Peter Hay Hunter

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Elie Parish Church

Peter Hay Hunter (1854–1909) was a minister of the Church of Scotland and a prolific author.

Life[]

St Andrew's Church in Edinburgh
13 Regent Terrace, Edinburgh, home of Rev Hunter

He was born in Edinburgh on 10 September 1854 the son of James Hunter a paper merchant and his wife Ann Hay. Peter had a comprehensive university education including University of Edinburgh, Leipzig University in Germany and the Sorbonne University in Paris, France. He graduated MA from Edinburgh in 1877. He was licensed by the Presbytery of Edinburgh in 1881.[1]

His first role was as assistant at Elgin Parish Church. He was ordained as minister of Elie Parish Church on the Fife coast in April 1883, translating to Yester Parish Church in East Lothian in August 1886. This was almost certainly with the patronage of the Marquess of Tweeddale for whom he acted in the official capacity as Chaplain to the Lord High Commissioner for the periods 1890 to 1892 and 1896 to 1897. [1]

In February 1896 he moved to the prestigious St Andrews Church in Edinburgh's New Town. He was then living at 13 Regent Terrace on Calton Hill in east Edinburgh.[2] Edinburgh University gave him an honorary Doctor of Divinity (DD) in 1902.[1]

He lived his final years at 35 Great King Street a magnificent Georgian house in Edinburgh's Second New Town.[2]

Hunter died in Edinburgh on Boxing Day 26 December 1909. His position at St Andrews Church was filled by Rev George Christie.[1]

Family[]

In September 1886 he married Helen Dawson, daughter of James Dawson of Dalkeith.[1]

Publications[]

Hunter wrote a curious mix of both religious subject matter and crime novels. Several of his books remain in print. As an author of crime he usually wrote as P. Hay Hunter.[3]

  • The Story of Daniel (1883)
  • My Ducats and my Daughter (1884)
  • The Crime of Christmas Day (1885)
  • After the Exile: 100 Years of Jewish History and Literature (1889)
  • Sons of the Croft (1893)[4]
  • James Inwick: Ploughman and Elder (1894)
  • The Silver Bullet (1894)
  • John Armiger's Revenge (1897)
  • Bible and Sword (1904)

Hunter had two periods of writing serials for "Life and Work": Gruppy Davy in 1895 and The Tacksman of Uavaig in 1903.

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e Fasti Ecclesiastae Scoticana by Hew Scott
  2. ^ a b Edinburgh Post Office Directory 1897
  3. ^ https://www.waterstones.com/author/peter-hay-hunter/1546569
  4. ^ "Review of Sons of the Croft by P. Hay Hunter". The Athenaeum (3437): 353. September 9, 1893.
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