Greenside Parish ChurchKnown Ministers
Ministers of Greenside Church (Edinburgh) – 1839 to 2024
William Glover (1801–1871)
Born in Leith in 1801, William Glover was educated in Edinburgh and licensed to preach in 1825. He served as minister of Crossmichael before being presented by the Town Council to the new Greenside parish, where he was admitted in March 1837. Glover guided the congregation from its opening on 6 Oct 1839, becoming known for his strong influence on young ministers of his day. He remained at Greenside until his death on 30 January 1871 while in office.
Born 27 August 1801; died 30 January 1871.
Archibald Scott (1837–1909)
Archibald Scott, born 1837, was minister of Linlithgow before moving to Greenside. He was translated and admitted to Greenside on 21 Sept 1871 following Glover's death. During his Greenside tenure, Scott earned a Doctor of Divinity (Glasgow 1876) and was recognized as a gifted preacher. In January 1880, he was called to St. George's Parish, Edinburgh and departed Greenside on 29 Jan 1880. He later became Moderator of the General Assembly in 1896 and was esteemed in the Church of Scotland's leadership. He died in 1909.
Born 1837; died 1909.
John Milne (c.1840–1912)
John Milne was minister of Kirkurd in Peeblesshire before coming to Greenside. He was translated to Greenside and inducted on 12 Aug 1880. Milne served the parish for four years, then on 30 Jan 1884 he was transferred to Newlands in Peeblesshire. He later earned a Doctor of Divinity in 1907 and pursued scholarly interests (delivering lectures on topics like the Persian religion) during his ministry. Milne likely retired in the early 20th century; he died by 1912 (approximate).
Born ~1840; died c.1912.
John Rudge Wilson (1856–1930)
Born in Glasgow in 1856, John R. Wilson began his ministry at Morton Parish in Dumfriesshire. He was admitted as minister of Greenside on 10 July 1884, following Milne's departure. After three years, Wilson accepted a call to Wilton Parish Church in Hawick and was translated there on 18 May 1887. He went on to serve in Hawick for decades and was remembered for his faithful ministry; Wilson died on 27 August 1930.
Born 26 November 1856; died 27 August 1930.
John Patrick (185?–1933)
John Patrick was an eminent scholar and church leader. Before Greenside, he served as minister of Kilmarnock and then Monkton & Prestwick in Ayrshire. Patrick was inducted at Greenside on 28 Dec 1887. During his tenure he received a Doctor of Divinity (1895) and contributed to theological education while pastoring the congregation. In October 1898 he resigned upon appointment as Professor of Biblical Criticism and Antiquities at the University of Edinburgh. He became Dean of the Faculty of Divinity and earned a LL.D., distinguishing himself as a "scholar of unmistakable talent and devotion," according to The Scotsman. Patrick remained a professor until retirement. He died in Edinburgh in 1933, revered as Emeritus Professor and a great theologian.
Born mid-1850s; died 1933.
John Lamond (1855–1932)
John Lamond was born in Forfarshire in 1855. He served as minister of Kelton (ordained 1886) and then Skelmorlie (from 1891) before coming to Greenside. Lamond was inducted at Greenside on 20 April 1899, shepherding the parish through the early 20th century. After 24 years, he demitted his charge on 3 Oct 1923, retiring from the parish. In a striking turn, Lamond became involved in spiritualist circles after leaving the Church and was noted as having "become a spiritualist" following his resignation. He died in London on 19 July 1932.
Born 2 Feb 1855; died 19 July 1932.
Peter Alexander Dunn (1884–1975)
Peter A. Dunn was born in Stellarton, Nova Scotia in 1884 to a minister's family. Educated in Edinburgh (M.A. 1908, B.D. 1911), he began ministry in Scotland and was minister at Woodside, Aberdeen, before accepting the call to Greenside. Dunn was inducted at Greenside on 13 May 1924. His ministry was short but active; he demitted on 7 Oct 1928 upon being appointed to serve abroad at Central Church in Boston, USA. Dunn subsequently continued his pastorate in the United States (including a later charge at St. Paul's Church) and remained in ministry for decades. He eventually returned to the UK later in life and died in 1975.
Born 24 Nov 1884; died 1975 (in Scotland).
Dudley Stuart Hopkirk (1896–1982?)
