Anderson Church

anderson church and manse

The 19th century saw many tensions within the Church of Scotland. Much of these tensions was concerned with the ‘call’ of a minister to a charge (church): should it be the landowner or the congregation itself? This came to a head in 1843 when about one-third of the ministers left it and formed the ‘Free Church of Scotland’. The minister of Blantyre at the time was the Rev. James Anderson, and he broke away with many of his people and formed a branch of the Free Church in the town. A church was built at once simply called ‘Blantyre Free Church’. In 1846, the church was burned down. Their new church was built in 1872 on Stonefield Road. It was built of light grey sandstone in shape of the cross (as seen from photo).

In 1900, it became ‘Blantyre United Free Church’. In 1929, it went with the union to reform the Church of Scotland and was renamed ‘Anderson Church of Scotland’, after its first minister, Rev. James Anderson. A hall was built next to it in 1939.

For a few years, it became linked with Stonefield Parish and in 1978 was formally united with Stonefield Parish Church to become St. Andrews. The question of which building was to be used for worship was answered by fire!

The Anderson church, which had been empty for some time, was burned down on 8th June 1978.

The fire in 1978 was caused by a group of 10 – 12 children playing hide-and-seek in the building which was being used to store paper for a local company.

The church hall remains today as Smith’s Funeral Parlour

Your Comments:

Terry Hughes: I watched that burn down. Spiral costs and all. Wit a Blaze. was a kid at the time staying up the SHA. There’s a photo somewhere of it on fire.

Stuart Oneil: It was derelict when we were young. We used to call it”the haunted.”

Gary Mitchell: Nice shot of Blantyre Bowling Club too!

John Paterson: Gary the B/C is at the back that’s the tennis court at the front.

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If you have any Photos… Send them to Bill

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