Lauchlan Watt

Lauchlan MacLean Watt FRSE (24 October 1867 – 11 September 1957) was the minister of Glasgow Cathedral from 1923–34, and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1933. He was a published poet and author, and a literary critic.

Life

Maclean Watt was born on 24 October 1867 at Grantown-on-Spey, Morayshire, the only son of Margaret Gillanders MacLean from Skye, and her husband Andrew MacLean Watt.

He studied for a general degree at University of Edinburgh graduating with an MA in 1894. He then went on to study divinity, graduating with a BD in 1897.

He was ordained as minister of Turriff in 1897. In 1901 he was translated to the joint parishes of Alloa and Tullibody. In 1911 he moved to the prestigious St Stephen's Church, Edinburgh. Soon after arrival he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His proposers were Rev Thomas Burns, Norman Macleod, George Chrystal and Arthur Pillans Laurie.

In 1907 he accompanied the King of Denmark to Iceland as a correspondent for The Times, The Scotsman and The Manchester Guardian. During the World War I he was a chaplain with the Gordon Highlanders in the 7th Division. He was sent by the Government as Commissioner to the US and Canada in 1918 to clarify UK war aims.

I Bind My Heart this Tide (hymn - 1907) The Tryst: A Book of the Soul (1907) Scottish Life and Poetry (1912) In the Land of War (1915) The Soldier's Friend (1916) The Heart of a Soldier (1918) The Gordon Highlanders (1918) While the Candle Burns (1933) Scottish Ballads and Ballad Writing The Cameron Highlanders The Hills of Home (this appears to be the basis of the song "A Scottish Soldier") The Book of the Beloved The Advocate's Wig Edragil 1745 By Still Waters Thomas Carlyle The Preacher's Life and Work Douglas's Aeneid

Family

In June 1897 he married Jenny (or Jeannie) Hall Reid. They had one son, Hector MacLean Watt (b.1900).