John Gorevan

Wine & Spirit Merchant, Glasgow.

Photograph of Thomas Brown to follow.

Thomas Brown was born in Blantyre, as a young man he came to Glasgow and entered the employment of John Scott who owned the Green Rest, 120 John Street, Bridgeton. Young Thomas worked his way to the top and managed the pub, on Mr Scott’s retirement Thomas took over the pub as his own. He was successful in the trade and acquired another pub at 16 Canning Street (London Road.)

In 1883 Thomas took over yet another pub at 278 Parliamentary Road known as the Glen Leven Bar, other pubs were acquired to his small empire of public houses including The Clutha Vaults, 11 Park Place, 16 South Wellington Street, and a pub at Stonefield Street corner of Mathieson Street, Stonefield Street was later changed to Adelphi Street. Thomas lived in a grand house called Hope Villa, Crosshill.

The Imperial Vaults, 25 Stockwell Street, Glasgow.

When old crooked thatched roof dwellings and ancient tavern’s adorned Stockwell Street the Imperial Vaults first became a licensed business. Although under a different name the old howff was a thriving haunt of sailor’s and merchant’s. In the 1840s spirit dealer James Beekenridge sold claret, stouts, beer and hot ale, tea was also served at any time of the day and a large urn behind the bar stewed till closing time. Other spirit dealers had their names above the door of the old tavern like Wilson’s, Reid’s and Dunlop’s. James McCrone took over the business in 1867, he turned the tavern into a very successful concern, year after year the pennies rolled in and Mr McCrone opened a tobacconist business next door to his public house in Stockwell Street followed by another pub at 239 Stirling Road.

Mr McCrone was now residing in High John Street with his wife and family. His wife and children all worked in the pub at one time or another. When James passed away his took over the business but struggled to keep an eye on her husbands business concerns, one by one she sold them off but kept the old tavern in Stockwell Street until 1892. She sold the business to Henry J Brown.

Mr Brown a talented wine and spirit merchant completely transformed the interior of the pub, few traces of the old interior arrangement remained. A new staircase was built, leading to the fine rooms on the second flat. The bar counter and gantry arrangements were also changed, now the rich mahogany bar counter ran the full length of the premises, fifty men could now be served with plenty of elbow room. Two of the rooms upstairs were admirable adapted for the meetings of football clubs and masonic meetings. One of the rooms was more of a hall than a room.

Mr Brown’s alterations to the pub cost him a small fortune of £500, the outlay had been judiciously expended and no establishment in Stockwell Street looked tidier than the new Imperial Vaults. Mr Brown was well experienced for the conduct of such an establishment, for eleven years he was a member of the Glasgow Police Force in the Central district. His record throughout those years was impeachable, his character and friends in the right places added to him getting a certificate to sell wine and spirit. He was very familiar with the dark side of the neighbourhood which was going through massive structural changes. Henry stocked good quality liquors, beers and ales and some of the finest blends of whiskies including Bushmills and the best Edinburgh ales.

Henry J Brown was an Irishman and came to Glasgow about the time he joined the forces. Henry lived with his wife Mary and their children in a flat across the street, he still used his past training as a police officer during his time as a publican, this is probably why he lived across the streets from the pub, to keep an eye on it when he was absent or when the pub was closed, as licensed premises were always being burgled at that time. Henry sadly passed away in 1898, his wife Mary took the business. During the First World War Mary was licensee of both Stockwell Street and a pub on Gairbraid Street (Maryhill Road.) Her licence for Stockwell Street was under threat, as she appeared at the License Courts for various offences during these hard times and lost her certificate in 1919, however she got it back in 1920, the pub continued trading and stayed in the family until the late 1930s.

In the NEWS 1978…

Dougie pours a pint while chatting to customers is one of his pubs.

Pub Boss Who Helps To Lift Your Spirits…

For fourteen years, Dougie Brown has listened to the problems of his pub customers with a sympathetic ear. But today he talks to people professionally about their social problems.

Dougie, who owns two pubs, one in Hamilton and the other in Blantyre, has become a full time social worker.

He spent £5000 this year on college fees for the second of a two year course at Jordanhill College, the first year costing £180.

But Dougie (38) married with two young sons, can afford to sit back and enjoy the good life of golf, tennis, and cruising about in one of his two cars.

So why did he choose to become a hardworking social worker involved in the distressing strains of others.

He says, “I am the kind of person who can’t loaf around all day. The running of the pubs just wasn’t giving me satisfaction.

“And from behind a bar, you can see a lot of people’s problems. After a few beers, their family troubles soon come out. “I felt I wanted to become more positively involved.

UNIQUE

Of course at Jordanhill College is unique in that it is open only to people aged 30 or over with a sound practical experience of life. After two years hard slog, Dougie sat his finals last week and is awaiting the results “confidently.”

Dougie’s experience was a close-up of life in a pub where “groups of people meet and over a pint discuss in a general sort of way, their distressing problems.”

His wife, Meg (32), is now taking over the administration of the pub and she says that socially this is very helpful to herself. “The two boys are at school age now and I was getting bored hanging about the house all day.”

Dougie, who will visit the pubs regularly, will spend many of his evenings and weekends on top of the full time day work trying to help in cases of broken marriages, rent arrears, housing problems, unpaid bills, and he hopes to specialise in the fostering and adoption of children.

Dougie’s other roll, listening to other people’s problems.

Check back soon with the history of this Publican.

Daniel Brown will be featured in my new book, coming soon.