Compiled by EveryElectionResult.com's data team · Last updated 2026-08-30
James Fergusson (Conservative) were elected unopposed for Ayrshire at the 1865 general election. This page covers every general election in Ayrshire from 1832 to 1865.
Full Election History, 1832–1865
Election
Elected
Votes
Vote Share
Runner-up
Majority
Turnout
1832
Richard Alexander Oswald (Whig)
2,152
86.9%
William Blair (Conservative)
1,828 (73.8 pts)
78.6%
1835
Richard Alexander Oswald (Whig)
Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record
0.0%
1837
John Dunlop (Radical)
1,559
53.2%
James Carr-Boyle (Conservative)
189 (6.5 pts)
73.5%
1841
James Carr-Boyle (Conservative)
Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record
0.0%
1847
Alexander Haldane Oswald (Conservative)
Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record
0.0%
1852
James Hunter-Blair (Conservative)
1,301
52.0%
Edward Cardwell (Peelite)
101 (4.0 pts)
65.4%
1857
Patrick James Herbert Crichton-Stuart (Whig)
1,663
53.3%
James Fergusson (Conservative)
205 (6.6 pts)
78.5%
1859
Patrick James Herbert Crichton-Stuart (Liberal)
Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record
0.0%
1865
James Fergusson (Conservative)
Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record
0.0%
Full Result Breakdown by Election
1832
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Richard Alexander Oswald
Whig
2,152
86.9%
Yes
William Blair
Conservative
324
13.1%
No
1835
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Richard Alexander Oswald
Whig
Unopposed
Yes
1837
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
John Dunlop
Radical
1,559
53.2%
Yes
James Carr-Boyle
Conservative
1,370
46.8%
No
1841
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
James Carr-Boyle
Conservative
Unopposed
Yes
1847
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Alexander Haldane Oswald
Conservative
Unopposed
Yes
1852
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
James Hunter-Blair
Conservative
1,301
52.0%
Yes
Edward Cardwell
Peelite
1,200
48.0%
No
1857
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Patrick James Herbert Crichton-Stuart
Whig
1,663
53.3%
Yes
James Fergusson
Conservative
1,458
46.7%
No
1859
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
Patrick James Herbert Crichton-Stuart
Liberal
Unopposed
Yes
1865
Candidate
Party
Votes
Share
Elected
James Fergusson
Conservative
Unopposed
Yes
Margin Over Time
Winning margin (percentage points) at each election, coloured by the winning party.
Trend
Ayrshire has been contested at 9 general elections on record since 1832. Parties that have won a seat here over that span: Whig, Radical, Conservative, Liberal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Ayrshire in the 1865 general election?
James Fergusson (Conservative) were elected unopposed for Ayrshire in 1865 -- no other candidate stood.
Which parties have won Ayrshire since 1832?
Since 1832, Ayrshire has been won by: Conservative, Liberal, Radical, Whig.
What was the closest result in Ayrshire?
The closest result on record for Ayrshire was 1852, when Conservative beat Peelite by just 101 votes (4.0 percentage points).