Dudley S. Hopkirk, born in Portobello (Edinburgh) in 1896, was a scholar-minister with degrees in divinity and literature. He was ordained in 1926 and began his career at Skelmorlie Parish (Wemyss Bay). Hopkirk was translated to Greenside on 26 April 1929, where he served as minister for 20 years, guiding the church through the Depression and World War II era. In 1949 he resigned the charge to pursue an academic calling overseas and was appointed Chair of Systematic Theology at Ormond College (theology faculty in Melbourne, Australia). Hopkirk became a noted professor in Australia and is remembered for bridging Scottish and Australian Presbyterian scholarship. He likely retired in the 1970s; sources indicate he died by the early 1980s (exact date not confirmed).
Born 7 Dec 1896; died circa 1982.
Rev. Murdo Macdonald (1913–1968)
Murdo Macdonald (not to be confused with a namesake war hero chaplain) was born in Harris in 1913 and educated at St. Andrews. Ordained in 1939, he served as a Church of Scotland chaplain during World War II and then in parish ministry. Rev. Macdonald was inducted to Greenside in 1950, bringing youthful energy to a post-war congregation. He ministered at Greenside for 18 years, known for his Gaelic heritage and passionate preaching. Sadly, his tenure was cut short when he died in office on 31 January 1968, at only 54 years old. His death left the charge vacant and deeply mourned by the congregation.
Born 17 March 1913; died 31 January 1968.
Rev. James Watson (fl. 1960s–1980s)
James Watson was appointed minister of Greenside in September 1968, following Rev. Macdonald's passing. He led the church through a period of major transitions. Under Rev. Watson's guidance, Greenside united with several neighboring congregations: Hopetoun Church (in January 1974), Abbey Church (January 1975), and Hillside (Lady Glenorchy's) Church in 1978. These unions enlarged and consolidated the parish amidst citywide church amalgamations. Rev. Watson served as minister of the newly united charge through the late 1970s. He likely retired or demitted around 1980 after overseeing the successful mergers (the exact end date of his service is not recorded in available sources).
Details not found; he was active 1960s–70s, and presumably retired by 1980.
Rev. Andrew Anderson (born c.1953)
Andrew Anderson was ordained to the ministry and inducted at Greenside Parish Church in October 1981. At roughly 28 years old, he became the eleventh minister in the church's history. Anderson shepherded the congregation for 30 years, providing stable leadership during a time of social change and dwindling city-center congregations. He was active in wider church initiatives: notably, Rev. Anderson served as Chair of the General Council for the Edinburgh 2010 ecumenical mission conference while at Greenside. After three decades of faithful service, he retired on 30 October 2011. Under his watch, Greenside engaged in community outreach and adapted to its evolving urban context.
Born ca. 1953; living, retired 2011.
Rev. Suzie Stark
Following Rev. Anderson's retirement, Greenside was placed under the guardianship of Edinburgh Presbytery. Rev. Suzie Stark, a Church of Scotland minister, was appointed Interim Moderator to oversee the charge. She supported the congregation administratively and pastorally in this transitional period. Rev. Stark eventually also took on leading worship after 2021, guiding weekly services once the locum stepped down. She steered Greenside through its final chapter as an independent congregation, up to its union into a new parish in 2024. Her steady leadership ensured continuity of worship and care until Greenside's closure.
Rev. Alistair Wynne
Rev. Alistair Wynne, B.A., B.D., served as the locum minister at Greenside in the decade after 2011. In the absence of a called minister, he led Sunday worship and provided pastoral support on a weekly basis. Rev. Wynne's ministry was vital in maintaining regular church life and worship continuity. He faithfully filled the pulpit each week until the end of 2021. At that time, the interim moderator (Rev. Stark) assumed direct responsibility for services. Rev. Wynne's long locum service was greatly appreciated by the congregation during the prolonged vacancy.
Closure Note
In January 2024, Greenside Parish Church was formally closed and united with St Andrew's & St George's West Church to form the new "Edinburgh New Town Church," marking the end of Greenside's independent ministry. The list above therefore represents the complete succession of ministers (including interim and assistant roles) who served the Greenside congregation from its founding in 1836/1839 up to its merger in 2024.
Sources
- Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae (Archive.org, vol. 3)
- Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae (Archive.org, vol. 8)
- Greenside Church: "The Minister"
- University of Edinburgh Divinity Alumni Bulletin 2011 (PDF)
- Greenside, Edinburgh (Wikipedia)
- Edinburgh: New Town Church (Wikipedia)
- Trove: The West Australian (obituary notice for John Patrick, 8 Mar 1933)
- Edinburgh New Town Church site (Rev Suzie Stark tag)