We are very saddened to learn of the recent death of Sir James Stirling GCStJ who was the Prior of St John Scotland for 14 years (1995 – 2009).
On assuming the post as Prior, Sir James inherited a number of charitable assets that had reached the end of their operational lives. Under his leadership, the charity made a decision to sell its property holdings such as the residential care homes, and used the resulting revenue to fund new national projects that benefitted the community, such as supporting Patient Transport and Mountain Rescue. He also initiated the rescue boat at Loch Lomond.
He guided St John in Scotland through the changes resulting from the establishment of the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator in 2003-2005, and Scotland’s new system of charity regulation. He sensitively implemented changes to the Order’s honours and awards system, to ensure that membership and promotion was given to those who earned it rather than by automaticity, he also ensured that Scotland was at last able to award the Service Medal to those who qualified.
He was closely involved with the reorganisation and improved governance of both St John Scotland and the International Order. He played an important part in the former by reducing the size of Chapter by half, making it more nimble and better able to make decisions, while he also amalgamated the two Committees that had previously existed in each Area into one, which was to prove much more efficient. In the wider Order, he participated in an overhaul of its organisation, and was a founding member of Grand Council as its governing body.
Even after stepping down as Prior in 2009, he continued to take a keen interest in the Priory and was able to see the results of the wide-ranging changes he had initiated.
We were delighted that Sir James was promoted to Grade I (GCStJ) in 2004 and, in that rank, he continued to represent the Priory as well as he could, right up to attending the Festival of St John in 2023.
Sir James Stirling was fully supported in all his endeavours by his wife, Lady Fiona, and his family.
All of this was achieved in a long Priorship of 14 years when he had many other calls on his time, such as his profession as a chartered surveyor, as Lord Lieutenant of Stirlingshire and, of course, his family.
Photo Credit: Liam Hackett
