HAMILTON MEMORIAL PARISH CHURCH
A detail of the history of the Hamilton Memorial Church is contained in the attached document HISTORY AND JOINING OF PARISH CHURCH however this can be viewed in the flip book below and a quick timeline is also provided below.
Timeline
1843 Address made in Stonehouse by Rev. Buchan and Rev. Robert Paterson resulting in a proportion of the audience forming themselves into ‘The Stonehouse Free Presbyterian Church Association’ in preparation for Disruption Day
1843 ‘Disruption Day’ A day when 474 ministers walked out on the General Assembly in protest against certain principles of the established church
1843 Building fund established and site identified for a church. At a cost of £480 this church was to serve the congregation for 30 years before making way for a new church at the corner of Green Street
1843 Rev. W.K. Hamilton (d. 1887)
1st minister, retired to London c1877
1853 Following the Disruption of 1843, the Free Church opened its own school in Hill Road.Free Church School
1874 New church built and opened on September 26th, sitting 620, at a cost of £4000. A seated gallery extended around three sides of the church.
1878 Rev. James Laing (b. 1827 in Aberdeen, d. 1893)
2nd minister, came from Lesmahagow Parish
1880 Baptismal font gifted to the church
1884 Church sustained storm damage during hurricane
1894 Rev. James Deas
3rd minister, accepted call from Kirkcaldy Union Church in 1919. During his ministry the church became known as the Hamilton Memorial United Free Church.
1919 Rev. George R. Robertson
4th minister, from Tranent, accepted call from Lochlee Road Church, Dundee in 1930.
1929 Union of Churches
1931 Rev. James McDonald
5th minister, accepted call to Neilston South Church in 1934
1931 Hamilton Memorial Church Woman’s Guild formed
1935 Rev. David Doig
6th minister, accepted call to High Street Church, Dumbarton in 1940. Further information on the doig’s can be obtained from the following link. DOIG
1936 Free Church School (Hill Road) burned down in fire on this year
1940 Rev. R. Gourlay Black
7th minister, accepted call to St.Rollox Church, Glasgow in 1946. Rev. Black conducted many united services with St.Ninian’s until the Union of Hamilton Memorial Church and St.Ninian’s Church
1954 Hamilton Memorial Church demolished
The following documents provide an insight into the social and organisation of the church including its sustenation fund.
ORGAN RECITALS
Death notice of Mrs Walker.
Pencil Line drawing by Bob Anderson
