Tragic story behind Glasgow comedy club's new home

Glasgow Times

02-05-2025

The Great Western Road venue, which will be home to The Stand from September, was previously Lansdowne Church.
When it opened its doors in December 1963, our sister newspaper, the then Glasgow Herald, described the Victorian Gothic landmark as 'a notable ornament' - but not everyone was as impressed.
Lansdowne Church (Image: Websters)
In his book, aptly entitled A Notable Ornament, historian Gordon Urquhart explains that on the opening Sunday, a disgruntled local wrote in chalk on the door: 'This church is not for the poor or needy, but for the rich and Doctor Eadie. The rich walk in and take their seat, the poor go down to Cambridge Street.'
The building has been attracting interest and opinion ever since, from its days as a celebrated church in the prestigious West End, through its eventual closure more than a decade ago, when the congregation joined with Kelvin Stevenson parish to become Kelvinbridge Parish Church, to its reinvention as a theatre, bar and community space in 2014.
(Image: Newsquest)
Now operated by Four Acres Charity Trust, which also runs Cottier's theatre, restaurant and bar just up the road, it has survived everything from hurricane damage to dry rot.
(Image: Newsquest)
Historic artefacts fill the space - such as the original cosmetics counter from Boots on Great Western Road, which was salvaged when the store was revamped and now has pride of place as a drinks gantry behind the bar – and every nook and cranny has a story to tell.
Alf Webster (Image: Websters)
However, it is the tale of Alf Webster, after whom the theatre is named, which is the most heartbreaking.
Alf is the artist responsible for the church's most spectacular stained glass windows.
Born in Pollokshields in 1883, he started work as a shipbroker's clerk when he left school at the age of 14. He married Maude Cochrane when they were both just 18, and switched careers to architecture. Gordon Urquhart's research for A Notable Ornament uncovered the story of his decision to enrol at evening classes in Glasgow School of Art.
Alf and Maude with their children (Image: Websters)
It was at GSA that the young Alf went on to study architecture, drawing and painting, and he took his first classes in stained glass. He became one of Scotland's most talented stained glass artists, creating works for churches in Orkney, St Andrews and, in December 1914, the McCowan and Templeton windows at Lansdowne Parish Church.
Some of the incredible stained glass inside Websters (Image: Newsquest)
The McCowan window remains carefully stored at Websters (it was removed because vibration and dust from passing traffic on Great Western Road was starting to damage it) but the other, the Templeton window, is still in situ.
(Image: Newsquest)
In February 2015, with the First World War raging across Europe (and around a month after his third son was born), Alf signed up with the Gordon Highlanders and after three months training in Aberdeen he was sent to the front lines.
Alf Webster (Image: Websters)
Sadly, that is where Alf lost his life, aged just 31, from injuries sustained in battle at Ypres. There is little mention of him, points out Gordon Urquhart in his book, apart from in a memoir written by music hall great Sir Harry Lauder about his son Captain John Lauder, who died in France in 2016.
Gordon writes: 'Sir Harry recounts many anecdotes taken from his son's wartime correspondence with one letter arriving from the military hospital complex at Etaples, Pas-de-Calais, being particularly moving.'
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John had written to say he had been playing piano in the hospital when a "Captain Webster of the Gordon Highlanders" had called him over.
'This man had gone through 10 operations in less than a week,' John wrote to his father. 'I thought perhaps my playing had disturbed him but when I went to his bedside, he grasped my hand, pressed it with what little strength he had left, and thanked me.
'He asked me if I could play a hymn… Lead Kindly Light…so I played it as softly and gently as I could. It was his last request. He died an hour later. I was very glad I was able to soothe his last moments a little.'
Alf left behind Maude and their three sons Martyn, George and Alfred. The then Glasgow Herald said in its obituary of him he was 'one of the most accomplished younger Scots artists in stained glass.'
The team at Websters is now raising funds to restore Alf's windows in the building, and make them the centrepiece of a new museum dedicated to stained glass.