I don't have any more material from the Castlemilk Crusaders, but sometime soon I will publish some old photos from the history of the church.    So, watch this space!

To view the whole blog from the beginning go to the foot to " 2009", and then to Castlemilk West -An Early History.

The story begins in 1955.

1975

Mr William Martin of Magnus Crescent took over from Mr William Hurst as rollkeeper.


Mr Bert Greig, Mr Ian McIntyre and Mr David Maxwell were ordained as elders. All three were officers in the Boys' Brigade.


Rev. James Millar in his letter to the congregation drew attention to the difference between Christ's life which was one of giving and the lives of those of the world whose only thoughts were of what they wanted.


In an article in the Crusader it stated that one of the aims of Industrial Chaplains was to urge men to attend their Trade Union meetings and especially to encourage Christians to do so, otherwise the affairs of the country would be decided by people who were prepared to make sacrifices in time and effort, however unrepresentative their views.


A couple who wished to remain anonymous donated “lovely” red cushions for the church pews. The donation was a closely guarded secret until the cushions appeared on the the pews on Sunday, 16th February.


More helpers were requested, especially on Thursdays for the work done by the W.R.V.S. in bringing hot meals to the housebound in Castlemilk. Twice a month for about two hours, touring the area in the W.R.V.S. van, was all you would have been required for. In all 76 people received a hot meal (cooked at the Langside Geriatric Unit) two days a week, 38 on a Monday and Thursday and another 38 on a Tuesday and Friday, with four people on the waiting list. The service was begun in Castlemilk with a team of voluntary helpers in February 1973. Anyone who wished to help was to contact Miss Browning, or Mrs Stevenson at the Community Centre.


Mr Gilchrist suggested that any men wanting an “interesting job” with no pay, no overtime, no holiday pay and no redundancy money should come to the church on Wednesdays in the forenoon at 10 a.m., where their services would be much appreciated.


Mrs Millar, the minister's wife invited women in the congregation to become part of International Women's Year by coming to join the hundred or so women who already attended the Woman's Guild. The Guild provided “scope for the individual woman to prove her equality – if not her superiority – to develop her talents in many ways, and to work for peace and harmony wherever she is”. The United Nations made the theme for the year “Equality, Development and Peace”, with special concern for the state and status of women in the developing countries.


At the end of May, Miss Marie Browning, the deaconess, married “a bearded young man”, Mr Lachlan Cameron, who had appeared now and again in the church, and who was mistakenly thought to be a relative of Miss Browning's. “The church was well filled for the occasion” and the minister was assisted by the Rev. John Jamieson, the minister from Marie's home church in Balfron. Before the wedding Marie received a nest of tables and a table lamp from the Kirk Session and the Congregational Board. On leaving her work as a deaconess in Castlemilk she received from the congregation the gift of a sewing machine.


The plan to have a path from Glenacre Street into the church was shelved as twelve steps, outside, would have been needed. The Congregational Board now intended to cover the space at the far end of the church building, giving storage accommodation, and stopping the vandalism there.


The leaders of all departments of the Sunday School requested parents to encourage their children to attend Sunday School, as attendance in all departments had been falling over the past few years, due to families leaving the district. In the Junior departments the leaders were Mrs Grant and Miss Rough and in the Primary departments Mrs Gold and Mr Sloan. Miss Pat Cockburn, the leader of the Beginners' appealed for more teachers.


The White Heather Club which had started up in January 1957 in a hut in the grounds of the Croftfoot United Free Church in Carmunnock Road now had a membership of 112 with twelve committee members.


Miss Joan Dunnachie, Miss Anne McKechnie and Miss Averil Rough were appointed officers by the National Board of the Girls' Brigade, having completed training.


John Crichton, the editor of the Crusader for 17 years resigned. John, an elder, had used his know-how in printing to publish “a very fine church magazine” and several years previously came first in all printed church magazines throughout Britain. He also looked after the Magazine Stall and encouraged the sale of the Church's publications, which he was continuing to do.


Morag Erskine, who had not been feeling too well for a time, but was now regaining some of the weight she had lost, thanked the congregation by letter for the cheque sent to set up the library, which was now under way. She was also able to set up a library account to purchase new religious publications, about which Terry McMullen, the chaplain in Mzuzu and the person responsible for stocking the bookstall in the market there, would advise them. Many of the students had never read books other than text-books or the Bible.


The Youth Fellowship, under the leadership of Colin Taylor, was running Congregational Social Evenings “to revitalise the social side of the church”.


Kenneth Olverman came third in the Battalion Individual Piping Competition, and there were entries from Boys' Brigade companies throughout the Glasgow area.


Following an appeal to the congregation by letter concerning the financial position of the church and the Church nationwide because of inflation, the offerings for the first eight months of the year increased by 53% and the Covenant Scheme brought in a sum of £845. This meant that the congregation would be able to fulfil its commitments for the year.


Originally commissioned in Wallacetown Church, Dundee, Miss Elizabeth Bell, the new deaconess had had a long experience as a deaconess, as she had served in Hutchesontown, Barlanark and Cranhill congregations in Glasgow.


Mr Paul Guy, son of Mr and Mrs James Guy, of Castleton School House, graduated B.Sc. (Hons.) from Glasgow University in 1974, and was now in his second year of a Ph.D. course.


Mr Alisdair Swift, the younger son of Mr and Mrs Stan Swift of Croftfoot Road, graduated B.Sc. from Strathclyde University.


Mr Harry Olverman, the eldest son of Mr and Mrs Olverman of Holmbyre Road graduated B.Sc. (Hons.) from Glasgow University, and was now studying for a Ph.D.


A tutor from Ireland was expected to arrive in Malawi soon, to lighten the load on Morag Erskine, who had been acting as tutor as well as running the maternity unit. Morag was offering those who had made “such an excellent job of painting the church railings” free full board at the “Hotel Erskine” if they would book a charter flight to Malawi and paint the hospital wards.


The proceeds of the Garden Fête, £785, nearly £100 more than the previous best in 1974, were going to the Building and Equipment Fund.


A letter was received from Mrs Marie Cameron, the former deaconess, in which she said that it was no exaggeration to say that she was filled with thankfulness for the the warmth, friendship and kindness she received from the congregation of Castlemilk West, and it was a privilege to share a partnership with them in the Lord's service. Although she was no longer living and working in the area the experience of “oneness” and belonging would remain. She said she and Lachlan would be delighted to see anyone in Killearn at any time and the congregation should be assured of their prayers.


Castlemilk Civic Week was to take place from the 17th- 23rd May, 1976, and it was hoped that all churches, schools and organisations would co-operate to make it an outstanding success.


Mr and Mrs Erskine went on a trip to the U.S.A. where they met up with John and Nessie Lawrence, who were still very active in their church in Rochester, being members of a group called the Friendship Club. They then went on to visit the Rev. Bob McDill and his wife, Martha in Taylorville, Iowa, where he was minister of a large church, keeping him very active and which exercised to the full his admirable administrative ability. The last visit was to a small town in Canada called Cameron, where Margaret Syme who had lived in Cavin Road was now living. She was now Mrs Ray Carpentier. In Castlemilk West Margaret had been a member of the Congregational Board and a Sunday School Leader. In front of Margaret's home on Lake Sturgeon a flag, the lion rampant, was flying, the custom in Canada and the U.S.A.


Bob and Martha McDill donated 10 dollars to the Crusader magazine.


To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Girls' Guildry, now known as the Girls' Brigade, Glasgow Division undertook a massive fund-raising effort, and was able to buy a minibus for the Spastic Centre, and hoped to buy a meals-on-wheels van for the elderly. 74A and 74B Companies raised almost £200.


The Young Women's Club changed its time from afternoon meetings to mornings.


Mr Jimmy Guy, the janitor of Castleton School for twenty years, retired, and to mark this he was guest of honour at a Dinner in the Bellahouston Hotel. He was presented with a retiral gift from the teaching staff and one from the church organisations, the Sunday School, the Boys' Brigade and the Girls' Brigade, who had all used the school over the years.


