Down was a UK Parliament constituency in Ireland. It was a two-member constituency and existed in two periods, 1801–1885 and 1922–1950.

Boundaries

1801–1885: The whole of

County Down County Down () is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland. It covers an area of and has a population of 531,665. It borders County Antrim to the ...

, excluding the Boroughs of

Downpatrick Downpatrick () is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is on the Lecale peninsula, about south of Belfast. In the Middle Ages, it was the capital of the Dál Fiatach, the main ruling dynasty of Ulaid. Its cathedral is said to be the bu ...

and

Newry Newry (; ) is a city in Northern Ireland, divided by the Clanrye river in counties Armagh and Down, from Belfast and from Dublin. It had a population of 26,967 in 2011. Newry was founded in 1144 alongside a Cistercian monastery, althoug ...

. 1922–1950: The

Administrative county An administrative county was a first-level administrative division in England and Wales from 1888 to 1974, and in Ireland from 1899 until either 1973 (in Northern Ireland) or 2002 (in the Republic of Ireland). They are now abolished, although mos ...

of Down, that is the whole of

excluding the part in the City of

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdo ...

Members of Parliament

1801–1885

1922–1950

Elections

Elections in the 1940s

Elections in the 1930s

Elections in the 1920s

Elections in the 1880s

* Caused by Hill's appointment as

Comptroller of the Household The Comptroller of the Household is an ancient position in the British royal household, nominally the second-ranking member of the Lord Steward's department after the Treasurer of the Household. The Comptroller was an ''ex officio'' member of t ...

. The electorate was 12,718 in 1881. * Caused by Vane-Tempest's succession to the peerage, becoming Marquis of Londonderry.

Elections in the 1870s

* Sharman Crawford's death caused a by-election.

Elections in the 1860s

The electorate was 11,470 in 1862.

Elections in the 1850s

The Poll Books for part of County Down, showing how each elector voted in the 1857 general election are available in the

Public Record Office of Northern Ireland The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) is situated in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is a division within the Engaged Communities Group of the Department for Communities (DfC). The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland is disti ...

under reference D/671/O/2/7-8. The Poll Books for part of County Down, showing how each elector voted in the 1852 general election are available in the

under reference D/671/O/2/5-6.

Elections in the 1840s

* Caused by Hill's succession to the peerage, becoming 4th

Marquess of Downshire Marquess of Downshire is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1789 for Wills Hill, 1st Earl of Hillsborough, a former Secretary of State. Hill had already been created Earl of Hillsborough and Viscount Kilwarlin of County Down ...

Elections in the 1830s

* Caused by Arthur Hill's succession as 2nd

Baron Sandys Baron Sandys () is a title that has been created three times, once in the Peerage of England, once in the Peerage of Great Britain and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The first creation, as Baron Sandys, ''of The Vyne'', in Hampsh ...

Elections in the 1820s

At the by-election on 15 July 1829 following Frederick Stewart's appointment as a

Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty The Board of Admiralty (1628–1964) was established in 1628 when Charles I put the office of Lord High Admiral into commission. As that position was not always occupied, the purpose was to enable management of the day-to-day operational requi ...

, he was re-elected unopposed. At the by-election on 9 May 1821 following Robert Stewart vacating his seat,

Mathew Forde Mathew Forde, also spelt 'Matthew Forde' (17 May 1785 – 5 August 1837) was an Irish landowner and politician. He was born the eldest son of Mathew Forde of Seaforde, Co. Down and Coolgreany, Co. Wexford and educated at Trinity College, Dublin ...

was returned unopposed.

Elections in the 1810s

At the 1818 and 1820 general elections, Arthur Hill and Robert Stewart were elected unopposed. At the by-election on 26 February 1817 following the Hon. John Meade's appointment as consul general in Spain, Arthur Hill was returned unopposed. The electorate was approximately 15,000 in 1815. At the by-election on 30 May 1812 following

Francis Savage Francis Savage (1769 – 19 September 1823) was an Irish politician. He was the eldest son of Charles Savage of Ardkeen and educated at Trinity College Dublin. He was appointed Sheriff of County Down for 1791-92 and 1819–20. He was elected M ...

's acceptance of the Chiltern Hundreds, Robert Ward was returned unopposed. "Castlereagh ... was not prepared to come in at that moment, and after an unsuccessful attempt to persuade Savage to reconsider his decision, he arranged for his old friend Colonel Ward to stand as a 'stopgap' until the general election".Peter Jupp, ''County Down Elections, 1783–1831,'' Irish Historical Studies 18, no. 70 (1972): P 186

Elections in the 1800s

At the

1806 Events January–March * January 1 ** The French Republican Calendar is abolished. ** The Kingdom of Bavaria is established by Napoleon. * January 5 – The body of Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, lies in state in the Painted Hall ...

and 1807 general elections,

and John Meade were elected unopposed. At the 1802 general election

and Robert Stewart were elected unopposed. At the creation of the

Parliament of the United Kingdom The Parliament of the United Kingdom is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of Westminster, London. It alone possesses legislative suprema ...

in 1801, the sitting members of the

Parliament of Ireland The Parliament of Ireland ( ga, Parlaimint na hÉireann) was the legislature of the Lordship of Ireland, and later the Kingdom of Ireland, from 1297 until 1800. It was modelled on the Parliament of England and from 1537 comprised two chamb ...

for

and Robert Stewart, continued as MP's for the county.

References

*''The Parliaments of England'' by Henry Stooks Smith (1st edition published in three volumes 1844–50), 2nd edition edited (in one volume) by F.W.S. Craig (Political Reference Publications 1973) - including pre-1832 party allegiances. * - including post-1832 party allegiances.
ElectionsIreland.org
* {{County Down constituencies Westminster constituencies in County Down (historic) Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 1801 Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom disestablished in 1885 Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 1922 Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom disestablished in 1950