How We got to Where We Are!

A Brief History of Irving Church     

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The very existence of Irving Church is credited to the pioneering mission work  in Camelon by Lewis Hay Irving, born in 1806 and son of an Edinburgh Solicitor. His portrait is on the right.

During his theological studies, Irving was greatly influenced by Cesar Malon of Switzerland and throughout his ministries, he kept a lively and practical interest in the Protestant Churches in both Switzerland and France.

In 1831, Irving received a call to the quiet Parish Church of Abercorn near South Queensferry.  We are told that when the quiet of the Parish was invaded by the onslaught of cholera 'The stuff the man was made of was at once revealed by the way he heroically battled with the scourge'.

When the disruption of the established church occurred in 1843, Irving became involved with the formation of the Free Church of Scotland whose first General Assembly was constituted at Edinburgh in May of that year.  A group in Falkirk decided to throw their lot with the Free Church movement and Irving was contacted at Abercorn and later installed to the Free Church in November 1843.

At this time, Falkirk had a population of around 7000 and Irving, a man of many talents and means, rallied a band of supporters to build a new church at Garrison Place in Falkirk.

The establishment of the Falkirk Savings Bank owed much to his efforts.  He was also the chief founder of the industrial school and with the Free Church's commitment to 'Education for all', a new school was built at Meeks Road.

Mission work was carried out at Bainsford, the mining village of Shieldhill and Camelon.  When the spirit of revival swept the country, Irving in his zest for the advancement of 'The Kingdom' had a Mission Hall built in Camelon.

After his death in 1877, his wife and daughter Mary continued with the mission of concern for the Camelon community.

The Rev Hugh Mair was appointed to the vacancy at the Falkirk Free Church and the Rev John Livingstone became the first missionary to Camelon.

Around 1887, Camelon became recognised as a regular home mission and when by 1888 the mission was reported to have many worshipers, the Free Church of Scotland decided a minister should be appointed to Camelon.

Immediately after completing his studies at Aberdeen, Rev R L Jaffrey was appointed to the charge in June 1889 and services were conducted in the Mission Hall until a new church was built.

On 19th January 1890, the foundation stone of Aberdeen granite was laid by Mr Robert Orr and at the ceremony it was disclosed that the church would be called The Irving Memorial Free Church of Scotland in memory of the late Rev Lewis Hay Irving.

The title deeds of the new church (right, as it was in the early part of the century) were handed over to the clerk at a meeting in the school on 6th March 1890 and the church was opened on 6th April 1890 when the opening address was delivered by Rev Dr Adamson who had been associated with the Camelon mission from 1884 - 1888.  Rev R L Jaffrey was inducted on 5th July 1890.

In 1898, a new Manse was built at the corner of Cottage Crescent and Dorrator Road at a cost of £1200.

Since its opening in 1890, Irving Church has been served by ten ministers.  Irving Church's first minister was a great success at Camelon and this meant that very soon others were after his services.  He reluctantly accepted a call to St John's U F Church in Edinburgh but never forgot his first charge and kept in regular contact with Camelon.

After his untimely death in 1911, a tribute paid to him illustrates the quality of the man: 'Because he believed with all his heart he was interpreting the spirit of his master he would, when the occasion arose, follow with loving care, and with a resolution that would not be repulsed, the steps of the wayward and dissolute not seldom inducing them to share with him for days the shelter of his own home and hospitality of his own table'.

Lewis Irving's widow died in 1890 to be followed by his daughter Mary's death in 1891.  She left a legacy of £300 to the church.  A unanimous decision was taken by the court that a bell be purchased for the church with the money, the bell still being in place today bears the inscription "To the memory of Mary Irving".

Another member of Irving Church, Martha Peacock, (right in centre of group) resigned her teaching post at Camelon School to carry out mission work in Africa.  She was later to become a firm friend of the renowned Mary Slessor.

During World War One, Rev John Muirhead saw service in France with the YMCA.  He was a long time active member of the organisation.  In the late 1920s, a Boys' Brigade Company was formed to be followed shortly afterwards by the start up of a Life Boy team.   Following Muirhead's death in 1930, a Communion table and font were presented to the church by its members.  Muirhead's brother gifted a lectern, whilst the Junior Bible Class provided a Bible 'To the memory of Martha Peacock'.  This took place during the ministry of Rev D Dewar Duncan. The photograph on the right shows how the church interior looked at this time.

Irving Church celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1940 during Rev John McGhie's ministry. As part of the celebrations, plans were made for the writing of the church history but the onset of the Second World War put such work on hold. Following the death of the Rev Pat Muirhead, a bequest was made to the congregation for stained glass windows to be designed for placement in Irving Church in memory of his brother and mother.  Whilst the making was completed in 1941, the windows were placed in safe storage until the cessation of hostilities.

Miss Mary Fraser and Mrs Orr were responsible for the creation of a junior choir (left and right) during the ministry of Rev W Bruce.  The choir obtained acclamation for performances throughout the central area of Falkirk District. In 1945, the church became 'Aid giving' rather than 'Aid receiving' and in 1946 the stained glass windows were installed.  Rev Ian Muirhead, son of Rev John Muirhead, preached at both morning and evening services.  At the induction occasion, the Rev A W Bruce was charged that 'He and those who would follow in his footsteps would honour and preserve the memorial'.

The inscriptions and themes expressed in the window designs:

The central circular window above the pulpit (right) shows the Pascal lamb with a  banner in the central circle; on the left, an angel holds a trumpet whilst on the right, an angel is in attitude of prayer.  The angels stand either side of a tree, representing the tree of life which bore twelve manners of fruit and yielded her fruit every month.The upper half text reads: 'And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations' and the lower half text reads: 'He showed me a pure river of water of life proceeding out of the throne of God and the lamb'.

The East window (right) shows the figure of St Peter with a book and keys in his hand, together with the text: 'Upon this rock I will build my church' [Matthew 16:18].

The West window (left) shows the figure of St Andrew and a young man carrying a basket containing five barley loaves and two small fish.  The texts reads: 'Labour not for the meat which perisheth but for that which endureth into Everlasting life' [John 6:27].

A nine years ministry by Rev Wemyss Smith followed that of Rev Bruce,  Smith said at a later date 'that over the years Irving Church became well known for it's record in Christian giving on a grand scale'.

In 1957, Rev J Angus McLeod succeeded the ministry and became closely associated with the Falkirk United Christian Council when Camelon was represented by three Church of Scotland ministries plus a lively and well attended mission in Gordon Street.

In 1959, the pipe organ (right) was installed at a cost of £820, and by 1962 church membership had risen to 562. Mr McLeod was later to say 'this was a period of settled times'.

Rev Jack McCallum (left) succeeded McLeod in 1962 and 10 years later, the dedication service was held by Rev McLeod for the opening of the new Church Hall. Irving Church celebrated both its seventy-fifth and centenary events during Rev Call's ministry. Mr McCallum continued his ministry until retiring in 1998.

Presbytery decided to call a new minister and in March 1999, Rev Sally Foster Fulton received the call to lead Camelon Irving into the new millennium.

In March 2001, the church courts decided to sell the 103 year old Manse and purchase a modern family home located outwith the parish.

December 2002 saw Rev Fulton (right with a group of elders) return to the States to take up a joint ministry with her husband Stuart, leaving Irving a vacant charge. In the 113 year history of Irving Church it has been served by the ten ministers listed in the pop-up window.  To view this window click on <ministers>.  

 Grateful thanks go to George Boyle for allowing extracts of his 'Synopsis of Research' to be published

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The photograph on the left shows the interior of Irving Parish  Church as it is today, prepared for worship.