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Belfast was an Irish borough constituency in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Comprising the city of Belfast, it elected one Member of Parliament (MP) from 1801 to 1832, and then two MPs from 1832 until the constituency was divided by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 before the 1885 general election.

Representation

Prior to 1801, the parliamentary borough of was a two-seat constituency in the Irish House of Commons. Under the Acts of Union 1800, the Kingdom of Ireland was joined with the Kingdom of Great Britain to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Belfast was represented from 1801 in the United Kingdom House of Commons by one MP. Its MP in 1801 to the First Parliament of the United Kingdom was chosen by lot.

Under the Representation of the People (Ireland) Act 1832, its representation was increased to two seats. Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, the representation of the parliamentary borough was increased to four seats, and it was divided into four separate divisions.

Boundaries and boundary changes

This constituency was the parliamentary borough of Belfast in County Antrim. In 1832 and 1868 the boundaries of that borough were extended.

1832 boundaries

The boundaries were defined by the Parliamentary Boundaries (Ireland) Act 1832 as:

"From the Point on the South-east of the Town at which the Blackstaff River joins the River Lagan, up the Blackstaff River, to the Point at which the same is joined by a small Stream which washes the Wall of Mr Campbell's Cotton Works ; thence up the said small Stream to the Point at which the same would be cut by a straight Line to be drawn from the Chimney of Mr Campbell's Cotton Works to an old Fort on the West of the Town, in a field belonging to Mr Elliott, near a Brickfield on the Left of the old Lodge Road ; thence in a straight Line to the said old Fort; thence in a straight Line to the South-western Angle of the Graveyard which is to the West of the Infantry Barracks; thence along the Southern Wall of the said Graveyard to the Point at which the same makes an Angle; thence in a straight Line to the South-western Angle of the Enclosure of the Infantry Barracks; thence along the Western Enclosure Wall of the Infantry Barracks to the Northern Extremity thereof; thence along a Ditch which is the Boundary of the Ordnance Land to the Point at which the same reaches the South-western Angle of the Enclosure of the Artillery Barracks; thence along the Western Enclosure Wall of the Artillery Barracks; and along a Ditch in continuation of the Direction thereof, to the Point at which such Ditch meets a Road which leads from the Ballynure Road into the old Carrickfergus Road; thence along the Road so leading into the old Carrickfergus Road to the Point at which the same joins the old Carrickfergus Road; thence, Northward, along the old Carrickfergus Road to the Point at which the same meets the Mile Water ; thence down the Mile Water to the Point at which the same joins the River Lagan; thence along the River Lagan to the Point first described; also beyond the Lagan, the Townland of Ballymacarrett."

1868 boundaries

The Representation of the People (Ireland) Act 1868, provided that all that part of the borough situate beyond the limits of the parliamentary borough as defined in 1832, but within the municipal limits, should form part of the borough for all purposes connected with the election of a member or members to serve in parliament for the borough. See Belfast Borough Extension Act 1853 (16 & 17 Vict.) c. 129, which defined the boundaries of the borough as follows:

"From the Northern Lighthouse on the Eastern Twin Island , Southward, in a straight Line to the Centre of the Bridge over Conn's Water on the Hollywood Railway , thence Southward along the Boundary of the Townland of Ballymacarret to the Point at which the same meets the Boundary of the Townland of Ballynafoy , thence Southward and Westward along the said Boundary of Ballynafoy to the Point at which the same meets the River Lagan , thence Westward along the River Lagan to the Centre of the Weir adjoining the Canal , thence Northward along the Canal to the First Lock , thence North-westward along the Road at the West Side of the River Lagan to the Point at which the same is crossed by the Old Belfast Watercourse, thence South- ward and Westward along the said Watercourse to a Brick Wall belonging to the Water Commissioners, thence Southward along the Fence which divides Mr. Batt's from Mr. Ward's Property, thence Westward along the Fence which divides Mr. Ward’s Property from Mr. Gilmore's and Mr. Batt’s Property to the Old Lisburn Road , thence Northward about Fifty Yards on the Old Lisburn Road to the Fence of Mr. McQuiston's Property, thence Westward along the said Fence which divides Mr. McQuiston's Property from Mr. Honey's and Mr. Owden's Property to the Point at which the same meets the Blackstaff River , thence North-westward in a straight Line to the Point at which the Old White Rock Road meets the Falls Road, thence Westward along the Old White Rock Road to the Point at which the same meets the Cross Road close to the Fort, thence Northward along the said Cross Road to the Point at which the same meets the Boundary of the Townland of Ballymurphy , thence North-westward along the said Boundary to the North-east Point of the said Boundary , thence Northward in a straight line to the Centre of the Fort immediately behind the House of Mr. Moses Staunton , thence North- eastward in a straight Line to the Point at which the Boundary of Ballysillan Lower meets the Forth River , thence North-east- ward along the said Boundary to the North-east Point of the said Boundary at which the same meets a Stream , thence Eastward and Northward along the said Stream to the Point at which the said Stream crosses the Road at Old Park Mills , thence Northward and Eastward along the Road to the South End of the House of Mr. John Beatty , thence Eastward in a straight Line to the Eastern Angle of the Boundary of the Townland of Old Park , thence Eastward in a straight line to the Point at which Buttermilk Lane meets the Antrim Road, thence Eastward along Buttermilk Lane to the Point at which the same meets the Carrickfergus Road , thence Eastward in a straight Line to the Point first described."

