Polmont North Parish Church

1844 to 1969

POLMONT'S MINISTERS
Since Polmont Church was established in 1733 10 ministers have faithfully attended to the pastoral needs of the congregation. The following biographical notes provide a brief summary of their respective careers.

Reverend Patrick Bennet, Polmont's first minister, served the congregation for 50 years - from 1733-1783. He was the son of the Reverend Andrew Bennet, minister of Muiravonside and Laird of Whyteside.

The Reverend William Finlay, minister at Polmont from 1784-1799, was born at Galston, Ayrshire, and married Jean, daughter of Gilbert Lawrie of Polmont House, who was Lord Provost of Edinburgh. The minister died at Millfield House in 1800, aged 47.

Reverend Dykes Smith, son of a Falkirk merchant, was minister for only nine years until he died, at the age of 39, in 1809.

Reverend Patrick McFarlan ministered to the people of Polmont from 1810-1824. After leaving Polmont he was elected Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1834. During the period of the Disruption he went over to the Free Church and in 1845 was elected Moderator of the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland.

Reverend John Wightman Ker's service in Polmont spanned worship in both the old church and the present church. He married Margaret Logan of Clarkston, Avondale.

Reverend Pearson McAdam Muir, who served for eight years at Polmont before his translation to Glasgow Cathedral in 1880, became a Chaplain-in-Ordinary to King Edward VI, and, in 1910, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

Reverend William Ross, minister at Polmont from 1880-1893, was translated to St Mary's, Partick.

Reverend John Buchanan MacKenzie, at Polmont from 1893-1926, served earlier, as an assistant, at Helensburgh and Bowhill.

Reverend James W M Williamson, who was minister at Rosehearty, Aberdeenshire, before coming to Polmont in 1926, served this con¬gregation until his death in 1953.

Reverend Hugh Talman, a native of Gourock, Renfrewshire, was assistant minister at Irvine Old from 1940-1943, and served as an ordained preacher from 1943-1945 at Cupar Old and St Michael's of Tarvit. From 1945 until his translation to Polmont in 1954, he was minister of Mansefield Church, Kilwinning.

PRESENT OFFICE BEARERS

Elders	Ordained
Mr William J Allison	1944
Henry D Bruce	1944
John Ramsay	1944
John Paterson	1947
James D Brymer	1950
Edward M Chrystall	1950
Thomas Logan	1950
James G T Brown	1951
Leslie G Dickson	1951
Denis R Dishington	1951
Alexander M Johnstone	1955
Norman Ferguson	1959
Reginald E Harvey	1959
William Smith	1959
James Wardlaw	1959
Joseph Benson	ordained Cowie 1940, admitted 1961
Thomas Cockburn	1961
John Gow	1961
James Manson	1961
Thomas Blackstock	1964
Thomas P Brown	1964
Edwin Catley	1964
Peter A G Maclennan	1964
James Smith	1964
James Stalker	1964
William Arnot	1968
John Henderson	1968
Colin Mailer	1968
James Reilly	1968
Robert Smith	1968

Session Clerk	James G T Brown
Treasurer	Peter A G Maclennan
LEADERS OF ORGANISATIONS
Woman's Guild (President)	Mrs H Talman
Primary Sunday School (Leader)	Miss Ann Taylor
Sunday School (Leaders)	Mrs J Henderson, Mrs W Massey, Jnr
Bible Class (Leader)	Rev H Talman, MA
Boys' Brigade (Captain)	Mr C Mailer
Junior Section (Lt-in-charge)	Mrs D M Murray
Badminton (President)	Mr J Smith
Men's Group (President)	Mr R Scott
Organist and Choirmaster	Mr James Dick
Church Officer	Mr Ian MacMaster
Church Caretaker	Mrs G Broom
Hall Caretaker	Mrs H Fowler

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
AS convener of the Anniversary Committee I wish to express my sincere appreciation to all who have supplied information and assisted in the compiling of this book. Particularly I wish to thank the Misses Gray-Buchanan, Parkhill, Polmont; Mrs Ella Walkinshaw, Polmont; Mr Robert Porteous, Grangemouth; and Mr Anderson, of the Ancient Records' Office, Edinburgh. Valuable information was also obtained from the late Mr John Scott, Polmont, and from notes of the late Mr Henry Wilson.
Denis R Dishington.