Sadly, Mrs Mairi Robb (Miss Mairi Dick) died as the result of a car accident in Hawaii, leaving two young children. Mairi who emigrated to America in 1969, had been a teacher in the Sunday School and Captain of the Girls' Brigade in Castlemilk West. “She had a sincere, friendly nature and was very highly esteemed in the congregation and among a wide circle of friends”. The Rev. James Millar conducted a short service at the Johnstone home of Mairi's parents, Mr and Mrs Archie Dick (late of Croftfoot Road) to coincide with the funeral service in Hawaii.


The door to door collection in Castlemilk on behalf of Christian Aid realised the sum of £754.40. The East Church contributed £225.31, Carmunnock and Castlemilk area £206 and the West Church £323.09. The amount from the Congregational Church was not yet known.


The Rev. James Millar and Mrs Millar became grandparents for the first time when a baby boy, Alan, was born to Mr and Mrs David Maxwell.


Miss Alison Todd, M.A., daughter of Mr and Mrs Todd of Glenacre Drive, was married in Edinburgh to Mr Nicholas Hastie, Ph.D. (Cantab.), and they were setting off for Buffalo, U.S.A. where Mr Hastie had a post in a teaching hospital.


A sponsored painting of the church railings by “motley gangs of workers” from the congregation, caused “a bit of a stir” on Carmunnock Road from August to mid-September and resulted in a saving of at least £400-£500 for the church. “Young and old, male and female stood on either side of the fence, almost shoulder to shoulder, first scrubbing off the rust and loose paint, then re-covering the railings and quite often each other with a fresh coat of green paint”. Organised by the Malawi Committee, it was no mean feat as nearly a quarter of a mile of railings had to be scraped and painted. More than £150 in sponsor money went to Morag, the prayer partner in Malawi, and the painting, which was last done in 1967, greatly enhanced the appearance of the grounds into the bargain. One 12 year old girl, Avril Buchanan of Croftfoot Road earned sponsor money of nearly £16.

A very enjoyable joint trip to Craigengower, Tighnabruaich, was arranged by the deaconesses of Castlemilk West and East churches, along with several volunteers assistants, for a number of lady members from both congregations. It was “a very happy, carefree holiday with lots of fun, first-class meals, and tea in bed every morning”.

1974

The Church of Scotland Moral Welfare Committee made the following declaration in February, “at a time when our way of life is threatened by many social ills”, the alternative to seeking more and more possessions is living more simply and learning contentment. The alternative to strife and division in industry and commerce is a continual quest for justice, co-operation and a constant respect for each other. The alternative to casual, self-indulgent sex is mutual respect and responsibility with fulfilment in the permanent caring relationship of marriage. The alternative to selfish speculating and gambling is responsible use of God's gifts. The alternative to escaping from the pressures of life through drink and drugs is living life on the solid foundation of faith in Jesus Christ. The alternative to self-interest, the source of social ills, is love for God and neighbour, the foundation of the healthy society. The alternative to going our own way is following Jesus Christ, The Way.


The proceeds of this year's Garden Fête were to go to the Building and Equipment Fund which was planning an new entrance to the church, a “flyover” entrance from Glenacre Street into the church, about where the organ was. This was to save elderly or infirm members having to negotiate all the stairs up to the church, and it would also have acted as an emergency exit. Detailed plans had already been made and passed by the appropriate authorities to enlarge the hall and room accommodation. These alterations were to have been carried out with the help of the National Church Extension Committee, but because of the financial position of this Committee in the inflationary circumstances of the day and because of more urgent claims of other churches to assistance, it was decided to put these plans on hold.


Elders distributed envelopes to members of the congregation, to allow them to participate in a presentation to the Rev. James Millar who was celebrating his semi-jubilee as a minister of the Church of Scotland. On his demob from the R.A.F. after six years of service at home and overseas, Mr Millar made his decision to enter the ministry. In 1949, he was ordained and inducted to his first charge, Glencairn Church, Kilmaurs. Five years later, in 1954, the charge of St. Maurs, Kilmaurs became vacant and he undertook the duties of minister to both congregations in Kilmaurs. In this capacity he acted for eight years until he received the call from Castlemilk West early in 1963. In the eleven years in Castlemilk, Mr Millar had “never spared himself in ministering to the spiritual and temporal needs of an exceptionally large parish and congregation, and many, both in the church and in the parish had great cause to be grateful to Mr Millar for his help and advice in times of difficulty, and for his spiritual comfort in time of need”.


In the Annual Financial Statement the income tax recovered on Covenants was £527.


The February issue of the Crusader magazine was delayed till April because of the energy crisis and the three-day working week.


After spending three months home on furlough, Morag Erskine returned to Malawi for a period of three years. She did not return to the David Gordon Hospital, but went to Ekwendeni, 90 miles south of Livingstonia, to be tutor there to the nurses enrolled on a two year course in midwifery.

Castlemilk West was one of the many Guilds in the city who took a turn to go along and make soup for those who attended the Lodging House Mission in East Campbell Street, and this was only one of several things the ladies did, both in the church and in the wider field.

Mr Albert Barker, the “accomplished and experienced musician” completed forty years as a church organist and fifteen years as organist in Castlemilk West.



The target for giving to the Church's Mission and Service Fund for Castlemilk West for the year was £1,040, £80 more than the previous year. This Fund was set up to finance the various activities of the Church at home and overseas, and the target for each church was set according to their ability to pay.


The netting over the church windows was loose after the stormy weather at the beginning of the year and many windows were smashed by vandals throwing stones. Before the replacement windows could be covered by new netting two more were broken. This was “a rather sad commentary on the lack of respect for the property of others shown by youngsters nowadays,” and the fault lay “entirely with the parents” who were “too lazy or too selfish to give their children the care and attention all children require”.


Mr Ian Paterson, who left Castlemilk West two years previously returned to Castlemilk as minister of the Baptist congregation, meeting in a school in the east side of Castlemilk. Plans were going ahead to build a church in the vicinity of the Y.M.C.A. in Ardencraig Road.


The Youth Fellowship had Teddy Taylor M.P., the local councillors, Mrs MacIntosh from the Citizens' Advice Bureau, some-one from the Drug Squad and Mr J. Dick from the congregation as speakers at their meetings. They also ran discos, and a social evening for the congregation during the year.


Rev. Donald Macleod, who spent “seven very strenuous years organising and laying the foundations of the parish” in Castlemilk West, returned to Scotland from Canada. It was reported in the Oban Times that he had been inducted as minister of the linked parishes of Portnahaven and Kilchoman on the island of Islay. Mr Macleod who was born in Winnipeg, Canada, left Castlemilk West in 1962 to go to Bridge of Weir, and after six years as minister there, he emigrated with his wife and family. In Vancouver he became a lecturer in history at the university. Although a Canadian by birth, he spent his early childhood in Stornoway and the Point district of Lewis, and was a fluent Gaelic speaker.


Mr Sam Doak took over the duties of Church Officer from Mr Jack Brier.


A Social Evening was held to celebrate the Rev. James Millar's twenty-five years in the ministry. Two ministers, Rev. Donald F. Macdonald of Lylesland Church in Paisley, and Rev. John R. Gray of Dunblane Cathedral, with whom Mr Millar had served as an assistant were invited as guests, as was Rev. Thomas B. Girdwood of Shawlands Cross Church, who had studied for the ministry with Mr Millar. There were also representatives from Kilmaurs and a number of former elders and members of Castlemilk West. The compère for the evening was Mr Albert Barker, who also entertained with selections on a portable organ. Mr Bob Neil and Miss Margaret Anderson contributed with vocal items and Mrs John Baxter did some recitations.


Mr John McKechnie, the Session Clerk, presented Mr Millar with a inscribed gold watch, a beautifully bound copy of the new church hymnary with music, and a cheque. Bouquets were presented to Mrs Millar, his wife and Mrs Millar, sen., his mother, by Miss Carol McKechnie and Miss Wilma Kincaid. “A lovely buffet” was served by Mr John Smith and the ladies of the committee.


After the Sunday School Jumble Sale six or seven large sacks of “quite reasonable clothing” were picked up by Help the Aged, an organisation that seeks to help aged people all over the world. The church was opened on the 6th November from 10-12, 2-4 and 6-7 to receive clothing of any kind.