The boundary is shown as 'Municipal Boundary' on the second edition of the Ordnance Survey maps of Ireland.

1885 division

Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, the parliamentary borough of Belfast was further expanded and defined as:

The present parliamentary borough of Belfast, and

in the parish of Holywood, County Down, the townlands of Ballymaghan, Ballymisert, Strandtown and Strandtown Town, Ballyhackamore and Ballyhackamore Town, and Ballycloghan, and

in the parish of Knockbreda, County Down, the townlands of Knock, Multyhogy, and Ballyrushboy, and

in the parish of Shankill, County Armagh, the townlands of Lower Malone, that part of Upper Malone bounded on the south by the centre of the road running northward and westward for about 80 chains from Shaw's Bridge, Ballymurphy, Ballymagarry, Ballygomartin, Ballysillan Lower, Legoniel and Legoniel Town, Old Park and Old Park Town, Skegoniell, that part of Ballyaghagan which adjoins the Antrim Road (namely the whole of the part east of the Antrim Road, and the part west of the Antrim Road which is within 22 chains of that road), Lowwood, Greencastle and Greencastle Town.

It was divided into four single-member divisions: Belfast East, Belfast North, Belfast South and Belfast West.

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 ones.

Until 1832 the electorate were the members of Belfast Corporation. This had long been resented by reformers as it made the constituency a pocket borough of the Marquess of Donegall.

In 1784 a petition was sent to the Parliament of Ireland.

"Your petitioners in the most humble and respectful manner, take leave to represent to your Hon House,

That Belfast is a large and populous town, containing above 15,000 inhabitants, carrying on a very extensive foreign commerce, as well as inland trade, and paying annually upwards of £80,000 towards the public revenue.

That this numerous body of people not being represented in your Hon House, are, contrary to the fundamental principle of the constitution, governed by laws to which they give no assent; for although the borough of Belfast sends two Members to parliament, yet those members are returned (under the immediate direction of a noble peer) by five or six Burgesses, in the appointment of whom your Petitioners have no share, and therefore the members so returned cannot in any sense, be deemed the Representatives of your Petitioners."

In 1832 the electorate was considerably extended by the Representation of the People (Ireland) Act 1832. Boroughs in Ireland were given a uniform franchise for the first time. The vote was given to occupiers of land valued at least £10 and resident freemen by birth or servitude (descent from or apprenticeship to an existing freeman of the borough) or who were admitted before March 1831.

Members of Parliament

Notes

• (1) Lord Arthur Chichester and James Emerson Tennent changed party allegiance in 1834 (from Liberal to Conservative).
• (2) Lord John Ludford Chichester changed party allegiance by 1847 (part of Peelite faction).

Elections

After 1832, when registration of voters was introduced, a turnout figure is given for contested elections. In two-member elections (when the exact number of voters is unknown) this is calculated by dividing the number of votes by two. To the extent that voters did not use both their votes this will be an underestimate of turnout. If the electorate figure is unknown the last known electorate figure is used to provide an estimate of turnout.

Where a party had more than one candidate in one or both of a pair of successive elections change is calculated for each individual candidate, otherwise change is based on the party vote.

Elections in the 1800s

Elections in the 1810s

• Death of May

• Appointment of May as Collector of Customs in Belfast Port

Elections in the 1820s

Elections in the 1830s

J. Emerson Tennent ceased to support Lord Grey in 1834 (see Emerson Tennent's article in The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography).

Note: Stooks Smith suggests there were 1,451 registered electors. Walker gives the electorate figure as above.

