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Markinch

List of Past Ministers

The following list was taken from ‘Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae:
The Succession of Ministers in the Parish Churches of Scotland from The Reformation a.d.1560 to the Present Time’

Date

Name of Minister

Additional information

1567

Peter Watson

Transferred from Ballingry. At this time Kinglassie, Leslie, Portmoak and Kirkforthar were also under the Charge of Markinch. Stipend £6 13/4d sterling.

Went to Dumfries before 1574.

1576

William Braidfute

Transferred from Kilgour.

Transferred to Portmoak 1590.

1590

John Michaelson

Transferred from Auchtertool.

Transferred to Burntisland 1615

1615

William Watsone

Transferred from Burntisland.

Died 16 May 1619

1619

Andrew Lawmonth

Son of Alan Lawmonth, Minister at Scoonie.

Deposed 7 February 1639 for refusing to acknowledge the lawfulness of the General Assembly. He went to England.

Died 1663.

Admitted
11/06/1640

Frederick Carmichael

Transferred from Kennoway. Frequently to be found with the Scottish Army. Died 3 May 1667 aged 70  after 40 years in the ministry.

Admitted
06/05/1668

John Ramsay

Transferred from Scoonie. Ramsay was imposed upon the congregation by Archbishop James Sharp under  Episcopalian law rather than by nomination of the members.

He died in February 1685.

1684

John Middleton

Transferred from Leuchars. He was accused before the Privvy Council of not praying for their  Majesties but for the late King James. The libel was not proven. He was acquitted but demitted office in 1695.

He died in 1696.

Admitted
10/02/1698

William Mackay

Transferred from Portmoak. Died 24 May 1699.

Admitted
30/04/1701

Joseph Drew

Transferred from New Monkland. Transferred to St. Leonards 16 September 1708.

Admitted
23/01/1712

James Dickson

Transferred from South Leith. Died July 1730.

Admitted
07/10/1731

Thomas Tullideph

Transferred from Dron. Demitted post 17 October 1734 after being appointed Professor of Divinity at  St. Mary’s College, St. Andrews.

Ordained
21/08/1735

George Preston

Licensed in Cupar 1 January 1735. Died 24 August 1757. The book states his ministrations were highly popular.

Admitted
07/09/1758

John Pinkerton

Born 9 August 1717. Transferred from Dalziel. A plaque in the church in his memory indicates he  died on 16 June 1784 ‘after having spent a very cheerful evening at Balfour House with Mr Bethune and his family, he was found in the morning in his bedroom, sitting in a chair by the fireplace with one  stocking in his hand. Quite dead.’

Admitted
05/05/1785

John Thomson

Transferred from Sanquhar. He had a D.D. from the University of Edinburgh.

Dr Thomson wrote the First Statistical Account of the Parish.

 He transferred to Edinburgh Greyfriers Church on 18 September 1800.

Admitted
07/05/1801

George Wright

Promoted from Kilmarnock Chapel of Ease. He obtained a D.D. from University and Marischal College, Aberdeen.

Transferred to Stirling 9 October 1817.

Admitted
17/04/1818

Dr James Sieveright

Baptised on 19 March 1783. Obtained his degree at University and Marischal College, Aberdeen in 1807. Declared himself to no longer be minister of the established Church on 24 May 1843 when he signed the Deed of Demission and joined the Free Church of Scotland where he was appointed Moderator of the General Assembly on 20 May  1847. He was the author of the Second Statistical Account.

He died on 29 November 1852 aged 69 and is buried in the Established church yard.

Inducted
09/11/1843

Rev James Landel Rose

Died 18 June 1900 having been minister for nearly 57 years.

Inducted
26/07/1899

Rev James Henderson Bryden

Appointed initially as assistant and successor to Rev. Rose. He was a graduate of Edinburgh University. Came to Markinch from  Dumfries. Mr Bryden accepted the post of Session Clerk and Treasurer on 8 March 1900 following the death of William F Haxton and was relieved of these duties on 13 January 1902.

He resigned in December 1929 due to ill health and conducted his last service on 14 September 1930.  Rev Bryden donated a stained glass window to the congregation and was instrumental in arranging the Kirk Session photograph of 1930. He died in September 1936.

Inducted
01/10/1930

Rev Edwin Maxwell Murray Davidson

Resigned 2 July 1962 with a view to leaving by end October of that year. Died 9 May 1977.

Inducted
08/091965

Rev William Macintyre

Appointed on a short-term basis prior to the union of St Marks and St Drostans. Retired from post 20 October 1968

Inducted
30/10/1969

Rev William Hastie Miller

Transferred from Cleland Parish Church, Hamilton Presbytery.

Died 4 April 1972

Inducted
17/10/1972

Rev Ian Dinning Gordon

Rev Gordon did National Service in the Royal Army Pay Corps following which he worked for a  shipping company. He graduated from Glasgow University in 1971 as a Licentiate of Theology and was Assistant Minister at Cathcart Old Parish Church, Glasgow from 1971 to 1972 before being inducted at  Markinch. He was appointed Moderator of Kirkcaldy Presbytery in May 1981 and also held the post of Moderator of the Provisional Synod of Fife.
He retired on 28th October 2001.

28/10/2001 to 08/08/2002

Vacant

 

Inducted 08/08/2002

Rev Alexander Richard Forsyth

Transferred from the Linked Parishes of Edzell/Lethnot, Glenesk, Fern, Careston & Menmuir in Angus Presbytery.

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