The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

[ADP]

Church: St Oran's (Gaelic) Parish Church, Broughton Street, Edinburgh (on north corner of York Lane).
UKNIWM Ref: 5633
Current memorial location: Greyfriars Tolbooth and Highland Kirk, Edinburgh
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From The Scotsman, 25 April 1921.

ST ORAN'S PARISH CHURCH, EDINBURGH

The war memorial of St Oran's (Gaelic) Parish Church in Broughton Street, Edinburgh was unveiled yesterday at a service held in the church in the morning. Appropriate hymns in Gaelic and English were sung, the congregation standing while the minister of St Oran's, the Rev. J Duff MacDonald, read the list of 18 names inscribed on the memorial, headed by the name of the Rev. J Campbell MacGregor, V.D., Chaplain to the Expeditionary Force, France, minister of St Oran's 1911-16. The ministers and office-bearers proceeded to the door of the church for the unveiling ceremony which was conducted by the Very Rev. Dr J. C. Russell, V.D. There followed the dedication by the Rev. Dr. Norman Maclean, St Cuthbert's and the sounding of "The Last Post". With the return of the ministers to the church the congregation resumed their seats, and the service was continued, ending with a pibroch lament, "The Flowers o' the Forest" by Pipe-Corporal Angus Martin.

ADP

[Keptie]

Seems from info that ST ORANS closed in 1948 , the building sold and St Columbus was used ( near the Usher Hall ) . Might be GREYFRIARS TOLLBOOTH now near the Uni .

Any ideas if the war memorial went to the merged kirk ?

Seems from info too that The Rev John Campbell - Macgregor was the minister at Strachur in Argyll before he moved to be the minister at St Orans in Edinburgh and he was killed in action 4th November 1916 , Chaplain 4th class atached to 4th Bn Cameron Hdrs . He is also listed on the St Giles cathedral edinburgh war memorial to C of S ministers , chaplains , students of theology killed in WW1

thanks

patrick w anderson

[Merseman]

St Oran's - latterly in the "original" Catholic Apostolic Church at the head of Broughton Street - was the Church of Scotland Gaelic church for Edinburgh. It is now just offices I think right beside the Edinburgh Assay Office (itself a former Congregational Church).

St Columba's was the Free Church equivalent and they built their church on Cambridge Street after the great Disruption of 1843. It is now under Saltire Court the huge office block behind the Usher Hall.

In 1948 they united in the Cambridge Street building as "Highland". In turn this united in 1956 with Tolbooth St John as "Highland Tolbooth & St John", in the imposing Tolbooth church at the head of the Royal Mile. It is now the HQ of the Festival, aka 'The Hub'. (St John's stands in Victoria Street and is now an Indian restaurant?). Then in turn this united in 1979 with Greyfriars as "Greyfriars Highland & Tolbooth", which is how the memorials would end up in Greyfriars. They still hold a Gaelic service each Sunday after the main one.


For completeness Greyfriars had earlier united with Lady Yester's, Infirmary Street (now Edinburgh Uni workshops and stores); and the New North (now Bedlam Theatre), south end of George IV Bridge.

Greyfriars has memorials from many of its constituent parts.

Then a few years ago Greyfriars Highland & Tolbooth united with the Kirk o' Field, adopting the name of "Greyfriars".