Basic Site Details

Name: St Vincent Street UP Church
City or county: Glasgow
Country: Scotland
Parish:  
Status: A listed
Grid ref:
Notes: Thomson's only surviving intact church. Cost £15,916.0.3 1/4d (excluding cost of land) to build, plus professional fees of £1,207.7.2d (architects' fee £420). Builder William Wylie; carving by J & G Mossman; cast iron work by Weir & McElroy and Robert McConnel & Co; painting by C T Bowie.

Information about organ case also from John Watson Junior

Alternative Names

The following alternative names are associated with this building/design:
 NameCurrent name?Notes
Item 1 of 1St Vincent Street Free ChurchYes 

Building Type Classification

The building is classified under the following categories:
 ClassificationOriginal classification?Notes
Item 1 of 1Church  

Street Addresses

The following street addresses are associated with this building:
 AddressMain entrance?Notes
Item 1 of 2Pitt StreetYes 
Item 2 of 2265, St Vincent StreetYes 

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:
 FromToEvent typeNotes
Item 1 of 1218571859  
Item 2 of 122 February 1857  Design approved
Item 3 of 12March 1857 ConstructionWork began
Item 4 of 1227 May 1857  Foundation stone laid
Item 5 of 1216 February 1859  Church opened
Item 6 of 1218671868 Church hall completed
Item 7 of 121904  Organ case
Item 8 of 122 September 1961  Tower struck by lightening
Item 9 of 1219 February 1965 * RestorationChurch to be restored and preserved - report to be made on cost of repairs
Item 10 of 1224 June 1966 Contract offeredTender accepted from Scott and Brown Ltd., for preservation work, £45,596
Item 11 of 1219691971 Building repaired and redecorated by Sir Frank Mears & Partners
Item 12 of 121997  Church put on World Monuments Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites

* earliest date known from documented sources.

People

Design and Construction

The following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column.
 NameRolePartnership GroupFromToNotes
Item 1 of 13A & G Thomson A18571859 
Item 2 of 13Alexander Thomson A18571859 
Item 3 of 13George Thomson A18571859 
Item 4 of 13A & G Thomson B18671868Hall completed
Item 5 of 13Alexander Thomson B18671868Hall completed
Item 6 of 13George Thomson B18671868Hall completed
Item 7 of 13David Salmond C1904 Organ case
Item 8 of 13John Watson C1904 Organ case
Item 9 of 13Watson & Salmond C1904 Organ case
Item 10 of 13(Sir) Frank Mears & Partners D19651971Repairs and restoration (including early report on requirements for restoration and preservation)
Item 11 of 13Scott and Brown Ltd  24 June 1966 Preservation work
Item 12 of 13Horace Arthur Rendel Govan D19691971Repairs and restoration
Item 13 of 13Hugh William Jack Crawford D19691971Repairs and restoration

Clients

The following individuals or organisations have commissioned work on this building/design:
 NameNotes
Item 1 of 1Gordon Street United Presbyterian Church CongregationGeorge Thomson was a member of the congregation

Related Buildings, Structures and Designs

Child Structures

This structure or site has the following component or child structures (click on an item to view details):
 Building NameNotes
Item 1 of 1Tenements with Shops, 249-259 St Vincent Street 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 9Aikman, J Logie1875Historical Notices of the United Presbyterian Congregations in Glasgow Glasgow 1875 
Item 2 of 9Allen, Nic (ed.) Scottish Architects in Conservation  p79
Item 3 of 9APSD The Dictionary of Architectureed Wyatt PapworthThe Architectural Publication Society (8v 1852-1892) 
Item 4 of 9Barclay, David1904Greek Thomson: his life and opinions Architectural Review May 1904Measured drawings
Item 5 of 9Gildard, Thomas1888Greek Thomson Proceedings of the Royal Philosophical Society of Glasgow, xix (30 January 1888), pp191-209 
Item 6 of 9Nicholson, Jane or Thomson, Amelia Memoir of Alexander Thomson Written for Alexander Thomson Memorial 
Item 7 of 9Small, Robert1904History of the Congregations of the United Presbyterian Church from 1733 to 1900 Edinburgh: Riverside PressVolume 2, p64
Item 8 of 9Stamp, Gavin1999Alexander Thomson: The Unknown Genius London: Lawrence King, in association with Glasgow 1999 
Item 9 of 9Williamson, Riches, Higgs1990Glasgow (The Buildings of Scotland)  p207

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this building:
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 8Architects Journal28 July 1971  pp173-174 - mentioned in context of Heron House development
Item 2 of 8British Architect6 April 1875   
Item 3 of 8Builder19 February 1965  p440
Item 4 of 8Building24 June 1966  p.188
Item 5 of 8Building Chronicle1 April 1856  p44
Item 6 of 8Building ChronicleMarch 1857  p175
Item 7 of 8Building ChronicleApril 1857  pp189-190
Item 8 of 8Building News16 April 1875   

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:
 SourceArchive nameSource catalogue no.Notes
Item 1 of 2Glasgow Institute of ArchitectsBiographical sketch and job list of Greek Thomson by Rev John Stark, 1879  
Item 2 of 2Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register33150