• Death of McCance

Note: Stooks Smith suggests there were 1,508 registered electors. Walker gives the electorate figure as above. Stooks Smith also indicates that 'Mr Tennent resigned in consequence of a decision of the Assessors'.

Stooks Smith suggests there were 1,926 registered electors. Walker gives the electorate figure as above.

• 8 March 1838: On petition Gibson and the Earl of Belfast were unseated and Emerson Tennent and Dunbar declared elected

Elections in the 1840s

Note: 1,740 electors voted. Stooks Smith suggests there were 1,937 registered electors. Walker gives the electorate figure as above.

• On petition Emerson Tennent and Johnson unseated and new writ issued

Note: Stooks Smith comments that 'a compromise was entered into by which one of each party was to be returned'.

• Resignation of Emerson Tennent

Elections in the 1850s

• Appointment of Cairns as Solicitor-General

Elections in the 1860s

• Resignation of Davison

• Appointment of Cairns as Attorney-General

• Appointment of Cairns as Lord Justice of Appeal in Chancery (of England and Wales)

Elections in the 1870s

• Appointment of Johnston as Inspector of Fisheries

Elections in the 1880s

• Constituency divided in the 1885 redistribution

See also

• List of Irish constituencies
• List of UK Parliament Constituencies in Ireland and Northern Ireland

References

1. "Belfast". Ulster Historical Foundation.
2. Parliamentary Boundaries (Ireland) Act, 1832, Schedule, paragraph 4
3. Section 9
4. "Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 (48 & 49 Vict., c. 23)". The public general acts. Proprietors of the Law Journal Reports. p. 133. OCLC 145381863.
5. Farrell, Stephen. "CHICHESTER, George Hamilton, earl of Belfast (1797-1883), of Cowes, I.o.W. and 23 Arlington Street, Mdx". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
6. ^ Stooks Smith, Henry (1842). The Register of Parliamentary Contested Elections: Containing the Uncontested Elections Since 1830. London: Simpkin, Marshall, & Co. p. 216. Retrieved 19 August 2019 – via Google Books.
7. ^ "Mayo Constitution". 10 January 1833. p. 3. Retrieved 19 August 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
8. ^ "Leeds Intelligencer". 27 December 1832. p. 2. Retrieved 19 August 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
9. ^ Boase, George Clement (1898). "Tennent, James Emerson" . In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 56. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
10. Churton, Edward (1838). The Assembled Commons or Parliamentary Biographer. pp. 98, 99. Retrieved 19 August 2019 – via Google Books.
11. ^ "Belfast Election". Drogheda Journal, or Meath & Louth Advertiser. 8 August 1837. p. 4. Retrieved 19 August 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
12. ^ "Belfast Election". Sussex Advertiser. 23 August 1842. p. 1. Retrieved 19 August 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
13. ^ "Irish Members Returned". Tipperary Vindicator. 14 August 1847. p. 3. Retrieved 15 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
14. ^ "The Irish Members". Dublin Weekly Nation. 14 August 1847. p. 4. Retrieved 15 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
15. ^ Walker, B. M., ed. (1978). Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801-1922. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. pp. 198–199, 253–255. ISBN 0901714127.
16. ^ Farrell, Stephen. "Belfast". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
17. Accounts and Papers of the House of Commons, Volume 50. 1843. Retrieved 25 August 2019 – via Google Books.
18. "Irish Elections". Freeman's Journal. 21 March 1857. p. 3. Retrieved 15 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
19. "Belfast Election". Derry Journal. 6 February 1874. pp. 2–3. Retrieved 27 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
20. "Belfast Election". Falkirk Herald. 4 April 1878. p. 3. Retrieved 27 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
21. "Dr Seeds". Northern Whig. 20 March 1880. p. 4. Retrieved 27 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.

• The Parliaments of England by Henry Stooks Smith (1st edition published in three volumes 1844–50), 2nd edition edited (in one volume) by F. W. S. Craig (Political Reference Publications 1973)
• Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801-1922, edited by B. M. Walker (Royal Irish Academy 1978)

External links

• Peter Robinson, the former MP for the constituency, provided details on his web-site of the Parliamentary boundaries and electoral history of Belfast since the Union and provided brief biographies of Belfast MPs. The report of the Boundary Commission (Ireland) (Cd 8830, 1917), which is referred to on that website, is available online here.
• Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "B" (part 2)

• Historic Westminster constituencies in Belfast
• Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 1801