Aberdeen and Kincardine Central (UK Parliament constituency)

Aberdeen and Kincardine Central
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
Subdivisions of Scotland Aberdeenshire
1918 (1918)–1950 (1950)
Number of members One

Aberdeen and Kincardine Central, also known as Central Aberdeenshire,[1] was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 until 1950. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

Contents

History

The constituency was created by the Representation of the People Act 1918 and first used in the 1918 general election. It was abolished in 1950. For most of its existence, this was a Unionist seat.

Boundaries

Aberdeen and Kincardine Central was entirely within the county of Aberdeen and was one of six constituencies covering that county, the city of Aberdeen (which was a county of city) and the county of Kincardine. The rest of the county of Aberdeen was covered by the county constituencies of Aberdeen and Kincardine East, which was also entirely within that county, and Kincardine and West Aberdeenshire, which covered the county of Kincardine minus burghs covered by Montrose Burghs, and part of the county of Aberdeen. The city of Aberdeen was covered by the burgh constituencies of Aberdeen North and Aberdeen South, which were both entirely within the county of city area. Aberdeen and Kincardine Central consisted of the burghs of Ellon, Huntly, Inverurie, Kintore and Old Meldrum, and the districts of Aberdeen, Ellon, Garioch and Huntly.[2]

The same boundaries were used in the 1922 general election, the 1923 general election, the 1924 general election, the 1929 general election, the 1931 general election, the 1935 general election and the 1945 general election.

Prior to the 1918 boundary reforms, the county of Aberdeen had been covered, nominally, by the four constituencies of East Aberdeenshire, West Aberdeenshire, Aberdeen North, and Aberdeen South, and the county of Kincardine had been covered, nominally, by the Kincardineshire constituency. This arrangement dated from 1885, however, and predated both the redefinition of counties as local government areas, under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889, and the creation of the city of Aberdeen in 1900. 1918 constituency boundaries took account of new local government boundaries.

New constituency boundaries were drawn for the 1950 general election. Aberdeen and Kincardine Central was abolished and its area was divided between the new constituency of North Angus and Mearns and a new West Aberdeenshire. North Angus and Mearns was created to cover the county of Kincardine and part of the county of Angus. The new West Aberdeenshire was entirely within the county of Aberdeen, but boundaries differed from those of the earlier constituency of that name. The county of Aberdeen was then otherwise covered by East Aberdeenshire, and the city of Aberdeen was again covered by Aberdeen North and Aberdeen South.[2]

Members of Parliament

Election Member Party
1918 Alexander Theodore Gordon Coalition Conservative
1919 by-election Murdoch McKenzie Wood Liberal
1924 Sir Robert Workman Smith Unionist
1945 Henry Spence Unionist
1950 constituency abolished

Elections

Elections in the 1940s

General Election 1945: Aberdeenshire Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Spence 15,702 52.26
Labour D.S. Hay 7,997 26.61
Liberal Ivor R.M. Davies 6,348 21.13
Turnout 68.64

Elections in the 1930s

General Election 1935: Aberdeen and Kincardine Central [3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir Robert Workman Smith 14,697
Labour G. Stott 6,128
Liberal Dr Russell Thomas 5,873
General Election 1931: Aberdeen and Kincardine Central[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir Robert Workman Smith 16,501
Liberal Reginald BerkeleyMC 12,758

Elections in the 1920s

General Election 1929: Aberdeen and Kincardine Central [5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir Robert Workman Smith 10,773
Liberal Frederick Martin 9,540
Labour A.F. Macintosh 4,357
General Election 1924: Aberdeen and Kincardine Central [6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir Robert Workman Smith 9,130
Liberal Major Murdoch Wood OBE 7,639
Labour J. Newman 3,791
General Election 1923: Aberdeen and Kincardine Central [7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Major Murdoch Wood OBE 9,818
Conservative Robert Workman Smith 8,507
General Election 1922: Aberdeen and Kincardine Central [8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Major Murdoch Wood OBE 9,779
Conservative Robert Workman Smith 6,481

Elections in the 1910s

By-election 1919: Aberdeen and Kincardine Central [9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Major Murdoch Wood OBE 4,950
Coalition Conservative L.F. Davidson 4,764
Labour J.F. Duncan 3,482
General Election 1918: Aberdeen and Kincardine Central [10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Coalition Conservative Lt Col Alexander Theodore Gordon 6,546
Liberal John McDonald Henderson 5,908

See also

References

  1. ^ The name is given as Central Aberdeenshire and Kincardinshire in the Scottish Politics website, and the constituency was entirely within the county of Aberdeen
  2. ^ a b Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885-1972 (ISBN 0-900178-09-4), F. W. S. Craig 1972
  3. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1939
  4. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1934
  5. ^ The Times, 1 June 1929
  6. ^ Oliver and Boyd's Edinburgh Almanack, 1927
  7. ^ The Times, 8 December 1923
  8. ^ The Times, 17 November 1922
  9. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1920
  10. ^ The Times, 30 December 1918