Renfrewshire

Before the Acts of Union 1707, the barons of the shire of Renfrew elected commissioners to represent them in the unicameral Parliament of Scotland and in the Convention of the Estates. The number of commissioners was increased from two to three in 1690. From 1708 Renfrewshire was represented by one Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of Great Britain. List of shire commissioners 1593: Sir Patrick Houston of that Ilk 1593: Sir John Maxwell of Pollok 1612: names unknown 1617: Sir John Maxwell, 1st Baronet, of Pollok 1617: Sir Archibald Stewart of Castlemilk 1621: William Semple of Fulwood 1633: Patrick Fleming of Barrochan 1633, 1661–62: Sir Archibald Stewart of Blackhall 1639–41: Sir Patrick Maxwell of Newark 1639–41, 1645–47: Sir Ludovic Houston of that Ilk 1643: William Cunningham of Craigends 1643–44, 1644, 1649, 1667: John Shaw of Greenock 1644–45, 1650: John Brisbane of Bishopton 1645: Sir John Hamilton of Orbiston 1645–47: Sir James Muir of Caldwell 1648: Alexander Porterfield of that Ilk 1649–50: Sir George Maxwell of Pollok 1661: Patrick Houston, fiar of that Ilk 1667: Sir Archibald Stewart of Blackhall 1669–70: Sir Archibald Stewart of Castlemilk 1669–74, 1678, 1681–82: Sir John Shaw of Greenock 1681–82, 1685–86: William Hamilton of Orbistoun 1685–86, 1702–07: John Houston, younger of that Ilk (Sir John from 1696) 1689–93, 1695–96, 1698–99: Sir John Maxwell of Pollok (appointed Lord Justice Clerk, 1699) 1689–95: William Coningham of Craigends (expelled) 1690–98: John Caldwell of that Ilk (died c.1700) 1700-02: Alexander Porterfield of that Ilk 1700–01, 1702–04: John Stewart, younger of Blackhall 1700–02, 1702–07: Sir Robert Pollok of that Ilk References M. D. Young, The Parliaments of Scotland: Burgh and Shire Commissioners (1993) vol. II, p. 798.