Athlone (UK Parliament constituency)

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Athlone
Former borough constituency
for the House of Commons
CountyCounty Roscommon and County Westmeath
BoroughAthlone
1801–1885
Seats1
Created fromAthlone (IHC)
Replaced bySouth Westmeath

Athlone was a parliamentary constituency in Ireland, which from 1801 to 1885 returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

History[edit]

Prior to 1801, the town of Athlone was a two-seat borough constituency in the Irish House of Commons.[1] Under the Acts of Union 1800, which united the Kingdom of Ireland with the Kingdom of Great Britain to form the United Kingdom, the 33 most populous boroughs (including Athlone) continued to return MPs, but except for Dublin and Cork, they were reduced to one MP. Its first MP in 1801 was chosen by lot.

As was customary in Irish boroughs, created before the reforms of the nineteenth century, Athlone had an oligarchic constitution. The borough existed as a local government unit until it was abolished by the Municipal Corporations (Ireland) Act 1840, but the parliamentary borough was not affected by this change in administrative arrangements.

The style of the corporation was "The Sovereign, Bailiffs, Burgesses, and Freemen of the Town of Athlone". The officers were a sovereign, two bailiffs, thirteen burgesses (including the constable of the castle, who in 1837 was Viscount Castlemaine), a recorder, town-clerk, serjeant-at-mace, and billet-master; and there was a select body called the common council. The sovereign was elected by the common council from among the burgesses, annually on 29 June, and had the privilege of appointing a vice-sovereign with the approbation of the bailiffs and a majority of the burgesses. The bailiffs were elected from the freemen by the common council, on the same day as the sovereign, and were ex officio members of the council. The burgesses were elected for life from among the free men, and the freemen also for life, by the common council, of which body, according to the practice of the corporation, twelve had to be present to constitute an election. The common council were unlimited in number, but usually consisted of not more than twenty persons, including the sovereign and vice-sovereign and two bailiffs; they held their office for life, and vacancies were filled up by themselves from among the burgesses and freemen. The borough sent two representatives to the Irish parliament prior to the Union, after which it sent one to the Westminster parliament.

The right of election was vested in the burgesses and freemen. They numbered 71 in April 1831. By the Representation of the People (Ireland) Act 1832, the non-resident freemen (except those living within seven miles) were disfranchised and the right to vote was extended to the £10 householders. The registered electorate, in 1832, numbered 243.

Athlone ceased to have parliamentary representation under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, which took effect at the 1885 general election.[2]

Boundaries[edit]

This constituency was the parliamentary borough of Athlone. When the borough was represented in the UK Parliament, it was partly in County Westmeath and partly within County Roscommon. Although the River Shannon which runs through the town forms the historic border between County Roscommon and County Westmeath, the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 included much of the town entirely in Westmeath, including areas west of the river.

Athlone was described (by Samuel Lewis in 1837) as "a borough, market and post-town, and an important military station, partly in the barony of Brawney, county of Westmeath, and province of Leinster, and partly in the barony of Athlone, county of Roscommon, and province of Connaught, 12 miles (N. E. by E.) from Ballinasloe, 15¼ (S.E.by S.) from Roscommon, and 59½ (W.) from Dublin ..."

Before 1832 the limit of the borough, under its charter, was a circle of a mile and a half radius from the centre of the bridge over the River Shannon, which waterway divided the town in two. However, for electoral purposes, those boundaries were diminished in 1832 and thereafter included only the town and a very small surrounding district, comprising 485 statute acres.

The boundaries of the parliamentary borough as set out in the Parliamentary Boundaries (Ireland) Act 1832 was:

From the Point at which the Southern End of the Canal joins the River Shannon, along the Canal, to the Point at which the Northern End thereof joins the River Shannon; thence along the River Shannon to the Point at which the same is met by the North-western Inclosure Wall of the Barracks; thence in a straight Line to the Angle in the Hare Island Road at which the same turns Northward, and at which there are Two Gateways with Pillars opposite each other; thence in a straight Line to a Gateway with Pillars on the Ballymahon Road, about Twenty Yards to the East of the Glebe Wall; thence in a straight Line to the North-eastern Corner of the Wall of the Townland called Anchor's Bower; thence, Southward, along the Wall of Anchor's Bower to the Point at which the same meets the old Dublin Road; thence in a straight Line in the Direction of Mr. Dawson's House in Bunavally to the Point at which such straight Line cuts a small Bye Road which runs into the Dublin Road; thence along the said small Bye Road to the Point at which the same joins the Dublin Road; thence in a straight Line to the Point at which the Brideswell Bog Road is joined by a Bye Road leading thereto from the East, about Three hundred Yards from the Point at which the Brideswell Bog Road leaves the Dublin Road; thence in a straight Line in the Direction of the Chimney of Mr. Robinson's Distillery to the Point at which such straight Line cuts the River Shannon; thence along the River Shannon to the Point first described.

