Antrim Borough (constituency)

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Antrim was a constituency in Ireland, which was (as Antrim Borough) a two-member borough constituency used to elect members of the Parliament of Ireland and (as the Antrim division of County Antrim or Antrim, Antrim) a single-member county constituency of the Parliament of Northern Ireland.

Contents

[edit] Boundaries and Boundary Changes

The map and other details relate to the modern area of Antrim, but are included in this article to give a general idea of the location of the historic constituency.

1666-1800: The Borough of Antrim in County Antrim was enfranchised as a borough constituency in 1666. It continued to be entitled to send two Members of Parliament to the Irish House of Commons until the Parliament of Ireland was merged into the Parliament of the United Kingdom on 1 January 1801. The constituency was disenfranchised on 31 December 1800.

The borough was represented in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom as part of the county constituency of Antrim.

1929-1973: Antrim, Antrim was a division of County Antrim. Before 1929 it was part of the seven-member Antrim (constituency). The constituency sent one MP to the House of Commons of Northern Ireland from 1929 until the Parliament was prorogued in 1972 and abolished in 1973.

The division, in 1929-1969, adjoined Antrim Mid to the north, Antrim Bann Side and Lough Neagh to the west, Antrim South to the south, Belfast to the south-east, Antrim Carrick to the east and Antrim Larne to the north-east.

In terms of the then local government areas the constituency in 1929 comprised parts of the Rural Districts of Antrim, Ballymena, Belfast and Lisburn.

After boundary changes in 1969 the constituency included parts of the Rural Districts of Antrim and Lisburn.

In 1969-1973 the division bordered Antrim Bann Side to the north-west, Antrim Larne to the north-east, Antrim Carrick and Antrim Newtownabbey to the east, Belfast and Antrim Larkfield to the south-east, Antrim South to the south and Lough Neagh to the west.

[edit] Electoral System and Electorate

The parliamentary representatives of the borough were elected using the bloc vote for two-member elections and first past the post for single-member by-elections. First past the post was also used for the county division.

The borough had a Potwalloper electorate.

By 1929 universal suffrage existed in Northern Ireland.

[edit] Members of Parliament

[edit] House of Commons (Ireland) to 1800

[edit] House of Commons (Northern Ireland) 1929-1973

[edit] Elections: House of Commons (Northern Ireland)

General Election 22 May 1929: Antrim, Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Hugh Minford 6,869 63.41 N/A
Independent Unionist W. Graham 3,964 36.59 N/A
Majority 2,905 26.82 N/A
Turnout 17,937 60.39 N/A
Ulster Unionist gain from new seat Swing N/A
General Election 30 November 1933: Antrim, Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Hugh Minford Unopposed N/A N/A
Ulster Unionist hold Swing N/A
General Election 9 February 1938: Antrim, Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Hugh Minford 8,133 60.21 N/A
Progressive Unionist J. Graham 5,374 39.79 N/A
Majority 2,759 20.43 N/A
Turnout 20,687 65.29 N/A
Ulster Unionist hold Swing N/A
General Election 14 June 1945: Antrim, Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Hugh Minford Unopposed N/A N/A
Ulster Unionist hold Swing N/A
General Election 10 February 1949: Antrim, Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Hugh Minford 11,580 83.05 N/A
Labour (NI) W.J. Gregg 2,363 16.95 N/A
Majority 9,217 66.10 N/A
Turnout 20,165 69.14 N/A
Ulster Unionist hold Swing N/A
  • Death of Minford
By-Election 2 February 1951: Antrim, Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Nathaniel Owens Minford Unopposed N/A N/A
Ulster Unionist hold Swing N/A
General Election 22 October 1953: Antrim, Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Nathaniel Owens Minford Unopposed N/A N/A
Ulster Unionist hold Swing N/A
General Election 20 March 1958: Antrim, Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Nathaniel Owens Minford Unopposed N/A N/A
Ulster Unionist hold Swing N/A
General Election 31 May 1962: Antrim, Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Nathaniel Owens Minford Unopposed N/A N/A
Ulster Unionist hold Swing N/A
General Election 25 November 1965: Antrim, Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Nathaniel Owens Minford 10,417 62.58 N/A
National Democrats J. McGivern 6,230 37.42 N/A
Majority 4,187 25.15 N/A
Turnout 29,580 56.28 N/A
Ulster Unionist hold Swing N/A
  • Boundary changes
General Election 24 February 1969: Antrim, Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Nathaniel Owens Minford Unopposed N/A N/A
Ulster Unionist hold Swing N/A

[edit] Reference

  • Northern Ireland Parliamentary Election Results 1921-1972, compiled and edited by Sydney Elliott (Political Reference Publications 1973)

[edit] See also

[edit] External links