The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)

Period of church building

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“In 1841, Dundee had a population of 63,732,” writes Donald Abbott of Invergowri­e. “By 1881, that number had risen to 140,054.

“A great number of churches were built in the city, following on the Disruption of 1843 and the formation of the Free Church of

Scotland. Included was Free St Johns, built in Smalls Wynd in 1844. The first meeting of that congregati­on of 1843 was held in a spinning loft at Seabraes, in which my greatgreat-grandfathe­r Peter Abbot (one ‘t’), a shoemaker, participat­ed.

“Minutes of 1843/1844 show that on October 2 1843, 750 applicatio­ns were received from those wishing to become communican­ts. The minute of June 28 1843 confirms that Rev John Roxburgh, moderator, intimated that he had appointed Peter Abbot to be church officer.

“Free St John’s was a breakaway from the Establishe­d Church of St John’s Dundee, whose minister had joined the embryo Free Church of Scotland, together with around one third of his former colleagues.

“The plain structured Free St John’s Kirk and its manse, Whiteleys, on the Perth Road were purchased ultimately with all of the houses neighbouri­ng the manse between Park Place and Smalls Wynd, and fronting the Nethergate; this to help form the embryo University College of Dundee. The sum of £35,000 had been gifted in 1882 by a Miss Baxter and Dr J B Baxter (not related) to purchase the properties for college purposes.

“The congregati­on of St John’s was

now displaced from its first kirk, but soon constructe­d the wonderfull­y spired Free St John’s in Perth Road at the top of Roseangle (today’s Dundee West Church of Scotland).

“Meanwhile, the Smalls Wynd former Free St Johns became the first College Hall, but is now long demolished and the site redevelope­d.”

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