West Down was a United Kingdom parliamentary constituency in Ireland. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1885 to 1922, on the electoral system of first past the post.

Boundaries From 1801 to 1885, County Down returned two MPs to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom sitting at the Palace of Westminster, with separate representation for the parliamentary boroughs of Downpatrick and Newry. Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, Downpatrick ceased to exist as a parliamentary borough and the parliamentary county was divided into four divisions: North Down, East Down, West Down, and South Down.

Under the Redistribution of Seats (Ireland) Act 1918, Newry ceased to exist as a parliamentary borough, and the parliamentary county gained the additional division of Mid Down. Sinn Féin contested the 1918 general election on an abstentionist platform that instead of taking up any seats at Westminster, they would establish a revolutionary assembly in Dublin. All MPs elected to Irish seats were invited to participate in the First Dáil convened in January 1919, but no members outside of Sinn Féin did so.

The Government of Ireland Act 1920 established the Parliament of Northern Ireland, which came into operation in 1921. The representation of Northern Ireland in the Parliament of the United Kingdom was reduced from 30 MPs to 13 MPs, taking effect at the 1922 United Kingdom general election. At Westminster, the five divisions of County Down were replaced by a two-member county constituency of Down. An eight-seat constituency of Down was created for the House of Commons of Northern Ireland, which formed the basis in republican theory for representation in the Second Dáil.

1885–1918The baronies of Iveagh Lower, Lower Half, and Iveagh Lower, Upper Half, and that part of the barony of Iveagh Upper, Upper Half lying within the parishes of Aghaderg, Annaclone and Seapatrick.Maps of baronies at 1918–1922The rural district of Moira; the rural district of Banbridge, except for the district electoral divisions of Ballyward, Crossgar and Leitrim (included in the East Down division); and the urban districts of Banbridge and Dromore.

Members of Parliament ElectionMemberParty 1885 Lord Arthur Hill 1886 1886 b 1892 1895 1898 bArthur Hill 1900 1905 bHarry Liddell 1906 1907 b Lord Arthur Hill 1908 bWilliam MacCaw Jan. 1910 Dec. 1910 1918 Daniel Martin Wilson 1921 b Thomas Browne Wallace 1922 b Hugh Hayes 1922 constituency abolished

Elections Elections in the 1880s

Hill was re-appointed Comptroller of the Household, requiring a by-election.

Elections in the 1890s

Hill resigned.

Elections in the 1900s

Hill resigns.

Liddell resigns.

Hill resigns.

Elections in the 1910s

Wilson appointed as Recorder of Belfast

Wallace appointed Chief Clerk to the High Court of Northern Ireland

Sources

References