Grange Church History

Grange Free Church was established in 1876 when a sizeable number of members of the Free High Church (later West High and until recently Laigh West High ) were dissatisfied with the proceedings in connection with the election of the new minister and successfully applied to Presbytery "to be created into a full ministerial charge with all congregational privileges".

The site in Woodstock Street was purchased for £239. The architect chosen was Mr Ingram of Messrs J & R S Ingram, Kilmarnock and work begun on the hall which was used for worship until the church was officially opened on 31st August 1879. A memorial stone is below the arch on the left hand side of the window over the entrance to the church. The Rev James McCulloch of Newton Stewart was unanimously called to be the first minister and served for 34 years although for the last nine he had retired from active ministry through failing health and had the assistance of a colleague.

The name presumably would have become The Grange Church of Scotland with the union of the United Free Church of Scotland and the Church of Scotland in 1929. The Good Shepherd stained glass window behind the pulpit was given in 1896 by Miss M Taylor in memory of her father William Taylor of Glenfield & Kennedy who had been a generous supporter from its earliest days.

A pipe organ was installed in 1902 by Foster & Andrews of Hull and continued in use until 2009. In the 140ft high bell tower is housed a steel bell said to have been the largest in the county with a date which could be 1867 but heavy corrosion makes accurate reading difficult.

The brass and oak Memorial in the vestibule was gifted by the Trustees of the Grange Savings Bank. It has inscribed, in addition to the names of those servicemen of the congregation who fell in the World Wars, a memorial to Mr & Mrs James Barr who lost their lives in the torpedoing of the S S Lusitania in May 1915 and commemorations to the years of service given by the first three ministers Rev James McCulloch (1877- 1911), Rev Andrew Aitken (1902-1929) and Rev Robert Duncan (1930-1954).

Two elder's chairs for the Communion table were accepted in October 1936, one dedicated to the memory of Mrs Aitken and the other to the memory of Miss J D Burns. The Moderator's Chair is inscribed "In loving memory of Margaret Young Carnie". An extensive redecoration and renovation was carried out in 1956 resulting in a lightening up of the church interior and redesign of the pulpit and choir area. The Horspool family donated the baptismal font, which incorporates the original silver basin used since the formation of the church, to the memory of their father Jack who was a choir member for many years.

In 1994 two oak teaching crosses display carvings based on both faces of the St Martin's cross on Iona were commissioned by the church and are dedicated to the memory of all Office-bearers for years of devoted service.

The pair of wooden flower pedestals were donated by the family in memory of their parents William & Agnes Kennedy.

Ministry

	Rev.Colin G.F. Brockie, B.Sc (Eng), B.D.SOSc 1978-2007 Colin Brockie was born in Westcliff - on - Sea in Essex and moved to Musselburgh when a small boy. There he attended school before moving to Aberdeen. He completed his schooling at Aberdeen Grammar School and went to the University to read engineering. He was called to the ministry during this time and entered the Divinity Faculty from where he graduated in 1967. During his student days he was student assistant at St. Machar's Cathedral and after graduating he spent a year as assistant at Mastrick in Aberdeen. He was called in 1968 to St. Martin's Church in Portobello and then Grange Church called him to Kilmarnock in 1978. Colin is married with three grown up children and two grandchildren. He was chaplain to Annanhill Primary School and Woodstock School for special needs children. He has been connected with the Air Training Corps since 1969 serving as Chaplain to 1143 Squadron in Portobello and currently is Chaplain to 327 Squadron and also Chaplain to Glasgow and the West of Scotland Wing. He has been Presbytery Clerk since 1992.
	Rev. George L. Marr, M.A., B.D. 1967 - 1977 George Marr was born in Aberdeen where he attended school and then went on to the University where he graduated M.A. in 1957. and again in 1960 with a B.D. He served as assistant at St. Columba's Church, Largs before being called to St. Aidan's Chuch, Anstruther in October 1961. In August 1967 he was called to Grange where in 1977 the Centenary of the congregation was celebrated. New buildings were erected in Mr Marr's time to cope with the large numbers of children attending Sunday School and youth organisations. He left Grange Church in October 1977 in answer to a call from Riverside United Church, Ottawa and remained there until he retired. He and Margaret now enjoy having more time to spend with their six grandchildren.
	Rev. Ian M. P. Davidson, M.A., B.D. 1961 -1967 Ian Davidson was born near Kirriemure and attended Montrose Academy and then the University of St Andrew's from which he graduated in 1949. After National Service he returned to St Andrew's where he graduated B.D. in 1954 and was then assistant at Holburn Central Parish Church, Aberdeen and later, in 1955, was inducted to St. Andrew's Church in Crieff. In 1961 he was called to Grange where he served until 1967. From there he went to Cambuslang Old and this was followed in 1985 by a call to Stirling: Allan Park South with Church of the Holy Rude. He retired in 1994.
	The Rev. Thomas Girdwood, M.P.S. 1955 - 1961 Mr. Girdwood was a native of Wishaw who felt the call to the ministry during World War II. After the war he trained at Glasgow University and Trinity College and served his main assistantship in Cambuslang Old Parish. In 1949 he was inducted to the charge of Chalmers Church, Larkhall from where he was called to Grange. In 1961 he went as Assistant and Successor at Shawlands Cross Parish and subsequently in 1976 was translated to the Parish of Kirn. In 1981 he went to Prestwick South and retired from there in 1988. He died in 1997.
	Rev Robert Duncan, M.A. 1930 - 1954 Mr Duncan was a native of Glasgow who studied at the University and also at the United Free Church College in Glasgow. On completion of his studies he became assistant at St James's Church in Paisley and later was inducted to Law Parish. In 1925 he was called to Wellwynd Church in Aidrie and ministered there until 1930 when he was inducted to Grange. He died in 1954.
	Rev. Andrew Aitken 1902 - 1929 (Colleague and Successor 1902 - 1911) Mr Aitken was born in Newton St. Boswells and he studied at Edinburgh University. On completion of his education he became assistant at Bellhaven Church in Glasgow. He moved from there to a mission station in England and this was followed by a ministry in Shapinsay in Orkney. In 1902 he was called as Colleague and Successor to Mr McCulloch whose health had failed. He died in 1929.
	Rev James M. McCulloch 1877 - 1911 (Senior Minister 1902 - 1911) Little is known about the origins of Mr McCulloch. We know he served in his first charge in Newton Stewart from 1864. From there he was called to be the first minister in Grange in 1877. He worked for 25years consolidating the new, young congregation. After his wife died in 1890 his health began to fail and in 1902 he lost the power of speech. A colleague and successor was appointed who served along side until his death in 1911.

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