Members of Parliament[edit]

Election Member Party
1801 William Handcock
1803 Thomas Tyrwhitt Jones
1806 George Tierney Whig
May 1807 Henry Wellesley Tory
Jul. 1807 John Frewen-Turner
1812 John Wilson Croker Tory
1818 John Gordon
Mar. 1820 John McClintock Tory
Jun. 1820 David Ker Tory
1826 Richard Handcock Tory[3]
1832 James Talbot Whig[4][3]
1835 George Mathew Conservative[4][3]
1837 John O'Connell[a] Radical[4][3]
1841 George Beresford Conservative[4][3]
1842 Daniel Farrell Whig[4][5]
1843 John Collett Whig[4][6][7]
1847 William Keogh[b] Peelite[4][8][9]
1852 Ind. Irish[4]
1853 Peelite[4][10]
1856 Henry Handcock Conservative[4]
1857 John Ennis Ind. Irish[4]
1859 Liberal[4]
1865 Denis Rearden Liberal[4]
1868 Sir John Ennis Liberal[4]
1874 Edward Sheil Home Rule League[4]
1880 Sir John Ennis Liberal[4]
1884 Justin Huntly McCarthy Irish Parliamentary[4]
1885 Constituency abolished: See South Westmeath
Notes
  1. ^ O'Connell was the candidate of a Liberal/Repealer pact.
  2. ^ Keogh belonged to a number of parties during his tenure. He was elected in 1847 as a Peelite and he was re-elected in 1852 as a Liberal pledged to form an independent opposition in Parliament. Shortly after the election he briefly joined the Independent Irish Party, but upon being appointed Solicitor-General for Ireland he was re-elected as a Liberal candidate in 1853. Until he was appointed a judge in 1856, Keogh remained a Liberal.

Elections[edit]

Elections in the 1880s[edit]

By-election, 12 June 1884: Athlone[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Parliamentary Justin Huntly McCarthy Unopposed
Registered electors 365
Irish Parliamentary gain from Liberal
  • Caused by Ennis' death.
General election 1880: Athlone[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Ennis 163 50.2 +1.0
Home Rule Edward Sheil 162 49.8 −1.0
Majority 1 0.4 N/A
Turnout 325 90.3 +4.5
Registered electors 360
Liberal gain from Home Rule Swing +1.0

Elections in the 1870s[edit]

General election 1874: Athlone[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Home Rule Edward Sheil 153 50.8 New
Liberal John Ennis 148 49.2 −8.9
Majority 5 1.6 N/A
Turnout 301 85.8 +2.2
Registered electors 351
Home Rule gain from Liberal Swing N/A
  • The original count for the 1874 election had both candidates receiving 140 votes. However, on petition, the poll was amended to the above figures.

Elections in the 1860s[edit]

General election 1868: Athlone[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Ennis 154 57.9 +26.0
Conservative Robert Preston Bayley 111 41.7 +30.5
Liberal John Staniforth (1832-1894) 1 0.4 N/A
Majority 43 16.2 −8.8
Turnout 266 83.6 +7.2
Registered electors 318
Liberal hold Swing −2.3
General election 1865: Athlone[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Denis Rearden 107 56.9 N/A
Liberal John Ennis 60 31.9 −29.4
Conservative George Handcock 21 11.2 −27.5
Majority 47 25.0 +2.4
Turnout 188 76.4 −8.5
Registered electors 246
Liberal hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1850s[edit]

General election 1859: Athlone[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Ennis 117 61.3 −5.4
Conservative Robert Preston Bayley 74 38.7 +5.4
Majority 43 22.6 −10.8
Turnout 191 84.9 −0.8
Registered electors 225
Liberal hold Swing −5.4
General election 1857: Athlone[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Irish John Ennis 100 66.7 −23.0
Conservative Henry Handcock 50 33.3 +23.0
Majority 50 33.4 −46.0
Turnout 150 85.7 +32.1
Registered electors 175
Independent Irish hold Swing −23.0
By-election, 14 April 1856: Athlone[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Handcock 82 53.9 +43.6
Peelite John Ennis[11] 70 46.1 N/A
Majority 12 7.8 N/A
Turnout 152 86.9 +33.3
Registered electors 175
Conservative gain from Independent Irish Swing N/A
By-election, 7 March 1855: Athlone[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Peelite William Keogh Unopposed
Peelite gain from Independent Irish
By-election, 23 April 1853: Athlone[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Peelite William Keogh 79 66.4 −23.3
Whig Thomas Norton[12] 40 33.6 N/A
Majority 39 32.8 N/A
Turnout 119 70.0 +16.4
Registered electors 170
Peelite gain from Independent Irish Swing N/A
General election 1852: Athlone[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Irish William Keogh 87 89.7 +38.2
Conservative Robert Bartholomew Lawes 10 10.3 New
Majority 77 79.4 N/A
Turnout 97 53.6 +7.3
Registered electors 181
Independent Irish gain from Peelite Swing N/A

