CHALMER's OF FYVIE, ABERDEENSHIRE, SCOTLAND
AND THE KIRK SESSION

The Kirk Session, essentially a church court, consisted of the Minister (moderator or chairman), elders of the congregation and a Session Clerk (Officer) who recorded minutes and attended to its general administration. Its role was (and is) largely to look after the general well being of the congregation and especially in times gone, parochial discipline. Often found in Session records that have survived are the details of persons who had fallen foul of the church, as well as proclamations, poor accounts (before 1845) and communion rolls. Discipline was seen as essential to a Godly society and the Kirk Session was the instrument. About 60 per cent of all cases brought before the Session concerned sex, the majority of those being fornication and adultery. Errant fathers had to be made to recognise their illegitimate children; adultery was "punished" and promiscuity revealed. Generally the Kirk's oversight of peoples' everyday lives was accepted.

Most surviving records are now in the Scottish Record Office, Edinburgh and it is worthwhile checking to see if those for one's parish of interest have survived.

This is how the Kirk Session dealt with John CHALMERS of Fyvie, Aberdeenshire, my great great grandfather after his "liaison" with a servant. It had a remarkable outcome.

THE RECORD
(PARISH OF FYVIE KIRK SESSION RECORDS)

31 October 1840

"Anne TAYLOR, late servant at the Mill of Ardlogie confessing herself with child in adultery and being seriously dealt with to speak the truth as in God's sight, she accused John Chalmers, dyer, in the Mill of Ardlogie, her late master, a married man as the father of her child. She was rebuked solemnly for her sin, laid under censure, exhorted to repentance and cited to attend the next monthly meeting of Session here. The officer was directed to cite the said John Chalmers to attend the same diet."

28 November 1840

"Compeared John Chalmers cited to this diet to answer a charge of adultery brought against him by Ann Taylor at the last monthly meeting of Session. He confessed his guilt and gave token of deep contrition. He was solemnly dealt with, laid under censure, exhorted to repentance and informed that previously to his again being received into communion he would have to appear before the Presbytery of Turriff and to converse repeatedly with the Minister in private."

26 December 1840

"Ann Taylor, adulteress compeared. She professed repentance and humiliation for her sin, was duly and seriously exhorted but it was the opinion of the Kirk Session that in order to keep the discipline of the church and to warn others, she ought not be received into communion until she submitted to further discipline. John Chalmers, the other party in this case, also appeared, exhibited deep contrition and was again exhorted and continued under censure."

27 March 1841

"The Minister stated that within the course of last week John Chalmers under censure for adultery had waited upon him as he had done also on another occasion and both times had exhibited a deep and proper sense of his situation and spoken of it with great humility, that he had had solemn dealing and exhortation with him and directed him to appear before the Presbytery on Wednesday first. Ann Taylor, the other party in this case having compeared was again solemnly dealt with and directed to attend the same diet of the Presbytery."

18 April 1841

"Compeared John Chalmers under censure for adultery since November 28th last and having appeared before the Presbytery of Turiff and having shown satisfactory penitence was duly exhorted as to his future life by the Minister and thereafter absolved from the scandal and restored to communion."

NOTE:

1.    "Compeared" - Scottish "appeared before"
2.    Fyvie Parish was in the Presbytery of Turriff

THE OUTCOME

This child was christened and named Jonathan on 28 November 1840 at Fyvie. His father: John Chalmers, mother: Ann Taylor. At the 1841 and 1851 census Jonathan is listed as "son" in relation to the head of household, John Chalmers, Mill of Ardlogie, so he was obviously brought up by John and his wife. Ann Taylor was not in their household at those census dates and her fate has not been researched.

Jonathan died unmarried in 1868 at the Mill of Ardlogie of tuberculosis and his death registration confirms his mother's name as Ann Taylor. He had worked as a commerical traveller.

BRIEF NOTE - CHALMERS FAMILY OF FYVIE

John CHALMERS was born at Strichen in Aberdeenshire, 1806 and married 1833 Mary CASTEL. He was a son of James CHALMERS, farmer of Auchinery in Strichen and Rebecca (MURRAY). Between 1833 and 1838 John and Mary were living in Monquitter and had the following children born there:

Margaret 1833, married William STRACHAN, shoemaker of Aberdeen.

Mary 1835, married John FORBES, farm overseer of Methick.

Christian 1837, married Alex HUTCHEON of Fyvie

John and Mary moved into Fyvie before 1839 and the following children were born there.

Ann Tocher 1839, married James Scott REID, music teacher of Fyvie.

John 1841, died young.

ISABELLA 1843 emigrated to New Zealand 1866 and married Peter INNES. The Chalmers and Innes families have been fully researched. E-mail for further details if you have a connection.

Jane 1845, married George ANGUS, farmer of Fyvie.

John 1848, music seller and piano turner, Aberdeen who married Annie ROSS.

Hannah 1855, married James SIMPSON, druggist of Aberdeen.

Janet Ogston 1860, married Alexander ALLAN, shoemaker of Glenbervie.

This was the Chalmers' residence. It was a wool dyeing mill, "Waulkmill of Ardlogie", known locally as "dyesters". The mill is now demolished but the two-storeyed stone house still stands. The small farm attached was 15 acres, but later increased to 29 acres.