Help with a Thurso Church

[trinkie]

I am trying to find which church my g/ps were married in and only have the Minister's name - J Stewart Miller of Church of Scotland Thurso 1905.

If you have any relations married in Thurso by that Minister, I wonder if you know which church it would be.

Many thanks,
Trinkie

[Sporran]

Trinkie, your grandparents were married in St Peter's Church (now known as St Peter's and St Andrew's). It's the one on Princes Street, opposite Sir John's Square. You can view the list of ministers in the link below:

http://users.ecosse.net/spandsacos/allnew/Church.htm

[trinkie]

Thank you Sporran - quicker than light !

I had just found Rev J S Miller as Minister of the Parish Church - I didn't know that St Peter's church was the Parish church - I once sang there !

Something to complete a section in my Family History File
Many thanks
Trinkie

[caroline]

Thank you Sporran - quicker than light !

I had just found Rev J S Miller as Minister of the Parish Church - I didn't know that St Peter's church was the Parish church - I once sang there !

Something to complete a section in my Family History File
Many thanks
Trinkie

Thanks for asking this my gr grandparents where also married by J Stewart Miller Parish Minister in Thurso 1890

[trinkie]

Good Caroline - it's nice to know the right church , and especially nice to have a picture of it.



Trinkie

[Sporran]

I find it fascinating that the Rev John Stewart Miller was minister of St Peter's Church for fifty years (1860-1910). That's quite a record, in my opinion! :)

[jimbews]

I find it fascinating that the Rev John Stewart Miller was minister of St Peter's Church for fifty years (1860-1910). That's quite a record, in my opinion! :)

What about Alastair Roy from Bridge Street in Wick?
Wasn't he there more than 50 years?

http://www.caithness.org/community/worship/cos/bridgestreetwick/index.htm

Ministers of that era were entitled to work as long as they liked (there was a latin term to cover their "contract" which I can't remember).

Then it changed to a normal retirement age of 70.

Now I assume it is 65 (until the government puts it back up again?).

JimBews

[trinkie]

Oh Yes ! Rev Roy was there for a very long time..... I voted for him in the mid 1950s !!

Is Bridge Street Church still being used? It certainly needed a lot of attention when I was last there, but it's a beautiful church and worth looking after.

Trinkie

[trinkie]

Just found a newspaper cutting ( great filing system dont you think ?)
Rev Roy was at Bridge Street Church for 52yrs !! On his retiral he was presented with a glass Book and a cheque , by John Gunn the senior past session clerk.

I understand he has gone to Aberdeen now. Good Luck to him

Trinkie

[jimbews]

Ministers of that era were entitled to work as long as they liked (there was a latin term to cover their "contract" which I can't remember).

JimBews

Ah - the powers of Google. Search:
church scotland "ad vitam aut culpam"

gives a definition:
"under the old system (ad vitam aut culpam), whereby a minister could continue until he died or unless he was found guilty of a moral or doctrinal offence"

[wifie]

OK can I join in here - anyone know when the Central Church in Wick (Dempster St) was built? :)

[trinkie]

Welcome Wife, good question I hope we find out.
Is this the church at the top of Dempster St where the Co-op used to be ?
I used to go to Band of Hope there ! Heaven help us - did I sign the Pledge ??


Trinkie.

[Sporran]

I am trying to find which church my g/ps were married in and only have the Minister's name - J Stewart Miller of Church of Scotland Thurso 1905.

Many thanks,
Trinkie




Trinkie, your grandparents were married in St Peter's Church (now known as St Peter's and St Andrew's). It's the one on Princes Street, opposite Sir John's Square. You can view the list of ministers in the link below:

http://users.ecosse.net/spandsacos/allnew/Church.htm




Thanks for asking this my gr grandparents where also married by J Stewart Miller Parish Minister in Thurso 1890

Trinkie and Caroline, I thought you might be interested in some postcards from 1900, that Plasticjock added to the Old Thirsa Piccies thread a few months ago. St Peter's Church can be seen in posts 703, 704 and 705.

http://forum.caithness.org/showthread.php?t=28034&page=36

He recently posted an almost identical view to the last one of 1900, taken in the 1950s. The monument and horse trough in the 1900 photo were later moved to the other side of the square, opposite St Peter's. The war memorial was placed in their original spot, where it still stands now.

http://forum.caithness.org/showthread.php?t=28034&page=40 (Post 795)

The view is similar today, of course. The beautiful band stand in the middle of Sir John's Square was taken down around 1976, unfortunately.

[wifie]

Welcome Wife, good question I hope we find out.
Is this the church at the top of Dempster St where the Co-op used to be ?
I used to go to Band of Hope there ! Heaven help us - did I sing the Pledge ??


Trinkie.

Not sure exactly Trinkie - I just know it is the Baptist church now. :)

[trinkie]

Thank you for the links Sporran, It's so nice to see pictures of days gone by !
Sad that that the Band Stand had to go, the old Victorian buildings add to the flavour of a town, I think .

Trinkie