New Beginnings
New Beginnings
The twentieth century became an age of increasing secularity, disorder and despair that is not to deny the clear advantages of progress, innovation and technology at that time.
Improvement in communications, faster trains, the revolution brought about by the electric tram, the motor bus, and above all the private car, all contributed to the decline of what was predominantly a rural society.
The spread of new forms of lighting by gas and electricity lengthened the working day and encouraged men and woman to indulge more varied interests when their work was done.
Kilmarnock was predominantly a dairy parish, but branches of industry were springing up throughout the community and by the middle of the 20th Century agriculture and textile industries had a prominent place in the town.
The Glasgow and Western railway established extensive locomotive building and repair workshops but this was abandoned in the 1920s. Hunslet Barclay is the remnant of a bygone age as Scotland’s only railway manufacturing business today. Glenfield and Kennedy employed 2500 workers and were the largest firm of hydro electric engineers in the British Commonwealth. BMK produced exceptional output of quality carpets to various parts of the world. Johnnie Walker whisky was re branded and the now famous square bottles and red and black labels were distinctive innovations ensuring a strong identity in the world market. By the 1960’s the central part of Kilmarnock was almost entirely occupied by shops, offices, workshops and light industries. Development and planning initiatives addressed haphazard development regrettably resulting in many of Kilmarnock’s historic places of interest being demolished.
In times of recession since the 1960’s the major industries of the town did not survive and remain a memory of a more prosperous era.
Two world wars undoubtedly brought hardship, as the community joined together in common cause. In the post war period there was a resurgence of the social upheavals which caused so much poverty a century earlier.
Ex-servicemen returned not to a Britain f'it for heroes to live in', but to unemployment, poverty, hunger, and disease. Memorials were unveiled to 256 men of the both the Laigh Kirk and West High who gave their lives in the first and second world wars, wars that were supposed to end all wars.
There were of course community highs the Scottish Cup victories of Kilmarnock Football Club in 1929 and 1997 and a league championship win in 1964-65. Royalty also brought much excitement with visits from King George and Elizabeth in 1942 and Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip in 1956.
The churches witnessed these years of joy and sorrow of prosperity and hardship but the long established traditions of church going and Sabbath observance continued to give ground to the onward march of technological progress and social change. The 20th century echoes God's statement to the prophet Ezekiel of Old Testament times - There will be mighty resistance from my people.
In the context of modern life with all its emphasis on money and success and the pursuit of happiness, it requires an act of real faith to believe that it is right to live for others, not yourself. The West High Church and the Laigh Kirk grasped that belief with both hands as God held out his hand to receive the two branches of the Kirk in this town and held them together and made them one on the 5th October in the millennium year. And so a ‘new beginning’ took place with a people called to hear and to speak God's prophetic voice, over and against a culture that produces endless anxiety for a post 20th century generation.
New Laigh Kirk - A caring welcoming church at the heart of Kilmarnock that reaches out to all.
Rev David S Cameron BD
|
 Printable Version |