Boyd, Robert (1880–1957), presbyterian minister, was born 10 September 1880 in Tullyvallen, near Newtownhamilton, Co. Armagh, but was brought up by his uncle in Drumgaw, Co. Armagh; his father George Boyd was a farmer and his mother was Annie Boyd (née Gray). He attended school in Armagh and entered QCB, graduating BA from the RUI in 1902. He studied theology in Princeton, New Jersey, for two sessions, then completed his course in Assembly's College, Belfast. Licensed by Armagh presbytery (1906), he became secretary to the board of missions, and in 1909 was ordained as a missionary to India. He ministered especially to young people in Gujarat, without a furlough for ten years because of the outbreak of the first world war; in 1919 his administrative work received official recognition from the Indian government. In 1920 he became principal of Stevenson Theological College, Ahmedabad, but was recalled in 1921 to Belfast to become convenor of the foreign missions board of the general assembly. He remained in this post till 1954, becoming widely known for his lectures and preaching, and in 1936 received the degree of DD honoris causa from the Presbyterian Theological Faculty of Ireland. On 2 June 1947 he was installed as moderator of the general assembly. He undertook the responsibilities of the moderatorship again for a short time in 1949, when his successor died before completing his term. Boyd published several books, including A garland of memories and Path of valour (1908). These dealt mainly with mission work; the first contains some autobiographical information. He married (7 January 1915) Annie Higginson of Dunmurry, near Belfast. One of their three sons was killed in Burma in the second world war; the others both became presbyterian ministers, and the only daughter married a minister. Robert Boyd died 14 October 1957 in Belfast.
Sources
Birth record, GRO; Belfast News Letter, Northern Whig, 15 Oct. 1957; Burke, IFR (1976), 594; Barkley, Fasti, iii, 41