A bulletin from Church headquarters in Edinburgh said that the effects of inflation were causing widespread concern throughout the Church of Scotland, and congregations, faced with rising costs of heating , lighting and maintenance, plus the need to pay higher stipends and salaries, were finding it more difficult to meet their commitments to the Mission and Service Fund. Assembly Committees were being asked as a result of this to make economies in their spending and to examine closely any development plans. The Stewardship and Budget Committee said that the maintenance of the wide scope of the work of the Church was at stake. An approach to presbyteries and congregations was made to encourage a higher level of giving, and to impress on people the benefits of taking out Deeds of Covenant, which increased effective offerings by 50%.


A cheque for £370 and 18 parcels of clothing for children were sent to Morag in Ekwendeni. £130 was raised by the Sponsored Walk. Mr and Mrs Albert Barker provided home-made cakes and tea in their garden at the halfway stage in Busby, and Mrs Grant and Mrs Warnock had a cup of tea and sandwiches waiting back at the church hall. A new hostel and school of nursing had been built by the Christian Service Committee with money donated by Holland, and Morag hoped to stock a library in this building from the money from Castlemilk.


Mr David Maxwell, of Croftfoot Road, an officer in the Boys' Brigade and a teacher in the Junior Sunday School, graduated B.Ed. from Jordanhill College of Education. He was now teaching in Glenwood Secondary School.


Mr Fred Grant of Raithburn Road graduated B.Sc. from Aberdeen University, and was now studying for the ministry at Trinity College, Glasgow. He was the first in the congregation to do so. Fred, whose parents were both elders in the church, served his apprenticeship as a marine engineer, travelling all over the world. He then went on to a new career as a male nurse, then entering university to study for a B.Sc.


Miss Anderson and Miss Browning, the deaconesses of the East and West churches in Castlemilk, along with a willing band of helpers took a party of ladies in need of a holiday to Tighnabruaich for a week.


There was a visit at the second service on 20th October from the Rev. Donald Macleod, now minister of a parish on the island of Islay, along with his wife and two sons. Mr Macleod left Castlemilk in 1962.


The engagement was announced of Miss Marie Browning, the deaconess, to Mr Lachlan Cameron of Killearn. Miss Browning would be leaving in the middle of 1975.


Miss Jean Grigor, having returned from an appointment as Youth Field Officer for Victoria and Tasmania in Australia, was back in Scotland. She had been appointed Associate Director of Counselling and Training for the Church of Scotland, working with the Rev. Dr. Mills.


The death, after a lengthy period of illness, was announced of Mrs Letitia Steenson, one of the first members of the Congregational Board in the early days of the church. She had also served on the Publications Committee for many years, and although she was no longer a member of the Board, she continued to help at the Magazine Stall until only a few weeks before her death. Previously she had embroidered, and donated to the church, the pulpit fall which could be seen on Sundays on the chancel. Despite the death of her husband, followed by the death of her only son in an air crash, Mrs Steenson had continued to show a brave face to the world.


Miss Joyce Millar, an officer in the Junior Boys' Brigade, and daughter of the Rev. James Millar married Mr David Maxwell of Croftfoot Road. Mr Millar accompanied Joyce to the church and gave her away. He then officiated at the wedding ceremony, assisted by the Rev. Thomas B. Girdwood of Shawlands Cross Church. Joyce had also been a teacher in Arnprior Junior Sunday School.


Miss Lesley Crichton, leader in Arnprior Junior Sunday School and formerly President of the Youth Fellowship married Mr Ian Smith of Shawlands.


A three month old baby boy, Scott Logan, travelled with his mother, Mrs James Logan, formerly Miss Ann Black of Glenacre Drive, from Washingtonville, New York City to be baptised in Castlemilk West. Mrs Logan had attended Sunday School in Castlemilk West from an early age and had been a regular attender at church before going to America.


The “Flyover” new entrance to the church which was to be built had run into some snags with the plans and the planning authorities. These had been sorted out but unfortunately the cost of £2000, nine months previously, had now risen to £5000. It was still hoped to get the work done.


Everyone was delighted over the amount raised from the Fête, almost £700, £180 more than the previous best.


Donations to the Crusader of £1 from the deaconess, Miss Sheena McNaughton, £3 from Mrs Smith of Glenacre Terrace, £4 from the Youth Fellowship and £5.78 from the Mens' Association were greatly appreciated.


A total of £608 was collected by the Castlemilk and Carmunnock churches for Christian Aid, £213 from the East Church and £226 from the West. Christian Aid had sent £10,000 worth of medical and food supplies to refugees in Cyprus in response to an appeal from the World Council of Churches to a fund set up for the country's war victims.


The Girls' Brigade had started collecting old newspapers for the Garden Fête and £120 had been earned from this so far. They were looking for somewhere to store the papers. Thanks were due to Mr McPhee, a member of the church for the use of his lorry to transport the papers, and to Mr Gilchrist and Mr Logan for packing them up.


The 15th Annual Flower Show was opened by Mr Flisch, Headmaster of Grange Secondary School. In spite of the bad weather, it was reasonably well supported. Winner of the Edward Taylor Trophy was Chas. O'Neill of Holmlea Road, winner of the David Kinghorn Rose Bowl was Mrs A.R. Birnie of Crofthouse Road and winner of the Residential Challenge Trophy was C. Neilson of Dougrie Road. The “Garden News” Shield was won by Chas. O'Neill of Holmlea Road and the Hugh Glen Shield was won by Castleton Primary School.


Both using poems, Mrs Jean Finlayson invited women to come along to the Women's Guild and Mrs Keenan invited them to the Young Wives' and Mothers' Group.


The Boys' Brigade were looking for an instructor for pipes and for drums, as they were hoping to start a Pipe Band, and they had purchased several sets of bagpipes and drums. They were also hoping to run two football teams and to carry on with classes in First Aid, Christian Education, Safety, Expedition and Drill.


74A and 74B Companies of the Girls' Brigade were going to be doing games, keep fit and handicrafts.


Mr and Mrs Hamilton donated a “beautiful, Irish linen Communion cloth in time for the December Communion, and lovely new Bible markers.

1973

During the previous thirty years the material wealth of the people of this country had increased more rapidly than in any comparable period in its history, and from that it was to be assumed that the inhabitants of the country would have been happier, more contented and more amenable to law and order. The article in the Crusader, the church magazine, “Life in the Seventies: How the Church Must Act” stated that this was certainly not the case, and in fact, since the war, discontent and law-breaking had been prominent features of the British way of life. Dishonesty, thieving, vandalism, drug-taking, crimes of violence, strikes, murder were all commonplace. To account for this sociologists had advanced that broken homes, large housing schemes without social amenities, mothers of young children out working, violence and filth on T.V. were to blame. They may well be contributing factors, said the article, but a deeper and more important cause was behind it. People had been turning their backs on religion, under the impression that they could manage without God. Children had been growing up for years without having been taught the basic principles of life, and many of the young people were unaware of what was right or wrong. The article stated that children must be trained in the Christian way of life, and church members were encouraged to search their conscience to see if they could help in the Sunday School or in the youth organisations. People should stop sitting on the fence, and if they regarded themselves as Christian they should come to church and everybody should act against the powers of darkness seeking to envelop the country.


The Church of Scotland was involved in plans to bring a group of severely disabled children from Northern Ireland, away from the fear and the rumours and in some cases the gunfire, to have an all-expenses paid holiday in Scotland.


A “Silver Envelope Scheme realised the sum of £56 for the David Gordon Memorial Hospital and 18 parcels of clothing were sent off to the hospital by the Livingstonia Committee. A Beetle Drive raised £12, and the next Sponsored Stroll was to Cathkin Braes and was just over 7 miles. It raised £140. Blankets, etc. were being made from odd bits of wool, and clothing for babies or young children could be handed in at the church. Morag was coming home for a holiday in August, and a Welcome Home Social was to be held in September.

Miss Linda Johnston, one of the younger church members passed her final nursing exam and now held a Registered General and Orthopaedic Nursing Certificate. Linda was the daughter of Mr Bert Johnston, an elder and Mrs Johnston, who used to live in Glenacre Quadrant before they moved to Toryglen. Miss Johnston was to be married in Castlemilk West later in the year.


Mr and Mrs James Wilson of Dunagoil Road, members of the church, celebrated their Golden Wedding on the 1st February.


