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1965 (Part 2)

For an experimental period of one year Castleton Junior Sunday School met at 11.30. Arnprior Juniors met at the usual time 2.30 in the afternoon.



In August the redecoration of the church was completed, as, thanks to the efforts of the Works Committee, the difficulties over the reliability of the roof had been removed.


The scrubbing and cleaning was done by some ladies of the congregation after the painters left.


During the last week in August, the ministers and the deaconess ran a very successful Youth Week, when 50 to 60 young people met each evening from Monday to Friday in the Church Hall. “There were film shows, Beat Groups, a Camp Fire evening and games in the church grounds”.


Mr Ian Turpie, Glenwood School's Principal Teacher of Music, with encouragement from the Head Teacher, Mr Gardner, formed a forty-piece orchestra. Pupils rehearsed three days a week after school hours, and had already featured in a concert in the school.


Fred and Rose Grant of Raithburn Road took a trip to the Holy Land.


Kenneth Branney of Glenace Drive and Arnprior Primary Sunday School won 1st prize in a competition for Primary pupils throughout Scotland. His winning workbook illustrated missionary stories of Calabar, told in Sunday School.


The Girls' Guildry, the oldest girls' organisation, having been in existence for 65 years, amalgamated with the Girls'Life Brigade and the Girls' Brigade of Ireland to form the Girls' Brigade.


Five members of the Youth Fellowship, Jacqueline Petrie, Sandra Dane, Lesley Crichton, Edna Steele and Ronnie Syme assisted at a Church of Scotland Seaside Mission in Campbeltown during the Fair Fortnight. The rest of the team were from the Y.F. of Blairbeth Church, Rutherglen, whose minister, Rev. A. Moyes was the leader.

In the summer, Miss Elizabeth Morton of Glenacre Quadrant, younger sister of Margaret, the Life Boy Leader, went off to Hollywood, California to live.


Celebrations for the tenth anniversary of Castlemilk East Church were deferred till the 5th November last year, instead of September as in Castlemilk West, to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the ordination of their minister, the Rev. R.D. Ross. A telegram of congratulations was sent on behalf of Castlemilk West.

To commemorate the 10th anniversary of Castlemilk West Church, Holy Communion was celebrated at 10.15, 12 noon and 6.30 in the evening on Sunday, 12th September . On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of that week there was a mission to the lower part of the parish. On Friday evening there was a Social and Concert in the Church Hall and on Saturday evening a Grand Anniversary Dance. On Sunday, 19th September, the congregation welcomed back Rev. Donald Macleod, the former minister, who conducted both morning services, and Miss Sheena McNaughton, the former deaconess, who addressed a Youth Rally in the afternoon.

H.W. Hewett of H.W. Hewett and Sons (Let Hewett do it!) celebrated his Diamond Jubilee in 1965, and in recognition of this and Castlemilk West's tenth anniversary he offered a “Special Concession” to the readers of the Castlemilk Crusader of a 5% discount, on any furniture they bought up to Christmas, whether cash or credit.




The first names on the Baptismal Roll, on 2nd October, 1955, were Isabelle Jones of Glenacre Quad., and James Martin of Glenacre Drive.The number of baptisms on the Baptismal Roll at June 1965, was 854.

Thanks to the Mission to the lower part of the parish during September, quite a number of people handed in “lines” and started coming to the church.


In September, Miss Grigor bought a little blue car which she called “Phoebe”, named after the woman in the Bible who was supposed to have been the first deaconess.


The sudden death of Mr Jack Millarvie in October, 1965 was a sad blow to his many friends in Castlemilk West. He had been an elder since 1959, and had taken part in the recent visitation of the parish.

The Christmas Fair, the Carnival Dance and the Coffee Morning raised the sum of £153 17s 6d towards the Organ Fund. £600 had still to be raised to add to the £875 already in the Fund. The Organ Ways and Means Committee were holding a Musical Evening to this end.


By the end of 1965 another £1000 had been repaid towards the debt for the church buildings, making the total repayment £9406 so far, and £3768 still to repay.


This is an article, entitled “Ten Momentous Years” by Mr Colin Guy which appeared in the Castlemilk Crusader in the Souvenir Issue in September 1965.


A handful of people picked their way over piles of sand and along half-built pavements early one Sunday morning in the summer of 1955, and filed into a ramshackle hut near Dougrie Road. There, amidst a jumble of workmen's tools and dungarees, they congregated on old wooden benches – to hold a service of worship. And so began the story of Castlemilk West Church.


Castlemilk itself wore the air of a raw, bustling, boom-town in those early days. Against a backcloth of bricks, mortar, and mud, a new community was being born. Like bands of settlers, families from all quarters of the city were moving in to take up the challenge of a new life in a new place.


Nowhere was this pioneering mood more in evidence than in the life of the lively, if yet small, congregation. For within a few weeks its numbers had swollen till in November the workmen's hut was vacated for the much more commodious new school building in Arnprior Road.


Rapidly, the pattern of the church's organisational life began to take shape. Leaders and teachers emerged from the fast-growing congregation to assist in Sunday School and other youth work. In January, 1957, another milestone was reached when three men, already ordained elders, were inducted to serve as ruling elders on the kirk session.


In the summer of 1957, another kind of activity was taking place up the hill on Carmunnock Road. A skeleton of steel and concrete was rising out of the ground where work was forging ahead on the erection of the new parish church.


On a wet and squally afternoon in September, 1957, a large crowd of members and visitors assembled in the church grounds for the foundation stone ceremony. The stone was laid by the late Rt. Hon. Walter Elliot, then Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly.


Within a year the congregation had outgrown its second home in Arnprior School. In the Spring of 1957 they moved again, this time to Dougrie Road to the bright and spacious hall of Castleton School.


The significant increase in numbers attending the Sunday morning service encouraged the kirk session to experiment with adopting a second morning service. Thus began the now familiar pattern which is firmly established to-day.


At last the long-awaited day arrived when we could take up residence in our lovely new building. At a memorable service on the evening of December 12th, 1958, the new church was opened and dedicated by the late Professor Pitt-Watson, a former Moderator of the General Assembly.


