David Naismith

The YMCA in Glasgow, as we know it today is the result of an amalgamation in 1877 of two Societies. The Young Men's Society for Religious improvement and the Glasgow Young Men's Union. The former was founded in 1824 by David Naismith. This evangelist was born in Glasgow in 1799. "Following his death in 1839, it is recorded that in the United Kingdom, France, and America, he had been instrumental in establishing seventy Young Men's Societies". (Red Triangle News, 1924).

The Society became known as the Young Men's Christian Association in 1848, after a visit to the city of George Williams, who had founded the YMCA Movement in London in 1844. The other partner to the 1877 amalgamation (the Glasgow Young Men's Union) was formed in the city after a visit by the evangelist D. L. Moody, in 1873. This visit had many significant results for the religious life of Glasgow.

After the amalgamation in 1877, the YMCA, with the Scottish Sunday School Union and the Glasgow Foundry Boys Religious Society - moved into the new Christian Institute, which was being opened in Bothwell Street, in 1878.

The Christian Institute was a large distinctive "listed" building in the centre of Glasgow near to the Central Station. The huge building housed a YMCA Hostel, a YMCA Centre (with halls, cafeteria and Restaurant, Committee rooms, lounges, library, chapel etc.) This part of the building had a Concert Hall complex. The last part of the building housed the Glasgow Bible Training Institute.

George Williams

There followed a period of expansion. In 1896, the YMCA bought the building at the corner of Renfield and Sauchiehall Streets, which included the Lyric Theatre. In 1939 the YMCA moved its headquarters into the Lyric buildings.

During this period the YMCA had spacious premises at the Southern Institute, at Eglinton Toll, the Western Institute, at Peel Street, Partick, and the Eastern Institute in Bridgeton (the old Mechanics Institute). These buildings were smaller editions of the Bothwell Street Centre. They had large halls, committee rooms, recreation rooms, library, chapel, and tea bar.

The main aspects of the work were providing accommodation to meet the needs of Young Men's educational work; membership activities; youth work; Bible classes; fellowship meetings and lectures.

The Lyric Theatre Complex was destroyed by fire in 1953 and although it was rebuilt, it was eventually sold and the work was centred on the Christian Institute in Bothwell Street.

In the Annual Report for 1956/57, the following statement is made - "The Board realised that the real youth problems of the city lay in the new housing schemes. There were no recreational activities. The Lyric was sold. The headquarters moved back to Bothwell Street and sites were secured in Easterhouse, Drumchapel, Castlemilk, and Springboig.

In 1961/62 new buildings were opened in various housing schemes on the periphery of the city. These large council owned housing schemes were - Springboig, Easterhouse, Drumchapel, and Castlemilk. These buildings housed Youth Centres. These were purpose built buildings. They contained a large hall, gymnasium, coffee bar, meeting rooms, and offices. It should be noted that they were sited in the housing schemes, as an extension of the old Institutes. - The Eastern (Bridgeton) became Easterhouse and Springboig, the Western (Partick) became Drumchapel and the Southern (Eglinton Toll) became Castlemilk. That was the pattern throughout the 1960s and 70s. They were financed, in the main, by the activities of Bothwell Street, and Grant Aid from the Local Authority. The Hostel and Restaurant provided resources as did the money from the let of halls and meetings rooms. In 1974 the Bothwell Street complex was closed. It was difficult to maintain such an old building. It seemed better to sell out and acquire better premises. The headquarters were moved to Granville Street, and the Youth Centres were the main areas of influence of Glasgow YMCA.

In September 1977 - the Youth Centres became more broadly used as YMCA "Neighbourhood Centres".

However the building at Bothwell Street had still not been sold. There was a serious financial problem, for the day to day running of the Neighbourhood Centres. By the end of 1977, the Minutes of the Board of Directors showed a deficit of £50,000. There was a need to stabilise the financial situation. There was also a need to find a replacement for the Bothwell Street Complex. Unless there was a strong revenue-producing venture, in the centre of the city - the work on the periphery of the city could not continue.

Matters came to a head in 1979. It was decided to close the Neighbourhood Centres. However, in 1982 YMCA Glasgow opened its new David Naismith Court Aparthotel providing accommodation for students and tourists. The former Glasgow District Council tower block was transformed into budget accommodation including a self-service restaurant, residential club and study rooms.

Although the Centre in Springboig closed, the generated income from this project meant the neighbourhood centres in Easterhouse, Castlemilk, Drumchapel and Possilpark remained open.