West Down (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)

West Down was a constituency of the Parliament of Northern Ireland.

West Down
Former County Constituency
for the Parliament of Northern Ireland
Former constituency
Created1929
Abolished1972
Election methodFirst past the post

Boundaries

West Down was a county constituency comprising part of western County Down. It was created when the House of Commons (Method of Voting and Redistribution of Seats) Act (Northern Ireland) 1929 introduced first-past-the-post elections throughout Northern Ireland. West Down was created by the division of Down into eight new constituencies. It survived unchanged, returning one Member of Parliament, until the Parliament of Northern Ireland was temporarily suspended in 1972, and then formally abolished in 1973.

The seat included the town of Banbridge, and also certain district electoral divisions of the rural districts of Banbridge and Newry No.1.[1][2]

Politics

The seat had a substantial unionist majority and was always won by Ulster Unionist Party candidates. It was contested on three occasions by independent unionists, each of whom won over 40% of the votes cast, and once by a communist candidate.[3]

Members of Parliament
Elected Party Name[3]
1929 UUP Robert McBride
1933 UUP Samuel Fryar
1938 UUP John Edgar Bailey
1959 UUP David John Little
1965 UUP John Dobson

Election results
Northern Ireland 1921–1972
This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
Northern Ireland 1921–1972

At the 1929 Northern Ireland general election, Robert McBride was elected unopposed.[3]

General Election 1933: West Down[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
UUP Samuel Fryar 6,168 55.9 N/A
Independent Unionist J. U. Finnery 4,863 44.1 N/A
Majority 1,305 11.8 N/A
Turnout 70.8 N/A
UUP hold Swing N/A
General Election 1938: West Down[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
UUP John Edgar Bailey 7,178 59.8 +3.9
Ind. Unionist Party R. J. Hale 4,833 40.2 N/A
Majority 2,345 19.6 +7.8
Turnout 73.4 +2.6
UUP hold Swing N/A
General Election 1945: West Down[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
UUP John Edgar Bailey 8,197 76.5 +16.7
Communist (NI) S. E. Maitland 2,524 23.5 N/A
Majority 5,673 53.0 +33.4
Turnout 66.3 -7.1
UUP hold Swing N/A

At the 1949, 1953 and 1958 Northern Ireland general elections, John Edgar Bailey was elected unopposed.[3]

At the 1959 by-election and the 1962 Northern Ireland general election, David John Little was elected unopposed.[3]

At the 1965 by-election and the 1965 Northern Ireland general election, John Dobson was elected unopposed.[3]

General Election 1969: West Down[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
UUP John Dobson 7,608 59.3 N/A
Independent Unionist A. W. Buller 5,219 40.7 N/A
Majority 2,389 18.6 N/A
Turnout 77.5 N/A
UUP hold Swing N/A
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References
  1. Northern Ireland Parliamentary Election results: Constituency Boundaries
  2. A list of the townlands comprising each of those divisions is in the Belfast Gazette Publication date:22 June 1923 Issue:104 Page:241 (Banbridge RD) and the Belfast Gazette Publication date:22 June 1923 Issue:104 Page:260 (Newry RD)
  3. Northern Ireland Parliamentary Election Results: Counties: Down
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