1900 onwards

Early 20th Century

In August 1914 the First World War began. In that year the Rev’d William Barclay was appointed as parish minister and during the war also acted as a chaplain to the forces. In 1926 he left and was followed by the Rev’d J E Mothersill.

During this period several notable events took place:

• In 1929 the Parish Church became known as St Cuthbert’s Parish Church of Scotland.
• A new Communion Table was dedicated, bearing the names of Kirkcudbright men who had lost their lives in the two World Wars.
• The church organ was reconstructed, and various other changes included the introduction of the Weekly Freewill Offering scheme and the replacement of the Common Cup at Communion with individual glasses.
• In April 1964 one of the colours of the 5th Territorial Battalion, King’s Own Scottinsh Borderers was laid up in the church.

1964 to 1983 – Post-War Developments

The Rev’d Adam Jack was inducted in October 1964. Under his ministry St Cuthbert’s continued with the stability experienced under Mr Mothersill.

• In January 1965 the Church newsletter began and continues to this day.
• In the summer of 1965 the Church was honoured by visits from Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. On the first occasion, in June, the Queen was indisposed and the Duke of Edinburgh unveiled a plaque. In August Her Majesty and the Duke made a return visit and an amending vellum celebrating this event can be seen beneath the plaque in the main vestibule. The clock in the tower was installed to commemorate these royal visits.
• In March 1967 the Wednesday Club, for Senior Citizens of the town, was founded.
• In 1970 the Church featured in two programmes on BBC Radio: the Sunday Evening Service and Sunday Half-Hour, a programme of hymn-singing.

In 1975 Mr Jack was succeeded by the Rev’d William Allan, under whose guidance there was a period of consolidation and little significant change.
Mr Allan resigned in 1978 and there was a delay in appointing a new minister, largely because of the timing of Presbytery meetings, and the vacancy lasted from May 1978 until June 1980, when the Rev’d Stewart Wilson became minister.

Among many innovations introduced after Mr Wilson’s arrival was the ordination of the first female Elders in St Cuthbert’s. As early as 1944 the Presbytery had mooted the suggestion that there might be women Elders but this was rejected by the congregation of the time by a mere five votes. So it was not until 1981 that the first women Elders were ordained in St Cuthbert’s (although our sister church of St Mary’s had women serving as Elders for some time before this). The original seven, ordained on 11 January 1981, were soon accepted and their numbers have increased steadily.

1983 to 1989 – Re-Union & Renovation

• In 1983 St Cuthbert’s and St Mary’s churches re-merged, initially as St Cuthbert’s and St Mary’s Church of Scotland, using the St Cuthbert’s building.
• However, by common consent and decree of the Kirk Session the Church soon reverted to its old name of Kirkcudbright Parish Church, by which it is still known to this day.
• Another important change took place at the Union – the church became a “quoad sacra” parish instead of a “quoad omnia” parish. This meant that financial and architectural matters passed from the hands of the Kirk Session to the Congregational Board, which comprised an equal number of members of Session and of the congregation. The Session continued to have the general oversight of the spiritual and pastoral affairs of the Church.
• From 1986 to 1989 a three year renovation programme was carried out, and the church was rededicated at a special service on Sunday 19 March 1989, which included a “Welcome to the Lord in symbols of Bread and Wine”. The total cost of this project over the three years was £112,000. Fund raising was a “Real Town Effort” as well as for the Congregation.