A Short History of
St Luke's Parish Church, Milngavie
Many Milngavie people originally worshipped at Baldernock Parish Church, but came out at the Disruption in 1843, under the Ministry of Rev. John Pollock, and so Baldernock Free Church was formed; a new church and manse were built at Baldernock – the Church is now a garage and the manse is a private house.
In 1873 the Rev. William Young was appointed and as his congregation had increased, he was able to move to Milngavie and supervise the building of a new Church – it became the Milngavie and Baldernock United Free Church and was opened in 1896.
Rev. Young retired in 1920 and died in 1922. he was followed by Rev. J W Coutts. In 1929 the United Free Church and the Church of Scotland became one Church and the present name of St Luke’s was adopted. In 1935 Rev. Dr. Coutts was called to St Aidan’s, Melrose, and Rev. J S Hall was inducted the same year, having previously been Minister at Elie, Fife. By 1945 the congregational war service list was over 120.
The population of Milngavie increased rapidly after the war and there became a clear need for church activities to be extended. The initial arrangements for this started in 1960; a hall-church was built on a site reserved by the Town Council and dedicated in 1964. Mr Hall was minister to both congregations.
After Rev. Hall retired, Rev. Douglas Copp was inducted – February 1971 – to the Church in Station Road. A new Church was built, extending the existing Kirk Street hall, and in 1976 St Luke’s moved from Station Road to Kirk Street, at the top of Balvie Road. The old St Luke’s was sold and is now the Catholic Church of St Joseph’s. Rev Copp died in 1995, having been ill for some time.
During Mr Copp’s illness and the following vacancy, the congregation were very fortunate to have the services of Rev. Raymond Watker to look after their needs until the appointment of Rev. Ramsay Shields in 1997.