Ministers (and their families) immigrating to the Dunedin area of New Zealand in the mid 1800's

 By Scott Daily

Through the years many have moved from East Ayrshire to New Zealand, quite a large number of these settled in the Otago region, especially in what became the city of Dunedin. To quote directly from Tearra, the “Encyclopedia of New Zealand” website , “With clear rivers and brisk frosts reminiscent of home, Otago was where a group of Free Church Scots founded their ‘new Edinburgh’, Dunedin, in 1848. They had high moral values, and a belief in hard work and the value of education. Today, clans and tartans, Burns night celebrations, and tossing the caber, are part of a lasting legacy." 

Established in 1845, the Otago Association was founded by the Free Church of Scotland to set up a colony in New Zealand. By the 1850’s over 12,000 people immigrated from the United Kingdom to the area around Dunedin. Among these immigrants were several ministers who were born in East Ayrshire.

Perhaps the best known of these was Thomas Burns, nephew of Robert Burns. Thomas was born in 1796 in Mauchline. After graduating from University of Edinburgh, with a degree in theology, he was ordained as a minister to the parish of Ballantrae, later transferring to Monkton, both in South Ayrshire. In 1843, during the Disruption of Church of Scotland, Burns left the established church and joined the Free Church of Scotland. 

In 1847 he, and his family (his wife, 5 daughters and one son) set sail for New Zealand on board the Philip Laing one of the first ships chartered by the Otago Association. For a time Burns functioned as the only minister for the area, later when other Free Church ministers arrived a Presbytery of Otago was formed, with Burns elected the first Moderator. Burns passed away in 1871, and is buried in Dunedin, where there is also a monument to him for his service to the community.

grave of Thomas Burns in Dunedin

Besides members of the Free Church, many other religious Scots immigrated to the area. Thomas Burns recorded 1,000 Presbyterians, 250 Anglicans, 61 independent church members, and 11 Catholics, living in Dunedin in 1856. 

Of special relevance to this page about Cumnock immigration is David Johnstone who was born in Old Cumnock in 1822, and went on to become a pastor in Dunedin.  Johnstone (sometimes spelled Johnston) had first served in the 1850's as pastor of an Indepedent church or chapel on Great Hamilton Street, Glasgow. In 1866 his wife, Jessie, passed away. By 1869 Johnstone had moved with his chilren to New Zealand, as he is recorded as serving as the pastor of the Congregational church located at the corner of Vine Street and Moray Place in Dundedin. Johnstone only served at the Moray Place church for a year before he began to hold services in the Oddfellows’ Hall George Street, before having a new Congregational church built on Leith Street and becoming its first pastor. see-congregationhistory 

Johnstone is recorded in various New Zealand census and electoral rolls as serving as clergyman in Dunedin for many years, evetually dying in 1896 still in Dunedin. A number of his at least 6 children married New Zealanders and stayed in the area with families of their own.

David Johnstone

One final example of a minister orginally from East Ayrshire is the Rev. James Kirkland, who was born in Stewarton in 1832.  Though the region of Otago was intially extremely Presbyerian, the discovery of gold in the area in the 1860's resulted in a gold rush with so many moving to the area from places such as Australia that soon there was a shortage of Presbyterian ministers, and so a call went out for more ministers. James Kirkland was one of those who answered the call. He and his family (wife Mary, and 3 children) moved first to Inch Clutha in 1863, where James served as the minister until 1872. After serving for a few years in Hokitika, James would be called to serve at West Taieri near Dunedin. He would remain the minister there for over 20 years. At least 3 more children were born to family in New Zealand, the notice of his death (pictured below) states that he had 9 children, one of the sons would also become a minister in the area. James was honoured for his long service to the Synod of Otago and Southland. His gravestone, in Dunedin, states he served as a minister in New Zealand for 39 years. 

Rev James Kirkland's grave, Dunedin

Notice of Rev Kirkland's death