West Aberdeenshire (UK Parliament constituency)


West Aberdeenshire was a Scottish county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1868 to 1918 and from 1950 to 1983. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.
During the period 1918 to 1950, the area of the constituency was divided between West Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire and Central Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire.
In 1983, the West Aberdeenshire constituency was replaced by Kincardine and Deeside.

Boundaries

Western Aberdeenshire, 1885 to 1918

1868 to 1885

When created by the Representation of the People Act 1868, and first used in the 1868 general election, the Western Aberdeenshire constituency was nominally one of three covering the county of Aberdeen. The other two were the county constituency of Eastern Aberdeenshire and the burgh constituency of Aberdeen. The county had been covered previously by the Aberdeenshire constituency and the Aberdeen constituency.
Western Aberdeenshire was defined by the 1868 legislation as consisting of the parishes of Aboyne and Glentanner, Alford, Auchindoir and Kearn, Auchterless, Birse, Chapel of Garioch, Clatt, Cluny, Coull, Crathie and Braemar, Culsalmond, Drumblade, Dyce, Echt, Forgue, Glenbucket, Glenmuick, Tullich and Glengairn, Huntly, Insch, Inverurie, Keig, Kemnay, Kildrummy, Kincardine O'Neil, Kinnellar, Kennethmont, Kintore, Leochel-Cushnie, Leslie, Logie-Coldstone, Lumphanan, Midmar, Monymusk, Newhills, Oyne, Peterculter, Premnay, Rayne, Rhynie, Skene, Strathdon, Tarland and Migvie, Tough, Towie, Tullynesle and Forbes, together with the part of the parish of Old Machar lying west of the River Don, and the parts of the parishes of Banchory-Devenick, Cabrach, Cairnie, Drumoak and Glass within the County of Aberdeen, and the parish of Gartly in Banffshire.
1868 boundaries were also used in the 1874 general election and the 1880 general election.

1885 to 1918

For the 1885 general election the burgh constituencies of Aberdeen North and Aberdeen South were created. Both of these new constituencies included areas beyond the boundaries of the burgh of Aberdeen.
1885 boundaries were also used in the 1886 general election, the 1892 general election, the 1895 general election, the 1900 general election, the 1906 general election, the January 1910 general election and the December 1910 general election.
County boundaries were redefined under the Local Government Act 1889, and the city of Aberdeen was created in 1900, but these developments did not affect constituency boundaries.
In 1918, the Representation of the People Act 1918 created new constituency boundaries, taking account of new local government boundaries, and grouped the county of Aberdeen, the city of Aberdeen and the county of Kincardine in the creation of new constituencies for the 1918 general election. Thus the Western Aberdeenshire area was divided between West Aberdeenshire and Kincardinshire and Central Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire.

West Aberdeenshire, 1950 to 1983

1950 to 1955

The House of Commons Act 1949 created new boundaries for the 1950 general election, and West Aberdeenshire was created as one of four constituencies covering the county of Aberdeen and the city of Aberdeen. West Aberdeenshire and East Aberdeenshire were entirely within the county, and Aberdeen North and Aberdeen South were entirely within the city. West Aberdeenshire consisted of the burghs of Ballater, Inverurie, Kintore, and Oldmeldrum, and the districts of Aberdeen, Alford, Deeside, and Garioch.
The same boundaries were used for the 1951 general election.

1955 to 1983

For the 1955 general election, West Aberdeenshire was enlarged to include the burgh of Huntly and the district of Huntly, which were previously within East Aberdeenshire.
West Aberdeenshire retained the same boundaries for the 1959 general election, the 1964 general election, the 1966 general election, the 1970 general election, the February 1974 general election and the October 1974 general election.
In 1975, throughout Scotland, under the Local Government Act 1973, counties and burghs were abolished as local government areas, and West Aberdeenshire became a constituency within the Grampian region.
The 1979 general election was held before a review of constituency boundaries took account of new local government boundaries.
For the 1983 general election, the West Aberdeenshire constituency was replaced by Kincardine and Deeside.

Members of Parliament

Western Aberdeenshire, 1868 to 1918

West Aberdeenshire, 1950 to 1983

Election results 1868-1918

Elections in the 1860s

Elections in the 1870s

McCombie resigned, causing a by-election.

Elections in the 1880s

Elections in the 1890s

Elections in the 1900s

Elections in the 1910s

Election results 1950-79

Elections in the 1950s

Elections in the 1960s

Elections in the 1970s