Londonderry
Former county constituency
for the House of Commons
CountyCounty Londonderry
1801–1885
Seats2
Created fromCounty Londonderry (IHC)
Replaced by
1922–1983
Seats1
Created from
Replaced by

Londonderry was a parliamentary constituency in Northern Ireland represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament, as well as a constituency in elections to various regional bodies. It was replaced in boundary changes in 1983. Londonderry returned two MPs (1801–1885) and later one (1922–1983).

Boundaries

The constituency consisted, in 1801–1885, of the whole of County Londonderry,[lower-alpha 1] except for the parliamentary boroughs of Coleraine and Londonderry City.

The seat was re-created in 1922. As part of the consequences of the devolved Stormont Parliament for Northern Ireland, the number of MPs in the Westminster Parliament was drastically cut. The seat was focused on County Londonderry. It comprised the administrative county of Londonderry and the County Borough of Londonderry.

In 1951, it was one of the last four seats to be uncontested in a United Kingdom general election.

In 1983 the number of seats for Northern Ireland was increased from 12 to 17 and Londonderry was split in two, forming Foyle and East Londonderry.

Members of Parliament

1801–1885

ElectionFirst memberFirst partySecond memberSecond party
1801 Hon. Charles Stewart[1] Tory Vacant
1801 by-election Sir George Hill, 2nd Bt Tory
1802 Lord George Beresford
1812 Hon. William Ponsonby
1814 by-election Alexander Stewart Tory[2]
1815 by-election George Robert Dawson Tory[3]
1818 Alexander Robert Stewart Tory
1830 Theobald Jones Tory[4][5] Sir Robert Bateson, 1st Bt Tory[4][5]
1834 Conservative[4][5] Conservative[4][5]
1842 by-election Robert Bateson Conservative[5]
1844 by-election Thomas Bateson
1857 by-election James Johnston Clark
1857 Samuel MacCurdy Greer Radical[6][7]
1859 Robert Peel Dawson Conservative[5] Sir Frederick Heygate, 2nd Bt
1874 Richard Smyth Liberal[5] Hugh Law Liberal[5]
1878 by-election Sir Thomas McClure, 1st Bt
1881 by-election Andrew Porter
1884 by-election Samuel Walker
1885 constituency abolished: see North Londonderry & South Londonderry

1922–1983

ElectionMemberParty
1922 Sir Malcolm Macnaghten Ulster Unionist
1929 by-election Sir Ronald Ross
1951 by-election William Wellwood
1955 Robin Chichester-Clark
February 1974 William Ross
1983 constituency abolished: see Foyle & East Londonderry

Westminster elections

Londonderry / East Londonderry election results

Elections in the 1830s

1830 general election: Londonderry (2 seats)[5][4][8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Tory Robert Bateson, Snr. Unopposed
Tory Theobald Jones Unopposed
Registered electors 866
Tory hold
Tory hold
1831 general election: Londonderry (2 seats)[5][4][8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Tory Robert Bateson, Snr. 631 38.7
Tory Theobald Jones 585 35.9
Whig John Byng 382 23.4
Tory John Richard James Hart 33 2.0
Majority 203 12.5
Turnout c. 816 c. 92.9
Registered electors 878
Tory hold
Tory hold
1832 general election: Londonderry (2 seats)[5][4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Tory Robert Bateson, Snr. Unopposed
Tory Theobald Jones Unopposed
Registered electors 2,172
Tory hold
Tory hold
1835 general election: Londonderry (2 seats)[5][4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Robert Bateson, Snr. Unopposed
Conservative Theobald Jones Unopposed
Registered electors 2,658
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
1837 general election: Londonderry (2 seats)[5][4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Robert Bateson, Snr. Unopposed
Conservative Theobald Jones Unopposed
Registered electors 2,843
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1840s

1841 general election: Londonderry (2 seats)[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Bateson, Snr. Unopposed
Conservative Theobald Jones Unopposed
Registered electors 1,718
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
By-election, 26 May 1842: Londonderry[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Bateson, Jnr. Unopposed
Conservative hold
By-election, 13 March 1844: Londonderry[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thomas Bateson Unopposed
Conservative hold
  • Caused by Bateson's death
1847 general election: Londonderry (2 seats)[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thomas Bateson Unopposed
Conservative Theobald Jones Unopposed
Registered electors 4,663
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1850s

