Kirkcolm Parish Records
Kirkcolm Church was dedicated to St Columba and it formerly belonged to
the Abbey of Sweetheart. Ministry of the Kirkcolm Kirk Session is
recorded from 1565 in the person of Michael Hathorn. In 1950 Kirkcolm
united with Ervie under the name of Ervie and Kirkcolm. After the union
both churches remained in use and in 1985 the united session
established a link with Leswalt. The kirk session sat within the
Presbytery of Stranraer until 1963 when, by Act of Assembly, the
Presbytery of Wigtown and the Presbytery of Stranraer were united
together under the name of the Presbytery of Wigtown and Stranraer.
- Kirkcolm Free Church, United Free, Kirkcolm &
Leswalt Church of Scotland (Ervie)
The congregation of Kirkcolm Free Church, which sat
within the Presbytery of Stranraer, was established at the time of the
Disruption in 1843 and supply service was arranged from July of that
year. Worship had to take place for a time in the farm houses of
Knochtinan and Kirminnoch until a church was built in 1844-1845 on land
granted by Sir Andrew Agnew of Lochnaw. The charge was sanctioned in
1845. In 1900, upon the union of the Free Church and the United
Presbyterians, Kirkcolm Free Church became Kirkcolm United Free and in
1921 the charge was reduced in status. A number of years thereafter in
1928 Kirkcolm U.F. was united with the congregation of Leswalt and the
united charge was renamed Ervie. Following the union of the Church of
Scotland and the United Free Church, Ervie U.F. became Ervie and
Leswalt Church of Scotland and in 1950 a further union was established
with the parish church congregation of Kirkcolm to form the session of
Ervie and Kirkcolm. After this local union both churches continued in
use. The kirk session of Ervie and Kirkcolm remains active today and
presently falls under the jurisdiction of the Presbytery of Wigtown and
Stranraer.
At the National
Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh:
- CH2/788
Kirkcolm Kirk Session
Minutes, 1822-1884; Accounts, 1855-1928; Baptismal register, 1855-1872;
Proclamation register, 1855-1870 and 1888-1951; Communion roll,
1834-1840 and 1845-1952; Hall committee minutes, 1925-1931; Sabbath
School library subscriber's book, 1849-1862; Miscellaneous papers,
including certificates of character, receipts and correspondence, 18th
and 19th cent. including: Certificate signed by James Kennedy, South
Cairn, that Christie McFee, a native of parish of Kirkcolm, 'for a
number of years she was considered a first rate hand at flowering with
the needle ... About nine years ago she became subject to epilepsy and
has gradually become worse until the attacks have become so violent as
to bring on mental imbecility' 12 April 1843 ; Papers relating to
county elections, road repairs, and rural policing, 1792-1845; Extracts
of kirk session minutes and related papers, 1810- 1872;
Correspondence and related papers re property tax, 1792-1863; Register
of Baptisms and Marriages, 1845-1882; Minute book 1789-1851, 1884-1966.
- CH3/198
Kirkcolm Free Church, United Free, and Kirkcolm and Leswalt Church of
Scotland (Ervie)
Session Minutes, 1849-1865, 1843-1865, 1865-1892; Baptisms, 1843-1854;
Communion Roll,
1879-89; Adherents, 1879-89; Baptisms, 1865-1895; Minutes, 1892-1950;
Deacons' court minutes, 1850-1886, 1887-1936; Communion roll,
1900-1952.
The LDS
have filmed the following records which may be consulted at LDS
Family History Centres.
LDS Library Film Numbers:
| 304671 Item 14 |
Kirkcolm
Free Church |
Baptisms, 1843-1854. |
Original
documents: National Archives
of Scotland - CH3/198/1-2,4 |
| 1562923 Items 6-7 |
Session minutes, 1849-1865; baptisms, 1843-1854
(another filming);
communion rolls, 1844, 1854-1855; Session minutes, 1865-1892; communion
roll, 1879-1889; adherents, 1879-1889; baptisms, 1878-1895; Deacons'
minutes, 1850-1886. |
| Data
provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints |
At the National
Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh:
- HR44
Kirkcolm parish heritors' records
Minutes, 1818-1928; Question for Kirk Session, 1902; Extracts showing
allocation of stipend, 1921.
