George Gordon Forbes
(Northern District) Born at Dufftown, 20/30th March 1831, the son of James Gordon and Helen Ferguson; left for St. Sulpice, 17th February 1853, and ordained by Bp. Kyle at Preshome, 25th July 1855; transferred to Eastern District, 1867, and died at Alloa, 17th June 1869. (MT)
| Date | Age | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 20/30 Mar. 1831 | Born Dufftown | |
| 1845-1847 | 14 |
Blairs |
| 20 May 1847 | 16 |
Arrived in the College |
| 17 Feb. 1853 | 21 |
Left for St-Sulpice |
| 1853-1855 | 21 |
St-Sulpice |
| 25 Jul. 1855 | 24 |
Ordained by Bishop Kyle at Preshome |
| 1855 | 24 |
Elgin |
| 1855-1866 | 24 |
Glengairn |
| 1866-1867 | 35 |
In lunatic asylums in Aberdeen and Bruges |
| 1867 | 36 |
Transferred to Eastern District |
| 1867-1868 | 36 |
St Patrick's, Edinburgh |
| 1868-1869 | 37 |
Alloa |
| 17 Jun. 1869 | 38 |
Died Alloa |
Report of the ordination of George Gordon Forbes in the Scottish Catholic Directory of 1856.
The Rev. George Gordon Forbes was born in Dufftown, Banffshire, on the 20th March, 1831, and entered Blairs College as an alumnus on the 3d September, 1815. Thence he was sent on the 3d May, 1847, to continue his studies in the Scots College of Valladolid. With the permission of his Bishop, he passed, in February, 1853, to the Seminary of St. Sulpice in Paris, and was there ordained Subdeacon on the 23d December, 1854, by Monseigneur Bonamie, Archbishop of Chalcedon. He received the Order of Deacon on the 2d June, 1855, from Monseigneur Sibour, Archbishop of Paris. On his being recalled to Scotland, he was promoted to the Priesthood at Preshome by the Right Rev. Dr. Kyle, on the feast of St. James, the Apostle, 25th July. After a few weeks, he was sent, on the death of the Rev. John Forbes, to officiate for a short time in Elgin, and was finally appointed to Glengairn, on which Mission he entered in the second week of last November.
Obituary of George Gordon Forbes from the Scottish Catholic Directory of 1870.
Pray for the soul of the Rev. George Gordon Forbes, who died at Alloa on the 17th June 1869, in the 39th year of his age and 14th of his priesthood.
He was born in Dufftown, Banffshire, on the 20th March 1831, admitted into Blairs College 3d September 1845, and thence sent to the Scots College of Valladolid 3d May 1847. Having expressed an earnest wish to complete his studies at St Sulpice in Paris, he was allowed to repair thither, and he remained in it for nearly two years and a half. He then received all the Holy Orders up to the priesthood, which was conferred upon him on his return to Scotland by the Right Rev. Bishop Kyle, at Preshome, on the 25th July 1855. After a short interval he was sent for a few weeks to Elgin, and then appointed to the Mission of Glengairn, on which he entered the second week of November same year. In 1864 he began to collect funds for the erection of a new chapel in Glengairn. While thus employed he fell ill of fever at Falkirk, from which he slowly recovered, and spent some time at Preshome to recover his strength. He then resumed his charge in Glengairn. A site for a new chapel was obtained in 1865. In April 1866 he again fell into bad health; but after passing some time on the Continent he recovered, and was employed for some time in 1867 as chaplain in a convent in the South of England. In the autumn of that year he returned to Scotland, and was employed for some time in Aberdeen. In November he was transferred with his own consent to the Eastern District, and appointed one of the priests of St Patrick’s, Edinburgh. Finding that Edinburgh did not agree with his delicate constitution, he was removed at his own request, in November 1868, to the new Mission of Alloa, which was then vacant. But his health was gradually giving way. He had on several occasions been confined to his room, but having always rallied, some hopes were entertained that the disease with which he was afflicted — affection of the lungs — might not be so serious, and that he might yet recover. But these hopes were doomed to disappointment: the malady gave evidence of a relapse, and the rev. gentleman sunk under it. His funeral was largely attended. The Right Rev. Bishop Strain and several clergymen from a distance were present, which evinced the esteem in which Mr Forbes was held. The funeral procession moved on from the residence of the rev. deceased to the New Cemetery, where his mortal remains were consigned to their last resting-place. The funeral service in the cemetery was conducted by the bishop according to the rites of the Church, and the function was a very impressive one.