Many milestones have been passed in these ten momentous years, many more than there is space to record here. A few recollections must suffice to give a glimpse of these exciting days:


The foresight and faith of that gallant band of assessor elders who helped to lay the foundation of our work and witness here; a sunny afternoon in June, 1958, when a convoy of twelve double-decker buses conveyed a thousand happy parents and children to Largs for the Sunday School outing; one Sunday morning in May seven years ago, when 16 babies were baptised; and an open-air conventicle one October morning in 1960, when the church grounds were packed with folk. No loud-speaker system was necessary, for the preacher was the redoubtable D.P. Thomson himself.


Perhaps these words spoken by The Right Hon. Walter Elliot in his address at the foundation stone service would best sum up these first ten years: “Here on the hillside is the focus of this new community, a gathering place where the people can find roots ........”


For not only has the church become the focus of this new community; from its humble origin in a workmen's hut it has grown and expanded to radiate the care and concern of Christ for all men and women in Castlemilk.

C. Guy.

1965 (Part 1)

The new Assistant minister, Mr Donald Stuart arrived. He had been a missionary in West Africa, a chaplain in the Merchant Navy and the Director of the European Missionary Crusade.


Eight young people under training in the Bible Training Institute in Bothwell Street came to work in Castlemilk West.


A set of china was presented to the church for use at special functions by five ladies, Mrs Dool, Mrs Carrick, Mrs Liddell, Mrs McKay and Mrs McGregor, all grannies who had a weekly work party.


A group of Sunday School teachers went on a week-end conference to Gean House, Alloa, in February.


On the last Sundays in February, March and April the evening services were conducted by the Woman's Guild, the Youth Fellowship and the Men's Association respectively. Mr Jack Barnard preached the sermon for the Y.F., Mrs Mitchell for the Woman's Guild and Mr Alex. Erskine for the Men's Association.


The Garden Fête on the 29th May was opened by the well-known newspaper columnist and television personality, Mr Jack House, who also crowned the queen, Kathleen Hill of Arnprior Road. Her attendants were Ann McKechnie of Downcraig Road, and Sadie Strachan of Birgidale Road.


On Sunday evenings during the summer months as many as twenty of the Youth Fellowship met in the manse, where Mrs Millar, the minister's wife looked after them.


Mr Bert Grant of Raithburn Road, became the President of the Men's Association, and Mr Harry Grant became the new Secretary.


“At this time the Social Service of the Church was the largest and most varied of its kind in Scotland, and it was available to all, irrespective of class, creed or colour.” There were 31 Eventide Homes, situated in nearly every part of Scotland, three of them in Glasgow. The homes catered for over 1,000 old folk, whose average age was in the mid-eighties, and several of them over the 100 mark, the first home being opened in Glasgow in 1918. There were eight homes for children, two of them in Glasgow. The Church of Scotland was a recognised Adoption Agency, 177 babies being placed for adoption in 1963. Among other Homes run by the Church there were five hostels for Working Lads, three hostels for Young Women, two Approved Schools for Girls, one Approved School for Boys, a Mother and Baby Home in Glasgow, a hostel for Epileptic Lads in Glasgow,two holiday homes in Kinghorn, Fife, a Rehabilitation Hostel for Women in Glasgow and a Rehabilitation Centre for Men in Glasgow. The Church also ran a Home-Help Service, with centres in Edinburgh and Glasgow. In January a day centre for Old People was opened in Edinburgh, where about 25 old men and women who were left alone all day would be able to spend the day in warm and comfortable surroundings and get a midday meal. The Church employed over 400 people on a full-time basis and many more part-time in its social work.


Miss McClue, the Guardian of 44a Company of the Girls' Guildry left to get married. She had been with the Guildry in Castlemilk since 1956 and Guardian for about seven years. She was a member of Croftfoot United Free Church.


Miss Isobel Donaldson, Guardian of 44b Company of the Girls'Guildry had to give up due to pressure of business. She had been guardian for about 2½ years. The new Guardian of 44b Company was Miss Betty Aitken, who had been an Assistant for several years and was already Guardian of the Guildry Company in Hutchesontown Parish Church.

The Boys'Brigade Company had their first camp abroad, in Belgium, on the Ostend coast during the Fair Fortnight.


Miss Lesley McNair, who used to teach in Castleton Sunday School came home on furlough from her missionary station at Chitambo, Northern Rhodesia.


In April, a new Hammond organ, Model R.T.3, was bought and installed in the church, as the Selmer which the Woman's Guild had “so zealously worked for”, was now “more or less a write-off”, and was destroying “the dignity and reverence of congregational worship”. The organist, Mr Barker, himself an organ-builder, had delayed “the day of reckoning only by his skill and perseverence”. Selmer no longer made organs. Each member of the congregation was asked to donate £1 to the Organ Fund and £500 had been raised. The new organ cost £1,500.


There were over 44,000 churches throughout the world using the Hammond Organ, including many in Scotland, and quite recently Hammonds had been installed in Canterbury Cathedral and Windsor Chapel. It was said they never required tuning, and were not affected by temperature and humidity changes. They had a wide dynamic range and there was no lag of tone after the keys were pressed. There were churches in Scotland who had had the Hammond for up to 27 years without a service visit.


There was an announcement by the city's new Park Director of a £3,500 plan for Castlemilk to take on “an attractive rural look”. “A series of woodland settings would enhance the area. More toddlers' playgrounds would be added, and garden layouts would lighten the drabness of the main shopping centres.” Parks Department officials were to visit local schools in “an effort to prevent vandalism and to curb the aggressive actions of youthful axe-men.” Schools would possibly be given care of sections of woodland.


Mr George Pirie, a former elder and B.B. Captain of St Margaret's Church, Polmadie Road, was appointed Assistant Minister at Castlemilk East Church.


Rev James Millar completed his visitation of every home in the church membership, over 1,300 members. This took him just over two years.


More than 200 children came to the Summer School in the church hall each day during that week. There were 27 helpers.

