Let’s get back to some detailed research. The Burleigh Church was a former church also known as the East Free Church or East United Free Church at Herbertson Street corner of Glasgow Road, Low Blantyre. Before the church was built, the congregation met in a mission hall, which evolved over the years. The story is revealed here exclusively on Blantyre Project.
The Beginnings: The church had its roots back in 1876, at a time when nearby Stonefield and Springwell was in its infancy. At that time in need of further religious outlets, a small mission was set up. Requiring a venue for worship, during its first years, church members rented Dall’s Shop in Gilmour’s Building on the north side of Glasgow Road for £25 per annum, before moving temporarily in 1877 into a larger shop in Henderson’s Buildings for 7 months. A time of great impact in Blantyre due to the Pit Disaster.
Next, in early 1878, the mission moved temporarily again to the Masonic Hall above the Livingstonian Bar on the corner of nearby Forrest Street and Glasgow Road. (Which would later become the Blantyre Electric Picture Company). It is safe to say the group were choosing locations carefully centered around this area.
Mission Hall: Whilst the mission was at the Masonic Hall, work began on creating a more permanent mission hall nearby at the corner of Herbertson Street and Glasgow Road, Low Blantyre, directly across the Glasgow Road from Gilmour’s Building. Construction took place at a similar time to the construction of Henderson’s Buildings to the east. A small plot of land was secured at the corner of Glasgow Road and Herbertson Street and by May 1878, a new mission hall had been built, as pictured in this photo just over a decade later. To give an indication of just how old this photo is, you can see the earlier, former police station on Glasgow Road at the corner on the right, (on the site of what would later become the Co-Op Halls)
To be continued….
