Wigtown Burghs, also known as Wigton Burghs and Wigtown District of Burghs, was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1800 and of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885. It was represented by one Member of Parliament (MP).

Creation The British parliamentary constituency was created in 1708 following the Acts of Union, 1707 and replaced the former Parliament of Scotland burgh constituencies of Wigtown, New Galloway, Stranraer and Whithorn which had all been separately represented with one commissioner each.

The first election in Wigtown Burghs was in 1708. In 1707–08, members of the 1702–1707 Parliament of Scotland were co-opted to serve in the 1st Parliament of Great Britain. See Scottish representatives to the 1st Parliament of Great Britain, for further details.

Boundaries The constituency was a district of burghs created to represent the Royal burghs of New Galloway, Stranraer, Whithorn and Wigtown.

In 1885 the district was abolished. New Galloway became part of the Kirkcudbrightshire constituency and the other three burghs were included in the Wigtownshire seat.

Political history The constituency elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system until the seat was abolished for the 1885 general election.

The politics of this constituency in the mid-18th century were relatively simple. The Stewart family, led by the Earl of Galloway, normally controlled the burghs of Wigtown and Whithorn. The Dalrymple family, supporting the Earl of Stair, controlled Stranraer. The predominant interest in New Galloway was held by the Gordons of Kenmure.

Thus when Wigtown or Whithorn were the returning burgh, with a casting vote in the event of a tie, the candidate backed by the Stewarts won. At other elections the Dalrymple supported candidate had a chance. This state of affairs continued until 1784 when the Dalrymple interest gained control of the Whithorn Council.

In the 1754 election the Duke of Argyll attempted to support James Abercrombie for the Wigtown Burghs seat. The Earl of Galloway agreed with John Hamilton, a member of the Dalrymple family who was supposedly backing his relative Captain John Dalrymple of Stair, to support Hamilton in the Burghs seat in exchange for the Dalrymple interest backing Lord Galloway's brother (James Stewart) for the county seat. This coalition worked and John Hamilton was elected unopposed.

In 1761, with Wigtown as the returning burgh, the Earl of Galloway could name the MP. He hoped to return his Naval officer son, the Honourable Keith Stewart. As Stewart was away at sea in the West Indies, the Earl decided to support Archibald Montgomerie until his son returned. Montgomerie was also a candidate for Ayrshire in the same general election. After he was elected for both seats he decided to retain Ayrshire. Stewart was elected at a by-election but soon gave up the seat, as a result of negotiations about the Wigtownshire seat. The energetic intriguer John Hamilton was again elected for the Burghs seat in the third election there in less than a year.

In 1768, with Whithorn as the returning burgh, the Earl of Galloway could again decide the MP. For this election the Earl was trying to get a seat in England for his son, Lord Garlies, who was ineligible to represent a Scottish constituency as the eldest son of a Scottish peer. The Earl entered into an agreement with an English MP, George Augustus Selwyn, who controlled both seats in the borough of Ludgershall. Selwyn, who himself represented Gloucester, feared defeat there and wanted a safe alternative seat. In exchange for supporting Lord Garlies in Ludgershall, Selwyn was elected in the Wigtown Burghs. He was the first Englishman to be elected for a Scottish constituency after the Union. However, as Selwyn was also elected in Gloucester and preferred to represent that Borough, a new candidate was required in Scotland. The government was able to offer a Treasury nominee, Chauncy Townsend. After Townsend's death a junior branch of the Stewart family provided the new MP.

In 1774, with New Galloway as the returning burgh, an alliance of the Dalrymple and Gordon families hoped to triumph. National politics again influenced the situation, as Sir Lawrence Dundas suggested William Norton as a candidate. The Earl of Stair was trying to get his son a seat in England so he accepted the proposal of the governments electoral manager in Scotland. The Stewart interest supported the 7th Earl of Galloway's brother in law, Henry Watkin Dashwood. This was the first time two Englishmen contested a Parliamentary seat in Scotland. Norton was returned, but the seat was awarded to Dashwood after an election petition.