1964 (Part 2)

In the first week of July there was a Summer School for youngsters. Instead of the expected 40 or 50 children well over 100 arrived on the Monday and this attendance was maintained throughout the week.

Miss Grigor's Commissioning Service took place on the 16th September. Taking part in the service were representative ministers, elders and deaconesses from Glasgow Presbytery, as well as the Moderator and the Clerk of the Presbytery. Tea and cakes were served by the Woman's Guild in the hall after the service. Miss Grigor was presented with a tape recorder and her mother with a bouquet of flowers. Her father received book tokens.


In Castlemilk East Church, on 24th September, the Rev. R.D. Ross was inducted to the charge which had been vacant since the previous October. Mr Ross's previous charge had been Rockvilla Church in Possilpark.


Mr John D. Sutherland who had been Assistant in Castlemilk West for a year left, and hoped to find a charge of his own. The Rev. Samuel Mohlomi from Basutoland who had been in Castlemilk West for a month went to London to continue his studies before returning home to his own people.


Donations to the “Crusader” magazine continued to rise and for the first eight months amounted to £52 16s, and in this amount was a cheque for ten dollars from Rev. Robert McDill who was now in his own charge in Missouri Valley, Iowa.


The total sum collected in the Castlemilk area during Christian Aid Week was £255. This amount was down slightly from the total of the previous year.


Following the death of Mr William Thomson of Glenacre Drive, the neighbours gave the sum they had collected, to put standard roses at the entrance to the church. The remainder was used to decorate the church over the Christmas period.


The church magazine, the Castlemilk Crusader, was placed 2nd out of 350 entries in the British Weekly Awards for Evangelism in Print. Fernhill and Cathkin church magazine came 3rd. The British Weekly had this to say about the Crusader,”Full of church news certainly, but keenly aware of what is happening in the large housing estate all around it. Among the hundreds of magazines around me during the judging it caught my eye and compelled me to lift it. An attractive cover features a news photo from the district. Inside, the make-up is lively – no lengthy columns of type to wade through, interesting headlines and a sprinkling of bright photos.”


Messrs John Crichton of Glenacre Terrace, Alex. Erskine of Arnprior Road, Hugh Gilchrist of Arnprior Quad., Ian Prentice of Simshill, John Smith of Simshill and John Taylor of Glenacre Drive were ordained as elders on Sunday, 22nd November.


The total number on the roll of the church at 31st December was 1,278. 80 were admitted by profession, 31 by certificate and 6 by restoration. 63 were removed by certificate, 14 by death and 49 otherwise.


Another £1000 was repaid off the Building Fund debt, leaving £4,768 still to be repaid.


The offerings for the year came to £3,007 7s 4d.

1964 (Part 1)

The chimes which ground to a halt at the beginning of 1963 were reinstated thanks to the efforts of the minister and Mr H. Alexander, and a donation of a new Brenell tape-recorder and microphone from Rev. T.B. Girdwood and his church, Shawlands Cross. Donations were also received from the Woman's Guild(£20), the Choir(£10), the Sunday School(£10), the Men's Association(£5),the Young Mothers(£3) and the Girls'Guildry(£1 10s).


The Stated Annual General Meeting of the church was held in the church hall on Friday, 21st February and the tickets cost 1 shilling. There were musical items and tea was served. “All church members were expected to be present”.


Another £1000 of the debt on the church was repaid, leaving £6000 still to repay.


Matthew Hewitt (12) was thanked via the church magazine for watering all the plants on the staircase to the church every Sunday for over a year.


The Young Mothers' Group provided curtains for the stage in the church hall.


The church choir gave concerts in churches all over Glasgow, but due to movement from the district now appealed for new members.

Mr Harry Ritchie of Carmunnock Road took photos for the church magazine.

The new multi-storey flats on Dougrie Road were completed, and certain newspaper journalists coined the names “Concrete Castles” and “Leaning Towers of Castlemilk” for them. “With their up-to-date design and living facilities they usher in the space-age look to the scheme. Lucky are the families who land for one of the new flats. Lucky are those with the promise of a seventh heaven on the fourteenth floor. Not surprising if they should feel “up in the clouds” with joy to be handed the key to a dream house.”

Copies of the “The Gist “, a newspaper specially printed by an Edinburgh newspaper, giving a full report of the General Assembly were available in the church, one free to every family.


With the arrival of the new skyscraper flats on Dougrie Road the circulation of the church magazine was almost 3,250.


The four Protestant churches serving Castlemilk were able to use the swimming pool in St Margaret Mary's School on Dougrie Road, and the Junior Bible Class and Senior Sunday School went on one Thursday each month.


Mr Alex McLachlan died. He had served on the Congregational Board and then became an elder in 1959 and Clerk to the Board. He had been both Secretary and President of the Men's Association, and was also interested in the football team.


Mr William Robertson resigned as “Skipper” of the B.B. Company after four years. His successor as Captain was Mr David Carrick of Arnprior Road, who had been an officer for some time and a member since the Company's formation eight years previously.


Mr John McKenzie, who had worked so hard to establish the Pipe Band, moved away and a new trainer was needed. Meanwhile the band were practising with another Company.


Mr Alex. Miller of Dougrie Terrace resigned as Leader of the Life Boys. He had been an officer since the beginning and Leader for four years. Miss Margaret Morton of Glenacre Quadrant took over.


For two years some of the older Life Boys were calling at houses when required and doing odd jobs or running errands. Sometimes they just dropped in for a chat with old people living alone.


The three tea ladies, Mrs C. Millar, Mrs E. Caird and Mrs A. Gray received table lamps from the Committee and Young Mothers' Group.


Anyone who did not have a Co-op number in Glasgow Co-op Society (South) could use the number G.S. 10 and the dividend went to the credit of the Community Centre

The Junior Bible Class met every Sunday at 11.30a.m. and the Leader was Mr T. McEwan.

1963 (Part 2)

In preparation for the coming of the new minister the Works Committee, assisted by several members of the congregation, carried out an extensive programme of repairs and renovations at the Manse. Among other things they flush-panelled about twenty doors, installed a new hot-water boiler and renovated electric wiring and points. Several ladies also helped by scrubbing floors after the painters had finished.


