Bo’ness Episcopalian Church

(SMR 298)

 NS 9966 8150

NS 9991 8121

ST. CATHERINE’S CHURCH

St Catharine was born in Siena, Italy, in 1347 and died in Rome in 1380 after many pious acts.

TIMELINE

1864: Congregation formed by Rev J McLachlan the incumbent at St Paul’s Church, Armadale.  Shortly thereafter the mission was taken in hand by Christ Church, Falkirk and then the rector of St Mary’s Church, Dalmahoy.  From 1878 the Mission was worked by lay readers, with periodical visits from a clergyman.

1889: In 1888 Rev JGT Weir was licensed as curate-in-charge of the Bo’ness Mission, which consisted of 30 communicant members and a large number of adherents.  Services had been conducted in a small hut, but in 1889 the congregation purchased by public subscription the old Parish Church building at Corbiehall.  It was refurbished and accommodated 280 worshippers, as well as providing a hall for Sunday School.

1917:  Congregation raised from a cathedral mission to an independent mission and a constitution drawn up.

1919:  Church building sold and for the next two years the congregation worshipped in the auditorium at the Town Hall.

1921:  New church built in Cadzow Crescent, architects Dick Peddie and Walker Todd.

The building is in the Romanesque style with arched window and door heads composed of thin slabs of stone.   The church was built in such a way that  it could  easily  be  extended to the west,  unfortunately this now  gives  it  an unfinished appearance

The foundation stone lies in the north wall of the apse and was laid by Mr JR Anderson on 8 January 1921.  The church was dedicated by Rev George Henry Somerset Walpole, Bishop of Edinburgh, on 23 December of that year..

WINDOW

See separate entry for St. Catherine’s Episcopalian Church Windows.

MINISTERS OF BO’NESS EPISCOPALIAN CHURCH
	Mein, James
Oct 1890	Weir, J.G.T	Aug 1910
Aug 1910	Campbell, L S	1912
1912	Moore, F H	Jun 1917
Jun 1917	Thomson, E J	1920
1920	Easter, S E	1924
Feb 1924	Snow, W S	Jan 1931
1931	Stretch, J L	1939
1939	Jackson, A H	1943
1943	Robertson, J A L	1945
1945	Stratton, L V	1950
1950	Dover, O L S	1951
1952	Knott, G J	1952
1953	Lunn, W B	1957
1958	Richardson, J A	1964
1964	Lindsay, W B	1968

G.B. Bailey (2019)