The Junior Section of the Boys' Brigade had about 60 boys turning up each Tuesday night, and in January the Company went to see the pantomime, “Aladdin”. The Company offered classes in First Aid, Expedition and Hobbies, along with the Target Scheme. George Bilsland, Graeme Downie,, Iain MacPherson, Gordon Muir, David MacDowell, David Winning, Walter Ritchie, Billy Cunningham and Ronald Finlayson all received their Target 2 Award. Alex. Docherty, Alex. Brown, Stephen Robb, John Taylor and David Johnston received their Target 1. William Allison and Douglas Neil gained their Drill Badge stage 1 and Alex. Sneddon and David Welsh gained the Christian Education Stage 1 Badge. In the Junior Section many boys did extremely well in the Achievement Scheme and several gained their Gold Award. The officers and boys thanked those who helped in any way, and especially Mr Donald MacLeod for his help with the Seamanship class.
The Company played host to Cathcart District in the District Parade, and in spite of bad weather the church was almost full.
Due to a lack of staff available during the Fair Fortnight the Company would not be holding a summer camp.


The M.P. for Cathcart was Edward M. Taylor, M.A. of Craig Road. The Councillors were John Henderson Young of Glencroft Road, George Manson of Tormusk Road, and John Fitch of Dougrie Place. The Justices of the Peace were D. McWhinnie of Carmunnock Road, Mrs E.M. Gillies of Castlemilk Road and J.T. Leighton of Dunagoil Road. There was a Citizens' Advice Bureau in the Community Centre and a Legal Advice Centre at the Family Service Unit in Glenacre Quadrant.


Rev. James Millar had been in Castlemilk West for ten years and the congregation under his leadership had changed from an “enthusiastic but rather immature” congregation into a mature and confident group of people. Castlemilk West as a church extension involved the pastoral care of some 15 to 20 thousand people, as well as duties connected to the church itself. Mr Millar had all the qualities necessary to do the job, and the congregation wished to thank him for his patience, discretion, sincerity, sense of humour and dedication over the ten years. Very many people in Castlemilk had good reason to feel grateful to him.


The Sunday School held a Jumble Sale which raised £68 to the cost of buying books and materials for the Baird Research Programme of lessons. Mr Ronald Barclay, who spoke on “Children and Religion Today” and Miss McCallum from Edinburgh, who showed films of the Holy Land, were guests at the one-day Teachers' Conference in the Renfield Centre. The Conference was well attended with members from the other youth organisations coming along too. The Sunday School Outing went to Rouken Glen Park. An appeal was made by Miss V. McKinlay for more teachers as they were short of staff.


Harry Logan retired as Treasurer of the Men's Association after 16 years, and received a Bible and hymn book as a token of their appreciation. Wm Martin took over. C.E. Rough beat Bert Grant by one shot after an extra end to win the the Bowling Singles final, while the Pairs went to J. Gold and W. Mair.


Anyone wanting a reference from the Minister had to ask before submitting his name as a referee, and he would only give references for people he knew and those who had a connection to the church.


A letter was received from Jean Grigor from Melbourne, in Australia, in which she said that after the eleven driest months in over 100 years it was raining as hard as she had ever seen it rain in Glasgow. Although she was employed by the Methodists, she spoke about her ecumenical work among the Presbyterians, the Methodists and the Congregationalists. There was no union as yet, the Presbyterians being the stumbling-block, but the departments of Christian education of the three churches were working very closely together. She had run a group for eight weeks, and more than half the participants were Roman Catholic, including four nuns and three priests.
While she was in Queensland as a leader in a big National Christian Youth Convention, involving 800 delegates from all over Australia, she had visited Mrs Donald Mathieson (Betty Aitken who had been a leader of 74B Company of the Girls' Brigade) and her “lovely wee fair curly-haired” daughter, Heather.


The convener of the Garden Fête was again “the ever-willing” Mr John Smith. The income from the Fête was divided between the Building and Equipment Fund(two thirds) and the Livingstonia Hospital Fund (one third). Almost £400 was raised, £133 going to the Livingstonia Hospital Fund.


3,000 homes in the parish received the Crusader magazine, but Castlemilk was not the only place it had influence. Copies were regularly dispatched to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, North and South America, as well as to lots of Scottish and English destinations. One of the advertisers told of an order he had received from a small town in Aberdeenshire. There was also a cutting from a church magazine in Cayuga, Indiana, U.S.A., which contained a copy of the Rev. James Millar's letter from a Crusader magazine.


Miss Lesley Crichton gave up the Presidency of the Youth Fellowship, and as she was the last of what you might call the “Old crowd” of Jackie Petrie, Pat Kerr, Marion Cameron, and Sandra Dane, etc., it signalled the end of an era. Mr Colin Taylor of Carmunnock Road took over. The new session of the Fellowship began with a “Kumonin Evening”, which was really “just an excuse for a carry-on”.


Mr Alistair Angus, having moved to Edinburgh, had to give up the captaincy of the 18th B.B Company and the leadership of the Junior B.B. The new captain was Mr John Cruickshanks and the new leader of the Junior B.B. was Miss Margaret Gilchrist.


Sunday School Departments needed more teachers, as it was too much to expect interest to be maintained where classes contained twelve pupils or more.


Miss Marion Browning, M.A. was commissioned as a deaconess of the Church of Scotland in September in the church . Those attending the moving service were representative ministers, elders and deaconesses from Glasgow Presbytery, the Moderator and Clerk of the Presbytery and a large congregation of church members.  Mr John McKechnie, the Session Clerk presented Miss Browning with a cassette tape recorder on behalf of the congregation.


Miss Morag Erskine was welcomed home after three years at the David Gordon Memorial Hospital in Livingstonia. She addressed the congregation at both morning services on 2nd September, and an official Welcome Social was held in the church hall on 7th September. After a few musical items compèred by Mr Albert Barker, a buffet meal was served by the committee.


Bob McDill moved to his third charge since leaving Scotland, in Taylorville, in central Illinois.


Miss Mary Dunlop, one of the lady elders, resigned after nine years as Clerk to the Congregational Board. Mrs A. Barker took over her duties. Mrs Barker was a member of the choir, convener of the Property committee, member of the Building Fund Committee, and doer of many unofficial duties in the church. Mamie was presented with a copy of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible in appreciation of her long and devoted service.


Mrs Jean Hogg (formerly Miss Jean Cochran) graduated M.A. from Edinburgh University. Jean was involved in Sunday School and youth work in Castlemilk West before her marriage, but was now resident in the Borders.


Miss Wilma Kincaid, a member of 74B Girls' Brigade, of Ardmaleish Road was dux of Mitchellhill Primary School.


A new monthly paper called “The Bush” was published by Glasgow Presbytery, giving “news and views for churches in the area, and to foster a bond of fellowship among their members”. The cost of the paper was 2p.


The Retiring Offering of £27 on Communion Sunday was sent to the North-West India Appeal Fund, as they had suffered from a three year drought.

Miss Gina Cree, an officer in the 74B Girls' Brigade Company married Mr Albert Greig, an officer in the 18th Company of the Boys' Brigade.



“Seven glorious days” were spent by a group from Castlemilk West along with groups from Abronhill and Edinburgh at Craigengower, Tighnabruaich.


Among the speakers at the Youth Fellowship were a doctor, an M.P., a college lecturer, a spiritualist, a governor of a prison and a member of the police drug squad. There was also a visit from “The Living Stones”.


The Castlemilk Horticultural Society had one of its biggest Flower Shows, and it was opened by Councillor Mrs C. Methven, Convener of the Social Amenities Committee. Also present was the Director of Parks, Mr Oldham. The number of entries had doubled in five years. The main prizewinners were G.Lamb of Homlea Road, C. Neilson of Dougrie Road, Castleton Primary and J. Lavelle of Raithburn Road.


Mrs McFarlane, janitor of Arnprior Primary since it opened 18 years previously, retired, and had a dinner in the Marie Stuart Hotel to mark the occasion. She received a cheque from the teachers of the school, and a copy of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible from Rev James Millar in appreciation of her long association with the Sunday School and for her co-operation and help over many years.

