Antrim (UK Parliament constituency)

For other constituencies of the same name, see Antrim (disambiguation).

Antrim
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
1801 (1801)–1885 (1885)
Replaced by	East Antrim, Mid Antrim, North Antrim and South Antrim
1922 (1922)–1950 (1950)
Replaced by	North Antrim and South Antrim
Created from	East Antrim, Mid Antrim, North Antrim and South Antrim

Antrim is former UK Parliament constituency in Ireland. It was a two member constituency and existed in two periods, 1801–1885 and 1922-1950.

Boundaries

From 1801 until 1885, the constituency consisted of the whole of County Antrim, excluding the parts in the Parliamentary borough constituencies of Belfast, Carrickfergus and Lisburn. From 1885 - 1922, the constituency was split between the divisions of East Antrim, Mid Antrim, North Antrim and South Antrim.

From 1922 until 1950, the constituency consisted of the Administrative county of Antrim, that is the whole of County Antrim excluding the part in the City of Belfast. In 1950 the county was split, between the divisions of Antrim North and Antrim South.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1801–1885

Key to parties: C Conservative, L Liberal, NP no party identified, T Tory, U Unionist, W Whig. Changes of party name in 1832 are indicated i.e. (T,C) and (W,L).

From	To	Name (Party)	Born	Died
1801	1802	Rt Hon. John Staples (NP)	1 March 1734	22 December 1820
1801	1812	Edmond Alexander MacNaghten (T)	2 August 1762	15 March 1832
1802	1841	Hon. John Bruce Richard O'Neill (T,C)	30 December 1780	12 February 1855
1812	1818	Earl of Yarmouth (T)	11 March 1777	1 March 1842
1818	1822	Hugh Henry John Seymour (T)	25 September 1790	2 December 1821
1822	1826	Earl of Yarmouth (T)	22 February 1800	25 August 1870
1826	1830	Edmond Alexander McNaghten (T)	2 August 1734	15 March 1832
1830	1837	Earl of Belfast (T,W,L)	10 February 1797	20 October 1883
1837	1845	John Irving (C)	c. 1767	10 November 1845
1841	1852	Nathaniel Alexander (C)	1815	5 January 1853
1845	1847	Sir Horace Beauchamp Seymour (C)	22 November 1791	21 November 1851
1847	1852	Sir Edward Macnaghten, Bt (C)	1 April 1790	6 January 1876
1852	1854	Edward William Pakenham (C)	1819	5 November 1854
1852	1859	George Macartney (C)	1793
1854	1865	Thomas Henry Pakenham (C)	28 June 1826	20 February 1913
1859	1863	George Upton (C)	5 August 1802	4 January 1890
1863	1880	Hon. Edward O'Neill (C)	31 December 1839	19 November 1928
1865	1869	Henry Seymour (C)	20 March 1818	25 July 1869
1869	1874	Earl of Yarmouth (C)	22 October 1843	23 March 1912
1874	1885	James Chaine (C)	1841	4 May 1885
1880	1885	Edward MacNaghten (C)	3 February 1830	17 February 1913
1885	1885	William Pirrie Sinclair (L)	1837	1 November 1900

Notes:

• (1) Earl of Yarmouth (1800–1870) was known as Viscount Beauchamp until 17 June 1822.
• (2) Earl of Belfast became W by 1831 and is categorised as L from 1832.
• (3) Earl of Yarmouth (1843–1912) was known as Hugh de Grey Seymour until 25 August 1870.

MPs 1922–1950

Election	Member		Party	Member		Party
1922		Rt Hon. Charles Curtis Craig 18 February 1869 – 28 January 1960	Ulster Unionist		Rt Hon. Sir Hugh O'Neill, Bt 8 June 1883 – 28 November 1982	Ulster Unionist
1929		Sir Joseph McConnell 17 September 1877 – 27 August 1942	Ulster Unionist
1943 by-election		John Dermot Campbell 20 January 1898 – 23 January 1945	Ulster Unionist
1945		Samuel Gillmor Haughton 1 December 1889 – 19 May 1959	Ulster Unionist
1950	constituency abolished. See North Antrim and South Antrim

Elections

In two-member elections the bloc voting system was used. Voters could cast a vote for one or two candidates, as they chose. The two candidates with the largest number of votes were elected. In by-elections, to fill a single seat, the first past the post system applied.

