Thomas McLauchlan

The Very Rev Thomas McLauchlan LLD (1815–1886) was a 19th-century Scottish minister and theological author who served as Moderator of the General Assembly for the Free Church of Scotland 1876/77.

He was one of the first to promote Gaelic as an academic language. In 1859, he fuelled the fire of the Ossian debate by producing the "Gaelic originals" of the poem.[1]

Life
St Columbas Free Church, Edinburgh
Viewforth Church
The grave of Rev Thomas McLauchlan, Grange Cemetery, Edinburgh

He was born in 1815 the youngest son of Rev James McLauchlan of Moy in Invernessshire, a Church of Scotland minister. His grandfather was Lauchlan McLauchlan of Abriachan. He studied at King's College, Aberdeen, Marischal College, Aberdeen graduating in 1833 and then the Theological College in Edinburgh under Rev Dr Chalmers.

In 1838 he was ordained at Moy as colleague and planned replacement for his father. This plan went awry at the Disruption of 1843, when Thomas left the established church to join the Free Church of Scotland. In 1844 he moved to the Free Church at Stratherrick. In 1849 he moved to the relatively prestigious St Columba's Free Church in Edinburgh, on Johnston Terrace near Edinburgh Castle.[2] He was then living at 16 Keir Street near the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.[3]

In 1876 he succeeded Rev Alexander Moody Stuart as Moderator of the General Assembly, the highest position in the Free Church of Scotland. He was then living at Viewforth Manse and preaching at Viewforth Church.[4]

From 1854 to 1882 he was Convenor of the Free Church Highlands and Islands Committee.

He died on 21 March 1886.[5] He is buried in Grange Cemetery in south Edinburgh. The grave lies near the centre of the north-west section.

Publications
  • Celtic Gleanings (1857)
  • The Early Scottish Church (1865)
  • The Dean of Lismore's Book (1862)
  • John Knox's Book of Common Order translated into Gaelic (1873)

Artistic recognition

He was portrayed by Norman Macbeth

Family

He was married three times. In 1848 he married Eliza Mackay, daughter of Rev Dr George Mackay. In 1857 Margaret H. Geddes and in 1869, Fanny L. Fraser.[6]

His older brother Simon Fraser McLauchlan (1808-1881) was also a Free Church minister.

References
  1. The reception of Ossian in Europe, Howard Gaskill
  2. Buildings of Scotland: Edinburgh Gifford, John; McWilliam, Colin; Walker, David
  3. Edinburgh Post Office Directory 1851
  4. Edinburgh Post Office Directory 1876
  5. The Free Church Monthly; Dec. 1886
  6. Ewing, William Annals of the Free Church
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