Mr and Mrs John Lawrence( a former session clerk and his wife) were on holiday for a few weeks from the U.S. over Christmas and New Year. By coincidence, Mr Bill Strain( the last session clerk) and his wife came to visit on one of the Sundays from Kirkintilloch. The two men joined with Mr John McKechnie, the current Session Clerk and the minister to have a photo taken.



The amount in the Crusader Box for the year was £109.32, which was “really tremendous”, and another £14.38 was received from individual donors.

1972(Part 2)

Thanks went to Mr John Smith who organised the Senior Citizens' Social and to Rev. James Millar and Mr Donald Stuart and the car drivers in the congregation who provided transport, after the last social of the session.

Those who donated flowers for the church on Sundays, Mrs Gibbons the Flower Convener for her tasteful arrangements and help with the distribution, and members of the Guild who delivered the flowers, were all thanked for their work.


Miss Alison Todd of Glenacre Drive graduated B.A. from Stirling University and went on to do a further year at Edinburgh University. Miss Kathleen Doherty of Raithburn Road, and Miss Lesley Jones of Downcraig Drive, both Sunday School teachers, gained teaching qualifications from Jordanhill College. Miss Christine Davidson of Glenacre Terrace and Mrs Isabel Dunlop of East Kilbride gained teaching Diplomas from Hamilton College of Education. Mrs Dunlop (Isabel Wright) was a member of the first ever Congregational Committee in Castlemilk West and was also Leader of 74A Company of the Girls' Brigade, before marrying and moving to East Kilbride.

The new deaconess, Miss Marion Browning took up her post at the beginning of September. After graduating M.A. from Glasgow University, she did a further year's study at Dundee University where she obtained a Diploma in Social Science. She then took a post with the Corporation of Glasgow as a Social Worker, which she did for almost two years, and then went to St Colm's College, Edinburgh to become a deaconess.

Like many other places, Castlemilk had experienced a tremendous turnover of population during the last few years and literally thousands of those who, seventeen or eighteen years previously had flocked enthusiastically to a new home, and a new life in Castlemilk had now decided that their future lay elsewhere. At the same time there had been a great influx of new families, many with young children, into Castlemilk. A welcome was extended to all new families, adding that the church would be contacting them in the near future. All parents were urged to have a church connection and especially the parents of those children baptised in the church.



At all services on the 24th September, Rev. James Millar paid tribute to and thanked the retiring Church Officer, Mr Sidney Powell who had given ten years of dedicated service. He hoped that Mr Powell would continue to worship in the church and take an active part in its life. He was presented with a token gift in recognition of his long and faithful service. During his ten years, having taken over from Mr George Shearer, who had done the job for four years in an exemplary manner, Sid had maintained the church and halls in first class condition. Always approachable, he had shown tact and unlimited patience in many trying situations and had been ready to lend a hand cheerfully. A recently ordained elder, Mr Jack Brier, a Yorkshire man of Ardencraig Road took over from Mr Powell.


Because of a shortage of helpers to bring older members of the congregation to church an appeal went out to car owners to volunteer their services.


On Sunday, 10th September a group of adults, including Mr Stuart, went up to Dundee to be present at the commissioning of Miss Jackie Petrie as a deaconess, now that she had completed her probationary year. As the members of the Dundee Presbytery entered, Jackie could be seen in the midst, “wearing grey suit and hat, and looking positively radiant! Quite a feat in a Deaconess' outfit!” After “a very moving service” there was tea in the main hall of the church at Mains of Fintry. It was clear that Jackie was already having an influence on the people among whom she was working, as she had done in Castlemilk West.


Another moving letter came from Morag in Malawi to Mr John Smith, the secretary of the Livingstonia Committee, where she thanked the group and told the story of a father and mother each with a child on their back, who had arrived, having walked eight miles to reach them. “Neither child wore any clothes and both had severe broncho-pneumonia as a complication of measles. Within 15 minutes of admission, the younger of the two children died.” The next morning the older child was dressed in clothes which had been sent from Castlemilk, and there were tears in the father's eyes when he saw her. She also said that there would be no more emergency nocturnal operations by candlelight, as their own generator had at long last arrived.


Back in Castlemilk Glenwood School Council suggested a Sponsored Swim, and with one hundred and eighteen boys and girls from Glenwood and a large number from Arnprior, Castleton, Braeside and Netherton Primary Schools taking part. A total of £143 from Glenwood was raised and £92 from the Primaries. A cheque for £235 was received by the Rev. James Millar at the Prize-giving from Carol McPhee. Morag said that the money would be used to lay a new floor in the female ward, to provide a ceiling, which there wasn't, and to redecorate the walls.


A cheque for £120, which included the Walk money and the proceeds from a musical evening, was also sent off.


Mr Alistair Angus, who had been leader in charge of the Junior Section of the Boys' Brigade, and with whom he would continue to work, took over the captaincy of the Company. The Company Show in May had proved a great success, and it was said that the programme had “more variety than a Bernard Delfont production” and “the sketches would have brought a smile even to Clement Freud's face”. The football team proved themselves the best in Cathcart by winning the C.O.B.A. Cup, beating the 16th Glasgow Company from Croftfoot by 5 goals to 1. The camp in Great Yarmouth was enjoyed by all.


After the Harvest Thanksgiving Services over 300 gifts were taken to the sick and elderly in the congregation and parish.


The Congregational Board sent a donation of £50 to the Fire Service Benevolent Fund, following the tragic Kilbirnie Street fire in which seven firemen lost their lives.


On the 19th June Rev. James Millar and Mrs Millar celebrated their 25th Wedding Anniversary, and Mr John McKechnie, the Session Clerk, on behalf of the Kirk Session, presented them with a mantel clock.


An anonymous donor, who, having visited the church, and been unable to get a visitor's hymn book, gave a donation of £5 to purchase some additional copies.


The theme for the Woman's Guild for the session was “Freedom and Responsibility”.


Robert Kernohan (41) was appointed Editor of “Life and Work”, the monthly magazine of the Church of Scotland. A keen churchman, Mr Kernohan was the first professional journalist for nearly 40 years to hold the post. Educated at Whitehill School, Glasgow University and Balliol College, Oxford, he was successively chief leader writer, assistant editor, and London editor of the Glasgow Herald. From 1967 to 1971 he held a political appointment but resigned this post to return to full-time journalism. He was an elder in Cramond Kirk, Edinburgh, and a member of Edinburgh Presbytery. Copies of Life and Work were available at the church magazine stall, price 5p.


Two colleagues of Morag Erskine from the David Gordon Hospital in Livingstonia, the Rev. and Mrs Campbell were home on furlough and visited Castlemilk West. Mr Campbell, from Belfast, thanked the congregation for their generous help and explained graphically the conditions for the people of Livingstonia.


360 gifts were distributed to senior citizens and needy families in the parish in the week before Christmas.


Despite the departure of a goodly number of old friends during 1972 the Crusader Box had received £116.33p over the year which was an increase of nearly £9 over the previous year. £10 was received from Mr John Lawrence, the former Session Clerk, and his wife, in the U.S.A., £3 of which was for the Crusader. Many of those who helped with the distribution of the Crusader after “Impact '69” had now given up and were encouraged to offer again as their help was really needed.

1972(Part 1)

Away from Castlemilk on the Magnus Magnusson programme, Sir Alec Douglas-Hume was asked by a young person from a Scottish school why the Scottish people had been so highly thought of and held such important posts in so many lands. In his reply Sir Alec stated that he believed that there were two reasons: “first, the religious foundation on which our lives had been built; and second, the education we had received.”


After four years in the job, Mr Frank Kean tendered his resignation from the post of Church Treasurer, a job he did “in a masterly fashion”, being trained as a Chartered Accountant. As successor Mr James Gold was appointed.


There was an appeal for a lot more people to help in the delivery of the church magazine, especially from those who lived in the Valley or in the area above Dougrie Road. On delivery days, if they were lucky they got 40 helpers and they needed 60.


The Life and Work cost 5p per month, or 60p per year and from it you could get “a complete and factual account of what the Church was doing, at a time when in the Sunday press the columnists – or at least many of them - find in the church an ever-popular target for scathing, denigrating criticism”.


A warning was issued by Dr Eileen Wybar, Medical Officer, Hamilton College of Education, on the dangers of drug-taking, and any young person with a drug problem could be assured of sympathetic help from his minister, doctor or youth leader.


