Old Glasgow Pubs

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Ronnie’s

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30 Stockwell Street, Glasgow.

Ronnie's Bar

Ronnie’s Bar. 1991.

This old established pub was better known in the 1980s as Kittys’ Bar. When I was a teenager my father drank in here with his many friend, he had a small shop in Brunswick Street next to the Mitre Bar, selling bedding and soft toys. I remember he gave me a massive lion soft toy to carry to Kittys’ Bar, I could hardly lift the feline it was that big, my father had to give me a hand in case I fell. On arriving at Kitty’s everyone gazed at the size of this toy as my father sat it on the bar and said this is Kittys’ bar.

There has been a pub on this site since at least the 1840s. One of the publicans to hold the licence was John White Crichton, born in 1866 in Langloan, he was educated in Thomson Street school, Dennistoun, where he passed through his classes without special distinction. But he seemed to have a taste for mechanical work, his greatest pleasure as a boy was watching the steam cranes at work. He entered into this trade when he left school and passed his apprenticeship with A & P Steven, Provanside Engine Works. He stop his engineering job to help out his father’s business in Townmill Road where he remained for 5 years. In 1890 he was given a transfer to Stockwell Street.

A very fine public house used to stand on the site of Kitties’ Bar and was known all over the city as the Balmoral.

However Mr Crichton was better known for his other profession as an engineer, he invented the “Emergency” beer raising engine, a simple idea and much smaller than the larger beer engines in cellars of that time. John W Crichton went bankrupt in 1897. The pub side of his business was taken over by Robert Black the pub was then known as the “Record Bar” then Robert Paterson took over the business in 1902. Mr Paterson also owned the Park Bar on Main Street, Tollcross which is now closed and called the Village.

During the 1930s the Stockwell Street premises were run by John Lloyd jun he also had a pub on Parliamentary Road at the corner of Black Street. The pub was sold to the West of Scotland Taverns Ltd in 1959, the licensee Joseph Smillie ran a successful business here for many years, he also ran Mill’s Bar in Duke Street, a pub on Morrison Street and Westmuir Street, now called O’Kane’s.

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In the NEWS 1979…

Kitty's Bar advert Stockwell Street 1979

Kitty’s Bar advert 1979.

Kitty’s Bar was owned by Ted Watters and his wife Kitty, the interior of Kitty’s Bar was panelled wall to wall with no particular featured decor. However the Watters and their staff were very friendly.

The couple were old friends of Glen and have been in the trade for a few years. They used to have a pub on London Road, Bridgeton, but when it was demolished they moved the Stockwell Street. It was a move they never regretted.

Darts was a favourite sport in Kitty’s Bar. Their Darts team were champions of the Independent League in 1978.

The King’s Head Inn.

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20 Stirling Street, Glasgow. Now Blackfriar Street. Demolished.

Stirling Street where the King's Head Inn was

The King’s Head Inn was situated on this Street.

The first listing for the King’s Head Inn was in 1828 the landlord was Mr James McKerracher, a Vintner and Stabler at 20 Stirling Street. However he is mentioned in 1824 as a Vintner & Stabler at 32 Stirling Street. The following year his business was at 20 Stirling Street.

James continued as landlord of the King’s Head Inn until 1831, he then went on to run the White Hart Inn at 4 Dunlop Street.

Next to run the King’s Head Inn in 1833 was a lady called Mrs D Cameron, she also ran the stabling and carrier quarter. The following year Alexander McPhail was running the King’s Head Inn. Alexander continued as Landlord until his death in 1846, his wife then took over the running of the Inn until 1851.

The Inn was then taken over by John Drummond later on in the same year. John was not just the new landlord by was also a Police Dung contractor, letting out the back of the premises for several carrier quarter’s. The last listing of the King’s Head Inn was in 1857 still run by John Drummond, the following year he is found running his Police Dung Contractor, Stables and Offices at 6 North Wallace Street, he was then living at 10 Canning Place in the east end of the city. The old building of the King’s Head Inn was demolished around 1899.

