Belfast (UK Parliament constituency)

Belfast was an Irish borough constituency in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Comprising the city of Belfast, it elected one Member of Parliament (MP) from 1801 to 1832, and then two MPs from 1832 until the constituency was divided by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 before the 1885 general election.

Representation
Prior to 1801, the parliamentary borough of was a two-seat constituency in the Irish House of Commons. Under the Acts of Union 1800, the Kingdom of Ireland was joined with the Kingdom of Great Britain to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Belfast was represented from 1801 in the United Kingdom House of Commons by one MP. Its MP in 1801 to the First Parliament of the United Kingdom was chosen by lot.

Under the Representation of the People (Ireland) Act 1832, its representation was increased to two seats. Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, the representation of the parliamentary borough was increased to four seats, and it was divided into four separate divisions.

Boundaries and boundary changes
This constituency was the parliamentary borough of Belfast in County Antrim. In 1832 and 1868 the boundaries of that borough were extended.

1832 boundaries
The boundaries were defined by the Parliamentary Boundaries (Ireland) Act 1832 as: "'From the Point on the South-east of the Town at which the Blackstaff River joins the River Lagan, up the Blackstaff River, to the Point at which the same is joined by a small Stream which washes the Wall of Mr Campbell's Cotton Works [near where Divis Street joins the Westlink]; thence up the said small Stream to the Point at which the same would be cut by a straight Line to be drawn from the Chimney of Mr Campbell's Cotton Works to an old Fort on the West of the Town, in a field belonging to Mr Elliott, near a Brickfield on the Left of the old Lodge Road [near Denmark Street]; thence in a straight Line to the said old Fort; thence in a straight Line to the South-western Angle of the Graveyard which is to the West of the Infantry Barracks; thence along the Southern Wall of the said Graveyard to the Point at which the same makes an Angle; thence in a straight Line to the South-western Angle of the Enclosure of the Infantry Barracks; thence along the Western Enclosure Wall of the Infantry Barracks to the Northern Extremity thereof; thence along a Ditch which is the Boundary of the Ordnance Land to the Point at which the same reaches the South-western Angle of the Enclosure of the Artillery Barracks; thence along the Western Enclosure Wall of the Artillery Barracks; and along a Ditch in continuation of the Direction thereof, to the Point at which such Ditch meets a Road [the New Lodge Road] which leads from the Ballynure Road into the old Carrickfergus Road; thence along the Road so leading into the old Carrickfergus Road to the Point at which the same joins the old Carrickfergus Road; thence, Northward, along the old Carrickfergus Road to the Point at which the same meets the Mile Water [near Mountcollyer Street]; thence down the Mile Water to the Point at which the same joins the River Lagan; thence along the River Lagan to the Point first described; also beyond the Lagan, the Townland of Ballymacarrett.'"

1868 boundaries
The Representation of the People (Ireland) Act 1868, provided that all that part of the borough situate beyond the limits of the parliamentary borough as defined in 1832, but within the municipal limits, should form part of the borough for all purposes connected with the election of a member or members to serve in parliament for the borough. See Belfast Borough Extension Act 1853 (16 & 17 Vict.) c. 129, which defined the boundaries of the borough as follows:

"'From the Northern Lighthouse on the Eastern Twin Island [near East Twin Road], Southward, in a straight Line to the Centre of the Bridge over Conn's Water on the Hollywood Railway [Connswater Bridge, near the junction of Connsbank Road with the Sydenham Bypass], thence Southward along the Boundary of the Townland of Ballymacarret to the Point at which the same meets the Boundary of the Townland of Ballynafoy [near Hillsborough Drive], thence Southward and Westward along the said Boundary of Ballynafoy to the Point at which the same meets the River Lagan [at the southern end of the Annadale Embankment], thence Westward along the River Lagan to the Centre of the Weir adjoining the Canal [near the eastern end of Laganvale Manor], thence Northward along the Canal to the First Lock [near the eastern end of Prince Edward Park, across Lockview Road], thence North-westward along the Road at the West Side of the River Lagan to the Point at which the same is crossed by the Old Belfast Watercourse, thence South- ward and Westward along the said Watercourse to a Brick Wall belonging to the Water Commissioners, thence Southward along the Fence which divides Mr. Batt's from Mr. Ward's Property, thence Westward along the Fence which divides Mr. Ward’s Property from Mr. Gilmore's and Mr. Batt’s Property to the Old Lisburn Road [the Malone Road], thence Northward about Fifty Yards on the Old Lisburn Road to the Fence of Mr. McQuiston's Property, thence Westward along the said Fence which divides Mr. McQuiston's Property from Mr. Honey's and Mr. Owden's Property to the Point at which the same meets the Blackstaff River [near the Boucher Road], thence North-westward in a straight Line to the Point at which the Old White Rock Road [now the Whiterock Road] meets the Falls Road, thence Westward along the Old White Rock Road to the Point at which the same meets the Cross Road [now Brittons Parade] close to the Fort, thence Northward along the said Cross Road to the Point at which the same meets the Boundary of the Townland of Ballymurphy [near Davitts GAC], thence North-westward along the said Boundary to the North-east Point of the said Boundary [near Lyndhurst Meadows], thence Northward in a straight line to the Centre of the Fort immediately behind the House of Mr. Moses Staunton [now Glencairn Clinic], thence North- eastward in a straight Line to the Point at which the Boundary of Ballysillan Lower meets the Forth River [near Forthriver Way], thence North-east- ward along the said Boundary to the North-east Point of the said Boundary at which the same meets a Stream [near Etna Drive], thence Eastward and Northward along the said Stream to the Point at which the said Stream crosses the [Oldpark] Road at Old Park Mills [now Cliftonville Circus], thence Northward and Eastward along the [Westland] Road to the South End of the House of Mr. John Beatty [on Old Westland Road], thence Eastward in a straight Line to the Eastern Angle of the Boundary of the Townland of Old Park [on Hughenden Avenue], thence Eastward in a straight line to the Point at which Buttermilk Lane [now Skegoneill Avenue] meets the Antrim Road, thence Eastward along Buttermilk Lane to the Point at which the same meets the Carrickfergus Road [York Road/Shore Road], thence Eastward in a straight Line to the Point first described.'"

