Stoddart, Robert

Manager of the Rob Roy Vaults, Argyle Street.

Mr Robert Stoddart. 1887.

Robert Stoddart was one of the best known bar tenders in the city of Glasgow. He was familiarly known in the trade as Bob and worked in many of our famous hostelries including the notorious Lyceum Vaults in the Trongate and was manager in the Rob Roy Vaults in Argyle Street, Lion Vaults Buchanan Street and Red Lion Leith Walk, Edinburgh. In his spare time he frequented the many theatres in the city and was known to have the odd part on stage. One of his best parts playing in Robinson Crusoe. When Colonel E D Boone and Miss Nellie Carlotta the famous lion tamers came to Glasgow Robert played an important part in their act, the Scotia Music Hall in Stockwell Street was pack that night when the Colonel let the lions loose, this was the first time for many Glaswegians to see wild animals in a music hall most of the time they were found in the pubs. Brave Robert entered the cage this was also the first time he had been faced with man eaters, when he clapped the beasts the audience let out a loud hurrah disturbing the lions he then realising how dangerous this really was. Being a proud Scotsman from the Isle of Skye Robert would have told his story to many of the customers in our favourite howffs. On the opening of the Glasgow Exhibition, Robert was manager of the world famous Bodega Bar run by James H Roger.