The sum of £136 was collected for the presentations made at the Welcome Social.


A party of twenty ladies from the parish enjoyed a week's holiday at Craigengower, the Church of Scotland Rest Home at Tighnabruaich during the first week in May. Miss McNaughton was in charge of the party and was assisted by several church members who forfeited a week of their holidays.


In an attempt to co-ordinate all the youth activities, a Youth Council was formed under the chairmanship of Peter Morrison. A new youth group for those in their twenties, known as the Templars, was started by the Rev. Bob McDill. The youth also formed their own prayer and study group, meeting once a week. Mr Macleod, the Elder Youth Adviser, made the youth work in the church “an integral part of his life”.


The total offerings for the months January to April amounted to £982 5s 6d.


The annual display of the Boys' Brigade Company took place on 1st June in the Coplaw Street Drill Hall. The Summer Camp went to St. Helens, Isle of Wight and about 60 members went.


The Life Boys Annual Display was held in Castleton School and the admission programme cost 1s 6d.


The church football team won the Glasgow Churches five-a-side cup, out of an entry of thirty-three teams.


Glasgow Corporation was considering disposing of the 1890 Act which stated that no licences to sell drink were allowed in municipal housing schemes.

Mrs Isabel Millar, the minister's wife became President of the Woman's Guild.

The new deaconess, Miss Jean Grigor, with several years' experience in teaching replaced Miss Sheena McNaughton. Miss McNaughton, who had been in Castlemilk West for seven years and had done a tremendous amount of work from running training classes for Sunday School Teachers to setting up the Young Mothers' Group and visiting the aged and sick , had moved on to Glenrothes. At a large gathering in the church Miss Muriel McEwan presented her with a cheque for £60 on behalf of the church and parish. Presentations were also made on behalf of the Young Mothers' Group, the Youth Club and the White Heather Club. The Sunday School had already made their presentation to her.

The Rev. John Sutherland replaced Rev. Bob McDill, who was one of the most popular Assistants Castlemilk West had had. Mrs McDill also took an active part in the church life, and enjoyed singing in the choir especially. He, his wife and their baby daughter returned to America.


The church roof needed to be repaired to ensure it was watertight and a group of volunteers successfully took on the job.


Dorothy McWee of Dougrie Drive, a Sunday School teacher in the Primary Department at Arnprior Road School was made Girls' Captain of King's Park Secondary School.


Mr and Mrs Hewitt of Glenacre Terrace had five children, one child in each department of the Sunday School in this year.


Messrs. James Aitken of Carmunnock Road, David Currie of Glenacre Quad., James Dool of Dougrie Drive, William Kent of Stravanan Road, William Neil of Birgidale Road, and Charles Rough of Dougrie Road were ordained as elders.


A Reception and Welcome Social for members who had joined the church during 1963 was held in the church hall and “was likely to become an annual event”.


The church roll at 31st December, 1963 was 1,287, and the offering for the year amounted to £2,897 9s 8d. The House Boxes raised £597 5s 6d.

1963(Part 1)

Rev. James Millar, minister for fourteen years of Glencairn Church, Kilmaurs, conducted both morning services on Sunday 10th February, having been proposed as Sole Nominee with a view to his election as minister of Castlemilk West Church. In the Presbytery of Irvine and Kilmarnock he served as Church Extension Convener and Youth Convener. Before entering the ministry Mr Millar served in the R.A.F.

The call to the new minister was signed by 744 members and 89 adherents.

 

The Women's World Day of Prayer was held in Castlemilk West Church on Friday 1st March.



On Wednesday, 24th April Rev. James Millar was inducted as the new minister of Castlemilk West Church. There was a large congregation at the ceremony, including ministers from the Presbytery of Glasgow and from neighbouring churches, Presbytery elders, and a party from Mr Millar's former church at Kilmaurs. Those officiating at the service were the Moderator of Glasgow Presbytery, Rev. H.C. Mackenzie, and the Clerk to the Presbytery, the Rev. Andrew Herron. The sermon was preached by Rev. Stanley Andrews, and the Rev. J.E. Gillon addressed the new minister and the congregation. There was a social on the 25th April. “ Bus-loads” of parishioners from Kilmaurs came. A cheque was presented to Mr Millar in lieu of robes, and Mrs Millar was presented with an electric food mixer, while Joyce and Ian received gift vouchers. Rev. George Gilchrist, the interim moderator, was presented with “a wristlet” watch and the Rev. Wm. Mackay with “a wallet of notes”.


Rev. Wm. Mackay left to go to Springburnhill Church, Glasgow.


Mr Thomas McEwan resigned as Treasurer, after five years, and Mr William Dewar of Birgidale Road took on the job. Mr McEwan continued as an elder and leader of the Senior Sunday School.

The Church of Scotland magazine “Life and Work” was given a new look. The cost of the magazine was 6d per month or 6s yearly.

In Castlemilk (9,000 houses with 45,000 people), Community Week was set up to “put Castlemilk in its proper perspective to the rest of the city as a decent, respectable and neighbourly community”. A series of social events was organised up until the week itself, 1st to 8th June. The Lord Provost, Dame Jean Roberts donated a trophy, the Lord Provost's Cup. £1000 was set aside to be invested in a development fund towards community centre facilities. Two sites were selected for centres, although no building date was fixed at that time.


The first collection of Building Fund boxes for the year brought in the sum of £239 10s, which was a big increase on the same period the previous year.


The amount collected in the “Crusader” (the church magazine) box for the first four months of the year was £22 8s 2½d, which was an increase of 14 shillings over the same months the previous year.

1962 (Part 2)

A bus-load of Youth Club members spent the Easter weekend camping in Glen Nevis.

The Boys' Brigade went to summer camp in Southport. Sgt A. Stephen was 2nd in the Individual Piping for Cathcart District and Ptes R. McConnell and Andrew Leven were 2nd and 3rd respectively in the Junior Drumming.


The Sunday School Trip went to Campsie Glen and the cost was 4s 6d for children and 6s 6d for adults.