Thanks to David A Stevenson

Do you know anything about this old Inn? If so please leave a comment.

END.

The Kings Arms

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31 South Portland Street, Gorbals, Glasgow. Demolished.

Mr William Neilson

Mr William Neilson. 1887.

William Neilson was born in Glasgow in the 1840s. After leaving school he learned the trade of Marine engineering. After his apprenticeship he went to the United States of American and Canada and held responsible positions in some of the principal Railways both in the States and the Dominion. After several years he went to Peru, he was for twelve years employed on land and sea, principally on Sugar and Rum Plantations. While in Peru he was entrusted with the charge of the engineering department and held in high esteem by his employers as a most capable engineer. One of the most exciting episodes in his life was the prominent part he was compelled to take in the engagements between the Chileans and Peruvians.

While on the plantation of Mr Swaine, a Scotsman, they were repeatedly harassed by one side or the other, and it was only by payments of large sums of money that the property was saved from destruction by the marsauders, who on one occasion, killed upwards of 1200 China-men employed on the estate. On several of these occasions Mr Neilson was in great danger of his life, and had to take refuge on British ships. In these revolutionary wars that convulsed the country, he had on many occasions to hoist the British flag for protection; but the most terrible scene, of which he was an eye witness, was the capture of Sima by the Chileans, when seven thousand Peruvians and five thousand Chilieans were slaughtered in the streets of the town, and it was only by the intervention of the foreign Consuls that further scenes of horror and atrocity were avoided. After this he came back to Scotland.

Exterior view of the King's Arms, 31 South Portland Street Gorbals.

The King’s Arms corner of Oxford and South Portland Street.

On his return he opened a public house in South Portland Street at the corner of Oxford Street. He had great knowledge of the west coast of South America which made him an authority on some parts of that country.

William Neilson’s pub became known as the Kings Arms, a well known local in the Gorbals. The pub was taken over in 1896 to wine and spirit merchant Robert Shields. George and John MacLachlan of Castle Bars owned this property and leased the business to various publicans for many years. Mr Shields paid an annul rent of £90 to the MacLachlan brothers.

Robert Shields resided at 12 Lorne Terrace, Maryhill and travelled daily to his pub on South Portland Street before going to his other premises at 155 Queen Street (Crammond Bar).

During the First World War the pub was taken over by Alexander Young who continued to serve the locals until his death during the second world war. His wife Mary then took over the licence.

James Mulholland will still be remembered by many as landlord during the 1960s, he also owned a pub at 20 Greenhaugh Street, Govan. The last publican to run the pub was a Mr Whyte, he continued running the pub until it was finally closed down and demolished in the 1970s.

Do you remember this old Pub? If so please leave a comment.

END.

The Kimberley Bar

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44 Bath Street, Glasgow.

The Kimberley Bar

The Kimberley Bar. 1889.

The Kimberley Bar was formerly known as the Tivoli Bar. The owner Mr James McMillan ran a strict business selling good quality wines, spirits and beer. The oblong saloon which formed the interior was spotless, the bar counter ran all the way to one side with a curve at each end. The gantry was stocked full with wines, brandies and numerous rare liquors well displayed. A small keg was at hand selling “McMillan’s Special” blend of old Scotch whisky. Outside and immediately in front of the bar, was an immense floor space, with grand looking tables and veneer seated stools, facing the bar and extending the whole length of the saloon were long cushioned seats with neat iron tables in front. Heading down the two comfortable sitting rooms at the extreme end of the premises. The lavatory was conveniently mirrored with grand tiles on the walls and floor.

The interior was decorated with pictures and engravings, prominent amongst them was the Kimberley and others of the famous diamond fields bearing the name. Mr McMillan spent many years of his life digging for diamonds, he spent a great time telling stories of his experiences mining in the camps at Kimberley. He left Cape-town in 1879 on a bullock wagon with his face towards the diamond fields and travelled 900 miles roughing it to come home to Scotland. The small party in which he belonged to jogged along with their train of 18 bullocks, they pitched tents under the wagons.

