Concerning the Reverend Alexander Bryson (1837 - 1900), Minister at Alloa and Tullibody
Click on the small pictures to view the larger version

At Tullibody - After the Free Church Congregation moved to their new church, the Auld Kirk was abandoned until Mr. Murray, assisted by Mr. Kelly started to hold services there. In March 1879, Mr. Bryson took over there. Mr Bryson was born in Dunbartonshire, Scotland in 1837. He came from St. Michaels, Dumfries. He was ordained in the Middle Church Paisley Paisley (near Glasgow) on 17th April 1862. Rev. Bryson became Minister at Alloa (St. Mungo's) on 15th September 1870. The Church of Scotland Minister at Alloa (St. Mungo's) was also the Minister at Tullibody. His assistant, usually a probationary minister, normally took the services at Tullibody. St. Mungos Parish Church in Alloa was built 1817-19. See also - The Book of the Bazaar on this site

St. Mungo's Church, Alloa	St. Mungo's Church, Alloa	Tullibody Auld Kirk -Before 1917-

Information from Christian Bryson who lives in Lima, Peru (2002) - I am Christian Bryson, I live in Lima, Peru. I know that Alexander Bryson is my great-great grandfather, because my father received in 1990, a letter from New Zealand that have send for Bryson Thomas Mirfin and he enclosed a letter of the 17 November 1886 from The Manse, Alloa.This letter has been send to William Carven Mirfin from Alexander Bryson. In this letter Alexander Bryson has written about his life. He said that he is a priest in Alloa and he has three children: Blanche, Rollo and Frances, and then he said that Rollo is working in Peru in a Mine with his uncles, John and Robert (brothers of Alexander Bryson). At the last, he signed the letter dismissing of William Carven Mirfin like a cousin and this person was a grandfather of the Bryson Thomas Mirfin who sent the letter to my father. My father told me that Rollo got married with Angelina Bueza and they had a son who called Rollo too, who got married with Clemencia Hidalgo who are my grand parents.

Information from Ian W G Sutherland who lives in Aberdeen (February 2006) -
Alexander Bryson was my great great grandfather. His daughter Francis Harriet Bryson married my great grandfather Rev Innes Grant Sutherland in 1888. He appears to have been assistant minister to Rev Bryson. Both my late grandfather (Rev Rollo Russell Grant Sutherland)and father (Rev Douglas Grant Sutherland) were also Church of Scotland ministers. His wife Julia Alexandra Stuart Scott was born on 1st Feb, 1840 in St Pancras, London. (I have her birth cert) and she married Alex Bryson in London on 18.6.1862. She died in London in 1918. Francis Harriet Bryson married my great grandfather Innes Grant Sutherland who had been assistant minister at Alloa on 26.9.1888 at Alloa and she died in London aged 92 in 1961. Innes was minister in Beith in Ayrshire. Their only child Rollo Russell Grant Sutherland (my grandfather) was born in 1890 in Beith and was a minister in Ballantrae, Kilmarnock and London. He died in 1974. I don't know what happened to Francis Harriet's sister Blanche at all. She was actually Mary Agnes Blanche and born 20.3.1864.

From the librarian at Alloa - Mr. Bryson was born in Dunbarton, Scotland in 1837. His wife was Julia Alexandra Stewart (or Stuart) Scott - she came from Dover in England. In the census of 1881 Rollo was 13 years old. Francis and Blanche were girls. In 1881 Francis was 12 years old and it would appear that at that date Blanche had not been born as she is not mentioned. From the 1881 UK Census - Living at the Manse (the minister's house) - Alloa, Clackmannan, Scotland - Alexander Bryson - age 41 - Minister of Alloa & Tullibody Parish - Birthplace - Cannisburn, Stirling, Scotland. Julie Bryson - his wife - age 41 - Birthplace - Dover, England. Rollo R.S. Bryson - son - age 13 - birthplace - Paisley, Renfrew, Scotland. Francess Bryson - daughter - age 12 - birthplace - Dumfries, Scotland. Also a servant - General service domestic - Elizabeth Jack age 25 .

Authors research - ROLLO ROBERT SCOTT BRYSON - his birth is recorded at the High Church, Paisley, Renfrew, Scotland as 30 AUG 1867
FRANCES HARRIETT BRYSON - her birth is recorded as being on 24 MAR 1869 at Dumfries, Scotland.

In 1900, Mr Bryson was spending a short holiday at Toward on the Clyde- during a spell of hot weather - a heat wave - he took a stroke - about two days later he died. - The Parish Church bell was tolled to announce the bad news.

Rev. Bryson is buried in Sunnyside Cemetery, Alloa. Rollo, his son, also appears to be buried there The original inscription on the stone was - 'Erected by his widow and daughters in loving memory of the Reverend Alexander Bryson, for thirty years minister of Alloa and Tullibody. Born 25th February 1837; ordained 17th April 1862, died 23rd August 1900 - Also of Rollo Robert Scott, only and dearly beloved son and brother, who died at Peru, 2nd April, 1900, age 33 years.' The stone is 12 feet (3 metres) in height by 4 feet (1.5 metres) square at the base.

The Stone and inscription - (October 2002)
Royal Oak Hotel	West Church Alloa (1864)

Mention is made in newspaper cuttings about the Rev. Bryson's funeral of the Royal Oak Hotel, Alloa. The Royal Oak Hotel is just along the road from the West Church, which is across the road from St. Mungo's Parish Church. Pictures of gravestone, Royal Oak, West Church and St. Mungo's Church, Alloa, all taken in October 2002