For the 1780 election the Earl of Stair, despite being a pro-American admirer of the Earl of Chatham, offered the nomination for the seat to Lord North in exchange for a diplomatic post for his son Lord Dalrymple. Lord North suggested William Adam.

In 1784 the change in Whithorn enabled the Dalrymple candidate (William Dalrymple) to defeat the Earl of Galloway's nominee (George Johnstone).

Members of Parliament

ElectionMemberParty26 May 1708George Lockhart (chose to sit for Midlothian) 14 December 1708 by-election William Cochrane 17 September 1713 Sir Alexander Maxwell, Bt 17 February 1715 Sir Patrick Vanse 13 April 1722 William Dalrymple (1678–1744) 16 March 1728 by-election John Dalrymple 18 May 1734 James Stewart 1st term 28 May 1741 William Stewart (c 1706–1748)22 July 1747 James Stewart 2nd term9 May 1754 John Hamilton 1st term20 April 1761 Hon. Archibald Montgomerie, later 11th Earl of Eglinton 19 February 1762 by-election Hon. Keith Stewart15 April 1762 by-election John Hamilton 2nd term11 April 1768 George Augustus Selwyn23 December 1768 by-election Chauncy Townsend7 May 1770 by-election William Stewart (1737–1797)31 October 1774 William Norton, later 2nd Lord Grantley23 March 1775 by-election Sir Henry Dashwood, Bt2 October 1780 William Adam26 April 1784 William Dalrymple (1736–1807) 12 July 1790 Nisbet Balfour20 June 1796 John Spalding29 July 1803 by-election Hon. William Stewart (1774–1827)9 August 1805 by-election James Graham 24 November 1806 Hon. Edward Richard Stewart 27 February 1809 by-election Lyndon Evelyn Tory 30 October 1812 Hon. James Henry Keith Stewart Tory 21 March 1821 by-election Sir John Osborn, Bt Tory 4 March 1824 by-election Nicholas Conyngham TindalTory 3 July 1826 John Lowther Tory 23 May 1831 Edward Stewart Whig19 January 1835 Sir John McTaggart, Bt Whig1 April 1857 Sir William Dunbar, Bt Whig1859 Liberal15 April 1865 by-election George Young Liberal12 Feb 1874 Mark John Stewart 1st term Conservative28 May 1874 petition George Young Liberal15 June 1874 by-election Mark John Stewart 1st term Conservative8 April 1880 John McLaren Liberal20 May 1880 by-election Mark John Stewart 2nd term Conservative2 August 1880 by-election Rt Hon. Sir John Dalrymple Hay, Bt Conservative1885constituency abolished

Elections The constituency had only four voters (the commissioners elected by the Burgh Councils) in 1708–1832. The place of election rotated between the Burghs and the commissioner for the returning Burgh had a casting vote if there was a tie. It was possible for the Court of Session to suspend a Burgh's rights for a Parliament, as a punishment for corruption. This procedure could disrupt the rotation

From 1832 the franchise was extended and the votes from all the burghs were added together.

