James Crombie

James Crombie D.D. (1730–1790) was the founder of Belfast Academy.

In 1748 he matriculated at the University of St Andrews, graduating A.M. in 1752. He studied for a short time at Edinburgh on leaving St Andrews.

Minister in Scotland Crombie was licensed by Strathbogie presbytery on 8 June 1757 at Rothiemay, where he acted as parish schoolmaster for some time. On 1 July 1760 he was presented to Lhanbryde, near Elgin, by the Earl of Moray, in whose family he had acted as tutor. Having been duly called, he was ordained at Lhanbryde on 11 September by Elgin presbytery. This modified earlier plans of William Campbell for a university in northern Ireland, and differing from William Crawford's Strabane college by dropping theology from the curriculum. A prospectus for the Belfast Academy, issued on 9 September 1785, had broad support in Belfast, and funds were subscribed.