The Women's World Day of Prayer with the theme ”All Joy Be Yours” was held in Castlemilk West on Friday, 3rd March. The offering, as last year's £5,250 from services throughout Scotland, would go to the provision of Christian Literature for many of the new nations of the world.


A letter came from the “far east” correspondent, from Dundee, where Jackie Petrie was deaconess. She had been there for five months and her memories of Castlemilk West were very strong and happy. She remembered the Summer School of 200 children when they prayed that at least 10 would come, her first morning as a Sunday School teacher when having missed the bus she was 20 minutes late, and got a “raging” from the deaconess, the Bible Study Evenings, the Youth Fellowship Committee Meetings which, after discussions on how “religious” the syllabus ought to be, adjourned to the Roundabout café for a wafer and a laugh, the Sunday mornings spent “at worship in the familiar surroundings of our lovely building”, and the day of the presentation to her of a “beautiful watch”. Her new parish had about 13,000 and a church membership of 800. There was about 11% unemployment, and a great housing surplus, allowing people to choose where they lived. Many chose to go to “a new house in a new area” rather than “an older house in a notorious area” like Fintry. She asked for prayers that the church in Fintry might continue to be a light for Christ in the community, where many of the people so desperately needed a sense of purpose in life.


A plea was issued for members for the choir as it had recently fallen into decline. The main reasons for this were “the movement of established members away from the district” and “a general disinclination among folks to be tied down by responsibilities”.


The sum of £15 for the Livingstonia Mission Hospital was realised from a Burns' Supper, and from various sources a supply of drugs and medicines suitable for use in the hospital was accumulated and was being sent to Livingstonia.


The Castlemilk Arts Centre provided facilities for all children between the ages of 6 and 12 to participate in Art, Ballet, Choral Singing, Drama and Recorder Playing, and there were places for new members.


“The Soldier's Armoury”, published by the Salvation Army, was recommended to the congregation as an aid to Bible Reading, something many in the congregation already used.


No fewer than three of the Girls' Brigade leaders had married within five or six months, and had set up home outwith Castlemilk. Miss Margaret Greenlees of Arnprior Road took over from Miss Ena Thomson as Captain of 74B Company, and Mrs Goudie (Miss Florence McIlhinney) took over from Miss Marlene Deas as Captain of 74A Company.


74A and B Companies worked together to insure that the girls achieved awards in baby-care, handcrafts, road safety and Bible memory work. Two girls completed the Bronze Stage of the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. The explorers, the 5-7 year olds enjoyed themselves by “exploring the world around them”, that is, helping people, learning about their surroundings, handcrafts and games.


The Youth Club which had been closed since the end of the previous session re-opened in a new form in February. It was to be run for the 12-15 age group and would be open to the members of the Junior Bible class, the Boys' Brigade and the Girls' Brigade, and a friend. Mr Ian Paterson was to be in charge and would be helped by a committee and some other young people.


The Boys' Brigade Junior, Company and Senior Sections went to the Pantomime in the Pavilion Theatre in January, and the camp in the summer was to go to Great Yarmouth if enough boys wanted to go, in spite of the fact that the cost of hiring tents and a bus had gone up considerably. The dances run by the Parents' Committee had been a tremendous success. Mr Brown was thanked for his help with the Communication class and Miss Dunlop and Mrs Goudie for their help in typing the Company magazine. The magazine was called “B.B. Rag Mag”, started up again with an editorial staff of G. Olverman, E.Kelly, J.Martin and D. Forrester, who turned out an excellent publication with some very well-written articles covering many topics. Examinations for badges produced 100% pass rate for the Company, R.McGee(stage 1) and A. McDougall (stage2) gaining the Drill Badge and D.Mathieson, J. Brier, R.McGee and A.McDougall (all stage 3) gaining the Campers' Badge. In the Glasgow Battalion Cross Country Championships the Junior team came 15th with Alex. Sneddon placed 16th overall, and the Intermediate team came 8th with Andrew McDougall placed 17th overall. The Junior football team, under the guidance of S./Sgt W. Grierson finished 3rd in a league of ten , although they had been scoring “goals galore”. They also won a place in the District semi-finals.

The Nursery Department of the Sunday School was completely revolutionised when the Baird Scheme was introduced. For the Primary and Junior Departments the change was not so dramatic as their work had been run along similar lines to the Baird Scheme already for a number of years. If , however, there was to be a church in the future, the children had be brought up in the faith, and although a number of people had come forward to help in the Sunday School, many more teachers were needed for this work.

The proceeds of the Fête on the 20th May were going to the Fabric Fund and the Building Fund, as £400 to £500 was needed every year to keep the buildings in good condition. This year the outlay had been £621, which included £281 for painting the outside of the church.



Speakers at the Youth Fellowship included Baillie James Anderson, Dr E. Wybar, who spoke on the uses and abuses of drugs, Dr W. Zneader on the Jewish Faith, Mr N. McLeod of Glenwood Secondary, and Mr Donald Stuart. There was also a panel night with Dr J. Frame, Mr Bloomer from Glenwood, Miss Grant from Castleton Primary and Rev. John Miller of Castlemilk East Church. The fancy-dress party at Hallowe'en and the two dances were a great success, from which £12 was given to Christian Aid and £20 to the church. The hockey team were preparing for another successful season.


The Covenant Scheme was again recommended to the congregation. If 15p was given weekly, £8 per year, the church would be refunded £5.07, and adding on the original £8 it would make a total for the year of £13.07 per year to the church.


The seventeen Woman's Guild Committee members, armed with sleeping bags, pillow cases and other essentials, went to Struan House, Skelmorlie for their first ever conference weekend.


The tickets for the Sunday School trip to Stevenston went up in price to 60p for adults and 50p for children.


Miss Kathleen Grant left for a time to teach in Seafield Towers Residential School in Ardrossan. Kathleen had been Secretary of the Sunday School, Beginners' Leader , member of the Congregational Board, choir member and valued soloist. As well as all these jobs, because of her artistic ability, she had provided many of the posters needed from time to time in the church.


Mrs Bristow, formerly Miss Irene Sinclair, returned to visit on Easter Sunday.


The Crusader got a generous donation of £6.65½p from the Men's Association.


Mr Ian Paterson and his wife, Grace, left Castlemilk West after a year to take up an appointment in Inverness. Their work among the young people and the visits to the sick and elderly were very much valued. Rev. James Millar presented them with a small token of appreciation.


The grand-daughter of Mr and Mrs Aitken, of Carmunnock Road, was baptised in Australia on the same Sunday as the baptisms in Castlemilk West. Mother (Mrs Matheson) and baby (Heather) were well and Grannie and Grandpa didn't look a day older!


Mr James Gilchrist and his Senior Citizens' Work Party completed the placing of protective netting over the remaining windows facing the street in an effort to combat the repeated vandalism to the church windows.


To get Colours for the Girls' Brigade a football match took place at Netherton School between the Church Football Team and an XI from the congregation.


A letter to the Sunday School was received from Morag in Malawi, thanking them for the £5 sent for her work. The money was used for a little baby boy, David Kondowe, whose mother had died at the birth and whose father could not afford to buy milk for him. At the time of the letter the baby was six weeks old and beginning to gain weight and “look as a little baby should”.


From the offering at the Easter Service in Glenwood Secondary, Morag's old school, a cheque for £45 was handed over to the Rev. James Millar, the School Chaplain, by the Girls' Captain, Carol McPhee, to go to Morag's work in Malawi.


£70, a quantity of drugs, and some large parcels were sent out by the congregation , and the Livingstonia Mission Hospital Committee organised another sponsored walk, when about 70 walkers of all ages set off in groups to walk to East Kilbride and back, a total distance of about ten miles. At the half-way stage tea was served by members of the Young Mothers' Group in the parish church hall at East Kilbride and members of the Woman's Guild had tea waiting on the return to the church at Castlemilk. Just over £100 was raised. It was hoped to have a Beetle Drive early in the New Year.


