Kilbride, Buteshire, Scotland Genealogy

Kilbride, Bute, Scotland (#553)

History
This parish is situated in the mouth of the River Clyde and forms the smaller of two very extensive parishes, which divide between them the magnificent and strikingly picturesque Island of Arran. The small Island of Lamlash, or the Holy Isle as it is sometimes called, also belongs to it. The name of the parish is a compound formed by Kill, the Gaelic name for a burying-place, and Bride or Bridget, a once popular female saint whose name still lives in the names of so many parishes and other places. The etymology of the name of the island itself is disputed. Some derive it from the two Gaelic words Arr and Inn, the High Island; and others from Arr Fhinn, the slaughter or field of Fingal, conceiving it to have received its name from a battle said to have been fought at the north end of the island by Fingal against a son of the King of Norway, whose forces he totally exterminated. Kilbride occupies the whole of the east side of the Isle except a couple of miles at its south end. It varies in length from 20 to 22 miles and in breadth from 2 to 4 miles, and it contains about 42,000 imperial acres. The most prominent feature in the general aspect of the parish is its alpine character. This parish is pre-eminently "a land of fountains and rivers of waters." There are limestone and rock-crystal quarries in the parish.

Established Church—Old Parochial Registers
Years Covered     FHL Film Number  Births:        1723–1854           1041083 items 3-4 Marriages: 1723–1854            1041083 items 3-4 Deaths:      No entries

Condition of Original Registers—
Births: There are no birth entries for October 1728–January 1732. Mothers' names are not recorded until January 1797. Marriages: There are no marriage entries for February 1732–August 1734. The record is imperfect for 1790–1794, inclusive. There are no entries, except two, for December 1803–February 1807. Deaths: No register of deaths appears to have ever been kept in the parish. Source: Key to the Parochial Registers of Scotland, by V. Ben Bloxham, pub. 1970. British Book 941 K23b.

Established Church—Kirk Session Records
Accounts 1830–1861 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/1043.

Kilbride Free Church
History— The Kilbride Free Church was formed in 1843 at Brodick; Lamlash, Whiting Bay, and Corrie being included in its district. Church and manse were built. After the first minister's death, eight years elapsed before a successor could be found to accept a call. A new church was built in 1852. In 1874 and again in 1885, some members were disjoined to form other churches. Membership: 1848, 191; 1900, 119. Source: Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843–1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., 2 vols. pub. 1914. Film #918572. More details are given in the source.

Records— The extent of records is unknown.

[Return to parish list.]