The foundation stone was laid on the occasion of Queen Victoria's first visit to Scotland. The following is the inscription on the stone: " To the Glory of God, in honour of the Queen, on the 3rd day of September in the year of our Lord 1842, the day of Her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria visiting the City of Edinburgh, the Right Honourable Sir James Forrest, Bart., of Comiston, Lord Provost; the Reverend David Welsh, D.D., Moderator of Assembly; the foundation stone of this superstructure, to be called Victoria Hall, for the use of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, was laid by the Right Honourable Lord Frederick Fitzclarence, G.C.B., etc., Grand Master Mason of Scotland, in presence of the Grand Lodge and other masonic lodges; James Gillespie-Graham of Orchill, architect (of the hall); John Lind, master builder of the hall. Length from east to west, 141 feet; height of spire over the entrance, 241 feet." (For further information regarding the ceremony, see Sir Thomas Dick Lauder's Memorials of the Royal Progress in Scotland in 1842.)

1641 ROBERT DOUGLAS, M.A.; trans. from the High Church; had this parish allotted by the Town Council 24th Dec. 1641; retrans. to the High Kirk Parish 1649.-[Edin. Counc. Reg.; Acts Parl., vi.]

1649 GEORGE HUTCHISON, M.A.; trans.  from Colmonell; pres. by the Town Council 7th Nov. 1648, and appointed to this charge 4th April 1649. In the same year he was one of the visitors of the Univ. of Edinburgh, and a member of the Commission of Assembly who proceeded to Breda in 1650, to interview Charles II. He attended Archibald, Marquess of Argyll, after his condemnation, and accompanied him to the scaffold 27th May 1661. Declining to conform to Episcopacy, he was inhibited from exercising his ministry by Parliament 7th Aug. 1662. In 1669 he was min. at Irvine.-[Edin. Counc. Reg.; Acts Parl., vi., vii.; Kirkton's and Wodrow's Hists., i.; Blair's Life; Baillie's Lett., iii.;

Livingston's Life, Nicoll's and Brodie's Diaries, M'Ure's Glasg.]

1663 WILLIAM ANNAND, M.A.; elected by the Town Council and adm. 1st Feb. 1663; trans. to Tron Parish in 1672. -[Edin. Counc. Reg.]

1672 JAMES LUNDIE, M.A.; trans. from the High Kirk Parish; elected by the Town Council and adm. after 16th Aug. 1672; trans. to Tron Parish in 1675.-[Edin. Counc. Reg.]

1675 WILLIAM MELDRUM, son of Andrew  M., dyer, and bailie in Aberdeen; M.A. (Marischal College, Aberdeen, 1654); regent in Marischal College 1660; min. of Auchterless in 1671; trans. to Tranent 8th Aug. 1672; pres. by the Town Council, trans. and coll. 16th July 1675; dep. in 1681 for refusing the Test; died Jan. 1684. He marr. (1) Jean Colston, and had issue-Christian, bapt. 24th June 1673; Jean, born 12th Nov. 1674 (marr. 15th March 1694, Sir Francis Grant, Lord Cullen): (2) at Holyrood House, 20th Sept. 1677, Sarah Lawson, who died Nov. 1693, and was buried in Greyfriars. - [Edin. Counc. Reg.; Inq. Ret. Gen., 6535; G. R. Hornings, 18th Nov. 1685.]

1681  JOHN HAMILTON, M.A.; trans. from South Leith; pres. by the Town Council 23rd Nov. 1681; dem. in 1686, on appointment as Bishop of Dunkeld (q.v.).-[Edin. Counc. Reg.]

1686 WILLIAM GARDYNE, a native of Forfarshire, passed trials before the Presb. of Arbroath, and was recommended for license to the Bishop 23rd July 1664; ord. to Second Charge 22nd Oct. 1668; elected by the Town Council 24th Sept. 1686, and adm. soon after; D.D. (St Andrews, 6th Nov. 1686). Deprived 17th Sept. 1689, for refusing to read the Proclamation, etc. Died 2nd Feb. 1708. He marr. 25th Aug. 1671, Barbara Guthrie, and had issue-Harry, bapt. 19th June 1672, died 14th May 1673; David, bapt. 27th June 1675; Janet, bapt. 14th Jan. 1677; Margaret, bapt. 20th June 1678; William,