More than two dozen youngsters from Castleton School, aged between 8 and 11, who had heard of Morag's work in Malawi through Sunday School or school, eagerly took part in a Musical Evening in the church. The choir group sang two songs they had learned for the Castlemilk Festival, and the recorder group, who had shared the highest mark in the Festival with a trombonist from another school, learned “Amazing Grace” entirely on their own in order to contribute something extra for the evening. At the end of the evening they had a small collection among themselves to add to the amount raised.


At the Men's Association, the trophy for Singles Bowling was won by Mr J. Aitken and the Pairs trophy went to Rev. J. Millar and Mr W. Martin.


The Horticultural Society announced the result of the Spring Gardens Competition. The winners were J. Lavelle of Raithburn Road with a mark of 68 out of 80, T.Orr of Dougrie Road 66 out of 80, R. Kneller of Ardencraig Road and D. McLaughlin of Arnprior Road, equal 62, and A. Taylor of Carmunnock Road and J. Wallace of Carmunnock Road equal 57.

1971(Part 2)

The Sunday School Trip took place to Strathaven.


In the B.B., Lieutenants J. Brier and A. Imrie completed their officer training course. The 3rd League football team, run by Les Warnock was at the top of the league and the 2nd team, run by Eric Ashley was close to the top with a few games still to play. In the Battalion Cross-Country Championships the Junior team were 21st against very strong opposition and the Intermediates gained 1st place in their section. They were John Duncan, Andrew McDougall and George Buchanan. The Parents' Group ran a very successful dance.


Miss Jacqueline Petrie completed her three year training to become a deaconess, and took up her first appointment at the Mains of Fintry Church in Dundee. Mrs Mitchell of Carmunnock Road presented her with a wristlet watch to mark the occasion.


Mr J. Lavelle of Raithburn Avenue gained 1st prize in the Castlemilk Gardens Competition organised by the Community Centre. Mr D.J. McLaughlin of Arnprior Road and Mr A. Taylor of Carmunnock Road were 2nd equal. Mr W. Chesney of Dougrie Street was next in order of merit.


A branch of the Citizens' Advice Bureau was opened on the 4th May at the Community Centre in Castlemilk. Buying a house, Hire Purchase, Legal Aid, Personal Problems and Social Insurance and Pensions were among the subjects where advice was offered.

Mr Ian Paterson assisted with parish visitation, the Junior Bible class and work among the organisations after the departure of Miss Jean Grigor, since no deaconess was available. In the past Mr Paterson had previously visited the church as a B.T.I. student.



Mr John Smith accepted on behalf of Castlemilk West the Anniversary Trophy for bowls and John himself won the Tom Fraser Singles Trophy.


New arrivals in Castlemilk and existing members of the church were asked to come forward to help in the Sunday School, the Boys' Brigade, the Girls' Brigade, the Choir, in the Kirk Session and the Congregational Board, as their help was needed “very urgently”. Although the church roll showed that the numbers in the congregation were more or less what they had been five years previously, movement of workers in the church to new towns and other housing areas in the city, and the marriage of young people and their consequent removal from Castlemilk to set up home elsewhere, had resulted in the great need of help.

Sincere thanks for their invaluable service in Castlemilk West and God's richest blessing for the years ahead was offered to the young people who had just been married or who were about to be married. They were Christine Stewart, leader in Castleton Primary S.S. and member of the Congregational Board, Mary Duff, teacher in the Junior Bible class and Ena Thomson, Girls' Brigade Captain.

Also being married were Jim Campbell, B.B. officer, Nora McIntyre, G.B. Officer and S.S. Teacher, Andrew McLintock, elder and S.S. teacher, Irene Sinclair, leader in Arnprior Junior S.S., officer in G.B., and member of the Congregational Board, etc., and Jean Cochran, leader of the Beginners' S.S.



Mr and Mrs James Milne of Dunagoil Road, members of the church, celebrated their Golden Wedding on the 6th April, as did Mr Milne's sister and her husband in Calgary, Canada who had been married at the same ceremony in the Imperial Hotel in Aberdeen in 1921. Sadly in September Mrs Milne died.


Mr and Mrs Ronald of Drakemire Avenue, also members, celebrated their Golden Wedding on the 20th May. They had been married in Ibrox Church, and had lived in Ibrox and Riddrie before coming to Castlemilk four years previously. Their daughter lived in Downcraig Drive.


Mr and Mrs Robert Lawrence, of Ardencraig Road, parents of Mrs McAslan, Mrs Brier and Mrs Miller, all members of the church, and Mr John Lawrence, the former Session Clerk, were married in Chalmers Street Halls on the 14th July, 1921. John and family returned to Scotland for the Golden Wedding celebration. Sadly Mr Lawrence died on the 6th August, only three weeks after the Golden Wedding, and John returned for the much sadder occasion.


Mr Bill Strain paid a visit to Castlemilk West on one of the Sundays of John's visits and along with the present Session Clerk this made for rather a unique occasion with three Session Clerks attending the same service.


The Youth Fellowship entered for the first time an inter-church hockey tournament and to their surprise finished fourth in a league of eleven teams. For the winter session they had a very varied syllabus, with a film night, discussions on subjects like Capital Punishment and Racialism, guest speakers, panel nights and a musical evening.


Miss Flora Bailey of Birgidale Avenue, a teacher in the Sunday School, Miss Margaret Greenlees of Arnprior Road, Captain of 74B Company of the Girls' Brigade, Miss Joyce Millar of the Manse, Sunday School teacher and officer in the Junior Boys' Brigade, and Mr James Nixon of Downcraig Road, former member of the Youth Fellowship, all successfully concluded their studies at Jordanhill College of Education and embarked on their careers as school teachers.


Congratulations were also offered to Elizabeth Miller of Ardencraig Road, a Sunday School monitor, who was Senior Athletics champion of Glenwood Secondary, and who had also won medals for hockey and swimming. Marion Miller, sister of Elizabeth, a member of the Junior Bible Class won cups, shields, and medals for ballroom dancing and a certificate for swimming. Sharon Booth of Castleton Primary Sunday School gained a silver medal for ballroom dancing.


The Sunday School adopted a new teaching system and to cover the cost of the books and equipment needed they held a Jumble Sale which raised £70.


To commemorate the ministry from 1964-1970 of the late Rev. Bob Ross, who died in July 1970 as the result of a car crash, Castlemilk East erected a plaque in the vestibule of the church, and this was dedicated and unveiled at the morning service on the 3rd October.


Although the response to giving a day's pay two years ago was less than had been hoped for, more than £200,000 was collected from members of the Church of Scotland. Using the philosophy, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for one day – Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime” was one of the ways the money was spent. The building work undertaken in war-devastated Nigeria by Archibald Halliday, a missionary returning there, was another way. Last year the Church of Scotland gave £44,275, as part of the Mission and Service Budget, to Christian Aid for their continuing work.


The Boys' Brigade hoped to form a Bugle Band and re-form the Pipe Band. A. Millar, G. Olverman, W.Watt, D. Heron and G. Clelland won the Gold Award in the Achievement Awards. As the officers would like to broaden the Company's activities, they wanted help from anyone with the specialised skills of trampolining, map-reading, athletics, snake-charming, etc.


On display at the church bookstall was “a fine selection of Bibles” including the Children's Bible at £1.75, and as it was in great demand towards Christmastime, orders were to be placed early.


Sunday, 21st November was “a historic day in the annals of Castlemilk West, for, although women had been eligible for election to the eldership for several years the Kirk Session of Castlemilk West had stoutly resisted the intrusion of the female sex into their all-male domain”. On that Sunday six lady elders were ordained and admitted, along with three new “mere male” elders to the office of Elder. The new elders were Mr Jack Brier of Ardencraig Road, Mr Chris Neilson of Dougrie Road, Mr James Richardson of Arnprior Quadrant, Mrs Margaret Aitken of Carmunnock Road, Miss Mary Dunlop of Dougrie Terrace, Mrs Elizabeth Erskine of Arnprior Road, Mrs Margaret Grant of Raithburn Road, Mrs Janet Rough of Dougrie Road and Mrs Barbara Neil of Rockall Drive. During the previous two years the ranks of the Kirk Session had been “seriously depleted by death and by the movement of elders to homes outwith the parish”.


