David Bruce

David Bruce DD (20 June 1824 – 15 December 1911) was a Scots-born Free Church of Scotland Presbyterian minister who helped to establish the church in Auckland, New Zealand. Bruce held many high ranking positions in the church in New Zealand before later moving to New South Wales and serving in a Sydney Parish.

Life

He was born in Cramond, near Edinburgh on 20 June 1824 to David Bruce, a carpenter and farmer, and his wife, Margaret Robertson. The family moved to Aberdalgie in Perthshire soon afterwards. He was educated at Davidson's Classical Academy in Perth, then studied at Edinburgh University graduating MA in 1847 then studying theology at New College, Edinburgh.

Bruce was a supporter of the union of the Presbyterian church.

In Auckland on 18 October 1859 Bruce married Mary Alexander Sinclair, daughter of John Sinclair, of Glasgow, and niece of Andrew Sinclair, second Colonial Secretary of New Zealand. She died in Scotland in 1870. They had three sons and four daughters. Their eldest daughter, Agnes ("Essie") married the physician and writer Sir H. E. B. Bruce-Porter; third daughter, Jessie Sinclair Bruce, married the politician, social reformer and medical practitioner Richard Arthur. The youngest daughter, Mary Alexander Sinclair Bruce (d. 1954), married Frederick Smythe Willis, J.P., sometime mayor of Willoughby, New South Wales and a founder member (and first hon. treasurer) of the Corporation of Accountants of Australia.