PARENTS OF DR. JOHN PHILIP PLAQUE

KIRKCALDY CIVIC SOCIETY

Location:

Old Parish Kirk graveyard

Kirk Wynd

Unveiled:

October 1999

Photographs by Don Swanson

and Anne McIntyre

At 10.30 am on Saturday 9th October 1999 a plaque dedicated to the parents of Dr John Philip was unveiled in the Old Parish Church graveyard, Kirk Wynd.

Mrs Watters told us about the Rev. John Philip and then Dr. William McNaughton Minister of the West End Congregational Church unveiled the plaque and gave a speech.

After a blessing by the Rev. Jim Reid Interim Moderator of the Old Parish Church and a vote of thanks by Mr. Albert Somerville the ceremony was over.

John Philp was born in Kirkcaldy on April 14th 1775.

John’s schooling came to an end when he was eleven years old, he was then apprenticed to his fathers trade, weaving. Even though he had left school he still continued to read and attended evening classes at one of the newly opened 'Academies'.

At the age of fifteen he was offered a job by his distant cousin Robert Philp but refused as he believed that Robert was involved in some way with the slave trade and this was abhorrent to John.

In 1794 he was offered a job in Dundee and it was during his time there that he and his brother changed their surname to Philip.

At the age of 24 John applied for a place at College in London and so began his three year training for the Ministry.

In 1818 John and his wife sailed for South Africa. He became the Minister for the Congregational Union Church in Cape Town. He took many long and arduous journeys into the interior of the country to visit the Mission Stations. Philip championed the cause of the Hottentots, Khoi and Xhosa peoples and the Boers regarded him as a dangerous element who could ignite an uprising at any time.

John was determined to see slavery abolished in all British Colonies and had allies at Westminster in William Wilberforce and Fowell Buxton.

The famous explorer David Livingstone stayed at the Philip house in Cape Town in 1841.

In 1851 Dr. John Philip died in Hankey, South Africa.

Dr. John Philips grave at Hankey

More information can be found in the KCS book FAMOUS FOLK VOLUME  1

Kirkcaldy Civic Society

This stone was erected by Rev. John Phil(i)p,

Missionary in South Africa,

In memory of his parents.

His father James died 1808 aged 58

His mother Elizabeth Marshall

died 1822 aged 70

Dr John Philp is listed as one of the six

“Sons of Kirkcaldy”

As can be seen, the gravestone is in poor condition. The stone is flaking and only a small amount of text is readable.

Dr. John Philip

Text on plaque...