Old Glasgow Pubs

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John Gorevan

The Inverness Vaults

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46 North Frederick Street, Glasgow.

The Inverness Vaults was a very old pub, dating back to the early part of the 18th century. An old man who had emigrated fifty years ago to Montreal, in Canada returned to the city in 1893. He pointed out to the proprietor Mr J Graham, the room in which he had been born, away back in 1820. The exterior of the building remains what it was originally, but the interior has undergone great alterations; yet traces of all old character of the tavern remain. This old Glasgow howff was popular for many old Glasgow cronies.

The liquor was good quality and Mr Graham who acquired the business in 1871, knows how to cater to his numerous patrons. His predecessor was Mr Charles Stewart, who had been licensee for many years. The Inverness Vaults not only from the historical interest that surrounds it, but also for the excellent blends of “Mountain Dew,” “Long John,” and “Dew of Ben Nevis.” The old tavern was very busy as it was in the neighbourhood of George Square.

This old tavern was a famous landmark of North Frederick Street, from the 1830s to 1864 the old tavern was run between James and Colin McDonald. In 1865 the first of the Graham family Charles acquired the business, generations of the same family ran this landmark until it came to a devastating end. When Charles Graham passed away in 1871 his wife took control of the business for a year, she in turn gave Jason Graham the heavy load of running a successful family business. Jason continued as licensee until 1885 when another member of the family took over James Graham, he paid the North British Railway Company, that owned the property £70 rent per year.

In 1895 James was now licensee of the Inverness Vaults and a pub at 112 Houston Street at the corner of 18 Cathcart Street, and was living with his family at 84 North Frederick Street, a short walk to the Inverness Vaults. When the First World War broke-out James’s wife Agnes Houston Graham took over the licence, this may have been due to, all the men in the family were away fighting for their country. Agnes continued to run both the Inverness Vaults and a pub at 21 Vermont Street at the corner of Marlow Street, Kinning Park, until the end of the war, when James Graham stepped back into the business. Things may have been devastating to the families of the Graham’s, some of them possibly died in their fight to save their country, as there licensed trade connections soon ended, after nearly one hundred years as successful wine and spirit merchants, this was a great loss to the Scottish Licensed Trade.

During the 1930s Alexander McCondach was now the proprietor of the Inverness Vaults, he was a successful wine and spirit merchant, having premises at 207 Thistle Street at the corner of Cumberland Intersects, which he took over in 1926. The spirits of the Graham family were to haunt the Inverness Vaults for years, strange events were happening on the premises over the next few years until yet another war broke-out, the strangest thing happened that night on September 1940, when the Inverness Vaults was destroyed by a bomb during an air-raid by enemy Germany. This was devastating news to Mr McCondach, however he was soon reunited with another pubs at 159 Bridgegate, the famous Victoria Bar or “Vicky’s,” on the Briggait.

In 1965 Alexander McCondach took over the Maderia Bar, Torrisdale Street.

Facts…

North Frederick Street had two other pubs, the George Bar , 41 North Frederick Street, and the Queen’s Bar, 27-29 North Frederick Street.

The Institution

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51 King Street, Glasgow.

Mr Campbell

Mr Campbell. 1893.

Mr Campbell was a native of Armagh and came to Scotland in 1863, finding work where ever he could. For eighteen years he was in the employment of Thomas Ellis, Coatbridge, of the British Iron Works, as a contractor. He had been twelve years associated with the spirit trade, but left the management of the business almost entirely to Mrs Campbell. The Institution was conducted by Mrs Campbell with an assistant barman.

The Institution was situated in King Street, city centre, it was a favourite haunt of the old societies in Glasgow. The building of which it forms the ground floor, was old and time-worn. The tavern had two entrances, one from Kind Street through a narrow close, the other from the lane which bounds the western side of the Britannia Music Hall. On both sides the locality was insalubrious and inhabited by the rougher element of Glasgow’s population and when a stranger visited, he was surprised by the appearance of the place and the persons who patronised it, so out of harmony were they with the external surroundings.

Inside the Institution was a model of neatness, everything suggestive of comfort, the sitting-rooms cosy with a fire blazing in the grates and it was nothing unusual to find even a Glasgow Bailie or a Glasgow Minister enjoying a pipe, sipping stout or ale out of silver tankards, or consuming a snack of scallops or brandered steak.

Mrs Anderson was a most genial host, full of lore about the place and a link that connects Glasgow with that of two hundred years. Her father Mr Fisken, was the proprietor of the White Hart Hotel and the carrier quarters, situated where the Bazzar was located. The White Hart and carriers quarters were historical places; here, too, the old Glasgow Radicals met, and on one occasion Thomas Muir, the brilliant Glasgow advocate and one of the pioneers and martyrs of Scottish democracy, addressed a meeting of sympathisers of the great French Revolution. Mr Fisken ran coaches from Glasgow to Balfron and had the cleansing of the city before Drummond was entrusted with that duty.

Mrs Anderson still had in 1891, nine silver tankards presented by the students of the Old College to Anderston, one of the proprietors of the place, in recognition of the generous hospitality extended to the boisterous graduates who frequented the tavern. At that time the professors and students met regularly here, and here nightly story followed story and the roof rang with merriment.