1708 (26 May) general election (election at Wigtown) George Lockhart: Unopposed Chose to sit for Edinburghshire 1708 (14 December) by-election (election at Wigtown) William Cochrane: Unopposed 1710 general election William Cochrane: Unopposed 1713 (17 September) general election Alexander Maxwell: Unopposed 1715 (17 February) general election Patrick Vanse: Unopposed 1722 (13 April) general election William Dalrymple: Unopposed 1727 general election William Dalrymple: Unopposed Chose to sit for Wigtownshire 1728 (16 March) by-election John Dalrymple: Unopposed 1734 (18 May) general election John Stewart defeated John Dalrymple, vote totals unknown 1741 (28 May) general election William Stewart: Unopposed 1747 (22 July) general election John Stewart: Unopposed 1754 (9 May) general election (election at Stranraer) John Hamilton: Unopposed 1761 (20 April) general election (election at Wigtown) Archibald Montgomerie: 2 votes (Whithorn, Wigtown) Hutchison Mure: 2 votes (New Galloway, Stranraer) Montgomerie elected by Wigtown's casting vote Chose to sit for Ayrshire 1762 (19 February) by-election (election at Wigtown) Keith Stewart: Unopposed Resigned 1762 (15 April) by-election (election at Wigtown) John Hamilton: Unopposed 1768 (11 April) general election (election at Whithorn) George Augustus Selwyn: Unopposed Chose to sit for Gloucester 1768 (23 December) by-election (election at Whithorn) Chauncy Townsend: Unopposed Died 1770 (7 May) by-election (election at Whithorn) William Stewart: Unopposed 1774 (31 October) general election (election at New Galloway) William Norton: 2 votes (New Galloway, Stranraer) Henry Watkin Dashwood: 2 votes (Whithorn, Wigtown) Norton elected by New Galloway's casting vote 1775 (23 March) last election declared void Henry Watkin Dashwood: Awarded the seat 1780 (2 October) general election (election at Stranraer) William Adam: Unopposed Appointed Treasurer of the Ordnance 1783 (9 May) by-election (election at Stranraer) William Adam: Unopposed 1784 (26 April) general election (election at Wigtown) William Dalrymple: 3 votes (New Gallowat, Stranraer, Whithorn) George Johnstone: 1 vote (Wigtown) 1790 (12 July) general election (election at Whithorn) Nisbet Balfour: 2 votes Lord Daer: 2 votes Balfour elected by Whithorn's casting vote 1796 (20 June) general election (election at New Galloway) John Spalding: Unopposed 1802 general election (election at Stranraer) John Spalding: 3 votes Robert Vans Agnew: 1 vote Resigned 1803 (29 July) by-election (election at Stranraer) William Stewart: Unopposed Resigned 1805 (9 August) by-election (election at Stranraer) James Graham: Unopposed 1806 (24 November) general election (election at Wigtown) Edward Richard Stewart: Unopposed 1807 general election (election at Whithorn) Edward Richard Stewart: Unopposed Appointed a Commissioner for victualling the Navy 1809 (27 February) by-election (election at Whithorn) Lyndon Evelyn (Tory): Unopposed 1812 (30 October) general election (election at New Galloway) James Henry Keith Stewart (Tory): Unopposed 1818 general election (election at Stranraer) James Henry Keith Stewart (Tory): Unopposed 1820 general election (election at Wigtown) James Henry Keith Stewart (Tory): Unopposed Resigned 1821 (21 March) by-election (election at Wigtown) John Osborn (Tory): Unopposed Appointed a Commissioner for Auditing Public Accounts 1824 (4 March) by-election (election at Wigtown) Nicholas Conyngham Tindal (Tory): Unopposed 1826 (3 July) general election (election at Whithorn) John Henry Lowther (Tory): Unopposed 1830 general election (election at New Galloway) John Henry Lowther (Tory): Unopposed 1831 (23 May) general election (election at Stranraer) Edward Stewart (Whig): Unopposed 1832 general election 316 electors, 296 voted, turnout 93.67% Edward Stewart (Liberal) 159 (53.72%) John McTaggart (Liberal) 137 (46.29%) majority 22 (7.43%) 1835 (19 January) general election 362 electors, 306 voted, turnout 84.53% John McTaggart (Liberal) 224 (73.20%) John Douglas (Liberal) 82 (26.80%) majority 142 (46.41%) 1837 general election 380 electors, 267 voted, turnout 70.26% John McTaggart (Liberal) 151 (56.55%) Andrew Agnew (Liberal) 116 (43.45%) majority 35 (13.11%)

Elections in the 1830s

Elections in the 1840s

Elections in the 1850s

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

Elections in the 1860s