The Tent Hall Options

[glasgowgal]

I lived in the Saltmarket from the late 50's 'til the early 70's.
The Tent Hall was around the corner from us in Steel Street. As a Catholic, I never attended the Tent Hall as a member, but all us children in the area used to go on some great day trips put on for us by the Tent Hall.
The wonderful thing was, none of us cared which religion any of us were in our street. As children we very often went to services in different churches.......just depended which friend invited us on any given Sunday. Great days and gave us a healthy outlook and appreciation of other religions.
Maybe if more people took the time to visit a different church every now and again, it would help dispel the fear and distrust many people have about other religions today......just an idea!

I have such wonderful memories of growing up in the Saltmarket, and fun times playing on the steps of the Tent Hall are among them!

[*Gylen*]

I had the honour of praying with this dear gentleman (Bill Gilvear ) prior to him speaking in a church in the village of Dunbeg , on the west coast of Scotland. Bill had contacted food poisoning while speaking in Oban and by the time he arrived to minister at the evening meeting in Dunbeg he was so ill he was almost on his knees.

He was told that he did not have to go onto the platform , yet dispite being doubled up in pain , he requested prayer. It was my privilage to have witnessed God's touch on Bill that evening. The Lord gave him sufficient strngth for the evenings ministry , Bill left and I have not seen him since. In the last two weeks I have learned that he is stll with us and living in Denny. I thank Almighty God for the ministry of Glasgow's Tent Hall , and in particular this trophy of grace.

[*rab mulheron*]

glasgow gal, i lived in the saltmarket up the pen opposite coyles fruit shop from 1959 until 1974 and went to the sunday school in the tent hall

[*Jack Middleton*]

The Tent hall was the place to be in the mid to late 1950's John Moore was the Superintendent and a Mr Bell was his assiatant, as mentioned above there were the choirs and many of the special gusts came form the States. After the meeting finished we went to R.S. McColl's in Renfield Street for coffee then on to the open-air at Rose Street.
On a Sunday night the open-air was at Pitt Street and the 11th commandment was 'do not lean on the undertakers window'.
Dose anyone know the weherabouts of an Isobel MacKenzie who went to the Tean Hall around this time she was a good friend of my wife Jean Fellows as was.
My email is jjsouthbay@aol.com

[*Tom Anderson*]

Reading the comments by others brought back so many memories of my time there (between 1916 and 1969). This was a period that impacted my christian life in so may ways. Preachers such as Stanley Collins and particularly the Sunday morning Bible Class where he unpacked scripture that still influences my life today. Others are Peter Donald, Ian Barclay, Alan Redpath, Gladys Alward and who can forget 'Oor Willie fae' the Gallowgate' Gilvear.

I learned so much about prayer at the friday evening prayer meeting and well remember Nellie Paterson who was a real prayer warrior.

[*Gwen Ward*]

My Uncle Bill Gilvear and Aunt Margaret are alive and well and living in Denny Stirlingshire their son Billy is now preaching .My Uncle William as i call him wrote a book about his life if you would like to read it called Rough Diamond I know he talks about his days in the Tent hall and the Congo...I will pass on the word that someone is asking after them...I am his neice and i live in the States...All the best Eleanor Pullen

[*Gwen Ward*]

My Uncle Bill Gilvear and Aunt Margaret are alive and well and living in Denny Stirlingshire their son Billy is now preaching .My Uncle William as i call him wrote a book about his life if you would like to read it called Rough Diamond I know he talks about his days in the Tent hall and the Congo...I will pass on the word that someone is asking after them...I am his neice and i live in the States...All the best Eleanor Pullen

Eleanor

My Parents David and Ellen Simpson were responsible for sending out Bill Gilvears prayer letters while he was in Congo. Bill and my parents have been friends for many many years and I was honoured to have spent many times listening to the stories of his time in Congo. He (although Not by blood) was always known to us as Uncle Bill and I have very fond memories of him. Today as a matter of fact he is celebrating his 85th Birthday.
I remember Margaret but don't really know his children at all . I now live in Bermuda and have not seen them in probably over 25 years. I have read his book also and would recommend it.