By-election, 13 March 1852: Londonderry[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thomas Bateson Unopposed
Conservative hold
1852 general election: Londonderry (2 seats)[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thomas Bateson 2,098 38.0 N/A
Conservative Theobald Jones 1,909 34.6 N/A
Radical Samuel MacCurdy Greer 1,518 27.5 New
Majority 391 7.1 N/A
Turnout 3,522 (est) 81.8 (est) N/A
Registered electors 4,305
Conservative hold Swing N/A
Conservative hold Swing N/A
By-election, 9 March 1857: Londonderry[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Johnston Clark 2,600 64.1 −8.5
Radical Samuel MacCurdy Greer 1,457 35.9 +8.4
Majority 1,143 28.2 +21.1
Turnout 4,057 79.8 −2.0
Registered electors 5,081
Conservative hold Swing −8.5
  • Caused by Bateson's resignation.
1857 general election: Londonderry (2 seats)[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Johnston Clark 2,404 37.5 −0.5
Radical Samuel MacCurdy Greer 2,339 36.4 +8.9
Conservative Henry Bruce 1,676 26.1 −8.5
Turnout 3,210 (est) 63.2 (est) −18.6
Registered electors 5,081
Majority 65 1.1 −6.0
Conservative hold Swing +2.5
Majority 663 10.3 N/A
Radical gain from Conservative Swing +9.0
1859 general election: Londonderry (2 seats)[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Peel Dawson 2,628 38.2 +0.7
Conservative Frederick Heygate 2,468 35.8 +9.7
Liberal Samuel MacCurdy Greer 1,790 26.0 −10.4
Majority 678 9.8 +8.7
Turnout 4,338 (est) 83.8 (est) +20.6
Registered electors 5,178
Conservative hold Swing +3.2
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +7.7

Elections in the 1860s

1865 general election: Londonderry (2 seats)[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Peel Dawson Unopposed
Conservative Frederick Heygate Unopposed
Registered electors 5,512
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
1868 general election: Londonderry (2 seats)[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Peel Dawson Unopposed
Conservative Frederick Heygate Unopposed
Registered electors 5,582
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1870s

1874 general election: Londonderry (2 seats)[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Richard Smyth 2,988 33.8 New
Liberal Hugh Law 2,701 30.6 New
Conservative Robert Jackson Alexander 1,747 19.8 N/A
Conservative John Barré Beresford 1,402 15.9 N/A
Majority 954 10.8 N/A
Turnout 4,419 (est) 82.4 (est) N/A
Registered electors 5,362
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing N/A
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing N/A
By-election, 18 Dec 1878: Londonderry (1 seat)[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Thomas McClure 2,479 56.9 −7.5
Conservative Samuel Maxwell Alexander 1,878 43.1 +7.4
Majority 601 13.8 +3.0
Turnout 4,357 76.3 −6.1
Registered electors 5,714
Liberal hold Swing −7.5
  • Caused by Smyth's death.

Elections in the 1880s

1880 general election: Londonderry (2 seats)[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Hugh Law 3,012 37.5 +6.9
Liberal Thomas McClure 2,912 36.3 +2.5
Conservative Samuel Maxwell Alexander 2,107 26.2 −9.5
Majority 805 10.1 −0.7
Turnout 5,069 (est) 86.6 (est) +4.2
Registered electors 5,853
Liberal hold Swing +5.8
Liberal hold Swing +3.6
By-election, 19 May 1880: Londonderry (1 seat)[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Hugh Law Unopposed
Registered electors 5,853
Liberal hold
By-election, 6 Dec 1881: Londonderry (1 seat)[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Andrew Porter 2,701 56.1 −17.7
Conservative Samuel Wilson 2,054 42.7 +16.5
Home Rule Charles John Dempsey 56 1.2 New
Majority 647 13.4 +3.3
Turnout 4,811 81.6 −5.0 (est)
Registered electors 5,896
Liberal hold Swing −17.1
By-election, 10 Jan 1884: Londonderry (1 seat)[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Samuel Walker Unopposed
Registered electors 5,798
Liberal hold

Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: Londonderry
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Malcolm Macnaghten 30,743 75.7
Independent Nationalist
  • Edmund Loftus MacNaghten
 9,861 24.3
Majority 20,882 51.4
Turnout 40,604 63.9
Ulster Unionist win (new seat)
  • anti-partition
General election 1923: Londonderry
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Malcolm Macnaghten Unopposed
Registered electors
Ulster Unionist hold
General election 1924: Londonderry
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Malcolm Macnaghten 30,875 82.9 N/A
Sinn Féin Charles MacWhinney 5,869 15.8 New
Ind. Unionist William Galt 517 1.4 New
Majority 25,006 67.1 N/A
Turnout 37,261 59.1 N/A
Ulster Unionist hold Swing N/A
1929 Londonderry by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Ronald Deane Ross Unopposed
Registered electors
Ulster Unionist hold
General election 1929: Londonderry
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Ronald Deane Ross Unopposed
Registered electors
Ulster Unionist hold

Elections in the 1930s

1931 general election: Londonderry
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Ronald Deane Ross Unopposed
Registered electors
Ulster Unionist hold
1935 general election: Londonderry
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Ronald Deane Ross Unopposed
Registered electors
Ulster Unionist hold

Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Londonderry
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Ronald Ross 40,214 50.8 N/A
Nationalist Denis Cavanagh 37,561 47.4 New
NI Labour Milton Gordon 1,471 1.9 New
Majority 2,653 3.4 N/A
Turnout 79,246 88.1 N/A
Ulster Unionist hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1950: Londonderry
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Ronald Ross 36,602 62.6 +11.8
Independent Republican Hugh McAteer 21,880 37.4 New
Majority 14,722 25.2 +21.8
Turnout 58,482 80.7 -7.4
Ulster Unionist hold Swing
In the 1951 Londonderry by-election[9] and the 1951 United Kingdom general election, William Wellwood was elected unopposed.
1951 Londonderry by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist William Wellwood Unopposed
Registered electors
Ulster Unionist hold
General election 1951: Londonderry
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist William Wellwood Unopposed
Registered electors
Ulster Unionist hold
General election 1955: Londonderry
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Robin Chichester-Clark 35,673 64.5 N/A
Sinn Féin Manus Canning 19,640 35.5 New
Majority 16,033 29.0 N/A
Turnout 55,313 77.6 N/A
Ulster Unionist hold Swing N/A
General election 1959: Londonderry
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Robin Chichester-Clark 37,529 73.0 +8.5
Sinn Féin Manus Canning 13,872 27.0 −8.5
Majority 23,657 46.0 +17.0
Turnout 51,401 70.2 -7.4
Ulster Unionist hold Swing +8.5

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1964: Londonderry
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Robin Chichester-Clark 37,700 64.1 −8.9
Independent Republican Hugh McAteer 21,123 35.9 New
Majority 16,577 28.2 -17.8
Turnout 58,823 76.5 +6.3
Ulster Unionist hold Swing
General election 1966: Londonderry
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Robin Chichester-Clark 34,729 58.1 −6.0
Nationalist Paddy Gormley 22,167 37.1 New
Independent Republican Neil Gillespie 2,860 4.8 −31.1
Majority 12,562 21.0 -7.2
Turnout 59,756 76.4 -0.1
Ulster Unionist hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: Londonderry
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Robin Chichester-Clark 39,141 53.1 −5.0
Unity Eddie McAteer 27,006 36.6 New
Derry Labour Eamonn McCann 7,565 10.3 New
Majority 12,135 16.5 -4.5
Turnout 73,712 81.6 +5.2
Ulster Unionist hold Swing N/A
General election February 1974: Londonderry
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist William Ross 33,060 52.7 −0.4
SDLP Hugh Logue 23,670 37.7 New
Republican Clubs Michael Montgomery 4,889 7.8 New
Independent Richard Foster 1,162 1.9 New
Majority 9,390 15.0 -1.5
Turnout 62,781 68.1 -13.5
Ulster Unionist hold Swing
General election October 1974: Londonderry
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist William Ross 35,138 54.4 +1.7
SDLP John Hume 26,118 40.4 +2.7
Republican Clubs Michael Montgomery 2,530 3.9 −3.9
Independent Richard Foster 846 1.3 −0.6
Majority 9,020 14.0 -1.0
Turnout 64,632 69.3 +1.2
Ulster Unionist hold Swing
General election 1979: Londonderry
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist William Ross 31,592 49.7 −4.7
SDLP Hugh Logue 19,185 30.2 −10.2
Alliance Arthur Barr 5,830 9.2 New
Irish Independence Fergus McAteer 5,489 8.6 New
Republican Clubs Eamonn Melaugh 888 1.4 −2.5
Independent Labour William Webster 639 1.0 New
Majority 12,407 19.5 +5.5
Turnout 63,623 67.1 -2.2
Ulster Unionist hold Swing

Politics and history of the constituency

From its inception Londonderry had a unionist majority, though by the 1970s the nationalist vote was approaching 40% in some elections.

In 1974 the Ulster Unionist Party repudiated the Sunningdale Agreement and so did not reselect Robin Chichester-Clark, who had been a Minister in the government of Edward Heath. Instead they ran William Ross, who held the seat until 1983. He was then elected for the new East Londonderry.

For the history of the area post 1983, please see Foyle (UK Parliament constituency) and East Londonderry.

Notes

  1. ↑ There is a longstanding Derry/Londonderry name dispute. This article follows the approach that Derry refers to the city and County Londonderry refers to the county (outside of organisations' names, which may follow their own approaches).

References

  1. ↑ known as Sir Charles Stewart from 1813
  2. ↑ Farrell, Stephen. "STEWART, Alexander Robert (1795-1850), of Ards, Letterkenny, co. Donegal". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  3. ↑ Farrell, Stephen. "DAWSON, George Robert (1790-1856), of Castledawson, co. Londonderry and 16 Upper Grosvenor Street, Mdx". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Smith, Henry Stooks (1842). The Register of Parliamentary Contested Elections (Second ed.). Simpkin, Marshall & Company. p. 233.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Walker, B.M., ed. (1978). Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801-1922. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. pp. 227–228, 296–297. ISBN 0901714127.
  6. ↑ "Triumphant Return of the Conservative". Tyrone Constitution. 13 March 1857. p. 2. Retrieved 6 October 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ↑ "Correspondence". Belfast News-Letter. 13 April 1857. p. 1. Retrieved 6 October 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. 1 2 Farrell, Stephen. "Co. Londonderry". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  9. ↑ "1951 By Election Results". Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
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