Portland Church from 1939 to 1946
1939 started with some very bad news for the people of Portland UF Church, it was with great sadness that they
heard of the death of Mr Brander, who had been minister of the church from 1908 until 1922. He had died in
Oxford on Sunday 14th of May, at the age of 59, having been ill since the previous September. A large funeral
service was held in Highgate Presbyterian Church, London, where the congregation heard of his exploits during
the 1st World War, when he was wounded at Loos and taken prisoner. He was in a poor way but motioned to a
German, who was in the German equivalent of the Royal Army Medical Corps and who was going to come and
help him, that he should not as he would have had to cross a bullet-laden atmosphere, and with this action,
almost certainly saved the German’s life. This seemed to have typified what kind of person he was. His funeral
was attended by many people, including a delegation from Portland Church in Troon. (If anyone would like to
read the tribute to Mr Brander, I would be happy to show them it.)
On the 1st of September 1939, Germany invaded Poland, Britain and France declared war on Germany two days
later, thus twice in a generation, the country was at war with Germany. With the outbreak of war, the Deacon’s
Court in Portland Church had to make plans for the safety of the congregation in case the building was damaged
by enemy attacks during the services. A member of the congregation was to remain standing outside
throughout the service, they would alert the minister of an air raid warning, the minister would close the service
and ask the nominated 2 people to open the doors. Those people who lived near the church would be allowed
to go out; the rest would be asked to stay in the church building. Blackout measures were also discussed and
Mr Burrows, the Church Officer was asked to make sure that the halls would be completely blacked out prior to
the halls being used. Two electric torches were purchased for the safety of the congregation entering and
leaving the church at the evening services.
At a meeting on the 6th of May 1940, the Moderator intimated that George Kerr, Foreign Mission Treasurer would
be absent on urgent war service and his sister Miss Isa Kerr had offered to take over her brother’s duties during
his absence. Once again there were problems with the stonework around the windows in the church and a
leaking roof at the East side of the church and a special meeting was called on the 17th of May 1940 to hear a
report concerning a survey of the roof at the East side of the church. The condition of the roof was serious and
the Property Committee recommended immediate action with lead being used. The estimate for the work by Mr
McCulloch was £81.7.6 (£3,967.12 in today’s money), the estimate was accepted and the work started
immediately. The estimate for the windows was £20 for each window (£975.02 now), which was also accepted.
In 1941, the Deacons’ Court received a letter from “the Church of Scotland Committee on Temperance
requesting that signatures of congregations might be obtained to petition the Government for the restriction of
alcoholic beverages in the interest of the National effort. The Court approved.” In 1942, the Treasurer of the
Maintenance of the Ministry Fund, Mr Shedden, intimated his desire to retire as war work presented difficulty in
performance of the duties required. Mr Sinton was appointed to this position on the 2nd of July 1942, that same
year Mr Burrows the Church Officer retired after 23 years of service. As a mark of appreciation, Mr Burrows was
presented with “a wallet of Treasury notes and a travelling case was presented to Miss Burrows, his daughter”
on the 5th of July 1942, at a special representative gathering of the congregation.
On the 3rd of October 1944, the moderator informed the Deacons’ Court that “he had been approached by Ex
Provost Wilson and family who desired to give to the Sunday School a portion of the estate of their son, Captain
Robert Wilson, a former Sunday School Teacher who died of wounds in action, this to be known as the Captain
Robert Wilson Memorial Bequest.” A cheque for £100 (£3,650.40 now) was handed to Mr Dobbie, Sunday
School Superintendent who had to invest the money in 3% war stock, with the interest year by year being used
by the Sunday School Teachers for some special prize or prizes as might be determined for the children’s good.
Finally, after several years of fighting, the war was over and on the 17th of February 1946, a report was put
forward to the Deacons’ Court that a committee had met to make provisional arrangements for the first Welcome
Home to men and women now demobilised from His Majesty’s Forces.
This committee, along with representatives of the Women’s Guild and the Girls Association proposed that they
should give a dinner in the church hall on Thursday 14th March 1946 for “some 35 men and 11 women, a total
company, with friends of some 92 persons”. They also proposed to hold a special Welcome Home Service in the
Church on a convenient Sunday morning following this social gathering and that similar gatherings would take
place as those on service returned. Of course, many people had not returned from the war, and on the 7th of
October 1946, it was announced that Session had discussed a proposal to install a lectern in the Church to
commemorate members of the congregation who had fallen in the war. The cost of the lectern was to be £155
(£5,658.12 in todays money) and it would be made by the firm of Scott Morton, who completed it early in 1947.
This beautiful lectern is well worth looking at as it is intricately carved and is inscribed:
To the Glory of God
In proud and affectionate
Remembrance of those from
this church who gave their
lives for us
1939 - 1945
A very fitting memorial indeed.