Mr McMillan was one of the fortunate ones of having some money in his pocket as thousands of men, women and children mined for diamonds and never made any money. When he returned to Glasgow he took over the old Tivoli Bar and had interests in the Victoria Hotel in Gourock, a hostelry well looked after by his brother William.

Killearn Bar

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39 Houston Street / corner of 90 Watt Street, Glasgow.

image of James McDevitt, J Boyle and P Byrne with their wives 1975.

Left to right James McDevitt of the Killearn Bar; John Boyle of Dixon Blazes; and Peter Byrne of the New Hawthorn Bar. 1975.

The Killearn Bar sometimes called McDevitt’s Bar sat at the corner of Houston Street and Watt Street in the south side of Glasgow.

There has been a public house on this site since 1868. Thomas Little was the first licensee. Mr Little resided next door to his pub. Thomas Little continued as licensee until 1889.

In 1893 Duncan Menzies was the licence holder, he lived at 48 Plantation Street before moving to 3 Wallacegrove Street. Duncan traded here until 1897.

Hugh Doherty was the next landlord from 1898 to 1916. Hugh also had a popular bar at 108 Rottenrow and 16 South Wellington Street.

In 1916 Patrick J Greenan took over the licence. Patrick lived with his family at 94 Alexandra Parade in the East End of the City. Mr Greenan continued in the bar after the Second World War.

In 1955 Charles Gibson was running the pub.

image of Charles Gibson starting to take pennies of a mirror in 1955.

Charles Gibson starting the task of taking pennies of this large mirror. 1955. The money collected from the mirror will go to the Eastpark Home for Infirm Children, Glasgow.

This was a regular thing in those days, locals would stick coins onto a large mirror by means of putting beer on a coin and placing in on the mirror, when dried it set like glue. This was done for charity. The hard work was trying to get the coins off the mirror. On many occasions this discoloured the mirror and in some cases cracked them.

In 1950 John Boyd was a well known figure in the pub.

In the 1960s Many will remember Jessie Hastie who ran the pub before James F McDevitt who acquire the licence on 8th March 1966. The McDevitt family continued in the pub until it was finally demolished in the late 70s early 1980s.

James F McDevitt also ran a popular bar in Norfolk Street called J McDevitt formerly known as the Garry Owen Bar.

Glasgow Licensees' visit Harp lager 1973

Glasgow Visitors to Harp Lager.

A party of licensees’ from Glasgow who visited the Harp Lager Brewery in Edinburgh were welcomed by Mr. A. T. Wilson, Scottish sales manager, Harp Lager, and accompanied by Mr. D. Crines, Scottish & Newcastle Breweries Ltd., and Mr. R. Simpson, Arthur Guinness Son & Co. Ltd.

Pictured at the brewery, before lunching at the Barnton Hotel are: Mr. and Mrs. J. McDevitt, 39 Houston Street, Glasgow; Mr. J. Lynd and Miss Lynd, 73 West Princess Street, Glasgow; Mr. J. Hastings and partner, 1097 Pollokshaws Road, Glasgow; Mr. & Mrs. Alexander, 158 Main Street, Bridgeton, Glasgow; Mr. John Hutton and Mr. Craigen, 163 Maxwelltown Avenue, East Kilbride; Mr. R. Shirley, The Moorings, Arrochar; Mr. and Mrs. J. Dunne, Darnley Street, Glasgow; Mr. Wilson; Mr. Crines; and Mr. Simpson. 1973.

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In the News 1974…

J McDevitt and friends 1974

After the a.g.m. last week of the Glasgow Association in the Bellahouston Hotel, members were entertained to hospitality by several host companies: Ind Coope; White Horse; United Rum Merchants; Schweppes and Player’s. Pictured above are: D. Wood (White Horse); I. Parsons (Schweppes); W. A. Morrison; Miss Irene Gillon: D. A. MacLean; J. Young; A. Stewart; and J. McDevitt. 1974.