Robert C Johnstone

Robert Cuthbert Johnstone and his family were recorded at No. 2 in the census of 1881, when he was chaplain at Holy Trinity, Episcopal Church.¹ By February 1882 he was living at 37 St Bernard’s Crescent.²

He was born 20 December 1857, at Mintlaw, Aberdeenshire, son of Robert Johnstone and Sophia Wilson.³ In 1879 his occupation was teacher of English at Percy Street Academy, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.⁴ He attended Edinburgh Theological College and was ordained in 1880. In 1882 he became chaplain at St Paul’s in York Place, Edinburgh, and the following year translated to Drumlithie, Aberdeenshire where he remained until 1890. He was also chaplain at Drumtochty Castle. Between 1891 and 1895 he was rector at St Andrew’s, Glasgow.⁵ He emigrated to Canada in 1895 and worked for two years as editor of the The Nor’Wester in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He was rector at St Paul’s Middle Church, Manitoba between 1898 and 1903, and was a founder of the St Cuthbert’s Mission. He was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Manitoba in 1912. He was reference librarian at the Winnipeg Public Library from 1914 to 1924; lectured at St. John’s College from 1919 to 1927 and became vicar of St. Aidan’s Church in 1931. He died at Winnipeg on 22 August 1934.⁶

Robert C Johnstone was author of the Children’s Service Book (1878), and Why I became an Episcopalian (1894). As “Alan Gray” he published a number of books, including The White Rose of Darvel (an historical novel, 1916) and two volumes of memoirs, The Gentle Persuasion (1918) and Memories (1923).

He married Anne Cowper Farquhar by declaration at Aberdeen on 18 January 1879.⁷ She was born at Old Deer on 23 April 1853, daughter of William Farquhar, farmer at Brakeshill, and Isabella Smith.⁸ The 1881 census, when she was living at No. 2, described her as the wife of clergymen.⁹ She emigrated to Canada with her husband and died at Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada on 16 November 1917.¹⁰

The eldest son of Robert C. Johnstone and Annie Farquhar was recorded at No. 2 Malta Terrace in the 1881 census as ‘Boyes Johnstone.’¹¹ He was Robert William Johnstone and born on 17 April 1880.¹² He emigrated to Canada with his parents in 1895 and was recorded living with his widowed father in the 1921.¹³ He was an accountant and unmarried. He died at Winnipeg on 02 October 1950.¹⁴

1. Census records. Scotland. St George, Edinburgh. 03 April 1881. JOHNSTONE, Robert C. (Head). 685/1 117/ 09. Ancestry collection ‘1881 Scotland Census.’ https://ancestry.co.uk: accessed 25 February 2024.
2. Births (SR) Scotland. St George, Edinburgh. 01 March 1882. JOHNSTONE, Alfred Cuthbert. 685/1 338. https://scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 25 February 2024.
3. Births (SR) Scotland. Longside, Aberdeenshire. 03 September 1857. JOHNSTONE, Robert. 218/ 64. Ancestry collection ‘Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950.’ https://ancestry.co.uk: accessed 25 February 2024.
4. Marriages (SR) Scotland. St Nicholas, Aberdeen. 18 January 1879. FARQUHAR, Annie and JOHNSTONE, Robert Cuthbert. 168/ 01. https://scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 01 July 2014.
5. Bertie, David M. (2000) Scottish Episcopal Clergy 1689-2000. London: Bloomsbury Academic. p. 316.
6. Kramer, N. and Goldsborough, G. (1917) ‘Memorable Manitobans: Robert Cuthbert Johnstone (1857-1934)’. Manitoba Historical Society. http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/people/johnstone_rc.shtml: accessed 25 February 2024.
7. Marriages (SR) Scotland. Op. cit.
8. Baptisms (OPR) Scotland. Old Deer, Aberdeenshire. 23 April 1853. FARQUHAR, Anne. Ancestry collection ‘Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950.’ https://ancestry.co.uk: accessed 25 February 2024.
   
9. <Census records. Scotland. St George, Edinburgh. 03 April 1881. JOHNSTONE, Annie C. 685/1 117/ 09. Ancestry collection ‘1881 Scotland Census.’ https://ancestry.co.uk: accessed 25 February 2024.
10. Monumental inscriptions. Canada. Elmwood Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba. 16 November 1917. JOHNSTONE, Annie Cowper. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/122748138/annie_cowper-johnstone: accessed 25 February 2024.
11. Census records. Scotland. St George, Edinburgh. 03 April 1881. JOHNSTONE, Annie C. 685/1 117/ 09. Ancestry collection ‘1881 Scotland Census.’ https://ancestry.co.uk: accessed 25 February 2024.
12. Deaths (CR) Canada. Winnipeg, Manitoba. 02 October 1950. JOHNSTONE, Robert William. 005741. Manitoba Death Index 1871-1951. https://ancestry.co.uk: accessed 25 February 2024.
13. Census records. Canada. Winnipeg South, Manitoba. 01 June 1921. JOHNSTONE, Robert W. RG31/ 31/ 12. Ancestry collection ‘1921 Census of Canada.’ https://ancestry.co.uk: accessed 25 February 2024.
14. Deaths (CR) Canada. Winnipeg, Manitoba. 02 October 1950. JOHNSTONE, Robert William. 005741. Manitoba Death Index 1871-1951. https://ancestry.co.uk: accessed 25 February 2024.