Sandy Row.

The story of the Belfast City Mission in Sandy Row stretches back almost two centuries. It was in 1829 that the Mission first began its work here. At that time the district was known as the Old Malone Road, and it was a place with neither a school nor a church. Into that spiritual emptiness, the Mission brought light and hope.

The first recorded “agent,” as missionaries were then called, was Mr. H. Woods in 1865. Years later, in 1893, Mr. William Johnston carried the work forward. A new chapter opened in 1923 when the Mission purchased a large hall on Clementine Street. Under the care of Mr. Albert Duff, this building became a centre for gospel witness and community life. In 1941 Mr. Duff was succeeded by Mr. Herbert McCombe, whose ministry continued through the dark years of war.

When Mr. McCombe was called to serve with the Canadian Home Mission in 1947, the work was entrusted to Mr. William Kelly, and then in 1952 to Mr. Samuel Haslett, transferred from Bellevue Street. Mr. Haslett’s dedication was remarkable—42 years of service in the Mission, 16 of them among the people of Sandy Row. His retirement in 1968 marked the end of an era, and for a short time Mr. Willard Kelly filled the gap before returning to missionary service in Nigeria with the Qua Iboe Mission.

The baton passed again in 1969, this time to Mr. Kazimierz Rudewicz, who gave two years of service before stepping aside. For a period the Clementine Street hall stood without a missionary. Then in 1977, redevelopment swept through the district, and the old hall was closed. It might have seemed like the end, but God was opening another door. With compensation from the sale of the building, a new site was secured, and in September 1981 a brand-new hall was opened. On that day, Mr. R. W. Jess, Financial Secretary of the Presbyterian Church, cut the ribbon. Through the generosity of the Getty Trust, the cost was met, and the building was dedicated as Sandy Row Hall – a fresh beginning for the Mission’s work.

The first to serve in the new hall was Mr. Samuel Morrow, who took charge in September 1982. For five years he laboured faithfully before transferring to Island Street. His successor, Mr. Geoffrey Jones, continued the work until he resigned to study for the Presbyterian ministry at the University of Ulster.

In 1991, the Mission welcomed back Mr. Gordon McCracken, returning from service in New Mossley Presbyterian. For four years he ministered in Sandy Row, before being called in 1995 to Evangelical Ministries. That same year, Mr. Billy Hamilton stepped into the role. His five years of service ended in 2000, when he too was drawn towards ministry training in the Presbyterian Church.

The work was then carried on by Mr. Tom Gamble, who came to Sandy Row after fruitful seasons in Rathcoole, Bellevue Street, and Mayo Street. He served faithfully until 2010, when he moved to Jersey Street. Mr. William Logan followed, leading the hall for a full decade until July 2020, when he was appointed Executive Secretary of the Mission, taking over from Bobi Brown.

Most recently, in 2024, Mr. Thomas Stewart was appointed as Missionary in Sandy Row. He stands in a long line of men who gave their lives to serve this community. Like them, his vision is that the Belfast City Mission in Sandy Row would shine as a beacon of hope—a place where practical help and spiritual truth meet, and where men and women, young and old, can be pointed to the Lord who is faithful through every generation.