The Holiday School took place from Monday 9th to Friday 13th July for boys and girls of 10 years and over.


The church grounds were much improved by the use of a new power-propelled mower and the hard work of the Gardens Committee, Messrs Taylor, Logan, Belshaw and Mearns.


The members of the choir got permission to have the chancel extended, and the male members went on and did “a very professional job of it” themselves.


Mr Swinton and the Works Committee, Messrs Barr, Niven and Trench and their assistants, made sixteen folding tables for functions held in the hall. They were “solidly built and beautifully finished, and cost nearly £40 less than if they had been bought”. Each organisation was to provide a sum of money for one or more tables, and the money saved by the committee would go to Church Funds.


Mr Donald Maclennan, the Colleague Minister left to take up an appointment in Edinburgh.


Mr Thomas Telfer tendered his resignation as Session Clerk, and Mr John Lawrence of Birgidale Road took on the role.


A party of pupils and staff from Glenwood Secondary School went to Moscow by bus.


Mr George Shearer, who was previously Church Officer, was ordained as an Elder. Mr Sydney Powell of Downcraig Road became the new Church Officer.


During the month of August two businessmen, one from Glasgow and the other from Rutherglen, gave sums of money for coloured glass to be fitted in the windows at the rear of the chancel, and carpeting on the floor of the chancel.


At a farewell social in the church on Friday, 14th September the congregation said goodbye to the Rev. Donald Macleod and family who left after seven years, to go to a new charge in Bridge of Weir. He was presented with a tape recorder and cheque by Mr John Lawrence, the Session Clerk, and Mrs Macleod received a transistor radio.


A party of about 100 went to see Mr Macleod inducted into his new parish, and to the social held in his new church.

Rev. George Gilchrist of Cathcart Old Parish Church was the Interim Moderator during the vacancy. The Locum was the Rev. Wm. Mackay and the Rev. Robert McDill was the Colleague Minister. Mr Mackay had previously had parishes in the Isle of Luing, Grantown-on-Spey and Glasgow, and had served as Provost of Grantown-on-Spey. Mr McDill with his wife and 3 month old daughter came 6,000 miles from the Mid-West of America.

The donations to the magazine for the second 4 months of the year amounted to £17 7s 2d.


Mrs Grant, the crèche convener, appealed for new toys for Sunday mornings and got “a splendid response”.


Some windows in the church were broken and the cost of replacing them amounted to £71 10s 8d.


In October the last tram “shook, rattled and rolled” along Argyll Street in Glasgow city centre, “and into history”.


The church repaid another £1,000 towards the debt on the buildings, making the total repayment to date £6,406. Nearly £7,000 remained to be repaid.


The Junior Choir put on a Nativity Play, and Christmas parties were put on for 600 children.


Children in the Junior Sunday School knitted two cot blankets to send to the missionary partner in Chitambo. Scrapbooks and pictures were also made to send.


The children went carol-singing to the old people in the parish, delivering little packets of tea to them.

1962(Part 1)

Women's World Day of Prayer took place on Friday, 9th March, and for women in Castlemilk there was a joint service in Lloyd Morris Church in Ardmaleish Road, and the theme was “For God so loved the world”.

Mr Peter Douglas served as Assistant minister in Castlemilk West from June to August.


The offerings for the four months January to April were £1,009 8s 3d.


A letter was received from Lesley McNair who had gone to Chitambo, Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia), as a missionary.


Two new Y.M.C.A. Centres, one in Carmunnock Road at Holmbyre Road, and the other at the far end of Ardencraig Road near Tormusk Road, were opened in April.


An anonymous member of the Congregational Board made and donated a beautiful stand for the chancel flowers.


The cost of Life and Work was 4d per monthly edition.


Mrs Smith, Guardian of 44b Company of the Girls' Guildry resigned and received a small presentation from the Kirk Session.


Hugh Gray, “the good friend of the new housing areas” on the staff of the “Evening Citizen” described the organising of the parish as “Baby Parishes”. There were 60 districts and each district had the elder as the leader of the team, but also in each team there were another five people, a board member, a person dealing with the delivery of the church magazine, someone dealing with the Building Fund boxes, a Cradle Roll person and a youth representative. Although each had a separate responsibility all six would help one another and would meet regularly to discuss common problems.


The son of Mrs Steenson, secretary of the Woman's Guild, started on a career of flying with a commission in the Fleet Air Arm.


Mr Fred Grant of Raithburn Road, a marine engineer and member of the congregation was travelling the world with his job. His father was an elder and his mother was in the Guild and on the Congregational Board.


Mr Donald Campbell, a member of the congregation, whose grandmother lived in Dougrie Terrace was in L'Orient in Brittany teaching English.


The Youth Club and Fellowship meetings were still drawing the crowds.


The Life Boys entered the Glasgow Area Musical Festival for the first time, and came 2nd in the Pitch Pipe section and third equal in the Choral Section.


On Easter Sunday about 100 bunches of daffodils were distributed to the old and sick in the parish.

1961

Rev David Montgomery was appointed to Hamilton Old Parish Church. Rev Alistair Kelly served in Castlemilk West Church from February to May.


A youth football team started up, and was run by Mr John Yuill of Glenacre Drive.


Full Status for the church was obtained in May.


The people of Castlemilk decided 2,000 to 10,000 to keep the Cathcart Ward a “dry” area, which meant that no public houses could be set up in the Castlemilk area.


The Leader of the Life Boy Team, Mr Jack Morrison of Croftfoot Parish, who along with Mr W. Picken of Mount Florida Church founded the B.B.Company five years previously, decided to give up his connection with the 18th Company and the leadership of the Life Boys. He was succeeded by Mr Alex. Millar of Dougrie Drive. Three Assistant Leaders, Miss E. Morton, Miss D. Robertson and Miss M. Robertson, all of Glenacre Quadrant, agreed to help Mr Millar.

There were 141 boys in the B.B. Company, making it one of the largest in the country, and they had four new officers, three of whom came through the ranks, Messrs T. Hamilton, T. Roberts and W. Shields. The fourth, G. Scott came from Cathcart South.

