Dumfriesshire — UK General Election Results
Dumfriesshire was won by National Liberal at the 1945 general election, with a majority of 6,077 votes over Labour. This page covers every general election in Dumfriesshire from 1832 to 1945.
Full Election History, 1832–1945
| Election | Elected | Votes | Vote Share | Runner-up | Majority | Turnout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1832 | John James Hope-Johnstone (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1835 | John James Hope-Johnstone (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1837 | John James Hope-Johnstone (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1841 | John James Hope-Johnstone (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1847 | Archibald William Douglas (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1852 | Achibald William Douglas (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1857 | John James Hope-Johnstone (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1859 | John James Hope-Johnstone (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1865 | George Gustavus Walker (Conservative) | Elected unopposed — no other candidate stood, no vote count on record | 0.0% | |||
| 1868 | Sydney Hedley Waterlow (Liberal) | 1,100 | 51.0% | George Gustavus Walker (Conservative) | 44 (2.0 pts) | 72.1% |
| 1874 | John James Hope-Johnstone (Conservative) | 1,453 | 52.5% | Robert Jardine (Liberal) | 138 (5.0 pts) | 88.4% |
| 1880 | Robert Jardine (Liberal) | 1,577 | 51.2% | George Gustavus Walker (Conservative) | 72 (2.3 pts) | 91.2% |
| 1885 | Robert Jardine (Liberal) | 4,857 | 57.7% | William Henry Walter Montagu Douglas Scott (Conservative) | 1,291 (15.3 pts) | 88.8% |
| 1886 | Robert Jardine (Liberal Unionist) | 4,106 | 55.8% | Thomas McKie (Liberal) | 854 (11.6 pts) | 77.5% |
| 1892 | William Jardine Herries Maxwell (Liberal Unionist) | 4,123 | 51.7% | Thomas McKie (Liberal) | 274 (3.4 pts) | 86.4% |
| 1895 | Robinson Souttar (Liberal) | 3,965 | 50.1% | William Jardine Herries Maxwell (Liberal Unionist) | 13 (0.2 pts) | 86.7% |
| 1900 | William Jardine Herries Maxwell (Liberal Unionist) | 4,124 | 52.9% | Robinson Souttar (Liberal) | 449 (5.8 pts) | 85.0% |
| 1906 | Percy Alport Molteno (Liberal) | 4,814 | 58.4% | John Hulton Balfour-Browne (Conservative) | 1,383 (16.8 pts) | 87.8% |
| Jan 1910 | Percy Alport Molteno (Liberal) | 4,666 | 53.3% | William Murray (Conservative) | 575 (6.6 pts) | 90.7% |
| Dec 1910 | Percy Albert Molteno (Liberal) | 4,708 | 53.2% | William Murray (Conservative) | 562 (6.3 pts) | 90.7% |
| 1918 | William Murray (Unionist) | 13,345 | 63.8% | John William Gulland (Liberal) | 5,783 (27.7 pts) | 57.4% |
| 1922 | William Allan Chapple (Liberal) | 13,296 | 54.6% | Henry Keswick (Unionist) | 2,241 (9.2 pts) | 73.5% |
| 1923 | William Allan Chapple (Liberal) | 13,107 | 53.5% | John Charteris (Unionist) | 1,727 (7.0 pts) | 72.6% |
| 1924 | John Charteris (Unionist) | 12,718 | 46.2% | William Allan Chapple (Liberal) | 4,246 (15.4 pts) | 80.8% |
| 1929 | Joseph Hunter (Liberal) | 16,174 | 45.1% | John Charteris (Unionist) | 3,190 (8.9 pts) | 81.4% |
| 1931 | Joseph Hunter (Liberal) | 26,873 | 77.7% | John Sivess Paterson (Labour) | 19,180 (55.5 pts) | 77.6% |
| 1935 | Henry Fildes (National Liberal) | 22,053 | 65.4% | John Downie (Labour) | 10,368 (30.7 pts) | 73.6% |
| 1945 | Niall Malcolm Stewart Macpherson (National Liberal) | 18,465 | 50.3% | David Dunwoodie (Labour) | 6,077 (16.6 pts) | 76.3% |
Full Result Breakdown by Election
1832
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John James Hope-Johnstone | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1835
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John James Hope-Johnstone | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1837
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John James Hope-Johnstone | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1841
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John James Hope-Johnstone | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1847
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archibald William Douglas | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1852
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Achibald William Douglas | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1857
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John James Hope-Johnstone | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1859
