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Bannerman, William
Full NameBANNERMAN, Rev William, D.D. (Edin)
Date of Birth8 September 1822
Date of Death24 December 1903
Biography
On finishing his theological study in Edinburgh, he was licensed by the Presbytery of Edinburgh and was appointed to organize a congregation at Crathie, then he spent some time at Echt and supplied at Perth, all in Aberdeenshire.
He was ordained by the Presbytery of Perth on 22 September 1853; then to Liverpool as private tutor.
Appointed by the Colonial Committee to go to New Zealand on 9 August 1854. His passage was free with an additional clothing allowance of £50 and a book allowance of £15 being provided by the Committee. On the voyage to NZ on the “Stately” he found he had a fellow-passenger, Rev William Will, who was also going as a minister to NZ; they arrived at Dunedin on 8 February 1854 On the following Sunday both Rev Bannerman and Rev Will preached at the morning service in First Church for Rev Burns; then Revs Burns, Bannerman and Will went together to East Taieri in the afternoon and inducted Rev Will as Minister there; the three then went on to Waihola and inducted Bannerman as Minister there in the evening of the same day.
Rev Bannerman’s parish extended south as far as he chose to go (to Bluff if he wished), taking in the Clutha, Mataura, and Southland Presbyteries. These three Ministers arranged to have elders appointed and form a Presbytery, the first Presbytery in Otago and Southland meeting for the first time on 27 June 1854.
“He died suddenly on the morning of the 24th of December [1902], and on the 27th of December his remains were laid to rest in the Southern Cemetery, in the presence of a large number of ministers and office-bearers of the Church and of friends from far and near. The service at the grave was conducted by the Rev. RRM Sutherland (with whose congregation Dr Bannerman and his family were connected) and the Rev. AM Finlayson.” Outlook 10 January 1903
“The funeral of the late Rev. Dr William Bannerman took place on Saturday afternoon, and was very largely attended, old identities being present in force to show a last mark of respect to the memory of the veteran minister. The service at the late residence of deceased, in Roslyn, was conducted by the Rev. R. R. M. Sutherland, who also at the graveside, in the Southern Cemetery, read a portion of Scripture, whilst the Rev. A. M. Finlayson led the mourners in prayer. The ministers of the Clutha Presbytery were represented in the cortege by the Rev. P B. Fraser. whilst of the Dunedin Presbytery the following ministers were present: — Revs. W. Will, A. Cameron, J. Chisholm, Dr Nicolson, R. R. M. Sutherland, A. M. Finlayson. J. M'Kerrow, W. Scorgie, R. Mackie, Dr Watt, I. K. M'lntyre, A. Christie, and A. Greig. There was a considerable muster of Clutha residents, among whom were Mr J. W. Thomson, M.H.R., Mr M'Neil, brother-in-law of the deceased.” Otago Witness 31 December 1902
Date of Birth8 September 1822
Date of Death24 December 1903
Biography- born 8 September 1822 Kirkcaldy Scotland
- married Jane BURNS, born 23 January 1835, died 9 October 1923
- daughter of Rev Thomas Burns, First Church, Dunedin
- children Clementine BANNERMAN (JQ Begg) 1857, William BANNERMAN (A Fraser)1859-1942, Ann BANNERMAN (S Richards) 1860, Jane BANNERMAN (JA Somerville) 1863-1942, Thomas Burns BANNERMAN 1865, Agnes Gray BANNERMAN (JR Wilson) 1866.
- daughter of Rev Thomas Burns, First Church, Dunedin
- died 24 December 1902
On finishing his theological study in Edinburgh, he was licensed by the Presbytery of Edinburgh and was appointed to organize a congregation at Crathie, then he spent some time at Echt and supplied at Perth, all in Aberdeenshire.
He was ordained by the Presbytery of Perth on 22 September 1853; then to Liverpool as private tutor.
Appointed by the Colonial Committee to go to New Zealand on 9 August 1854. His passage was free with an additional clothing allowance of £50 and a book allowance of £15 being provided by the Committee. On the voyage to NZ on the “Stately” he found he had a fellow-passenger, Rev William Will, who was also going as a minister to NZ; they arrived at Dunedin on 8 February 1854 On the following Sunday both Rev Bannerman and Rev Will preached at the morning service in First Church for Rev Burns; then Revs Burns, Bannerman and Will went together to East Taieri in the afternoon and inducted Rev Will as Minister there; the three then went on to Waihola and inducted Bannerman as Minister there in the evening of the same day.
Rev Bannerman’s parish extended south as far as he chose to go (to Bluff if he wished), taking in the Clutha, Mataura, and Southland Presbyteries. These three Ministers arranged to have elders appointed and form a Presbytery, the first Presbytery in Otago and Southland meeting for the first time on 27 June 1854.
- Tokomairiro January 1854 (3rd charge in Otago, stretching from Waihola to Bluff), manse at Puerua; parish was divided in 1869, and Bannerman worked the north portion, Clutha; he resigned his charge in 1884 owing to a buggy accident.
“He died suddenly on the morning of the 24th of December [1902], and on the 27th of December his remains were laid to rest in the Southern Cemetery, in the presence of a large number of ministers and office-bearers of the Church and of friends from far and near. The service at the grave was conducted by the Rev. RRM Sutherland (with whose congregation Dr Bannerman and his family were connected) and the Rev. AM Finlayson.” Outlook 10 January 1903
“The funeral of the late Rev. Dr William Bannerman took place on Saturday afternoon, and was very largely attended, old identities being present in force to show a last mark of respect to the memory of the veteran minister. The service at the late residence of deceased, in Roslyn, was conducted by the Rev. R. R. M. Sutherland, who also at the graveside, in the Southern Cemetery, read a portion of Scripture, whilst the Rev. A. M. Finlayson led the mourners in prayer. The ministers of the Clutha Presbytery were represented in the cortege by the Rev. P B. Fraser. whilst of the Dunedin Presbytery the following ministers were present: — Revs. W. Will, A. Cameron, J. Chisholm, Dr Nicolson, R. R. M. Sutherland, A. M. Finlayson. J. M'Kerrow, W. Scorgie, R. Mackie, Dr Watt, I. K. M'lntyre, A. Christie, and A. Greig. There was a considerable muster of Clutha residents, among whom were Mr J. W. Thomson, M.H.R., Mr M'Neil, brother-in-law of the deceased.” Otago Witness 31 December 1902

MLS-1-NH-070
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Bannerman, William. Presbyterian Research Centre, accessed 09/06/2026, https://pcanzarchives.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/112612





