The services were held in various locations throughout the Town, even getting complaints
about the noise the singing was making in the following weeks before the
United Presbyterial Church in Princes Street offered accommodations.
Not having sufficient space for the two congregations when the time came for half yearly Sacrament Mr Wm Birkmyre put the Dock-Side Store in Bay Street that belonged to the Gourock Rope Works Company at Mr Morrison's disposal.

Hamilton Church

The Rev James Morrison and most of his congregation left Newark Chapel-of-Ease in the Balfour Street in the 1843. He was one of 487 ministers who gave up their Churches and went " out of conscious sake" when the Church of Scotland was split in two at the Disruption in 1843.

The Provost at the time William Birkmyre, John Davie and a gentleman by the name of Chas MacCarthur who was the father of DR. MacCarthur who wrote the best history of Port Glasgow all followed.

A cordage was piled up at one end and covered whit a tarpaulin, seats and tables were brought in and the office of the store served as the Vestry.
Money was raised and the original church was built in Princes Street at a cost of £1004, but only three years later this one would become the church halls as a new building was to be built only 200 yards down the street with money that was gifted to them by Captain Hamilton.

William Hamilton a retired merchant gave them £2,000 which was later increased to £2,500. The only thing was the church had to be called the "Hamilton Church".
It was situated beside the town hall and seated 956 and officially opened 23rd July 1848.
In October 1958 the congregation united with Bardrainney Church in upper Port Glasgow and the building in Princes Street was demolished in 1961 during the improvements scheme of that time.

Hamilton Bardrainney Church Today.

The original Church is now the Church halls and are used among other things, for the Boys Brigade and an after school child care group. During the day they are used for a toddlers play group.This church was opened in 1962.

The old church contained this communion table which had the names of the boys who had died in the war. It had the date 1914 - 1919 and the following names.

Thomas H Botle M.A
Andrew Bradley
David Buchanan M.A
John M Buchanan
Hugh Brown
Hugh Cassels
James Cuthbertson
Thos S Dunsmore
Thos Gilmour
James R Greig

James Johnston
Thos R McBride
William Shaw
Robert McCulloch
Malcom McDonald
Alexander McEwan
David McNeish
Andrew Purdie
Robert Russell

The church organ built by Lewis of London was installed in 1900 at a cost of £1,804 a gift from Mrs John Birkmyre of Broadstone.

Other well known loacal names also made gift to the church including a comunion service that was gifted by Mrs Joseph Russell in 1899 and also from the same people a silver christening bowl 1901.

In June 2002 the church also received a new minister after having spent quite a while without one.
The Rev James Munroe is the new minister who had spent a while as minister in a church in Fort William.

This page last modified on Tuesday, March 04, 2003

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