118 THE TOLBOOTH [PRESB. OF
The foundation stone was laid on the
occasion of Queen Victoria's first visit to
Scotland. The following is the inscription
on the stone :
"To the Glory of God, in
honour of the Queen, on the 3rd day of
September in the year of our Lord 1842,
the day of Her Most Gracious Majesty
Queen Victoria visiting the City of Edin-
burgh, the Eight Honourable Sir James
Forrest, Bart., of Comiston, Lord Pro-
vost ; the Keverend David Welsh, D.D.,
Moderator of Assembly ; the foundation
stone of this superstructure, to be called
Victoria Hall, for the use of the General
Assembly of the Church of Scotland, was
laid by the Right Honourable Lord
Frederick Fitzclarence, G.C.B., etc., Grand
Master Mason of Scotland, in presence of
the Grand Lodge and other masonic
lodges ; James Gillespie-Graham of Orchill,
architect (of the hall) ; John Lind, master
builder of the hall. Length from east to
west, 141 feet ; height of spire over the
entrance, 241 feet." (For further informa-
tion regarding the ceremony, see Sir Thomas
Dick Lauder's Memorials of the Royal Pro-
gress in Scotland in 1842.)
ROBERT DOUGLAS, M.A.; trans, from
1641 ^e ^&h Church ; had this parish
allotted by the Town Council 24th
Dec. 1641 ; retrans. to the High Kirk Parish
1649.—[Edin. Counc. Reg. ; Acts Pari., vi.]
GEORGE HUTCHISON, M.A.; trans.
1649 ^rom Colmonell; pres. by the Town
Council 7th Nov. 1648, and appointed
to this charge 4th April 1649. In the same
year he was one of the visitors of the
Univ. of Edinburgh, and a member of the
Commission of Assembly who proceeded
to Breda in 1650, to interview Charles II.
He attended Archibald, Marquess of Argyll,
after his condemnation, and accompanied
him to the scaffold 27th May 1661.
Declining to conform to Episcopacy, hewas
inhibited from exercising his ministry by
Parliament 7th Aug. 1662. In 1669 he was
min. at Irvine.—[Edin. Counc. Reg. ; Acts
Pari., vi., vii. ; Kirkton's and Wodrow's
Hists., i. j Blair's Life ; Baillie's Lett., iii.
;
Livingston's Life, Nicoll's and Brodie's
Diaries, M'Ure's Glasg.]
WILLIAM ANNAND, M.A.; elected by
the Town Council and adm. 1st Feb.
1663; trans, to Tron Parish in 1672.
—[Edin. Counc. Reg.]
1663
JAMES LUNDIE, M.A.; trans, from
72 the High Kirk Parish ; elected by
the Town Council and adm. after
16th Aug. 1672 ; trans, to Tron Parish in
1675.
—
[Edin. Counc. Reg.]
WILLIAM MELDRUM, son of Andrew
1&JS M., dyer, and bailie in Aberdeen ;
M.A. (Marischal College, Aberdeen,
1654); regent in Marischal College 1660;
min. of Auchterless in 1671 ; trans, to
Tranent 8th Aug. 1672 ; pres. by the Town
Council, trans, and coll. 16th July 1675
;
dep. in 1681 for refusing the Test ; died
Jan. 1684. He marr. (1) Jean Colston,
and had issue—Christian, bapt. 24th June
1673 ; Jean, born 12th Nov. 1674 (marr.
15th March 1694, Sir Francis Grant, Lord
Cullen) : (2) at Holyrood House, 20th Sept.
1677, Sarah Lawson, who died Nov. 1693,
and was buried in Greyfriars.—[Edin.
Counc. Reg. ; Inq. Ret. Gen., 6535 ; G. R.
Homings, 18th Nov. 1685.]
JOHN HAMILTON, M.A.; trans, from
1681 Smith Leith ; pres. by the Town
Council 23rd Nov. 1681; dem. in
1686, on appointment as Bishop of Dunkeld
(q.v.).—[Edin. Counc. Reg.]
WILLIAM GARDYNE, a native of
Forfarshire, passed trials before the
Presb. of Arbroath, and was recom-
mended for license to the Bishop 23rd July
1664; ord. to Second Charge 22nd Oct.
1668; elected by the Town Council 24th
Sept. 1686, and adm. soon after ; D.D. (St
Andrews, 6th Nov. 1686). Deprived 17th
Sept. 1689, for refusing to read the Pro-
clamation, etc. Died 2nd Feb. 1708. He
marr. 25th Aug. 1671, Barbara Guthrie, and
had issue—Harry, bapt. 19th June 1672,
died 14th May 1673; David, bapt. 27th
June 1675 ; Janet, bapt. 14th Jan. 1677
;
Margaret, bapt. 20th June 1678 ; William,