30 members of the Youth Club and Fellowship were to go camping to France in the summer, but instead, due to unforeseen circumstances, spent a memorable two weeks in Newquay.

Moira Dane and Adam Beattie, two members of the Club and Fellowship, got engaged.


The Sunday School Picnic went to Strathaven Park, and the tickets cost 3/6d for children and 5/6d for adults.


Miss Lesley McNair, a former leader of one of the Junior Sunday School Departments left for a missionary appointment in Africa.


341 Babies were on the Cradle Roll, i.e. children baptised in the Church and not yet of Sunday School age.


Margaret Thomson of Dougrie Road had the highest mark in the Girls' Guildry Bible Exam for the whole of Glasgow with 98% and Grace Masson of Carmunnock Road was second with 92½%. Both girls were members of 44b Company.


18th Company Boys'Brigade won the Glasgow B.B. Battalion Signalling Cup. The boys who were under Lieut. Hamilton were: Cpl Brian Wilson, Cpl Alex. Stephen, Cpl Brian McKenzie and Pte H. Marshall.


44a Company of the Girls' Guildry visited Windlaw Old Folks' Home in June to give a concert.


Rev. Donald Finlay Maclennan, previously in Caithness, and more recently locum in charge of a Church Extension church in Drumchapel, was appointed Colleague Minister in Castlemilk West.


The Church magazine, the Castlemilk Crusader, was delivered quarterly and free of charge to close to 3000 Protestant homes. Donations, by means of the Crusader box in the church for the first eight months of the year, amounted to £42 12s 6d.


Final costs for the church and the manse amounted to £43,338, according to the Home Board. The congregational liability was £13, 109, of which £4,406 had already been repaid.


A Parish Envelope Collection raised £113 2s.

The Church Football Team, under Mr Aitken, won the Scottish Churches Cup, and “but for a bit of bad luck with injuries towards the close of the season” might have won the League Championship as well. The youth team continued strongly under the guidance of Mr Yuill.


An entrance to the church from Glenacre Street was skilfully constructed by members of the Works' Committee, namely Mr Swinton, Mr Niven and Mr Barr. This was to minimise the danger to children from the heavy traffic on Carmunnock Road.


Mr Shearer, the Church Officer, and several members of the congregation painted most of the interior of the church building during the summer months.


Thirty ladies of the Woman's Guild responded to an appeal to help with the scrubbing out of the church and halls in the middle of September.


The Choir now attended both morning services on the first Sunday of each month.


After two Training Conferences and since they no longer had many of the responsibilities taken over by the newly formed Congregational Board, the elders conducted a mission to the parish.


The Youth Club meetings were continuing on Thursday evenings, and a group of the members climbed Ben Nevis on a week-end in May, and the Club Fellowship continued to meet on Sunday evenings.


81 boys re-enrolled in the Boys'Brigade for the new session, along with 42 new recruits, but they did require more officers. New officers appointed were Lt. William McLaren, who came through the ranks and Lt. Williams, a member of the congregation, who had been involved with the 63rd Glasgow Company. Four newly promoted Staff Sergeants were Andrew Tedcastle, Jas. Gorman, David Carrick and Robert Dunbar. There was no camp this year.


In wider Castlemilk, the Horticultural Society, started in 1956, had 40 members. The annual subscription was 3s6d. Winners in the 2nd Annual Flower Show were Mr D. Cameron of Ardencraig Drive and Mr H. Cantley of Downcraig Drive. The Garden Warden was Mr D. Kinghorn, and the secretary was Mrs M. S. Jamieson, both of Dougrie Road.
 
The Building Fund Boxes raised £546 18s 8d, a record total.

1960 (Part 2)

The following members were ordained and admitted to the office of Eldership:  Messrs. John Lawrence, Alexander McLachlan, Donald Macleod, John Millarvie, Henry Ritchie and William Shields.


On 28th March a disastrous fire took the lives of nineteen firemen in the Anderston district of Glasgow. One of those who died was Fireman Daniel Robertson of Arnprior Road. He had been a member of the Congregational Board for a time. He left a young widow and two children. A retiring offering for the Fire Relief Fund raised £26.


In May, the Youth Club, nearly 60 of them, did a twenty-two mile walk, including a climb to the summit of Ben Lomond, “which on a smog-free day could be seen from Cathkin Braes”. The walk was done during a Saturday night and Sunday morning. They left Castlemilk at 6.30 p.m. by bus and headed for Balmaha. At Rowardennan they had something to eat and at midnight began the climb. After the climb breakfast was eaten at Rowardennan, they walked back to Balmaha and got the bus home again.


Sixteen ladies from the Woman's Guild went in July to Oberammergau to see the Passion Play.


The Kirk Session, looking to the future decided to have a permanent closed circuit television plant installed to relay services to the hall should the congregation worshipping on Sunday mornings become too large for the services in the church.


190 boys enrolled in the 18th team of the Life Boys. They had 8 staff, four of whom were from Croftfoot Parish Church.


The Manse changed from Fairfax Avenue to Old Castle Road during the summer.

The Girls' Guildry celebrated its 60th anniversary, having been started by Dr William Sommerville in Anderston Church, as a similar organisation to the Boys' Brigade.

In the week preceding the Fair Holiday, for the first time, 40 to 50 children, in the 10 to 12 age group, attended a holiday school in the Church Hall, run by Miss McNaughton and several assistants. The sessions were from 9.30 to 12.30 each day.

On Sunday, 27th November, ordained elders Mr William Strain, of Birgidale Avenue and Mr James Gilchrist of Carmunnock Road were admitted to the Kirk Session of Castlemilk West, and the following were ordained and admitted at the same service: Messrs John Fennemore of Birgidale Road, Robert Neill of Drakemire Drive, Angus Matheson of Croftfoot Road and Samuel Doak of Birgidale Road.

The new storeroom under the stairway of the church was officially opened on 4th December by the Rev. D. Macleod. Mr Robert Young and later Mr Swinton, convener of the Works Committee, along with seven or eight volunteers completed the work.

The offerings from August to December 1960 amounted to £1,213 3s 5d.


