Baptism tally bowls church over ahead of special service

Published on Saturday 21 February 2009 09:29

ROD STEWART certainly thought the church was good enough for the baptism of his child – and so have many thousands more across the Capital over the years.

But very few families can boast having at least 30 members baptised at South Leith Parish Church – all using the exact same bowl that was gifted to its session in 1647 in the aftermath of the plague.

Three generations of that Leith family – grandmother, mother and five grandchildren, including identical triplets – will all be part of a special service at the church tomorrow, celebrating all those who have been baptised there over the last century.

The event is part of many at the Kirkgate church this year, as part of its 400th anniversary.

Grandmother Mina Johnson, 68, who now lives in Silverknowes, said: "It's a great event, a real opportunity for everybody to know about our church."

The former employee of Duncan Bookbinders, in Murano Place, was baptised at South Leith in February 1941, as were her siblings and her parents.

She was one in a long line of relatives to have been welcomed into the church – many of whom are still alive today, including her 100-year-old aunt.

After marrying a Leither, she then had their daughter Caroline Guild, 46, baptised at the church in November 1962, and years later watched proudly as Caroline's daughters, Katherine, 17, and Elizabeth, 14, now pupils at the Royal High School, were also welcomed by the congregation at their special event.

But it was a first for current minister Ian Gilmour when it was the turn of Mina's triplet granddaughters, Christy, Flora and Mairi, aged nine, also Caroline's children, to be baptised.

Rev Gilmour said: "The Guild triplets are the only triplets I have ever baptised at the church. There have been twins but no triplets, before or after them.

"To be honest, I didn't know which one was which at the time. I had to be told their names as they were handed to me."

The Davidson's Mains primary pupils were "very well behaved" at their baptism, according to mother Caroline, who now lives in Silverknowes with her husband and her daughters.

Everyone to have been baptised at South Leith Parish Church since 1647 has used the same hammered silver baptismal bowl. It was donated by Leith's bailies, bought using the proceeds of a sale of belongings from all those Leithers who had died during the plague but had no heirs.

All those who were baptised at the church are welcome to attend the celebratory service tomorrow at 11am. Sadly, though invited, Rod Stewart and his family have not confirmed their attendance.

Euro note got spent too soon

IT was probably one of the most exciting baptisms to take place at South Leith Parish Church – that of Rod Stewart's son Alastair in June 2006.

And the event sparked a friendship between Reverend Ian Gilmour and the Stewarts.

But Rev Gilmour has told how he narrowly missed out on exclusive tickets to see the legendary rocker in concert at Hampden Park.

It was when Rev Gilmour was on the Italian riviera with Rod Stewart and Penny Lancaster to officiate at their wedding, that the incident occurred.

He said: "I said I had never seen him perform and he said he'd make sure I got tickets for the concert in Glasgow.

"I wrote the contact details on a 10 euro note. But when I went back to the hotel at night, I realised I had spent it!"