Rev.Lewis Sutherland A.A.F 602 bomber squadron

[Fransmoi]

My father Errington Ross,Castle Heather,Inverness was involved with 602 City of Glasgow Auxilliary Air Force before the war.
Their padre Rev. Lewis Sutherland officiated at his marriage in St Giles, Edinburgh in 1934.
Alas I do not have any BMD dates for him.
I was born in 1942 and sometime thereafter was baptised by the same minister at Redcastle on the Black Isle ,possibly at Killearnan Church. Was he locum there ?
How can I find out more about this gentleman? I seem to remember he had been  padre to the royal family in Scotland but my memory is much faded from overuse !
Frances In Inverness

[MonicaL]

Hi Frances

A bit of guesswork here from me  One possibility for Rev. Lewis Sutherland that comes up from general searches:

See here www.rootschat.com/links/0beh/  (I've shrunk the link). This is to do with visiting Scottish ministers who visited the Scots Presbyterian Church in Sydney. Mention there to the Rev. Lewis A Sutherland, piper and singer.... See 'The New Church : 1930 - 1998'.

There are also a couple of incoming UK passenger references to a Lewis A Sutherland. Contact address in the St James Manse in Paisley. He shows as aged 42 and a Minister of Religion and departed from    Botwood, Newfoundland, Canada. This entry shows in 1932, so possible birth year of 1890.

A further passenger manifest from 1935 shows a Lewis Albert Sutherland (same details as above), aged 45, departing from Brisbane, Australia. I thought this might connect with the above link in Australia and his return back to the UK - dates would fit well. Additonal passenger with him (same UK address given) is a Jean Hutchison Sutherland, aged 43 - possible wife?

A check of marriages on www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk could let you confirm further his details hopefully 

Monica

Added: From another link, the reference to 'piper and singer' seems to be:

Lewis A. Sutherland, of St. J'ames;,. Paisley, who has adopted the novel plan of wearing Highland costume and playing the bagpipes to attract worshippers to....www.fpchurch.org.uk/Magazines/fpm/.../FPM%20-%20May%201935.pdf (I can't get the pdf to open for some reason, but enough on the intro to connect to the other references we have so far)

[MonicaL]

One glitch potentially here...

Their padre Rev. Lewis Sutherland officiated at his marriage in St Giles, Edinburgh in 1934.

From the Australian link, Rev Lewis Sutherland was visiting there between Oct. 1934 - April 1935. What was the date of your parents' marriage in 1934?

Monica

[Fransmoi]

Yes ,I did see this list of Sydney ministers but discounted it since the marriage was on 7 April 1934. Who knows perhaps there was an eror on the date in Sydney so will follow the other leads and let you know.
This is just the best site going.
Cheers,
Fransmoi.

[MonicaL]

Hi Frances

Rev. Lewis Sutherland did not start his six months stay in Australia until October 1934. So, if your parents married some months earlier, in April 1934, this could be him. He sounds an interesting character  Lots of google hits from the Australian newspaper site during his stay there.

I can see references to Padre Lewis Sutherland and the AAF 602 bomber squadron,  but would be good to find a possible middle name/initial for him to be more certain.

Monica

[MonicaL]

Found a Scotsman newspaper reference from 7 September 1936 for a marriage in Strathblane of an RAF man, Flight-Lieutenant Anthony D Selway and attended by certain notables. The wedding was officiated by a number of Revs. including Squadron Leader Rev. Lewis A Sutherland.....

[MonicaL]

A better reference, again from the Scotsman 'Holyrood House Levee' from May 25, 1938:

....and the following officers from the Auxiliary Air Force.....Rev Lewis A Sutherland.....

[Fransmoi]

This all sounds absolutely positive,Monica. Dad himself was larger than life so they could well have been pals. I had misread your last Sidney dates - sorry!
I have found Lewis Albert Sutherland b.5 Sep 1889 at the Free Church Manse,Rothesay on the Isle of Bute. His dad was Andrew Neil Sutherland - Free Church minister who married a Christina Purves on 27 March 1883 at Maxweltown and that is as far as I can go without Free Church records .Fasti perhaps.
Thanks again,
Fransmoi.

[MonicaL]

I wonder if this relates to Lewis' father www.universitystory.gla.ac.uk/biography/?id=WH16889&type=P - particularly with the reference to Rothesay.

Added: Potentially, one generation back www.universitystory.gla.ac.uk/biography/?id=WH16888&type=P