South Antrim (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)

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South Antrim
Former County Constituency
for the Parliament of Northern Ireland
South Antrim (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency).svg
South Antrim shown within Northern Ireland
Former constituency
Created 1929
Abolished 1972
Election method First past the post

South Antrim was a constituency of the Parliament of Northern Ireland.

The House of Commons (Method of Voting and Redistribution of Seats) Act (Northern Ireland) 1929 introduced first-past-the-post elections for 48 single-member constituencies (including Antrim South).

Boundaries and boundary changes

This constituency was one of seven county divisions in County Antrim from 1929, and, after 1969, one of nine. The changes in the vicinity of Belfast affected the boundaries of this division.

It comprised (in terms of then local government units) part of the rural district of Lisburn and the whole of the urban district of Lisburn. In 1969, the part of the rural district closest to Belfast became the new seat of Antrim, Larkfield.

Antrim South returned one member of Parliament from 1929 until the Parliament of Northern Ireland was temporarily suspended in 1972, and then formally abolished in 1973.

Politics

County Antrim (except for parts of Belfast) is a strongly unionist area. There was never the slightest chance of a republican or nationalist candidate being elected in a single-member Antrim county constituency. Antrim South was not an exception.

From the Northern Ireland general election of 1929, the Antrim South division was an extremely safe Unionist seat for the rest of the existence of the Northern Ireland Parliament.

Members of Parliament

Election Member Party
1929 John Milne Barbour Ulster Unionist
1951 Brian McConnell Ulster Unionist
1968 Richard Ferguson Ulster Unionist
1970 Rev. William Beattie Protestant Unionist
1971 Democratic Unionist
1973 constituency abolished

Elections

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General Election 22 May 1929: Antrim South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP John Milne Barbour Unopposed N/A N/A
UUP gain from new seat Swing N/A
General Election 30 November 1933: Antrim South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP John Milne Barbour Unopposed N/A N/A
UUP hold Swing N/A
General Election 9 February 1938: Antrim South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP John Milne Barbour Unopposed N/A N/A
UUP hold Swing N/A
General Election 14 June 1945: Antrim South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP John Milne Barbour Unopposed N/A N/A
UUP hold Swing N/A
General Election 10 February 1949: Antrim South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP John Milne Barbour Unopposed N/A N/A
UUP hold Swing N/A
  • Death of Barbour
South Antrim by-election, 1951
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Brian McConnell Unopposed N/A N/A
UUP hold Swing N/A
General Election 22 October 1953: Antrim South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Brian McConnell Unopposed N/A N/A
UUP hold Swing N/A
General Election 20 March 1958: Antrim South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Brian McConnell Unopposed N/A N/A
UUP hold Swing N/A
General Election 31 May 1962: Antrim South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Brian McConnell Unopposed N/A N/A
UUP hold Swing N/A
General Election 25 November 1965: Antrim South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Brian McConnell 14,491 77.89 N/A
NI Labour Sydney Stewart 4,113 22.11 N/A
Majority 10,378 55.78 N/A
Turnout 34,419 54.05 N/A
UUP hold Swing N/A
  • Resignation of McConnell
South Antrim by-election, 1968
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Richard Ferguson 16,288 85.12 +7.23
NI Labour John Coulthard 2,848 14.88 -7.23
Majority 13,440 70.23 +14.45
Turnout 38,672 49.48 -4.57
UUP hold Swing N/A
  • Boundary change
General Election 24 February 1969: Antrim South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Richard Ferguson 10,761 66.74 -18.38
Protestant Unionist William Beattie 5,362 33.26 +33.26
Majority 5,399 33.49 -36.74
Turnout 24,693 65.29 +15.81
UUP hold Swing N/A
  • Resignation of Ferguson
South Antrim by-election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Protestant Unionist William Beattie 7,137 35.16 +1.90
UUP W. J. Morgan 6,179 30.44 -36.30
Independent David Corkey 5,212 25.67 +25.67
NI Labour Adrian Whitby 1,773 8.73 +8.73
Majority 958 4.72 N/A
Turnout 28,633 70.90 +5.61
Protestant Unionist gain from UUP Swing N/A
  • Parliament prorogued 30 March 1972 and abolished 18 July 1973

References

  • Northern Ireland Parliamentary Election Results 1921-1972, compiled and edited by Sydney Elliott (Political Reference Publications 1973)

External links

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