Stobswell Church, Dundee
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Stobswell Church is a parish church in the Church of Scotland, serving the Stobswell area of Dundee. One of the city's main high schools - Morgan Academy - is located near the church.
In August 1874, the building which is now Stobswell Parish Church was first used for worship. From a small occasional gathering of the Free St.Andrew's Mission in a small room in Dura Street in 1868, the congregation grew to 40 at Sabbath meetings.
Before very long, more spacious accommodation was required and a hall was secured in Eliza Street in 1871. The first recorded Probationer Minister, Rev. Robert McLeod, was appointed in 1872. As the congregation continued to grow, more suitable premises were required.
The Church was built on a site purchased from the Royal Dundee Lunatic Asylum. Part of the building was financed by the Ogilvie family after the tragic death of one of their young sons, David, in their local family business - Malcolm, Ogilvie and Co. Ltd.
Stobswell Church, however, does not spring from this single congregation, but from four congregations, all dating back to the 19th century. At this time, the area now served by the church held four churches representing three denominations: Maryfield Parish Church; Ogilvie Free Church; and Park and Victoria Street churches which were both United Presbyterian.
In 1900, the Free and United Presbyterian churches joined together to form the United Free Kirk. The three churches still retained their independence, although under the same banner. The Maryfield parish was split into three smaller areas.
Twenty-nine years later, a national body - The Church of Scotland - was formed, with the amalgamation of the United Free and the Parish Churches.
In 1965, Maryfield and Victoria Street joined, and in 1976, Maryfield/Victoria Street and Park churches amalgamated. The new congregation adopted the name Stobswell Church.
In January 1985, Ogilvie and Stobswell joined forces to become the congregation we know today. The united name of Stobswell Parish Church was adopted in 1992 to signal the completion of the coming together.
The unification, which started nationally in 1900, had reached its final stage locally.
The current Minister, the Rev'd William McLaren, was inducted to Stobswell Parish Church on 10th October 2007. Mr. McLaren was formerly chaplain to the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.