The Social Service Committee of the Church of Scotland opened another Eventide Home at Bellfield House in Banchory, Aberdeenshire. This was the 44th home in Scotland and now it had 1,500 old people under their care. In addition there were 10 Homes for Children (one for the mentally handicapped), 5 Hostels for Young Women (one for epileptics), 6 for Young Men (one for epileptics), 1 Residential Club for Young Men, 2 Approved Schools for Girls, 1 Approved School Hostel for Girls, 2 Approved Schools for Boys, 2 Mother and Baby Homes, 1 Flat for Unmarried Mothers, 2 Holiday Houses, 2 Rehabilitation Centres, 3 Rehabilitation Hostels for Girls, 1 Hostel Flat for Girls, and 1 Rehabilitation Hostel for Men. Most of the money for these came from the Mission and Service Fund and Castlemilk West gave £896 to the Fund in 1971.


The church was broken into in the early hours of Saturday, the 18th December, when 16 large food parcels, destined for needy families in the parish were stolen. On the Sunday, after having been told about it, the congregation rose to the occasion, and Rev. James Millar was swamped with offers of help and all parcels were duly delivered the same week.


Boys from the Boys' Brigade Juniors went out carol-singing along Dougrie Terrace, and as it was a very cold evening a cup of hot soup awaited them on their return. During the session the Road Safety Officer for Glasgow had talked to the boys about the Green Cross Code. The Senior Section had visited the Police Museum, where they had seen counterfeit money and weapons, and had learnt what went on behind the scenes when a 999 call was received. The 2nd league football team was doing well while the 3rd team after a good start had fallen away slightly.

1971(Part 1)

Rev. John D. Miller, M.A., B.D.,S.T.M., who was born in Oxford, but was brought up in Kilmarnock, was inducted to Castlemilk East in January. After studying at New College, Edinburgh, he spent two years as an assistant in Edinburgh, and a year in the U.S.A., in New York. By coincidence, Rev. John's father was interim moderator when Rev. James Millar went to his first charge.


Rev. James Millar, in his letter in the church magazine, encouraged parents to instil in their children faith in themselves, faith in others and above all faith in God, and to come with them to church.

In October, 1970 and again in February 1971, teams of elders and lady visitors did a visitation to all the houses in the lower half of the parish with the exception of the Valley, which had been visited, encouraging people to come to church.

A visit from the M.P. For Cathcart, Mr Edward Taylor, a talk on Old Glasgow, and a concert by a Salvation Army Group were some of the evenings on offer in the Youth Fellowship.



The third Senior Church Members Social took place.


A work party of senior members who were tradesmen was set up, meeting on a Wednesday morning at 10a.m. to carry out repair jobs around the church. A great deal of very useful work was accomplished in a “friendly, relaxed atmosphere, complete with tea breaks”.


Because of the abnormally mild winter the roses were still budding and blooming in early February. Convener of the Gardens Committee, Mr Harry Logan was going to need help when things really got going in the Spring.


A Grand Concert was held in aid of the David Gordon Memorial Hospital in Livingstonia. The admission was 15p (3/-). This was the first of many projects to help Morag in her work. Donations, large or small, could also have been sent to the manse or handed in at church.


Miss Jean Grigor, the “talented” deaconess, left at the end of May to go to Australia to take over an appointment in Melbourne. She had been in Castlemilk West since September 1963, succeeding Miss Sheena McNaughton, and although she had been in Castlemilk longer than was usual, there was despondency about her departure. She would be missed for her work among the young folk in the Sunday School, and Junior Bible Class where the average attendance was 70-80 each Sunday in this particularly difficult age group, and among the elderly and infirm in the parish. Many would remember the “happy carefree days in Craigengower”, on a holiday organised every year by Miss Grigor. There was also the Church Holiday School where literally hundreds of youngsters descended upon the church each morning for a week . Above all she would be missed because she was loved by everyone.


To mark her departure there was a special evening service, and a get-together afterwards, where she received a presentation from Angus Matheson of an inscribed New English Bible and a cheque from the congregation. Miss Irene Sinclair presented her with a brief-case from the Sunday School and Junior Bible class.
 

The Garden Fête, opened by Mr Jack House, was held in aid of the Fabric Fund instead of the Building Fund, as there was only £382 left in the Fabric Fund after two bills of £411 and £590 over the last two years. The admission was 2p for adults and 1p for children.



In 1958 at the first Garden Fête held in the grounds of Castleton School the amount raised was £330 and 2,000 people attended.


Mr Jack Girdwood, who took over the Captaincy of the Boys' Brigade at the beginning of the session 1967-68, when the Company was at a rather low ebb, resigned as he had moved to East Kilbride. In Mr Girdwood the company had a man of “wide experience of B.B matters and tremendous enthusiasm”, but also a man “with a genuine and sincere personality” and in no time at all the company was playing an important part in the life of the church and of the Boys' Brigade world in Glasgow.
Mr Girdwood did not resign before he had arranged with Mr Alex. Johnston of Rutherglen, a very experienced B.B. Officer, to take over as captain. Mr Johnston had been in his previous company, the 209th for 40 years
Under the chairman Mr McDougall, vice-chairman Mrs McKechnie, secretary Mrs Todd, treasurer Mrs Heron, and social convener Mr Todd, a newly formed Boys' Brigade Parents' Group, was set up to broaden the interest of the parents in the work of the Boys' Brigade and to provide social interests which would help the Boys' Brigade financially in its work.
The numbers in both the Company and the Junior Section increased considerably. The summer camp, under canvas, went to Bridlington in Yorkshire.

In his letter in the church magazine the minister stated, “Marriages in Castlemilk West have reached almost epidemic proportions. So many who have been so active in the organisations among the young are being married soon, and as most of them will be leaving the district, we shall be deprived of their services.” He appealed for help in the Sunday School and the Girls' Brigade.

Pupils of Glenwood Secondary raised £700 over the year for the charities, Muscular Dystrophy, Royal National Institute for the Blind, Guide dogs for the Blind and Dr Barnardos. £415 was raised during a sponsored swim in Castlemilk baths, from an initiative by Bobby McGregor, Olympic Silver Medallist. In thirty minutes, the time limit, two pupils swam 42 lengths, and the average was 25 lengths.


Pupils of Grange Secondary raised £250 for Guide Dogs for the Blind. They also raised money for the Pakistan Flood Disaster and for Oxfam.


The Parents' Club of Mitchellhill Primary invited over 100 pensioners to a concert in the school and on leaving each pensioner was presented with a parcel of groceries, which had been donated by pupils. There were also enough groceries left over to distribute to a further 60 homes of pensioners in Castlemilk.


Mr William Kent of Stravanan Road died on the 14th March. Although Mr Kent had not been a well man since his service in the R.A.S.C. during the war, where he took part in the D-Day Landings in Normandy, he was keenly interested in the life of the church. He contributed articles on several occasions to the Crusader. Willie was an elder in London Road Church in 1945, and in Springburnhill Church, from where he moved to Castlemilk and became an elder in Castlemilk West in 1963.


Mr Hugh Gilchrist, a popular elder of Arnprior Quad., died on 28th April. Although a member of Kinning Park Church in his earlier years it was only in November 1964 he became an elder in Castlemilk West. He was always a willing worker on the Congregational Board, where his skill as a joiner proved very useful, and on the Kirk Session until he took ill. Hugh was one of the men who ventured on to the roof of the church at the time of the storm to make emergency repairs. “Hugh will be long remembered in Castlemilk West, not only for his friendly, obliging nature, but also for his fine Christian witness and example”.

Since the situation in Livingstonia was so desperate, a group was set up called the Livingstonia Mission Hospital Group to “alleviate the burden laid on Morag and her colleagues” by providing medical equipment and material goods for the hospital and the community in Livingstonia. Two concerts were held and an 8 mile sponsored stroll took place from Castlemilk via Carmunnock and Busby to Clarkston, and back through Linn Park. 70 members of the congregation took part in the stroll and Mr and Mrs Barker provided tea and home-baked cakes in their garden at the halfway point in Busby. Mrs Warnock and Mrs Bert Grant served tea and sandwiches to the walkers on their return to the church hall. £168 was raised. In October a Mini-Market was held and more than £30 was realised for the Hospital Fund. In September, 13 parcels were sent out to Morag from the congregation and at the time Morag's mother was on a five week visit, having taken with her £150 which would purchase necessary equipment.