Kenneth Thomson
Reverend Kenneth Thomas Thomson (b. 1932, Edinburgh, d. 5 May 1991, Sanquhar, Dunfries and Galloway) was a Minister for the United Free Church and a Lerwick Town Councillor in 1961.
Biography
He was ordained in Shetland in 1957 and demitted on 24 February 1977. The Shetland Library, following their move to the St. Ringan's Church premises published a history of ministers there, and say of Rev Thomson:
"In 1958 during the ministry of the Rev K T, Thomson and through an agreement with the Parish Church St Ringan's once again became United Free. The Rev K T Thomson was witness to the move from St Olaf's United Free Church to St Ringan's. His ministry lasted from 1958 until 1961."
He holds the perhaps unfortunate record of the shortest council tenure in the history of any modern political institution in Shetland, at 4 days.
He was elected on 1 May, and when the council met on 5 May, it was established that as Thomson had failed to declare that he had received pay through dealings with the Anderson Educational Institute as a relief teacher. The Shetland Times article on the issue was headlined: "Councillor for five minutes". His earnings did not prohibit him sitting on the Town Council, but as all Lerwick Town Councillors gained a seat within the County Council, it was that body that had the conflict.