The death was announced of Mr A.E. Dickson of Cathcart Old Parish Church who served in Castlemilk West as founder Session Clerk for a number of years. At the beginning of every service on the 11th December the congregation stood while the minister paid tribute to Mr Dickson. He had been an elder in his own church for twenty-four years and Session Clerk for fifteen years.

On 25th December the chimes rang out from the church for the first time.


The membership of the church rose from 988 to 1,104, 68 members joined by Profession of Faith, 79 by Disjunction Certificate and 3 were restored to full membership. 29 Disjunction Certificates were issued during the year and 5 members died.


957 out of 1,104 members participated in the Freewill Offering Scheme, although “some members preferred the Open Method”.


Mr and Mrs J. Henderson of Holmbyre Terrace celebrated their Golden Wedding on Boxing Day.


Miss Moira Dane of Dougrie Road, a prominent member of the Youth Club received a presentation on leaving to take up nursing at the Southern General Hospital.


The total amount raised for repayment to the Building Fund during 1960 was £1,138, and this was partly made up from £65 from the Sunday School, £21 14s from the choir, £10 from the Men's Association, £11 from the Young Mothers' Group, £38 from a Jumble Sale, 10s from an anonymous donation, and £210 17s 1d from the Building Fund Boxes.

1960(Part 1)

There was an appeal to purchase a Communion Plate. The Envelope Collection, involving more than 500 members, amounted to £125. This sum together with previous retiring offerings, donations from the Boys' Brigade and the Life Boys of £20, and a donation of £5 from a member, made a grand total of £240. This was sufficient to cover the cost of purchasing the Communion Plate.


Each Sunday evening after the service the congregation was invited to have a cup of tea with the Youth Club in the hall, “a happy half-hour to meet informally and make friends”.


By this time, Mr Thomas Telfer was the Session Clerk and the Halls Convener. Mr Thomas McEwan was the Treasurer, and the Church Officer was Mr George Shearer.


Contributions to the Church Magazine, the Crusader, from the box in the church for December 1959, and January and February, 1960 amounted to £13 18s 2d. The magazine had been in existence for almost three years.


On 29th January the Assessor Elders and their wives were guests at a social gathering in the church hall, when members of the Kirk Session, the Congregational Committee and representatives from all the organisations of the church met to honour them. They had given four years of “valuable service” and most had by now returned to their own churches. They were:  Mr A.E. Dickson and Mr T.J. McWilliams (Cathcart Old Parish), Mr G. Stewart (King's Park), Mr M. McNaughton (Battlefield East), Mr Jas. Stewart and Mr John Morrison (Croftfoot Parish), Mr R. Wilson (Cathcart South), Mr D. Stewart (New Cathcart), Mr W.B. Picken and Mr J.M. Dougans (Mount Florida) and Mr C. Thomson (Netherlee).


Offerings for the four months, December 1959 to March 1960 were £876 7s 11d


The Captaincy of the Boys' Brigade again changed hands, as Mr B.J. Chisholm, who had been an officer in the 18th for four and a half years, accepted a business post in Sierra Leone. Fortunately the Company secured the services of Captain, Mr W. Robertson, late of Mosspark B.B., a man with long experience in the B.B. Movement.


The Company at this time had 132 boys on the roll, with five officers. During B.B. Week, the boys managed to collect £101, which placed them 16th out of 250 Companies in Glasgow Battalion. Four boys were presented in the City Chambers with the Queen's Badge Certificate, and they were Sgt Malcolm Napier, Cpl David Carrick, L./Cpl Alexander Stephen and L./Cpl Alan Baxter.


Full Status was in sight for 1961. From the Church of Scotland, Castlemilk West received buildings to the value of £43,000, and over the first four and a half years more than £5000 for stipend, salaries and other things. They had to repay £11,000, in total, and as soon as possible take over the paying of the stipend, salaries and other sundries. Full status (by the General Assembly) would be granted when £4000 towards the church building was repaid and the minister's stipend could be paid (less £150). At this time £1,640 had still to be raised.


Mr W. Strain was the Building Fund Convener. A Garden Fête (opened by Mr Charlie Sim of the One o'Clock Gang), raising £270, was held, as were dances, a Shopping Morning, and a Jumble Sale. Coffee Mornings were held every Saturday morning from 23rd April.


Miss McNaughton, the deaconess arranged the first visit to the Church of Scotland Rest Home at Craigengower, Tighnabruaich, for women in the parish who had suffered bereavement, sickness, or were in need of rest.


On 25th May the Lord High Commissioner, the Queen's Representative at the General Assembly visited both Castlemilk West and East Churches.


A portable Communion Set was donated anonymously by a member of the congregation, and a blue velvet Pulpit Fall, embroidered with the Burning Bush, was presented to the church by Mrs Steenson of Downcraig Drive. She had embroidered it herself. New Curtains for the hall were obtained.


The Woman's Guild Day Trip went to Oban and the Evening Trip to Ayr.


The Sunday School Trip went to Rouken Glen, as the cost of hiring buses to go further would have been too expensive. The Sunday School purchased a projector.


Castlemilk West F.C. gained promotion after their first season in the Churches League 2nd division, and were the only 2nd League team to have reached the third round of the Scottish Churches Cup. The team members -all young lads – attended church regularly. Four players were lost to Junior Football.

Four boys from Glenwood Secondary School gained first prize in the Art and Industry competitions at the Gaelic Mod held in Dundee. They all won prizes for woodwork with Celtic designs. One boy, Peter Aitken was a member of the Boys' Brigade and William Wilson was in the Youth Club and Football Team. The other two boys were Robert Galloway and Alistair Kenyon.

(Senior, Junior and Children's Choirs – September 1959)

The Children's and Junior Choir, under the conductor and organist, Mr Barker, were progressing well. He also encouraged more people to join the Church Choir.

1959

In the new church three services were held on a Sunday, at 10.15 and 11.30 in the morning and 6.30 in the evening.


The move into the new church building was completed in time for the baptism of the first baby on the 11th January, who was the minister's son, Roderick Angus Macleod. There were four other babies baptised at that same service.


