18 Robert K. Thom

Dates of Rectorship: 1865 – 1874
Dates of Life: 1811 – 1874

Before –
From at least 1851: Priest at Drumlithie

Birth –
Full Name: Robert Kilgour Thom
Date: Probably 1811
Place: Peterhead
Father: Andrew Thom Jnr, Carpenter

Death –
Date: 24th January 1874
Place: Rosebank Cottage, 82 Cameron Street, Stonehaven

Additional Information –
Never married. Probably buried either at the old (now demolished) chapel in the High Street, or at Cowie Churchyard. There is some confusion about his birth, but 1811 seems to be the most likely year. Was also the Dean of the Diocese from 1861 until death.
In 1851, the Roman Catholic church began the process of setting up a parallel hierarchy of bishops in England, and there were fears it would spread to Scotland (it did). Although not under the jurisdiction of the Pope, a number of Church of England and Scottish Episcopalian bishops spoke against this. One of these bishops was Alexander Forbes of Brechin (also a former rector at Stonehaven), and Dean Thom wrote, alongside others, in support of Forbes. Though Forbes’ was notably not as harshly worded as some of his brother bishops.

Around the same time, the Roman Catholic church began formalising the doctrine of Papal Infallibility (prior to the mid 19th century it was generally accepted, but not dogma).
A few decades later, this would lead to the establishment of the Union of Utrecht (and later, other ‘Old Catholic’ denominations); a collection of Roman Catholic churches who would not accept the desicions of the First Vatican Council as dogma, and so broke with the Pope. This Union is still active today, and strongest in the Low Countries and Germany. Finding themselves in an odd position; being out of communion with the Pope, but still essentially Catholic, they were naturally drawn to friendship with Scandinavian Lutherans and English and Scots High Churchmen, all of whom were and are in a similar position. This natural pull was made stronger by the knowledge that English and Scots Anglicans had recently spoken against the establishment of a restorted Roman hierarchy.

In 1931, the Union of Utrecht formally entered full communion with the Anglican church. This continues today through the expanded “Porvoo Communion”, consisting of continental Old Catholic churches, the British Provinces of the Anglican Communion, and the National Scandinavian Lutheran churches. It may be said that by speaking out in 1851, Bishop Forbes and Dean Thom helped pave the way for this arrangement.