On of the most interesting things about the Institution was a ring in a hugh stone at the King Street entrance, to which Sir Walter Scott was in the habit of fixing his horse while refreshing himself in the tavern. Sir Walter Scott, as it was said, when he visited Glasgow on legal business patronised The Institution, where he usually met other congenial cronies connected with his profession. Another feature in the Institution is what is known as the “Wishing Stone,” near the bar. The story goes that persons sitting underneath this stone, which projects slightly from the wall, were usually awarded with what they desired. The custom has fallen into disuse, but sometimes it is still resorted to by the more youthful of patrons.

There has always been a dispute as to the oldest tavern in Glasgow, the Institution in King Street and the Waverley in the Old Wynd were just two of them.

Facts…

King Street had some interesting old taverns, in the 1840s there was the Boar’s Head and the Peacock at no47, the Glasgow Arms at no10, the Polka no20 and the Hatter’s Arms at no27.

License Holders.

1893 Mr Campbell.

The Anne Bar

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147 Main Street, Bridgeton, Glasgow.

This old pub was also known as the International Bar.

Main Street in Bridgeton was once a great shopping area in the East End of the City. Pub too were plentiful, and at one time there was 27 Public Houses on Main Street alone.

There has been a pub on this site since 1866. The licensee was a gentleman called Thomas McGibbon. The owners of the pub was a very old business called “The Bridgeton Old Victualling and Baking Society Ltd. Thomas wasn’t new to this kind of work as he moved from 98 Main Street where the Old Victualling & Baking Society had their premises before moving to 147 Main Street.

Thomas McGibbon was manager and licence holder for two premises on Main Street 98 and 102, Thomas lived at 51 Franklin Street with his family before moving to better accommodation at 117 Greenhead Street.

When Mr Thomas McGibbon passed away his friend Robert Muirhead took over as licensee and manager of the O.V & B. S. Mr Muirhead ran the pub from 1875 to around 1880

Over the years many licensees ran this old pub including after Robert Muirhead, Robert Dawson, he only held the licence for a few years, then John M Derby took over from 1884 to the early 1900. John paid an annual rent of £69 10/- (shillings).

John Aitken from 1910 until 1919. John Aitken was treasurer for the Bridgeton Old Victualling & Baking Society Ltd. John Proctor was next on line to hold the certificate. John held this position until 1935.

Terence McGowan 1937 to the 1950s. One of the last licensees was popular and well respected publican Hugh Bonner. Working for Mr Bonner was Pat O’Donnell and Ben McGreevy.

Mr Hugh Bonner.

More on the history of the Bridgeton Old Victualling & Baking Society Ltd, the Society was established in 1816 in Main Street Bridgeton and was known as the New Victualling Society. In 1825 Robert Issac was manager of the Victualling Society and purchaser.

The Baking Society was also in Main Street and 8 Well Street, Calton. The Bridgeton Union Victualling Society, the Friendly Victualling Society, the Operative Victualling Society, the Bridgeton Victualling Society.

By the 1840s, Alexander Campbell was manager of the Bridgeton Victualling Society, John Frame was the purchaser for the Bridgeton Victualling Society at Peebles Land, Main Street Bridgeton, The Friendly Victualling Society was run by Robert Morrison and the Operative Victualling Society was run by David Alexander. As time when on all the Societies merged together.

In the Recollections of Bridgeton by William Guthrie, mentioned three the the licence holders of the pub at 147 Main Street. Mr Guthrie stated that…

“There was a grocer’s shop opposite Rumford Street, owned by Mr McGregor. When he gave it up it was occupied by a company of printers. McDonald, McGibbon and Muirhead. The first named Hugh McDonald, the Rambler, who was appointed shopkeeper. These were all intimate friends of the writer.

This venture was unsuccessful and the partners came to grief. I believe if McGibbon has been appointed manager it would have been a success, as he afterwards became manager of the Bridgeton Old Victualling & Baking Society, and made it a prosperous concern.

When he died, Mr Muirhead followed in the same management, and this concern is still flourishing under the direction of working men and Mr Dawson, an expert salesman, with assistants.”

Hugh McDonald the Glasgow Rambler (1817-1860) was a popular author of publication as “Ramblers round Glasgow” and “Days at the coast.”

END.

Henry J Brown

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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.

The Imperial Cafe

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96 West Nile Street, Glasgow.

The building of which the Imperial Cafe started it’s life as James Baird & Company, City Auctioneers and Valuaters. In 1890 David Adams opened it as the Imperial Cafe, Mr Adams was very successful and operated other licensed premises at 151 Queen Street and 80 Stobcross Street. The dinning area was very spacious, a large buxom woman, splendidly proportioned, and a picture of health, stands behind the bar. Artistic ability is shown in every corner of the cafe bar, a large crystal display was a feature of the Imperial. The bar stretched from the entrance right along the full length of the room. From the bar the visitor moves easily into the dinning-hall. The bill of fare was carefully selected, a full dinner to a quick snack could be got here at any time of the day. Mr Adams continued as licensee until 1890.

Mr John Craig then took over from David Adams. Mr Craig was also very successful here, he conducted a pub at 614 Eglinton Street in the south side of the city for many years. One of the last proprietors was a gentleman called James Greenless, the place closed down in 1910.