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John James Hope-Johnstone | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1865
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Gustavus Walker | Conservative | Unopposed | Yes | |
1868
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney Hedley Waterlow | Liberal | 1,100 | 51.0% | Yes |
| George Gustavus Walker | Conservative | 1,056 | 49.0% | No |
1874
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John James Hope-Johnstone | Conservative | 1,453 | 52.5% | Yes |
| Robert Jardine | Liberal | 1,315 | 47.5% | No |
1880
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Jardine | Liberal | 1,577 | 51.2% | Yes |
| George Gustavus Walker | Conservative | 1,505 | 48.8% | No |
1885
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Jardine | Liberal | 4,857 | 57.7% | Yes |
| William Henry Walter Montagu Douglas Scott | Conservative | 3,566 | 42.3% | No |
1886
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Jardine | Liberal Unionist | 4,106 | 55.8% | Yes |
| Thomas McKie | Liberal | 3,252 | 44.2% | No |
1892
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Jardine Herries Maxwell | Liberal Unionist | 4,123 | 51.7% | Yes |
| Thomas McKie | Liberal | 3,849 | 48.3% | No |
1895
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robinson Souttar | Liberal | 3,965 | 50.1% | Yes |
| William Jardine Herries Maxwell | Liberal Unionist | 3,952 | 49.9% | No |
1900
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Jardine Herries Maxwell | Liberal Unionist | 4,124 | 52.9% | Yes |
| Robinson Souttar | Liberal | 3,675 | 47.1% | No |
1906
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percy Alport Molteno | Liberal | 4,814 | 58.4% | Yes |
| John Hulton Balfour-Browne | Conservative | 3,431 | 41.6% | No |
Jan 1910
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percy Alport Molteno | Liberal | 4,666 | 53.3% | Yes |
| William Murray | Conservative | 4,091 | 46.7% | No |
Dec 1910
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percy Albert Molteno | Liberal | 4,708 | 53.2% | Yes |
| William Murray | Conservative | 4,146 | 46.8% | No |
1918
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Murray | Unionist | 13,345 | 63.8% | Yes |
| John William Gulland | Liberal | 7,562 | 36.2% | No |
1922
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Allan Chapple | Liberal | 13,296 | 54.6% | Yes |
| Henry Keswick | Unionist | 11,055 | 45.4% | No |
1923
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Allan Chapple | Liberal | 13,107 | 53.5% | Yes |
| John Charteris | Unionist | 11,380 | 46.5% | No |
1924
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Charteris | Unionist | 12,718 | 46.2% | Yes |
| William Allan Chapple | Liberal | 8,472 | 30.8% | No |
| Agnes Johnston Dollan | Labour | 6,342 | 23.0% | No |
1929
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joseph Hunter | Liberal | 16,174 | 45.1% | Yes |
| John Charteris | Unionist | 12,984 | 36.2% | No |
| William Hutton Marwick | Labour | 6,687 | 18.7% | No |
1931
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joseph Hunter | Liberal | 26,873 | 77.7% | Yes |
| John Sivess Paterson | Labour | 7,693 | 22.3% | No |
1935
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Fildes | National Liberal | 22,053 | 65.4% | Yes |
| John Downie | Labour | 11,685 | 34.6% | No |
1945
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niall Malcolm Stewart Macpherson | National Liberal | 18,465 | 50.3% | Yes |
| David Dunwoodie | Labour | 12,388 | 33.8% | No |
| Ian McColl | Liberal | 5,850 | 15.9% | No |
Margin Over Time
Winning margin (percentage points) at each election, coloured by the winning party.
Trend
Dumfriesshire has been contested at 28 general elections on record since 1832. Parties that have won a seat here over that span: Conservative, Liberal, Liberal Unionist, Unionist, National Liberal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Dumfriesshire in the 1945 general election?
National Liberal won Dumfriesshire in 1945 with 18,465 votes (50.3%), a majority of 6,077 votes over Labour in second place.
Which parties have won Dumfriesshire since 1832?
Since 1832, Dumfriesshire has been won by: Conservative, Liberal, Liberal Unionist, National Liberal, Unionist.
What was the closest result in Dumfriesshire?
The closest result on record for Dumfriesshire was 1895, when Liberal beat Liberal Unionist by just 13 votes (0.2 percentage points).