FATHER GERALD MUIR

Gerald Muir was born in Fullerton Drive, Seamill, West Kilbride, Ayrshire on 25 May 1929. His parents were James (1895-1970) and Helena Julia Muir (1893-1964), known as Lena. James worked for Imperial Chemical Industries in Stevenston. Gerald had a sister Frances, later Frances McSwiggan, who in retirement lived in County Cork, Ireland and a brother James who lived in Beith.

Gerald was educated at Saint Joseph’s College, Dumfries, then trained for the priesthood at Ushaw College, Durham, England.

On 17 July 1954, Gerald became the first man to be ordained a priest in the Church of Saint Peter in Chains. He would have been ordained in Saint Bride's Chruch in West Kilbride but it was too small for the expected congregation who enjoyed a reception afterwards in the Kilmeny Hotel in South Crescent Road, Ardrossan. Gerald was ordained by Bishop Joseph McGee on behalf of the Bishop of Lancaster for whose Diocese Gerald was ordained.

Father Muir was appointed as assistant priest at Saint Bede's Church, Carlisle from 1954 to 1959, Saint Ignatius' Church, Preston from 1959 to 1964 and Saint Anthony of Padua's Church, Preston from 1964 to 1966. Father Gerry then served on the missions in Zambia from 1966 to 1973, returning to the Diocese of Lancaster as Parish Priest of Saint John's Church,Southworth, Cleveleys from 1973 to 1977, Saint Gregory the Great's Church, Preston from 1977 to 1990 and the Church of Saint John the Evangelist, Poulton-le-Fylde until his retirement to St Winefride’s, Bispham in 2010.



Father Muir died on 22 September 2015 in Lancaster. His Requiem Mass was celebrated at Saint Gregory the Great's Church on 1 October and was followed by his interment in the cemetery of the Church of Saint John the Evangelist.

The first photograph above was taken after Father Muir's ordination on 17 July 1954 and the other one in 2004. Other pictures associated with Father Muir are on the Pictures page.