There was no election in 1801. The representatives of the county in the former Parliament of Ireland became members of the 1st Parliament of the United Kingdom.

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 participating 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 1940s

General Election 5 July 1945: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Ulster Unionist	Rt Hon. Sir Hugh O'Neill, Bt	57,259	43.09	N/A
	Ulster Unionist	Samuel Gillmor Haughton	57,232	43.07	N/A
	Labour (NI)	Henry Holmes	18,403	12.79	N/A
Turnout			134,528	56.23	N/A

By-Election 11 February 1943: Antrim
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Ulster Unionist	John Dermot Campbell	42,371	69.40	N/A
	Labour (NI)	Robert Getgood	17,253	28.26	N/A
	Progressive Unionist	R. H. Press	1,432	2.35	N/A
Majority			25,118	41.14	N/A
Turnout			135,795	44.96	N/A
	Ulster Unionist hold		Swing	N/A

• Seat vacant at dissolution (Death of Campbell)

Elections in the 1930s

General Election 14 November 1935: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Ulster Unionist	Sir Joseph McConnell, Bt	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Ulster Unionist	Rt Hon. Sir Hugh O'Neill, Bt	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

General Election 27 October 1931: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Ulster Unionist	Sir Joseph McConnell, Bt	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Ulster Unionist	Rt Hon. Sir Hugh O'Neill, Bt	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

Elections in the 1920s

General Election 30 May 1929: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Ulster Unionist	Rt Hon. R.W.H. O'Neill	53,864	37.53	-11.42
	Ulster Unionist	Sir Joseph McConnell, Bt	52,851	36.82	N/A
	Liberal	George Henderson	18,985	13.23	N/A
	Liberal	Robert Boyd	17,824	12.42	N/A
Turnout			123,474	58.57	-5.64

General Election 29 October 1924: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Ulster Unionist	Rt Hon. Charles Curtis Craig	60,868	49.03	N/A
	Ulster Unionist	Rt Hon. Hugh O'Neill	60,764	48.95	N/A
	Sinn Féin	William McCormick	2,514	2.03	N/A
Turnout			98,616	64.21	N/A

General Election 6 December 1923: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Ulster Unionist	Rt Hon. Charles Curtis Craig	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Ulster Unionist	Rt Hon. Hugh O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

General Election 15 November 1922: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Ulster Unionist	Charles Curtis Craig	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Ulster Unionist	Rt Hon. Hugh O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

Elections in the 1880s

Antrim by-election, 1885
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Pirrie Sinclair	3,971	50.89	+50.89
	Conservative	Hon. Robert Torrens O'Neill	3,832	49.11	+49.11
Majority			139	1.78	N/A
Turnout			11,701 (1880)	66.69	-16.46
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing	N/A

General Election 6 April 1880: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	James Chaine	5,124	26.33	-8.50
	Conservative	Edward MacNaghten	4,936	25.37	+25.37
	Liberal	Charles Wilson	4,789	24.61	-7.44
	Liberal	Samuel Black	4,610	23.69	+23.69
Turnout			11,701	83.15	+23.23

Elections in the 1870s

General Election 12 February 1874: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	James Chaine	4,356	34.83	+34.83
	Conservative	Hon. Edward O'Neill	4,142	33.12	+33.12
	Liberal	Charles Wilson	4,009	32.05	+2.95
Turnout			10,436	59.92	-7.36

Elections in the 1860s

Antrim by-election, 1869
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Hugh de Grey Seymour	5,588	70.90	N/A
	Liberal	Sir Robert Shafto Adair, Bt	2,294	29.10	N/A
Majority			3,294	41.79	N/A
Turnout			11,715	67.28	N/A
	Conservative hold		Swing	N/A

• Note: Hugh de Grey Seymour was known as the Earl of Yarmouth from 25 August 1870.

