Glasford
Glassford is a parish in the middle ward of Lanarkshire. Its south-eastern boundary reaches within 1½ miles of Strathaven, and its north-western boundary within 3¼ miles of Hamilton. It is bounded by the parishes of Strathaven, East Kilbride, Blantyre, Hamilton, and Stonehouse. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Chapelton, Glassford, Heads, Shawton, Shawtonhill, Westquarter
Avonholm, Craigthornhill, Crutherland, Hallhill
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
The church of Glassford belonged to St Mary's Collegiate Church of Lochwinnoch. In 1633 the parish church was rebuilt at Glassford. In 1820 a more central parish church was built at Westquarter, and was considerably renovated in 1897.
Disjoined Quoad Sacra Parishes:
Chapelton. The parish of Chapelton was disjoined from Glassford, Hamilton, and East Kilbride, 17 Jan 1876.
(1928: Fasti Ecclesiæ Scoticanæ, by Hew Scott, D. D.)
Includes ministers, licentiates, assistants, readers, and clerks.
Glassford (QO)
Chapelton (QS)
(1928: Fasti Ecclesiæ Scoticanæ, by Hew Scott, D. D.)
Parish registers turned over to the Registrar-General, as a result of the Registration of Births, Deaths, and Marriages (Scotland) Act of 1854. The letters B. D. and M. indicate Births (or Baptisms), Deaths (or Burials), and Marriages (or Proclamations of Banns) respectively. Numbers indicate separate volumes or books. Note: These records are by no means complete or without damage; consult the Detailed List of the Old Parochial Registers of Scotland (1872) to learn more about the condition of the records.
| OPR and RD Numbers | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date Range | Name | Number | Type |
| 1692-1854 | Glassford | 645 | OPR |
| 1855-1937 | Glassford | 645 | RD |
| 1938-1968 | Avondale and Glassford | 621 | RD |
| 2009 | South Lanarkshire, Strathaven | 579 | RD |
| 2026 | South Lanarkshire Council; Strathaven and Glassford Community Council | ||
(2009: Parishes and Registration Districts of Scotland - Old and New, National Records of Scotland)
Local community councils (2026) are provided as a potential source of additional information for settlements within the original boundaries of the parish. (Source)
Statistics from informal and official censuses
Crozier, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Massey, Moore, Paterson, Riddell, Semple, Struthers, Wilson
Note: Names appearing in research materials, other than censuses. Simple names (First name, surname only) have been omitted unless they appear associated with large properties. All women's names, and men's names with occupations, military ranks, or peerage titles are included.
By the Reverend Mr Hugh Mitchell.
"At the beginning of this year, (1792) there were in the parish 788 souls. There are in it three small, but thriving villages. One of them, which, in the year 1771, consisted only of 14 houses, and 63 inhabitants, now contains 44 houses, and 196 inhabitants. In this village there are 36 looms; 12 employed in the cotton, and the others in the linen manufacture.
The inhabitants of this parish cannot be distinguished from their neighbours either by their virtues or their vices. They are, in general, sober, contented, and hospitable. The manufacturing class, possessing these qualities, are also industrious. In the memory of no man living, has there been any belonging to it who has suffered capital punishment; nor is it known here that there is one instance on record."
(This section contains excerpts, at times restructured or paraphrased, from an article appearing in Statistical Account of Scotland, Sir John Sinclair, 1791-1799)
Primary Sources:
Statistical Account of Scotland (1791-1799), Volume 7, p. 142
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 6, p. 294
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
