The Madras College Archive

     


Former Pupil Biographies

The Very Reverend Dr Andrew Rankin Cowie McLellan CBE (1945 - current)


 

Andrew Rankin Cowie McLellan CBE is a minister in the Church of Scotland. He was Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland from 2002 to 2009.

He was educated at Kilmarnock Academy, Madras College (St Andrews), the University of St Andrews, the University of Glasgow and Union Theological Seminary, New York City, USA.

His appointments are as follows:

  • Assistant Minister at St George's West Church, Edinburgh, 1969-1971
  • Minister at Cartsburn Augustine Church, Greenock (1971–1980)
  • Elected member of Inverclyde District Council 1977-1980)
  • Minister at Viewfield Parish Church, Stirling (1980–1986)
  • Minister at St Andrew's and St George's Church, Edinburgh (1986–2002)
  • Convener of the Church of Scotland's Church and Nation Committee 1992-1996
  • Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 2000.

He was the chairman of what became known as the McLellan Commission into a range of safeguarding initiatives for the Scottish Catholic Church. This commission was announced by Scotland's Catholic Bishops, known as the Bishops' Conference of Scotland, in November 2013. Its report, the McLellan Report, was published on 18 August 2015.

He is also author of several books.

He is married to Irene and has twin sons Andi and Ian. He now lives in Dunfermline. His formal title (following the end of his Moderatorial year) is the Very Reverend Dr Andrew McLellan.

McLellan was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2009 Birthday Honours.