Orkney and Shetland long retained their Norse customs, but while Orkney was gradually absorbed into the Scottish feudal system the Shetland landowners, or odal men, never applied for Scottish charters or a valuation of their holdings. Throughout our period there were no Shetland voters on the electoral roll. The principal interest about 1754 belonged to the Earl of Morton, but his influence was constantly disputed by the independent lairds.
The principal interest in Peeblesshire belonged to the Earl of March (who in 1778 succeeded his cousin as Duke of Queensberry). There was no contest during this period, and the Members were all from established county families.
In Nairnshire the leading interest throughout this period was that of the Campbells of Calder. Of the 20 voters on the roll in 1788, eight were said to be in the Calder interest, and three in that of Brodie of Brodie.
The strongest interest in Linlithgowshire belonged to the family of Hope, earls of Hopetoun, but the Cunynghames of Livingstone and the Dundases of Dundas had powerful secondary interests. Charles Hope Weir, son of the Earl of Hopetoun, had represented the county since 1743, when he defeated George Dundas. In 1754 his return was unopposed, but in 1761 Sir David Cunynghame declared against him. Despite ministerial support, Hope Weir carried his election by only one vote. His chagrin can be gauged from the explanation he offered Andrew Mitchell, 6 April 1761:Add. 6861, f. 316.
The principal interests in order of importance belonged to the Duke of Hamilton, the Earl of Hyndford and his relations the Carmichael and Lockhart families, and the Duke of Douglas, who exercised little influence until the controversy began over the succession to his estates. Robert Dundas of Arniston, having married Henrietta Carmichael Baillie, the heiress of Lamington, headed a considerable following; as also did Charles Hope Weir, who had inherited through his wife the estate of Blackwood.
The principal aristocratic families of Kincardineshire—Earl Marischall, Lord Falconer of Halkertoun, and Viscount Arbuthnott—were Jacobite in sympathy, and for a considerable part of this period their interest was dormant. The representation was controlled by a group of ancient families: the Ramsays of Balmain, the Burnetts, and the Carnegies of Pitarrow. Sir James Carnegie had a comparatively minor interest in Kincardineshire, and depended mainly on the support of his mother’s relations the Burnetts.Sir W. Fraser, Hist. of the Carnegies, i.
In 1754 Sir John Bruce Hope of Kinross had the principal interest in the county, and at the general election his nephew Robert Colvile of Ochiltree was returned unopposed. From 1764 rival interests challenged the Bruce supremacy. John Adam of Maryburgh began to create votes with the intention of standing himself or putting up his brother Robert. General John Irwin, Lord George Sackville’s friend, had acquired the estate of Burleigh, and in 1763 purchased two votes on superiority from Robert Colvile.
The principal interests in Haddingtonshire belonged to the Dalrymples of North Berwick and the Fletchers of Saltoun. In 1747 these two families combined their interests on the understanding that Sir Hew Dalrymple and Andrew Fletcher younger of Saltoun should represent the county and Haddington Burghs alternately. In 1754 Dalrymple, the sitting Member, contrived to retain the county, but when he again tried to avoid his obligations in 1761 he was forced by the intervention of the Duke of Argyll to give way to Fletcher.See HADDINGTON BURGHS.
Inverness-shire was dominated by four great clans: the Frasers, the Grants, the Macleods, and the Macdonalds. The Frasers had potentially the largest electoral interest, but following the attainder of Lord Lovat in 1747 their estates were forfeited. During the early part of this period vast influence was exercised by Archibald, Duke of Argyll.
At the beginning of this period there was no one dominant interest in Fife. One closely related family group included the Wemysses, the St. Clairs, and the Erskines of Mar and of Kellie, all of whom in varying degrees had suffered for their Jacobitism. To them were usually opposed the Leslies, earls of Rothes, the earls of Leven, and the earls of Morton, firm Whigs belonging to the anti-Argyll party and attached to the ‘English’ ministry.
