dornoch, however, was represented as a component of the Tain Burghs constituency, from 1708 to 1832, and of the Wick Burghs constituency, from 1832 to 1918.

History The constituency elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system until the seat was abolished in 1918.

In 1918 the Sutherland constituency and Dornoch were merged into the then new constituency of Caithness and Sutherland. In 1997 Caithness and Sutherland was merged into Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross.

Members of Parliament

Election Member Party 1708 Sir William Gordon 1713 William Morison 1714 Sir William Gordon 1727 Lord Strathnaver 1734 Sir James Fergusson 1736 Hon. James St Clair 1747 Hon. George Mackay 1761 Hon. Alexander Mackay 1768 James Wemyss 1784 William Wemyss Pittite1787 James Grant 1802 William Dundas Tory1808 John Randoll Mackenzie 1809 George Macpherson-Grant 1812 James Macdonald Whig1816 George Macpherson-Grant 1826 Lord Francis Leveson-Gower Tory1831 Sir Hugh Innes Whig1831 by-election Roderick Macleod Whig1837 Hon. William Howard Conservative1840 by-election Sir David Dundas Whig1852 Marquess of Stafford Whig1859 Liberal1861 by-election Sir David Dundas Liberal1867 by-election Lord Ronald Gower Liberal1874 Marquess of Stafford Liberal 1886 Angus Sutherland Liberal/Crofter 1894 by-election John MacLeod Liberal/Crofter 1900 Frederick Leveson-Gower Liberal Unionist 1906 Alpheus Morton Liberal 1918 constituency abolished

Elections

Elections in the 1830s

Innes' death caused a by-election.

Elections in the 1840s Howard resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, causing a by-election.

Dundas was appointed Solicitor General for Scotland, requiring a by-election.

Dundas was appointed Judge Advocate General of the Armed Forces, requiring a by-election.

Elections in the 1850s

Elections in the 1860s Sutherland-Leveson-Gower succeeded to the peerage, becoming 3rd Duke of Sutherland, and causing a by-election.

Dundas resigned, causing a by-election.

Elections in the 1870s

Elections in the 1880s

Elections in the 1890s

Sutherland was appointed Chairman of the Fishery Board for Scotland, causing a by-election.

Elections in the 1900s

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: Alpheus Morton Unionist: Theodore Gervase ChambersAberdeen Journal 13 Apr 1914

References