The boundary is shown as 'Municipal Boundary' on the second edition of the Ordnance Survey maps of Ireland.

1885 division
Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, the parliamentary borough of Belfast was further expanded and defined as:

It was divided into four single-member divisions: Belfast East, Belfast North, Belfast South and Belfast West.

Electoral system and electorate
The parliamentary representatives of the borough were elected using the bloc vote for two-member elections and first past the post for single-member ones.

Until 1832 the electorate were the members of Belfast Corporation. This had long been resented by reformers as it made the constituency a pocket borough of the Marquess of Donegall.

In 1784 a petition was sent to the Parliament of Ireland.

"'Your petitioners in the most humble and respectful manner, take leave to represent to your Hon House,

That Belfast is a large and populous town, containing above 15,000 inhabitants, carrying on a very extensive foreign commerce, as well as inland trade, and paying annually upwards of £80,000 towards the public revenue.

That this numerous body of people not being represented in your Hon House, are, contrary to the fundamental principle of the constitution, governed by laws to which they give no assent; for although the borough of Belfast sends two Members to parliament, yet those members are returned (under the immediate direction of a noble peer) by five or six Burgesses, in the appointment of whom your Petitioners have no share, and therefore the members so returned cannot in any sense, be deemed the Representatives of your Petitioners.'"

In 1832 the electorate was considerably extended by the Representation of the People (Ireland) Act 1832. Boroughs in Ireland were given a uniform franchise for the first time. The vote was given to occupiers of land valued at least £10 and resident freemen by birth or servitude (descent from or apprenticeship to an existing freeman of the borough) or who were admitted before March 1831.

Members of Parliament

 * Notes:
 * (1) Lord Arthur Chichester and James Emerson Tennent changed party allegiance in 1834 (from Liberal to Conservative).
 * (2) Lord John Ludford Chichester changed party allegiance by 1847 (part of Peelite faction).

Elections
''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 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 1810s

 * Death of May


 * Appointment of May as Collector of Customs in Belfast Port

Elections in the 1830s
 J. Emerson Tennent ceased to support Lord Grey in 1834 (see Emerson Tennent's article in The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography).

''Note: Stooks Smith suggests there were 1,451 registered electors. Walker gives the electorate figure as above.''


 * Death of McCance

''Note: Stooks Smith suggests there were 1,508 registered electors. Walker gives the electorate figure as above. Stooks Smith also indicates that 'Mr Tennent resigned in consequence of a decision of the Assessors'.''

''Stooks Smith suggests there were 1,926 registered electors. Walker gives the electorate figure as above.''


 * 8 March 1838: On petition Gibson and the Earl of Belfast were unseated and Emerson Tennent and Dunbar declared elected

Elections in the 1840s
''Note: 1,740 electors voted. Stooks Smith suggests there were 1,937 registered electors. Walker gives the electorate figure as above.''


 * On petition Emerson Tennent and Johnson unseated and new writ issued

Note: Stooks Smith comments that 'a compromise was entered into by which one of each party was to be returned'.


 * Resignation of Emerson Tennent

Elections in the 1850s

 * Appointment of Cairns as Solicitor-General

Elections in the 1860s

 * Resignation of Davison


 * Appointment of Cairns as Attorney-General


 * Appointment of Cairns as Lord Justice of Appeal in Chancery (of England and Wales)

Elections in the 1870s

 * Appointment of Johnston as Inspector of Fisheries

Elections in the 1880s

 * Constituency divided in the 1885 redistribution