Patterson, Robert James (1868–1930), presbyterian minister and temperance campaigner, was born 1 January 1868 in Ballymoyer, Whitecross, Co. Armagh, second son of Samuel Patterson and Margaret Patterson (née Ranton). His father was probably a farmer, but a half-brother and three uncles were all presbyterian ministers. One uncle was in the congregation at Bray, Co. Wicklow, and seems to have taken charge of the boy when his mother died. After attending the Model School in Newry, he went to Aravon School, Bray, and then to TCD. He graduated BA and LLB on the same day, an unusual achievement. He studied for the ministry at Assembly's College, Belfast, and in New College, Edinburgh, and was licensed by Dublin presbytery in May 1892. Despite a desire to become a missionary, he accepted a call to Third Armagh, and was ordained there 29 October 1892. Patterson was secretary in the north of Ireland of the Religious Tract Society, and rode hundreds of miles on a motorcycle speaking at meetings and distributing tracts. Appalled by the serious social consequences of alcohol, he consulted the local parish priest, Fr Griffin, about the success of the Roman catholic Pioneer Total Abstinence Association, and on 13 July 1909, after the traditional drunken excesses of the Twelfth of July celebrations, he almost accidentally established one of the most successful teetotal associations of the twentieth century. He told six men, standing round a lamp-post in Armagh after a night's drinking, that they should come to see him a few days later when they had sobered up, to discuss taking the pledge. To his surprise, they appeared as arranged, and along with them were six friends.
The organisation, founded on the principle that it was easier for men to remain true to their promises if their friends provided solidarity, grew rapidly as members ‘caught’ friends and neighbours. In the first year 130,000 members were enrolled, and there were eventually over 500 branches in Ireland. It was first known as the Armagh Total Abstinence Union, then as the Co. Armagh Total Abstinence Union, then as the Protestant Total Abstinence Union, and finally as ‘Catch-my-pal’. Patterson was as unrepentant about the sectarian ethos and competitiveness of the organisation when it was known as ‘Protestant’ as he was about the overtly working-class informality of the name by which the association was best known. He travelled widely throughout Ireland and the UK; Scotland was particularly enthusiastic about the movement. Later he visited the Netherlands, America, Australia, and New Zealand. The general assembly of the church gave him permission to take nine months off from his congregation, and then, when he felt he should resign his charge (3 August 1910), supported him financially for a further nine months. He was secretary of the union for nine years; he understood the importance of slogans and symbols, and of social evening meetings with singsongs as an alternative to the public house. He even noted that the new organisation in 1912 already had its relics and shrines; the original lamp-post was a place almost of pilgrimage for men who were trying to hold on to a new kind of life without alcohol. Patterson seems to have been a charismatic speaker, and to have had strong views about the need to improve social conditions, stating in 1912 his conviction that better housing would be of the greatest assistance in the effort to keep men out of pubs. Many beneficial effects of the movement were noted; he said that more children's boots were sold in the winter of 1909–10 in Armagh than in any previous season, because men had money to look after their families.
He married (31 August 1892) May, daughter of George Wiltshire of Compton, Berkshire. She accompanied him to Australia, but became ill, and died shortly afterwards. He broke down after her death, and afterwards, because of the pressures of being the main driving force of such a large organisation, felt he should return to the regular ministry. On 20 November 1919 he was installed in Crumlin Rd church, Belfast. The church was renovated during his ministry, and despite ill health he remained as minister there until his death on 9 October 1930. His two sons survived him.