James Crombie D.D. (1730–1790) was the founder of Belfast Academy. Early life The eldest son of James Crombie , a mason, by his wife May Johnstoun, he was born at Perth on 6 December 1730. In 1748 he matriculated at the University of St Andrews, graduating A.M. in 1752. He studied for a short time at Edinburgh on leaving St Andrews. Minister in Scotland Crombie was licensed by Strathbogie presbytery on 8 June 1757 at Rothiemay, where he acted as parish schoolmaster for some time. On 1 July 1760 he was presented to Lhanbryde, near Elgin, by the Earl of Moray, in whose family he had acted as tutor. Having been duly called, he was ordained at Lhanbryde on 11 September by Elgin presbytery. Crombie then immediately applied to the Strathbogie presbytery to give ordination without charge to James Thompson, a licentiate, in order that Thompson might fill his place at Lhanbryde, and release Crombie for winter studies at Glasgow University. The Strathbogie presbytery agreed, and Crombie spent the next four sessions at Glasgow, attending classes himself, and superintending the studies of his pupil. Attempts to bring Crombie back to his duties at Lhanbryde culminated in a formal censure on 1 March 1763. After this he seems to have stayed for some years in his country parish. Move to Ireland In February 1768 a colleagueship in the first non-subscribing Presbyterian congregation of Belfast became vacant on the death of Thomas Drennan. Presumably with the recommendation of Principal William Leechman of Glasgow, Crombie was put forward for the post. He received a call in December 1769 , but did not give up his charge at Lhanbryde until 22 October 1770, when he was already settled in Belfast as colleague to James Mackay. On Mackay's death (22 January 1781) he became sole pastor. His congregation, which worshipped in a dilapidated meeting-house, was declining; Crombie met a suggestion for amalgamation with a neighbouring congregation by proposing the erection of a new meeting-house. This was carried into effect in 1783; John Wesley, who preached in the new building in 1789, describes it as "the completest place of worship I have ever seen". In September 1783 Crombie was made D.D. of St. Andrews. Belfast Academy Crombie planned a non-sectarian college in Belfast, modifying earlier plans of William Campbell for a university in northern Ireland, and differing from William Crawford's Strabane college by dropping theology from