- GD154
Papers of the Agnew Family of Lochnaw, Wigtownshire
Heritors of Kirkcolm, 1729-1788.
At the National
Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh:
- IRS87/6-8
Valuation Office (Scotland): Field Book, 1910-1920: Kirkcolm
Parish
Entries 1-100, 101-200, 201-228..
- IRS133
Valuation Office (Scotland) maps to accompany the above field books,
scale 1/2500, Ordnance Survey sheets for Wigtownshire.
At the Dumfries
and Galloway Archives, Dumfries:
- EW4
Wigtownshire County Council: County Treasurer's Department
Valuation rolls, 1891-1975; Assessment rolls, 1890-1897, 1950-1960.
At the National
Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh:
Some estate papers can be found by searching the
NationalArchives
of Scotland catalogue for "Kirkcolm" and reference starts
"GD". Collections
particularly worth searching are:
- GD25
Papers of the Kennedy Family, Earls of Cassillis (Ailsa Muniments)
- GD135
Papers of the Dalrymple Family, Earls of Stair
- GD154
Papers of the Agnew Family of Lochnaw, Wigtownshire
At the National
Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh:
- RH4/23/228 and RH4/23/229
Ordnance Survey Original Object Name
Books for Scotland: Wigtownshire
Parishes of Kirkcolm (book 2); Inch and Kirkcolm (book 3);
Kirkcolm and Leswalt (books 15 and 16); Inch and Kirkcolm (book 17);
Inch (book 18); Inch, Kirkcolm and Leswalt (book 19).
At the National
Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh:
- CO4/33
Kirkcolm Parish Records
Parochial Board Minute Book, 1845-1857, 1857-1888, 1889-1921; Parochial
Board General Register of the Poor, 1845-1896; Parish Council Minute
Book, 1921-1927, 1927-1930; Parish Council General Register of the
Poor, 1896-1930.
At the Ewart
Library, Dumfries:
- EW5/28
Kirkcolm Public School
Log books (including the log book for Mahaar, 1929-1934), 1875-1934;
Admissions and withdrawals registers (Kirkcolm Public School),
1899-1958; Admissions and withdrawals registers (Kirkcolm Village
School), 1878-1965; Inspectors' reports, 1889-1934; Daily registers
(Kirkcolm Primary and Junior Secondary), 1958-1979 (incomplete);
Summaries with weekly class abstracts, 1963-1979 (incomplete); Records
of work, 1970-1971. (Access restricted)
This school was originally a parish school whose teacher supplemented
his income by doubling as registrar, session clerk and precentor. The
buildings were erected in 1820 and were replaced in 1938. The pupils
came from a rural background. Its status was upgraded to that of a
junior secondary in 1951 when it became known as Kirkcolm Junior
Secondary School. Its infant or primary department may have been known
as Mahaar School which closed in 1965.
- EW5/42
Mahaar School
Log books, 1924-1965; Daily registers, 1954-1965 (incomplete);
Summaries and abstracts, 1961, 1962. (Closed)
This was originally a parish school erected in 1820. In 1866 its master
doubled as registrar and session clerk. It was downgraded to primary
school status in 1951. It was closed by the local authority in 1965 and
its pupils transferred to Kirkcolm Primary.
- EW5/26
Dhuloch School
Log books, 1860-1959; Admissions and withdrawals registers,
1873-1959; Attendance registers, 1949-1960; Summaries of attendance,
1947-1948, 1953-1960; Registers of continuance classes in country
dance, 1952-1953, and dressmaking, 1951-1952; Sunday school register,
undated. (Access restricted).
The school was endowed by the Ferguson Bequest
and managed by trustees who included the minister. It was
downgraded to a primary school in 1950. It was closed in 1959.
see Early Taxation Records
Data provided by the Scottish
Archive Network (SCAN)
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Last
updated 9 November, 2010
: William McM. Owen