General Election 23 November 1868: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Hon. Edward O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Conservative	George Henry Seymour	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

Antrim by-election, 1866
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	George Henry Seymour	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Conservative hold		Swing	N/A

General Election 22 July 1865: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Edward O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Conservative	George Henry Seymour	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

Antrim by-election, 1863
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Edward O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Conservative hold		Swing	N/A

Elections in the 1850s

General Election 10 May 1859: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Thomas Henry Pakenham	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Conservative	Hon. George Frederick Upton	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

General Election 16 April 1857: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Thomas Henry Pakenham	4,686	44.38	N/A
	Conservative	George Macartney	4,341	41.11	N/A
	Liberal	Henry Hutchinson Hamilton O'Hara	1,533	14.52	N/A
Turnout			9,676	54.57	N/A

Antrim by-election, 1854
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Thomas Henry Pakenham	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Conservative hold		Swing	N/A

General Election 23 July 1852: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Edward William Pakenham	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Conservative	George Macartney	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

Elections in the 1840s

General Election 11 August 1847: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Nathaniel Alexander	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Conservative	Sir Edmund Charles Workman MacNaghten, Bt	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

Antrim by-election, 1845
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Sir Horace Beauchamp Seymour	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Conservative hold		Swing	N/A

General Election 13 July 1841: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Irving	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Conservative	Nathaniel Alexander	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

Antrim by-election, 1841
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Nathaniel Alexander	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

Elections in the 1830s

General Election 5 August 1837: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Hon. John Bruce Richard O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Conservative	John Irving	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

General Election 15 January 1835: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Hon. John Bruce Richard O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Liberal	Earl of Belfast	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

General Election 2 January 1833: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Hon. John Bruce Richard O'Neill	1,719	28.86	N/A
	Liberal	Earl of Belfast	1,654	27.77	N/A
	Conservative	Edmund McDonnell	1,451	24.36	N/A
	Conservative	John Cromie	1,133	19.02	N/A
Turnout			3,487	86.78	N/A

• Note: 3,026 voters cast 5,957 votes.

General Election 21 May 1831: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	Hon. John Bruce Richard O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Whig	Earl of Belfast	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

General Election 13 August 1830: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	Hon. John Bruce Richard O'Neill	839	40.12	N/A
	Tory	Earl of Belfast	719	34.39	N/A
	Tory	Edmund McDonnell	523	26.01	N/A
	Non Partisan	Lord Mark Kerr	10	0.48	N/A

Elections in the 1820s

General Election 20 June 1826: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	Hon. John Bruce Richard O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Tory	Edmond Alexander MacNaghten	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

Antrim by-election, 1822
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	Viscount Beauchamp	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Tory hold		Swing	N/A

General Election 22 March 1820: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	Hon. John Bruce Richard O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Tory	Hugh Henry John Seymour	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

Elections in the 1810s

General Election 27 June 1818: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	Hon. John Bruce Richard O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Tory	Hugh Henry John Seymour	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

General Election 21 October 1812: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	Hon. John Bruce Richard O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Tory	Earl of Yarmouth	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

Antrim by-election, 1812
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	Hon. John Bruce Richard O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Tory hold		Swing	N/A

Antrim by-election, 1811
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	Hon. John Bruce Richard O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Tory hold		Swing	N/A

Elections in the 19th century

General Election 18 May 1807: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	Hon. John Bruce Richard O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Tory	Edmond Alexander MacNaghten	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

General Election 19 November 1806: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	Hon. John Bruce Richard O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Tory	Edmond Alexander MacNaghten	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

General Election 19 July 1802: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory	Hon. John Bruce Richard O'Neill	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Tory	Edmond Alexander MacNaghten	Unopposed	N/A	N/A

Co-option 1 January 1801: Antrim (2 seats)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Non Partisan	Right Hon. John Staples	Co-opted	N/A	N/A
	Tory	Edmond Alexander MacNaghten	Co-opted	N/A	N/A

References

• The Parliaments of England by Henry Stooks Smith (1st edition published in three volumes 1844-50), second 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)
• Who's Who of British Members of Parliament: Volume I 1832-1885, edited by M. Stenton (The Harvester Press 1976)
• Who's Who of British Members of Parliament: Volume III 1919-1945, edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (The Harvester Press 1979)
• British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, compiled and edited by F. W. S. Craig (The Macmillan Press 1977)
• Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "A" (part 2 )