Roger Aitken

Rev. Roger Aitken (d. 1825), missionary at Lunenburg for Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts (1817-1825), Old Burying Ground (Halifax, Nova Scotia)

Rev. Roger Aitken (1748, Dumfries, Scotland - 21 November 1825, Halifax, Nova Scotia) was a missionary at Lunenburg, Nova Scotia for Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts (1817-1825). He was the rector at St. John's Anglican Church (Lunenburg) and was instrumental in establishing the Rectory and St. Peter's Anglican Church, New Dublin.

Rev. Aitken was ordained in Scotland by Bishop Robert Kilgour in 1777[1] and was the minister at St John's, Aberdeen, 1782-1814.[2] When Rev. Aitken first arrived in the American continent, he was assigned garrison chaplain to the 1,000 troops at Moose Island for two years (1814-1816).[3] He then went to Halifax and was posted to Lunenburg on 22 June 1817. Aitken was active in supporting the local school and social services to families.[4] He also worked to establish a local farmer’s market, similar to one’s in Halifax and Liverpool.[5] He was instrumental in establishing the St. Peter's Anglican Church, New Dublin (est. 1818), presenting it with a silver chalice (c.1663) and paten (c.1766) from Aberdeen, both of which are currently in the King’s College Chapel, Halifax. (The chalice is reported to be the oldest Anglican Chalice in Canada.)[6][7]

St. John's Anglican Rectory, 58 Townsend Street, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia[8]

When Aitken first arrived in Lunenburg, there was no rectory in the village. This situation persisted for most of the eight years he was stationed at Lunenburg. The delays in erecting a residence for the missionary created deep divisions in the community. One historian reported that this period was “the most tumultuous eight years in the history of the congregation.”[9] At one point, some residence of Lunenburg wrote a 14 page petition to the SPG asking from Aitkins to be removed. Aitken responded with at 59 page document, which one historian indicated “is an exceptional and important document in terms of the religious history of the community”.[10] During this period, Aitkins drew strong opposition from prominent citizens John Creighton Jr. and Francis Joseph Rudolf. While he was waiting for his residence to be completed, he established a farm on the other side of the La Have River.

Rev. Roger Aitkin gave this chalice and paten to the St. Peter's Anglican Church (West LaHave, Nova Scotia)(1818), King's University Archives

Aitkins was eventually vindicated and a rectory was established, a building that still stands at 58 Townsend Street. Shortly after the rectory was built, he planned to go to England. En route to England, he died in Halifax and was buried in the Old Burying Ground (Halifax, Nova Scotia).

References

  1. ↑ The Communion Silver in the Chapel of Kings College, Halifax, NS. Public Archives of Nova Scotia
  2. ↑ Bertie, David M. Scottish Episcopal Clergy, 1689-2000. Bloomsbury. p. 519. |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  3. ↑ Dunlop, p.47
  4. ↑ Dunlop, p. 52
  5. ↑ Dunlop, p. 53
  6. ↑ The Communion Silver in the Chapel of Kings College, Halifax, NS. Public Archives of Nova Scotia
  7. ↑ F W Vroom. Old Communion Plate in Kings College" Acadiensis. Vol. 3 January 1903.
  8. ↑ HistoricPlaces.ca - St. John's Anglican Rectory
  9. ↑ Dunlop, p. 48
  10. ↑ Dunlop, p. 53
  • Allan C. Dunlop. A House is not a home – Rev. Roger Aitken and the struggle for a Lunenburg Rectory. Collections of the Nova Scotia Historical Society, Vol. 41, 1982, pp. 47–63
  • C.E. Thomas. Rev. Roger Aitken. Diocesan Archives Supper. Halifax, 21 October 1969.
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