Thomas Murchison

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}} {{Use British English|date=October 2017}} '''Thomas Moffat Murchison''' (1907-1984) was a Church of Scotland minister and Scottish Gaelic scholar.<ref>Amongst others he wrote "The Plight of the Smallholders", 1935; "Alba: A Miscellany", 1948; " The Golden Key", 1950; and "The Gaelic Prose Writings of Donald Lamont" > British Library website accessed 15:17 GMT 15 March 2011</ref>

==Early life== He was born 27 July 1907,<ref>“Who was Who” 1897-2007 London, A & C Black, 2007 {{ISBN|9780199540877}}</ref> in Glasgow and brought up on the family croft in Skye.<ref name="Herald 16Oct1968">{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=B9s9AAAAIBAJ&sjid=9UcMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1772%2C2958310 |title=Former Bard is nominated as moderator |work=The Glasgow Herald |date=16 October 1968 |page=1 |accessdate=8 June 2016}}</ref> He was educated at Kylerhea Primary School, Portree High School and Trinity College, Glasgow.<ref name="Herald 16Oct1968"/>

==Career== In 1958 he was a Bard of An Comunn Gàidhealach.<ref name="Herald 16Oct1968"/>

He was Minister of Glenelg from 1932 to 1937; St Columba Copland Road Church Glasgow from 1937 to 1966; and of St Columba Summertown Church, Glasgow from then until 1972.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=k8JAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-6UMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5765%2C1301294 |title=Death of Dr Thomas Murchiston |work=The Glasgow Herald |date=11 February 1984 |page=6 |accessdate=8 June 2016}}</ref> He was Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland from 1969 to 1970.<ref>The Times, Saturday, May 31, 1969; pg. 9; Issue 57574; col A '' Church And Nation ''</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-ZpAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FaUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4270%2C8661 |title=Moderator off on tour |work=The Glasgow Herald |date=2 June 1969 |page=1 |accessdate=29 October 2017}}</ref> He was the first Gaelic-speaking moderator since 1948 when Rev Dr Alexander Macdonald held the position.<ref name="Herald 16Oct1968"/> He expressed concerns about support for crofters and the importance of developing the Western parts of the Highlands.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=k5RAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CqUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4382%2C3601635 |title=Moderator urges more development in West Highlands |work=The Glasgow Herald |date=19 September 1969 |page=5 |accessdate=8 June 2016}}</ref>

He died on 9 January 1984.<ref>'' The Very Rev Thomas Murchison Churchman and Gaelic scholar ''The Times Thursday, Jan 26, 1984; pg. 14; Issue 61748; col G</ref>

==Personal life== Murchiston married Mary Black Morton Philp (1913-2010) in 1940.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.iannounce.co.uk/Central-Scotland/45/Obituary-Death-Memorial-notices/all_memorial?_fstatus=search;keywords=Murchison%20Colin |title=Murchison Colin Obituaries, Death Notices, Memorial & Acknowledgements, Central Scotland - Find Obituaries, Death Notices, Memorial & Acknowledgements in Central Scotland for Murchison Colin |access-date=16 August 2017 |archive-date=16 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170816193806/https://www.iannounce.co.uk/Central-Scotland/45/Obituary-Death-Memorial-notices/all_memorial?_fstatus=search;keywords=Murchison%20Colin |url-status=dead }}</ref> He had two daughters, Anne and Fiona, and a son, Andrew.<ref name="Herald 16Oct1968"/>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{Moderators of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland since reunification}} {{Scotland topics}} {{portal bar|Scotland}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Murchison, Thomas Moffat}} Category:1907 births Category:People educated at Portree High School Category:Alumni of the University of Glasgow Category:20th-century ministers of the Church of Scotland Category:20th-century Scottish Presbyterian ministers Category:Moderators of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland Category:1984 deaths