Antrim Borough (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)

Antrim
Former County constituency for the Parliament of Northern Ireland
Antrim shown within Northern Ireland
Former constituency
Created	1929
Abolished	1973
Election method	First past the post

Antrim, sometimes known as Antrim Borough to distinguish it from the former constituency of the same name, was a single-member county constituency of the Parliament of Northern Ireland.

Boundaries and boundary changes

The boundaries of Anrtim from 1929 to 1969

Antrim was a division of County Antrim. Before 1929 it was part of the seven-member Antrim constituency, with which it shared a name. The constituency sent one MP to the House of Commons of Northern Ireland from 1929 until the Parliament was temporarily suspended in 1972, and then formally abolished in 1973.

The division, from 1929 until 1969, adjoined Antrim Mid to the north, Antrim Bannside and Lough Neagh to the west, Antrim South to the south, Belfast to the south-east, Antrim Carrick to the east and Antrim Larne to the north-east.

In terms of the then local government areas the constituency in 1929 comprised parts of the rural districts of Antrim, Ballymena, Belfast and Lisburn.

After boundary changes in 1969, the constituency included parts of the rural districts of Antrim and Lisburn.

From 1969 to 1973, the division bordered Bannside to the north-west, Larne to the north-east, Carrick and Newtownabbey to the east, Belfast and Larkfield to the south-east, South Antrim to the south and Lough Neagh to the west.

Politics

Antrim was only represented by two MPs, both members of the Ulster Unionist Party. They typically held a large majority and many elections were uncontested.

Members of Parliament

Year	Party		Name
1929		Ulster Unionist	Hugh Minford
1951		Ulster Unionist	Nat Minford

Election results

General Election 22 May 1929: Antrim, Antrim

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Ulster Unionist	Hugh Minford	6,869	63.41
	Ind. Unionist	William Graham	3,964	36.59
Majority			2,905	26.82
Turnout			17,937	60.39
	Ulster Unionist win (new seat)

General Election 30 November 1933: Antrim, Antrim

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Ulster Unionist	Hugh Minford	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Ulster Unionist hold		Swing	N/A

General Election 9 February 1938: Antrim, Antrim

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Ulster Unionist	Hugh Minford	8,133	60.21	N/A
	Progressive Unionist	John Graham	5,374	39.79	New
Majority			2,759	20.42	N/A
Turnout			20,687	65.29	N/A
	Ulster Unionist hold		Swing	N/A

General Election 14 June 1945: Antrim, Antrim

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Ulster Unionist	Hugh Minford	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Ulster Unionist hold		Swing	N/A

General Election 10 February 1949: Antrim, Antrim

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Ulster Unionist	Hugh Minford	11,580	83.05	N/A
	NI Labour	William John Gregg	2,363	16.95	New
Majority			9,217	66.10	N/A
Turnout			20,165	69.14	N/A
	Ulster Unionist hold		Swing	N/A

• Death of Minford

Antrim Borough by-election, 1951

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Ulster Unionist	Nat Minford	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Ulster Unionist hold		Swing	N/A

General Election 22 October 1953: Antrim, Antrim

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Ulster Unionist	Nat Minford	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Ulster Unionist hold		Swing	N/A

General Election 20 March 1958: Antrim, Antrim

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Ulster Unionist	Nat Minford	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Ulster Unionist hold		Swing	N/A

General Election 31 May 1962: Antrim, Antrim

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Ulster Unionist	Nat Owens Minford	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Ulster Unionist hold		Swing	N/A

General Election 25 November 1965: Antrim, Antrim

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Ulster Unionist	Nat Minford	10,417	62.58	N/A
	National Democratic	John McGivern	6,230	37.42	New
Majority			4,187	25.16	N/A
Turnout			29,580	56.28	N/A
	Ulster Unionist hold		Swing	N/A

• Boundary changes

General Election 24 February 1969: Antrim, Antrim

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Ulster Unionist	Nat Minford	Unopposed	N/A	N/A
	Ulster Unionist hold		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

• For the exact definition of Northern Ireland constituency boundaries see http://www.election.demon.co.uk/stormont/boundaries.html