Opening of the new Holy Cross Chapel, Croy, 1958

From November, 1902, until April, 1921, the school building contained the place of sacrifice. Holy Mass was celebrated in a large room on the northern side of the building.

Then came the hour of tragedy when the entire church school was gutted by fire. We here quote a report of the incident given in the Glasgow Observer, 30th April, 1921.

"About one o'clock on Monday morning, 25th April, the cry was raised in Croy that the church was on fire. The alarm was made by a child, James Paterson. Patrick Rafferty and William Gray ran to the Chapel House for the keys, opened the church door, and Father Charleson, dashing in and seeing how close the fire was to the altar, made to the sacristy to get the tabernacle key, but the burning mass drove him back.
Some of the men with wet clothes on their heads dashed to the altar and wrenched the tabernacle from the wall and altar Structure. These were James Docherty, William Docherty, Thomas McGrory and James Montgomery, assisted by Patrick Friskie, jun..
Dan Gray, and Hugh Johnson, jun. At extreme risk John Patrick wrenched the great altar crucifix from the wall, while James Livingstone and John McLaren saved the statues of Our Lady and St. Joseph. Many others, too, worked like heroes, so henceforth let no one say that the men of Croy are not among the staunchest and bravest of the brave and true."