1914-1919
Where did they pray?
This page shows the memorials from the known places of worship of the men who died. There are three memorials from Bridge of Weir churches and all are now located in Bridge of Weir Parish Church, Main Street, Bridge of Weir.
St. Machar's Church, Kilbarchan Road, Bridge of Weir, was built in 1878 and was named Bridge of Weir Parish Church until 1929 when the United Free Church united with the Church of Scotland creating three parish churches in Bridge of Weir that needed to be uniquely named. The name "St Machar's" was chosen because of the incumbent Reverend Alexander Shand being an Aberdonian.
Ranfurly United Presbyterian Church was built in 1891-2 in Prieston Road, and united with the Free Church in 1900 (becoming the Ranfurly United Free Church). It united with the Church of Scotland in 1929 as Ranfurly parish church, and the congregation continued to worship in the Prieston Road building until the union with St Machar's Church in 1968. The Ranfurly and St Machar's war memorials were housed in what then became St. Machar's Ranfurly Church from 1968 until 2025.
A Secession Church worshipped in Main Street, Bridge of Weir from 1826. In 1839, it re-joined the Church of Scotland. In 1843, the Church of Scotland split again and the congregation became part of the Free Church of Scotland. In 1900, the Free Church and the United Presbyterian Churches united and the Free Church in Bridge of Weir renamed itself Freeland United Free Church (after Robert Freeland who had been its major benefactor by buying out the church building mortgage in 1843). In 1929, Freeland Church re-joined the Church of Scotland, again, becoming Freeland parish church.
The Church of Scotland congregations in St. Machar's Ranfurly and Freeland Church united in 2025 to form a new congregation, Bridge of Weir Parish, which worships in the Parish Church, Main Street, Bridge of Weir where all three memorials are now displayed in the sanctuary.
For ease of reference on this website, the three Church of Scotland parish memorials (with their mother churches at the time they were unveiled shown in parentheses) are labelled: St. Machar's (Church of Scotland), Ranfurly (United Free Church of Scotland) and Freeland (United Free Church of Scotland).
| Name | Church Memorial | Name | Church Memorial | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Andrew | Ranfurly | Andrew Houston | Freeland | |
| John Andrew | Ranfurly | Peter Houston | Freeland | |
| Richard Arroll | Ranfurly | William Houston | St. Machar's | |
| George Balfour | Ranfurly | Andrew Jackson | Ranfurly | |
| Ian Bannatyne | Ranfurly | George Jackson | Ranfurly | |
| Frederic Barr | St. Machar's | Robert Jackson | ||
| Lyle Barr | St. Andrew's, Buenos Aires & St. Machar's | Ritchie Johnstone | Ranfurly | |
| Speirs Barr | St. Machar's | William Keith | St. Machar's | |
| Robert Barr | William Kerr | |||
| John Begley | St. Fillan's, Houston | Thomas Lawrie | ||
| William Blackley | Freeland | William McClure | ||
| Malcolm Brodie | St. Machar's | Neil Macdonald | St. Machar's | |
| James Brooks | St. Machar's | John Macdougall | Ranfurly & St. Machar's | |
| John Brown | St. Machar's | Robert McDougall | Freeland | |
| Walter Brown | St. Machar's | James McGibbon | Freeland | |
| Robert Browning | St. Machar's | David McGregor | Ranfurly | |
| James Burns | St. Machar's | John McInnes | Ranfurly | |
| Robert Burns | St. Machar's | William McKenzie | Freeland | |
| William Cairns | St. Machar's | Adam McLeod (Walton) | Freeland & St. Machar's | |
| Peter Calligan | St. Machar's | Walter McWilliam | ||
| Alexander Cameron | Ranfurly | Robert Millar | St. Machar's | |
| William Candlish | Ranfurly | William Millar | St. Machar's | |
| John Clark | Freeland & St. Machar's | Robert Milroy | St. Machar's | |
| David Cummings | Freeland | Charles Morgan | ||
| Alister Duff | St. Machar's | Ernest Murray | ||
| George Fisher | St. Machar's | William Neil | St. Machar's | |
| Archibald Fulton | Ranfurly | Robert Niven | St. Machar's | |
| Hugh Fulton | Ranfurly | James Pollock | St. Machar's | |
| Andrew Gardiner | St. Machar's | James Reston | Freeland | |
| Gottfried Hepner Giffen | Quarrier's Village | Edward Shedden | Freeland & St. Machar's | |
| John Gray | St. Machar's | James Smellie | St. Machar's | |
| Hudson Hardman | St. Machar's | Thomas Spink | St. Machar's | |
| John Higgins | St. Fillan's, Houston | Robert Sproul | ||
| Peter Higgins | St. Fillan's, Houston | Henry Strang | St. Machar's | |
| John Holmes | St. Machar's | David Tod | St. Machar's | |
| James Hood | St. Machar's | James Woodrow | Freeland |
Bridge of Weir Parish Church (re-named St. Machar's in 1929), which united with Ranfurly Church in 1968 and became St Machar's Ranfurly (1968-2025). In 2025 it united with Freeland Church and became, once again, Bridge of Weir Parish Church (2025-). The memorial Unveiling and Dedication Order of Service was held on 20 November 1921.
Bridge of Weir Parish Church Minute Book in the Great War
Ranfurly United Free Church Memorial Tablet was unveiled on 24 October 1920.
Ranfurly United Free Church Minute Book in the Great War
Part of Freeland United Free Church Memorial showing the 1914-1918 Freeland Fallen. The original memorial was unveiled on 12 December 1920.
Freeland United Free Church Deacons Court Minutes in the Great War
St Fillan's Church, Houston has two memorial stained glass windows commemorating three of its sons.
St Fillan's Church, Houston - John Begley
St Fillan's Church, Houston - John Higgins and Peter Higgins
Where were they born?
Where did they learn?
Where did they live?
Where did they work?
Where did they play?
Where did they serve?
Where and when did they die?
Where are they remembered?
TO CITE THIS PAGE: MLA style: "Bridge of Weir Memorial". bridgeofweirmemorial.co.uk. Date of viewing. http://www.bridgeofweirmemorial.co.uk/church.html