All Saints Episcopal Church, Jordanhill

Centenary of the Present Church

The history of All Saints starts in 1853 when Jane Charlotte Smith returned to Jordanhill after living in Helensburgh. Jane was the daughter of James Smith who owned the Jordanhill Estate, and the Smith family had lived abroad for many years, but returned to Scotland from Madeira in 1848.

Jane had been brought up a Presbyterian, but following the death of her sister Mary she had turned to the Episcopal Church. In 1853, aged 24, she started holding Sunday School classes in Jordanhill Mansion (the site of the present Crawford Building at Jordanhill College). She then moved these classes into a barn at the mansion and also held Sunday Services there.

Encouraged by her success, she collected funds to build a Chapel School. Her father gave her a plot of land near Crow Road and on All Saints Day 1861 (1st November) her new building was opened with the service of Holy Communion at 8.00 am. This painting by local artist Robin Miller is based on an old black and white photograph in the church archives. The original church building still stands today and is used as the church hall at the rear of All Saints. The photograph shows the interior of the 1861 Church School looking towards the altar which has now been reconstructed to form the platform at the east end of the present hall.

To the west of the church there was a parsonage, (see painting) subsequently referred to as The Rectory, which was extended on a number of occasions before being demolished in the early 1990’s to provide an access road for the new housing in Burlington Gate. The new Rectory beside the church was built as part of the land deal.

In the 1860’s there was no housing in what we know today as Jordanhill; see the extract above taken from the Ordnance Survey map dated 1895. Woodend Drive as we now know it was just a farm track known as the Back Avenue leading towards the Mansion House outbuildings by a twisting route. The cottages on the east side of Crow Road north of Whittinghame Drive existed and there were a few cottages on Crow Road at the junction of what is now Woodend Drive. The photograph above, from the Jordanhill Church archives, shows some locals standing in that lane outside these cottages, and the sign at the extreme right of the photograph shows the times of the services for All Saints Church School. The large building on the left of the photograph is the Jordanhill Brickworks. Woodend Cottage (see map) was the home of the manager of the Brickworks and was demolished prior to 1904 to become the site for Jordanhill Church. See article of foundation stone for Jordanhill Church at http://www.wsmclean.com/stone

Membership of the original Church School grew and by the end of the century the congregation began to consider the construction of new and bigger church. On 26 March 1904, the foundation stone was laid and on 1st November 1904 (All Saints Day) the new church was dedicated. An extract from a local newspaper of 1904 which reported the stone laying ceremony is included at the end of this web page The organ was installed five years later and in 1910 the previously uncompleted North Aisle was opened. However the tower proposed by the architect was never built due to lack of finance.

This extract from the Ordnance Survey map for 1913 shows the new church and the fully formed Woodend Drive. Jordanhill Church had also been built (it opened in June 1905) on the site of Woodend Cottage. Comparing the two maps it can be seen that Woodend Drive lies further south than the original track and the new All Saints Church is built on top of that track. Note also that housing had started to appear all around the two churches and from the start of the century, housing spread continually to what we see today.

On 1^st November 2004 All Saints celebrates its Centenary with a Choral Evensong.

Further details on the History of All Saints can be found in a booklet published in 1938 by Margaret Macdonald which gives a lot of background information on the area. In 1954 the Rector at that time, Rev. Hopkins, compiled a booklet to mark the Jubilee of the Church. In 1991 the history was updated in a booklet covering the period from 1853 to 1991.

Newspaper extract

Edited extract from the weekly local newspaper, Partick and Maryhill Press dated 1 April 1904 (editing includes removal of long list of those attending etc) Newspapers available on microfilm in the Mitchell Library Glasgow

All Saints’ Church Jordanhill

Laying of Memorial Stone

A large gathering of the clergy and laity assembled on Saturday afternoon last on the occasion of the laying of the memorial stone of the new All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Jordanhill, by Mr Parker-Smith, jun. Among the clergymen present was Bishop Campbell.

Among those present were Mr Parker Smith, jun., of Jordanhill; Mr D.D. Baird, factor; Mr James Chalmers, architect; Mr. Barlas, of Messrs Barlas and Co., contractors for mason work; Captain James Watson, contractor for woodwork; Mrs Provost Kennedy; Mr Maxwell, electrical engineer, Partick; and a large gathering of ladies and gentlemen.

The upper platform where the memorial stone was to be laid was reserved for the clergy and the officials in the ceremony, all else being rigidly excluded, while the western portion of the lower platform was reserved for the choir, clad in white surplices, and assisted by four or five ladies. The proceedings began with a procession, led by choristers singing the hymn, “The Church’s One Foundation,” who marched to their appointed places. while the ecclesiastics, followed by the Bishop, and one bearing the crozier, ascended to the higher platform. After the appointed ritual and the singing or chanting of Psalms 84 and 127 with prayers intervening, the Bishop standing by, the stone was lowered into its place.

Mr Parker Smith said: “In the name of Jesus Christ we lay this memorial stone of the Church of All Saints’, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. May true faith here flourish, and the fear of God and brotherly love abound. Here may prayer be ever offered, and the Holy Name of Jesus Christ be praised” .

The Bishop then prayed for the safety of the workers, for the benefactors of the church, and for the priest and people of All Saints’ Church. The hymn, “We love the place of God,” was sung, while the offerings were taken by those appointed.

The Bishop then pronounced a blessing. and the choir began the hymn, “Onward, Christian Soldiers,” and marched away in procession singing this, followed by the clergymen.

Before the laying of the stone, the architect, in behalf of the contractors, presented a beautiful silver trowel to Mr Parker Smith in these words; “My lord, ladies and gentlemen, two weeks ago the first ceremony in connection with this church took place, when the first sod was cut by the Rector immediately beneath the lantern, and, the second by his esteemed lady at the entrance of the church. On that occasion that humble instrument, a spade, was used; but now it is my pleasure to present Mr Parker Smith, in behalf of the contractors, with this noble instrument of labour, a trowel, and all those implements peculiar to building are symbolised and crystallised in this beautiful one of the trowel, which symbolises the spreading of the cement of brotherly love throughout the family, the church, and the universe at large; and for your bit of labour I present it with full confidence that you will use it worthily; so that it will be an honour to you in days to come and a fitting memorial of the work done this day. (Applause.)

The proposed church is to consist of the nave, the sanctuary, the north and south ‘transepts, with the usual aisles, but it is not proposed meantime to build the lantern tower. The church is designed to accommodate 560 worshippers

After the procession the ceremony was concluded.

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