GRANGEMOUTH ABBOTSGRANGE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND.    

REGISTERED SCOTTISH CHARITY 000775

 [Home] [Up] [USEFUL WEBLINKS] 4th Dec 08

The history of Dundas really begins on the 21st November 1892.

Fifty members of U.P.church met in the lesser town hall, and having agreed that they could not support their new minister, they set up a committee to pursue the idea of a new church. It must have taken great faith for those few to consider undertaking the huge task of setting up a new church. They also decided at that meeting to invite Mr. Peter Bryce to become minister at a stipend of £150. They also agreed to ask the new Free Church for the use of their hall for one year, which was in York Lane.

However early in January of 1893 the congregation heard that Mr. Bryce had declined and it was therefore agreed to ask Mr. Sanderson to become the first minister. Presbytery duly approved the petition, and the church was to be called Dundas United Presbyterian Church. On 20th January 1893 Mr. Sanderson accepted the post of minister.

If November 1892 was the conception of Dundas Church, then February 1893 saw its birth. On 12th February 1893 in the free church hall, the Rev James Aitchison , moderator, read the minute of Presbytery authorising the erection of the congregation, and declared it duly constituted.

The same month the committee decided to seek suitable ground to build and if the congregation agreed to this then the members of the committee promised £1450. On 14thy February this was agreed and then Mr.MacGill offered to give the ground adjoining Mandel House (the old Customs House) if the marquis of Zetland approved. Approval was given and it was decided to ask John Burnet, Son & Campbell Architects, Glasgow to submit plans for a church to seat around 450, with a hall, Vestry, and Session House - the cost not to exceed £2750, including all fees.

On 6th July 1894 the Memorial stone was laid by Mr. William Jacks M.P. There was a large turn out and a bottle was placed in a crevice of the stone containing copies of the Scotsman, The Glasgow Herald and the Falkirk Herald together with a photograph of the architect and a written history of the congregation by Mr. Sanderson. Mr. William Reid the main contractor from Larbrty presented Mr. Lacks with a silver trowel. By August of that year there was a flurry of activity when items such as blinds , matting, desks for the vestry and a table for the Session House were ordered. For the official opening on Sept 6th 500 programs were printed, arrangements made for the ministers gown to be presented, and tickets printed for the soiree. On the evening prior to the official opening the first meeting was held in the new Session House. 

The church was officially opened on 6th September 1894

The Dundas Church throughout its 100 years history until 1993 is much more fully described than space here allows, in a booklet produced for the centenary year "Dundas Church The First Hundred Years" the author of which Mr. W G Peddie kindly gave permission for this extract of the foundation of Dundas to be reproduced.