Local history publications
The first Chairman of the Friends, Donald M Abbott, has written
several local history articles and newspaper items, some of which
were edited and published by the Friends as
Pitroddie
Perspectives.
The very kind generosity of the author has meant that the proceeds
from this and his later publications have all been donated to
the Friends to fund their work with the Archive.
These and other local history publications can
be bought at the AK Bell Library
Friends publications include:
The Free Church of Longforgan & at Invergowrie
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The first volume of the latest publication of Donald
M. Abbott examines the history of this church from the Disruption
of 1843 until 1945. This is the oldest 19th century Presbyterian
Church in the village.Its history includes many lists of names
of members and officebearers which should interest descendants of
these people today as well as residents of Invergowrie and
Longforgan districts in particular. Senior officebearers
included the owner of Bullionfield Paper Mill from 1858 and a
director of Draffens of Dundee, that onetime large department
store. Sunday schools figure, including outreaches at Kingoodie and
Denbrae as do details of ministers and in particular
that Moderator of the United Free Church of Scotland in
1921 and minister, historian and author here from
1881 until 1931 - the Very Revd Adam Philip
D.D. Incidental periodic happenings in the church and
locality are recorded in detail and this building still functions
today as the village community centre. It amalgamated in 1945
with St Columba's Church to form Invergowrie Parish Church.There is
also a most interesting chapter about the kirks in Newburgh, Fife
in the 1700s/1800s. The reason for its inclusion is explained in
the booklet.
Available for £5 at the AK Bell Library
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St Columba's Church of Scotland at Invergowrie
Complementary to the first booklet, volume 2 of the Presbyterian
Church history in Invergowrie examines the church records from the
foundation firstly in 1886 of an iron kirk in Invergowrie by
the Kirk Session of Longforgan Parish Church, to provide for
its members in Kingoodie and Invergowrie until the time of the
later building of 1909 and until 1945.This latter building
forms Invergowrie Parish Church today. In doing so,
Longforgan Session gave the use of an old bell date 1690
to their satellite which caused some consternation in heritor
circles in Longforgan village. Something of the contretemp is
recorded as is the generosity of local landowners/
residents in assisting the financial wellbeing of this new
church extension. The day to day management of this congregation
and its development into a separate parish church is recorded, as
is something of their ministers, officebears and congregational
activities. The trials caused by the amalgamation in
1929 of the Church of Scotland with the majority of the United
Free Church of Scotland had an impact on this congregation which is
set out for the reader to digest.
A Chapter about eastern Carse asociated items of interest
is provided. This includes details of what is claimed to be
the oldest ecclesiastical foundation north of the River Tay at
Dargie Invergowrie,mills at Invergowrie, the Boys' Brigade in
Invergowrie and Inchture and something of the ruined kirk at
Benvie, to name but some of the included items. The various
appendices, as in booklet No 1 above, are also of historic
interest.
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Communion Tokens - A Short Appreciation
Available for £4 and which proceeds of its sale are being
generously donated by the author, Donald Abbott, to the Friends of
Perth & Kinross Council Archive.
'Communion Tokens - A Short Appreciation' looks at the
tokens which once allowed attendance at the Sacrement of the
Lord's Supper. This fully-illustrated booklet shows examples of
tokens from Perth, the Carse of Gowrie and further afield and
briefly examines the presbyterian churches for which they were
made.
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Pitroddie Perspectives
looks at different aspects of a world and a place that has now
disappeared. Spanning two centuries, this illustrated publication
looks at Pitroddie Quarry, Pitroddie Church and its Ministers, and
at the hamlet's prisoner of war camp at the end of WW2.
Perspectives (2003) has now sold out, but is available for
consultation in the Local Studies section of the AK Bell
Library.
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Following the publication of
Perspectives, Bruce McAlpine, a native of Kilspindie, contacted
Donald Abbott to say that he had some records of Pitroddie Church,
dated 1829-1915. These had been kept by his late mother and
together with some photographs, provided a further record of
Pitroddie's history. Before lodging the records with the National
Archives of Scotland, Donald used the material to expand the
church's story.
Practical and Pictorial Pitroddie
distills the newly-discovered records of Pitroddie Church,
bringing out its association with the daily activities of the
Pitroddie inhabitants and the Carse of Gowrie area. It examines the
financial hardships of the congregation, who with their various
Ministers used dogged determination to survive.
Practical and Pictorial Pitroddie (2004) £5
100pp ISBN 0905 412 445.
Available from the AK Bell Library
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Pitroddie - The Canadian Link
The third of the booklets about Pitroddie comes from documents
dating from 1814 held at the Archives of the Presbyterian Church in
Canada. The documents had been taken from Scotland to Ontario by
the Rev William Proudfoot in 1832.
They include a Call to him of 1814 from Coupar Angus signed by
over 260 attenders of the Secession Church in Kettins parish. Also
included in the publication are extracted minutes of the
Pitrodie (sic) Auxiliary Bible Society for 1815, which, as
a satellite of the Carse of Gowrie Bible Society, brings another
dimension to Carse life. Over forty members paid a levy of
either one penny or one halfpenny per week, and The Canadian
Link provides details of the Society's Constitution along with
lists of members and office bearers.
Apart from his spiritual and pastoral duties Rev
Proudfoot also taught seventeen scholars at Pitroddie between
1819-1825. They were mostly boarding pupils, whose names, fees and
daily costs have been meticulously recorded: quills, ink, shoes and
shoe repairs, suits, books and haircuts. Other documents created by
Rev Proudfoot include his Forms of Address for Baptisms and
Marriages.
The Canadian Link is rounded off with information about
Pitroddie laymen, including John Roger (1772-1858), and elder for
forty-four years, and long-serving Session Clerk. One of his
grandsons, William Galloway McDonald (1840-1901) became
Provost of Inverkeithing Town Council as well as being a
onetime member of the Managment Board of Pitroddie UP Church.
There is something in this publication for everyone, particularly
those with links to the Carse and Coupar Angus
The author is grateful to the Archivist of the Presbyterian Church
in Canada for allowing this material to be accessed
and published.
Pitroddie-the Canadian Link (2005) £3
100pp ISBN 0905 452461
Available from the AK Bell Library
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Monies raised by this and other Abbott publications go to the
Friends of Perth & Kinross Council Archive, Scottish Charity
Number SC 031537
Contact the AK Bell Library for information about these and
other local history publications