Elections in the 1840s[edit]

General election 5 August 1847: Athlone[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Peelite William Keogh 101 51.5 New
Irish Repeal John L M O'Beirne 95 48.5 New
Majority 6 3.0 N/A
Turnout 196 46.3 +32.6
Registered electors 423
Peelite gain from Conservative Swing N/A
By-election, 4 April 1843: Athlone[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig John Collett 114 51.4 +15.2
Conservative George Beresford 108 48.6 -15.2
Majority 6 2.8 N/A
Turnout 222 64.9 +51.2
Registered electors 342
Whig gain from Conservative Swing
  • Caused by the previous election being declared void on petition. Originally, Farrell had been declared elected, with the poll amended to 110 votes for Farrell and 60 votes for Beresford, but a counter-petition was successful[13] and a new writ was issued.
General election 8 July 1841: Athlone[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Beresford 30 63.8 New
Whig Daniel Farrell 17 36.2 N/A
Majority 13 27.6 N/A
Turnout 47 13.7 N/A
Registered electors 342
Conservative gain from Radical Swing N/A

Elections in the 1830s[edit]

General election 4 August 1837: Athlone[4][3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Radical John O'Connell Unopposed
Registered electors 385
Radical gain from Conservative
General election 12 January 1835: Athlone[4][3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Benvenuto Mathew 96 53.6 +8.2
Whig James Talbot 83 46.4 −8.2
Majority 13 7.2 N/A
Turnout 179 65.3 −28.9
Registered electors 274
Conservative gain from Whig Swing −8.2
General election 15 December 1832: Athlone[4][3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Whig James Talbot 125 54.6 +46.3
Tory Richard Handcock 104 45.4 −46.3
Majority 21 9.2 N/A
Turnout 229 94.2 c. +43.5
Registered electors 243
Whig gain from Tory Swing +46.3
General election 4 May 1831: Athlone[4][3][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tory Richard Handcock 33 91.7 −2.7
Whig James Talbot 3 8.3 +2.7
Majority 30 83.4 -5.4
Turnout 36 c. 50.7 c. ±0.0
Registered electors c. 71
Tory hold Swing
General election 6 August 1830: Athlone[4][3][14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Tory Richard Handcock 34 94.4
Whig James Talbot 2 5.6
Majority 32 88.8
Turnout 36 c. 50.7
Registered electors c. 71
Tory hold

References[edit]

Citations[edit]

  1. ^ "Athlone". History of the Irish Parliament. Ulster Historical Foundation. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  2. ^ Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 (48 & 49 Vict., c. 23). Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England and Wales.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Smith, Henry Stooks (1842). The Register of Parliamentary Contested Elections (Second ed.). Simpkin, Marshall & Company. p. 215.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj Walker, B.M., ed. (1978). Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801-1922. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. ISBN 0901714127.
  5. ^ "Limerick Chronicle". 10 July 1841. p. 2. Retrieved 18 August 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ "Stamford Mercury". 14 April 1843. p. 4. Retrieved 18 August 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ "Athlone Election". Coventry Standard. 7 April 1843. p. 4. Retrieved 18 August 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ^ "Athlone". Bell's Weekly Messenger. 7 August 1847. p. 1. Retrieved 15 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ^ "Irish Members Returned". Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser. 11 August 1847. p. 3. Retrieved 15 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ^ "Dublin Weekly Nation". 9 April 1853. pp. 8–9. Retrieved 15 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^ "Ennis and Athlone". Kilkenny Journal, and Leinster Commercial and Literary Advertiser. 9 April 1856. p. 3. Retrieved 15 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. ^ "Athlone". Warder and Dublin Weekly Mail. 16 April 1853. p. 5. Retrieved 15 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  13. ^ "Athlone Election (1843)". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). House of Commons. 21 March 1843.
  14. ^ a b Salmon, Philip. "Athlone". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 9 May 2020.

Sources[edit]

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