[**Elizabeth**]

There is a Ronald Chalmers who was booted out of Paisley's church while a student preacher. He spent 3 years in prison for child sexual abuse. Details of this have been published recently by a paper in Belfast.

[ikapicka]

Hi,
My family went to Tent Hall for many years when we were growing up. My brothers Robert and Andrew were in the Junior Choir under John clark. I remember helping at the free breakfast and the Christmas party for the poor children when I was only a teenager. The Tent Hall was great and my grandfather and aunts all sang in the Senior Choir. My father was Jimmy Houstoun and my grandfather was Andy Aitken. I have many happy memories helping of Mr Haswell in the kitchen and spending many Saturday evenings and Sundays at Tent Hall.
Does anyone else remember them?
Janet Houstoun

Do you rememer either the Harrison Family (spec George, David, Jimmy, Elsie, Ruth Annie) or the Begg family (Anna, Bertha, Margaret, Gina, John, Robert)? These are my mom and dad's family. Many of them attended the Tent Hall and I rememer going with my granny to help with the breakfasts and later on to services with my uncle, John Begg.

[*morag mcintyre*]

Hi there Janet, My family grew up in the tent hall. My Aunt went out with your uncle Bill Gulvear. My Aunt was May Cochrane. My papa and gran were also there Hector Cochrane and Marion Cochrane, My papa done the early breakfast. My dad was also there Martin Cochrane, would your uncle know anyone of them . I would love to connect to your uncle. I became a christain and myself and would love to talk to him about my familiy past and his preaching, hope you can reply or anyone that knows any of these people thanks Morag

[iainson]

Some one stated they knew a Ron Chalmer's who was also a friend of our families but we have lost touch with them. Last I heard from them was in 1980. We went to visit them in their home in Glasgow after our father had died in 1979 from heart failure. My father played piano at the Tent Hall for years. He came from a large family (Harrison) in Glasgow.

My Dad was Ron Chalmers, he passed away in 2004 in Hairmyres hospital. We (Mum, Ron, Sharon and myself) were around his bedside as he went Home. Mum passed away in 2009, leaving us with a massive hole in our family and our hearts. We couldnt have asked for better parents and, even though they are alive in Glory, we miss them both each and every day.

[Dexter St. Clair]

There is a Ronald Chalmers who was booted out of Paisley's church while a student preacher. He spent 3 years in prison for child sexual abuse. Details of this have been published recently by a paper in Belfast.

The above "Ron Chalmers" is now known as "Rabbi Asher Kramer and leading a breakaway synagogue in Lanarkshire."

Daily Record


I note that the "Rabbi" is a graduate from one of Glasgow's affluent suburbs.

[crewsy2]

I am wondering about a man named Peter McFarlane who came from Hamilton maybe. He preached and helped in the dark places in Glasgow, ie Jails , down and out places.

Back in the 1980s Peter McFarlane helped me, he went well way out of his way to do so and I was impressed, I thought him a true shirt off his back Christian and I sometimes think of him with gratitude, though I wasnt totally accepting of his message he definitely helped me in a dark time.

Anyone?

[*Sandra Trainor*]

Do you rememer either the Harrison Family (spec George, David, Jimmy, Elsie, Ruth Annie) or the Begg family (Anna, Bertha, Margaret, Gina, John, Robert)? These are my mom and dad's family. Many of them attended the Tent Hall and I rememer going with my granny to help with the breakfasts and later on to services with my uncle, John Begg.

Hi,

Ref your enquiry about the Harrison family. Ruth Harrison married my mother's brother Walter Dryburgh and had 4 children Walter, George, Ruth & Philip. George who lives down south was up in Glasgow last year and went looking for the house in which his mother was brought up. He is also in touch with the daughter / granddaughter? of one of the brothers who went to America (was it David). She is called Ruthie and is in her 40's. I myself was in the Junior Choir from 1960 - 1965.Ref. Harrison family

[*Sandra Trainor*]

Do you rememer either the Harrison Family (spec George, David, Jimmy, Elsie, Ruth Annie) or the Begg family (Anna, Bertha, Margaret, Gina, John, Robert)? These are my mom and dad's family. Many of them attended the Tent Hall and I rememer going with my granny to help with the breakfasts and later on to services with my uncle, John Begg.