The first meeting for mothers of children under school age was held on Tuesday 3rd February at 2.30p.m.

At the annual business meeting on 27th February, the following were elected to the Congregational Committee:  Mr Currie, Mrs Neill, Mr Whiteside, Mrs W. Shields, Mrs Steenson, Mrs Clarkson, Mr J. Dool, Miss McNaughton, Mr McKenzie, Mrs J. Robertson, Mr A. Smith, Mr J. Lawrence, Mr J. Aitken, Mr J. Crichton, Mr A. Erskine, Mr J. Davidson, Mr W. Shields, Mr W. Cunningham, Mr M. Hewitt, Mr D. McLaren, Mrs H. Rose, Mr A. McLachlan, Mrs Sime and Mr J. Anderson.


Mr Thomas Telfer of Holmbyre Terrace was appointed Session Clerk, replacing Mr A. E. Dickson of Cathcart Old Parish.


On Easter Sunday, 29th March, the flowers in the church were donated by Pavilion 11, Mearnskirk Hospital, in memory of Miss Finlay, of Toryglen, who was an enthusiastic leader in 44a Company of the Guildry until her death on 1st January.

Lance-Corporal Andrew Tedcastle of Arnprior Quadrant gained the Queen's Badge, the highest award in the Boys' Brigade.

Another Mission of Friendship took place from the 20th April until the 14th May, and then again in November, when folk from the congregation went out visiting in the parish, inviting people to come to Parish Receptions.

The Sunday School Trip took place to Balloch Park on the 13th June. 15 double- decker buses were required. Thrift clubs were set up to help parents with payment.


The Sunday School now had 950 children on the roll. Teachers had their annual meeting on 21st September, and in November, their conference at Piersland House in Troon. Miss McNaughton was in overall charge of the Sunday School and Miss Dunlop was the Secretary.
 

During the Fair Fortnight a party of about twenty boys from the Boys' Brigade Company joined forces with the 113th Company (Queen's Park High Church) to go to camp at Gullane.

The total offerings for the four months May to August were £830 13s 7d.


The Men's Association acquired their own set of carpet bowls. Their meetings were held on Mondays at 8p.m., when they had Bible studies, speakers, musical evenings and visits from Erskine-Rose Men's Association. There were also party nights for wives and children.

Mr George Paton, the Assistant Minister married on 11th September, and moved to a church extension charge in Aberdeen. He was replaced by Rev. David Montgomery, a former Baptist minister.



The Boys' Brigade Company Captain, Mr Picken of Mount Florida Church gave up the captaincy, and was replaced by Mr Chisholm of Battlefield East Church.


Miss Lesley McNair, of Netherlee, leader of the Junior Sunday School went to train at St. Colm's College in Edinburgh, with a view to taking up missionary work in Africa.


The bazaar held in Castleton School on 21st November realised the sum of £170, and this made “a useful contribution to the repayment of the debt on the church”.


On Sunday, 22nd November the Boys' Brigade Company attended a special service in the church to have their Colours and Pipes and Drums dedicated by the Rev. D. Macleod. There were 120 boys on parade and they were augmented by 40 boys from neighbouring Companies and the pipe band of 16th Croftfoot Parish B.B. Castlemilk Company had six sets of pipes and three drums by this time, and were undergoing intensive training under Mr McKenzie, one of the elders.

The collection for refugees taken at the Christmas Eve service amounted to £25.

1958(Part 3)

By the end of the year the number in the Sunday School had risen to 450 children, between the ages of four and fourteen years, meeting in both Arnprior and Castleton Schools.

Towards the end of the year a church football team was formed and the man behind the venture was Mr James Aitken of Carmunnock Road. The prospective players met on Thursday evenings at 7.30 in Castleton School.

The opening of the new church took place on 12th December.

The first wedding to take place in the new church was on Friday, 26th December between Mr James. McFadyen of Croftfoot Road and Miss Janette Clark of Cavin Road


In Castlemilk East, the Assistant minister, Rev. Peter Gordon was ordained, and the deaconess, Miss Fiona McDonald was commissioned.

1958(Part 2)

On 17th May in Mount Florida Church Hall, the third Annual Inspection and Display of the 18th Glasgow Company of the Boys' Brigade was held. The Company was inspected by Lieut. B.W. Cannon, R.N.R. The principal prize-winners were: Picken Challenge Medal, Pte Andrew Tedcastle; Squad Challenge Cup, Squad No. 4 (L/Cpl. M. Napier); Best-drilled Recruit, Pte Samuel Shields. Over 130 certificates and badges were gained by the boys in Battalion tests. At this time also Sergt William Shields was successful in gaining the Queen's Badge, the highest award in the Boys' Brigade. He was the first member of the Company to gain the award.

 

The Sunday School Picnic on Saturday, 14th June was a great success, with twelve double-decker buses required for the occasion, and around 850 men, women and children attending. Mr Bulloch and his committee were responsible for “the transport of this mammoth crowd” to Largs, and “as the huge convoy moved off, streamers were flying gaily from the windows”.

 

The Castlemilk Crusader, the West Church magazine, was by September being distributed free of charge to 2,500 homes in the parish.


In the early days when the church was held in Arnprior School, the choir was a small but dedicated band of women, but as the church moved into Castleton School the choir numbers increased steadily to about two dozen members – men and women- “several of whom were outstanding soloists”. Tribute must be paid to the choir master at this time, Mr Barrow, and the organist, Mr Walker, “whose zeal and enthusiasm had so much to do with the emergence of the choir”.

As the congregation roll was now 650 and the new church accommodated 550 it was decided that there should be two services on a Sunday morning. This was to begin with the move into the new church building.

200 Building Fund boxes were in circulation, and £94 was collected from them in the first six months of the year, and the man in charge of these boxes was Mr B. Johnston of Glenacre Quad.


A panel was formed of men who were willing to do odd jobs about the manse and the church buildings.


In the Girls' Guildry Miss Janette McClue took over from Miss Isabel Wright as Guardian of 44a Company and Mrs Helen Smith took over from Miss E. Miller at 44b Company.