The story of a church that began in a barn (adapted from an article first published in Travelling Together in Glasgow & Galloway, by Graeme Hely, Lay Reader at All Saints
All Saints Jordanhill, which celebrated its centenary on 1st November 2004, owes its existance to a remarkable woman - Jane Charlotte Smith - who lived with her parents in Jordanhill Mansion, now Jordanhill College. In 1853 she was visiting the cottages of the miners and other labourers in the district and started a school for them, firstly in Jordanhill Mansion, and then in a barn where Episcopal Services were held. Encouraged by her success she started collecting funds for a chapel school, which was opened in 1861 with 120 children attending. Communion services were provided by visiting priests from St John's, Baillieston. During a visit to the ill and infirm in the hamlets of the district, Jane cought Typhus from a small child, and died in 1864, aged 35 years. The magnificent Triple Oriel East Window above the High Altar is dedicated to her memory, and was placed in 1911, the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Chapel School.
A glance at the Baptismal Registers revelas that in the early years the Revd J Watson Reid baptised over 1000 children, and on one Friday evening 40 infant baptism took place!
With the growth of state education the school closed in 1892, but by this time a curate had been appointed to take charge. Sales of work and concerts were held to raise funds to replace what is now the church hall. In 1903 a grand bazaar was held for three days, in the Fine Art Institue on Sauchiehall Street and over £1000 was raised for the building fund - an astronomical sum at the time. In 1904 a start was made building the present church, which was to cost £5000, and on All Saints Day 1904 the church was dedicated by Bishop Campbell, the newly consecrated Bishop of the Diocese. Later a rectory was built, and a mission Church, St David's, opened in Whiteinch.
In the last 100 years the Jordanhill district has changed beyond all recognition, housing developments have replaced fields and open farmland. The building itself has been enlarged, and the old rectory demolished to make way for a new development. A reredos by Scottish Artist Phoebe Anne Traquair has been installed over the High Altar, and additional stained glass work has been added. The original church, now the hall, is still in use for congregational events, abd by Scouting groups, in addition to returning to its use as an education establishment, now being the new home of Westbourne Gardens Nursery School.
All Saints can still count among its members families going back two or three generations, with links through the Sunday School, uniformed organisations, the Choir and All Saints Players - the church's amateur dramatics group.
At the centenary Celebrations former clergy and many friends and former members joined together for worship, at both a Eucharist, presided by the current Bishop Most Revd Idris Jones, and on All Saints Day itself, a splendid Choral evensong, with a choir augmented with those from the choirs of St Mary's Cathedral, St Brides, Hyndland, and St Ninian's, Troon. The preacher was the Dean of the Diocese, the Very Revd Gregor Duncan
At the Centenary Dinner, hosted at the City Chambers, the current Rector, Revd Alison Chesworth, spoke briefly on the church's foundation and growth as a result of one lay person, and commented on the continuing value and hardwork of the laity of the church. Our small but flourishing congregation look forward to another 100 years working together and praising God within the community of Jordanhill