203 Bath Street, Glasgow.
Slouch Bar, 203 Bath Street, 2012.
203 Bath Street, Glasgow.
Slouch Bar, 203 Bath Street, 2012.
148 Bath Street, Glasgow.
Alexandra Hotel, 1891.
Alexandra Hotel was erected in 1877, designed specially to meet the requirements of a really first class hotel and a decade later, on the entrance of a new tenant, it was entirely rearranged, newly decorated and renovated. There are four spacious floors about one hundred feet long by fifty feet wide in the building, which forms a large rectangular block at the corner of Bath Street where the entrance is and West Campbell Street. There are sixty bedrooms in the hotel, a drawing, dining, smoking and billiards rooms. There was also a number of private sitting rooms. A buffet, with the entrance from West Campbell Street is in connection with the billiards room.
This magnificent Hotel was erected by Mr Cranston of the Waverley Hotels, under his personal supervision.
Mr J Fritz Rupprecht, 1887.
In 1887 the Hotel was taken over by Mr J Fritz Rupprecht. Mr Rupprecht was born in Nunebery, Germany and came to the UK., in 1874. He made his way to Edinburgh where he spent a few years learning the trade as a waiter in the Banavie Hotel where he met his wife and got married, she was then the cook at the hotel. Shortly afterwards they came to Glasgow and ventured into the Alexandra Hotel, Hope Street. Three and a half years later he was asked to come and occupy the North British Station Hotel then the Queen’s, where he spent thirteen years service there. He then became the proprietor of the Ranfurly Hotel in Bridge-of-Weir, before he took over the Grand Hotel, Charing Cross, Glasgow.
Mr Rupprecht sadly passed away in 1905 leaving a son and two daughters.
Mr J F Rupprecht 1905.
Mr W R Cuddeford, 1891.
Mr W R Cuddeford the new landlord with his wife and his sister and some of the best staff in that business ran the hotel like clockwork. Mr Cuddeford worked in many first class hotels, clubs and other establishments, including the Golden Cross in Oxford, the Grand Hotel in Brighton, the Queen’s Hotel, Hastings and the Pal Mall Club, London. Mr Cuddeford then crossed the border and worked in the Golden Lion in Stirling and was engaged with the Carlton Club in London. He then came back to the north and worked in the Royal Hotel, Edinburgh and for five and a half years in the Cockburn.
In 1893 the annual dinner of the Old Spot Club was held here, which comprised a select number of gentlemen well known in trade circles, on Friday 23rd December, to celebrate the clubs anniversary. Mr George McLeod presided, Mr James Walker filling the croupier’s chair. The company included the following:- James Robson, Donald Ross, John Cameron, Simon Cameron, John Kennedy, Robert Dunn, John Ralph, Joseph Cox, Charles Nicol, Robert Swann, James Thomson and William McGill. Among the friends present were Messrs. Crawford Allan, A. B. Ross, J Thomas, W Aitken, D Carruthers, R McCulloch, J Irvine, T Gillespie of the Victualling Trades Review. On the following Saturday the annual election of office-bearers for the ensuing year took place as follows:- President Mr James Robson; Vice-President Mr John Ralph and secretary and treasurer Mr William McGill. The nominations were unanimous.
Mr David Cunningham, 1895.
Mr David Cunningham was born in Northern Ireland, where his father was a Land Steward.
He came to Glasgow in 1872 and engaged himself as a Confidential Servant to Dr Samuel Moore, with whom he remained until that eminent Surgeon died around 1893. Mr Cunningham subsequently accepted the management of a well-known Glasgow restaurant then on to the Alexandra Hotel in Bath Street, coming onto the market he was determined to succeed in the management of the hotel.
David had a valuable assistant of his wife in the management of the business. He is tending to refurnish the place from top to bottom. Cunningham was a Freemason, having joined the Lodge of St John No3 bis, in 1882 when Colonel Menzies was R.W.M.
Exterior view of the Alexandra Hotel, circa 1910.
Wedding party outside the Alexandra Hotel, circa 1900.
Advertisement for the Alexandra Hotel, 1895.
Alexandra Hotel postcard.
END.
207 Bath Street, Glasgow. G2 4HZ. Tel: 0141 248 2123.
Formerly called Over the Road, now called the Brick.
151-55 Bath Street, Glasgow. G2 4SQ. Tel: 0141 221 7711.
Spy closed in September 2005 and reopened as the Butterfly & the Pig.
100 Bath Street, Glasgow. G2 2EN.
Check back soon for the history of this pub.
153 Bath Street, Glasgow.
Interior view of Rab Ha’s. 1977.
In the NEWS 1977…
A tasty tribute to Glasgow’s favourite eater…
A childhood passion for mountains of chip butties frequently brought forth the caustic comment from my mother that I bore more than a passing resemblance to a certain Rab Ha’.
But the bite behind the allusion escaped me, until I was old enough to realise that I was being compared to the infamous Glasgow Glutton who died last century.
One story of his incredible gluttony concerns a bet laid by a Renfrewshire nobleman who, for a large sum of money, said he would find a man who would eat an entire calf, three months old, cooked in various dishes.
He placed his bet on Rab, and the calf was selected, killed, and cut up into dishes, including veal pies. Rab went about his task with his customary enthusiasm, and when he had almost finished the last of the pies and savouries he was asked how he was progressing.
Back came the reply “Ou, gay an’ weel, my lord; but where’s the calf? I’m ready for the calf noo,” Eat your heart out, Billy Bunter. Such an excess indulgence in the culinary arts is, of course, not to be encouraged. But there is a new eating place in Glasgow where you can have your fill without emptying your pockets.
The Rab Hall restaurant in the Bath Hotel is officially opened today. Seating thirty, it offers an extensive a la carte menu, ranging from pizza at 75p to the giant Rab Ha’ T-bone steak weighing in at two pounds and costing a fiver.
The Bath Hotel itself has thirty ultra-modern bedrooms with radio and telephone and is ideal for businessmen and couples.
NO CHARGE
In fact, the hotel gives a special weekend rate. Details can be obtained from the manager, Mr Redmont.
The Strathclyde Suite in the Bath Hotel is available for weddings, functions, etc.’ and it won’t cost you anything to hire it.
The Campsie Bar, the Hotel’s attractive lounge, is another favourite spot. For couples and residents only, the bar is open at weekends.
Rab Ha’s advert from 1977.