Andrew Mitchell Thomson (1778-1831)

Church of Scotland minister and journalist

Andrew Mitchell Thomson was educated in Fife and at the University of Edinburgh. He was ordained as a Church of Scotland minister at Sprouston in 1802. In 1814 he moved to St George's Church in Charlotte Square, Edinburgh. Alongside his pastoral duties he produced 43 articles for the 'Edinburgh Encyclopaedia', edited the 'Edinburgh Christian Instructor' and compiled a volume of psalm tunes, 'Sacred Harmony', which included a few of his own compositions. He established St George's parish day school, founded the Edinburgh Bible Society and the Society for the Improvement of Church Patronage. He supported Catholic emancipation and campaigned for the immediate abolition of slavery. A memoir inserted into the Edinburgh Old Parish Register (see below) describes his last speech at a public meeting of the Anti-Slavery Society of Edinburgh as 'the most eloquent and conclusive he ever delivered'.

St George's Church is now West Register House. You can find out more in Our history - History of NRS buildings.

Birth in 1778

Andrew Mitchel Thomson was baptised on 11 July 1778, the lawful son (L S) of Mr John Thomson, Minister and Nelly Forrest, Sanquhar. The entry in the Old Parish Register (OPR) for Sanquhar doesn't give the date of birth or names of witnesses.

Baptism entry for Andrew Mitchell Thomson (12 KB jpeg)
National Records of Scotland, OPR 848/1, page 20

Marriage in 1802

The Rev[eren]d And[re]w Thompson, Sprouston, married Jean Carmichael. The entry in the OPR for Greenock Old or West shows they were 'booked' on 24 April 1802 and were from the parish (do for ditto). The 'married' column is left blank. His surname is Thompson rather than Thomson but it isn't unusual to find variations in the spellings of names in the OPRs.

Marriage entry for Andrew Mitchell Thomson (19 KB jpeg)
National Records of Scotland, OPR 564-3/40

Death in 1831

Revd Andrew Thomson DD, late minister of St George's died on 9 February 1831. The entry in the OPR for St Cuthbert's gives his age as 51 and the cause of death as apoplexy.

Death and burial entry for Andrew Mitchell Thomson (7 KB jpeg)
National Records of Scotland, OPR 685-2/50, page 49

A second entry in the OPR for Edinburgh includes a printed memoir. The Revd Dr Andrew Thomson, Minister of St Georges Church died 9 February 1831 aged 51 years. The date of burial is recorded as 15 February and the place of interment as 'in his own tomb City Ground'. The memoir records that he left a widow and seven children.

Death entry with memoir of Andrew Mitchell Thomson (83 KB jpeg)
National Records of Scotland, OPR 685-1/100, page 190

The full text can be seen in this version of the register page: Memoir of Dr Andrew Mitchell Thomson in the Old Parish Register for Edinburgh. (3.9MB pdf)

Inventory of 1831

The inventory of the personal estate and effects which belonged to the Reverend Doctor Andrew Thomson late of Saint George's Church Edinburgh was  registered at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on 8 December 1831 by Mrs Jane Carmichael otherwise Thomson Executrix qua relict deceased (executor as widow of the deceased). It lists money in bank accounts; the valuation of his furniture, plate, china, printed books and pictures; shares in the Union Canal Company, Edinburgh Circus Place School and Edinburgh Astronomical Institution; balances due on his accounts with local booksellers including William Blackwood; and his share of the stock of the Edinburgh Encyclopaedia Company.

Inventory for Andrew Mitchell Thomson (76 and 51 KB jpegs)
National Records of Scotland, SC70/1/45, pages 918-919