39-41 Cowlairs Road, Cowlairs, Glasgow. Tel: 01415571818.
Highland Fling. 1991.
also see Ruxton’s Bar, 21 Elderslie Street.
39-41 Cowlairs Road, Cowlairs, Glasgow. Tel: 01415571818.
Highland Fling. 1991.
also see Ruxton’s Bar, 21 Elderslie Street.
Custom House Quay, Clydeside, Glasgow.
The original Henry Africas was in York Street and moved to where Panama Jax once stood on the water front on Clyde Street.
54 Crown Street, Glasgow. S.S.
The Grapes on the far right.
A close-up of the image above, The Grapes. Thanks to Norrie McNamee for the photographs.
James Whyte a smart wine and spirit merchant started out with a small public house in the notorious Adelphi Street, Gorbals. His first pub was at no. 42 Adelphi Street. His residence was next to his pub.
In 1861 Mr Whyte acquired another public house at 38 Crown Street.
In 1870 James Whyte was now living with his wife at 20 Apsley Place, a much better accommodation than Adelphi Street. His Adelphi Street premises sat at the corner of 1 Muirhead Street.
A few years later James had moved address again, this time to better accommodation, his house was called “Matrin”, Albert Road, Pollokshields.
Business must have been good and prosperous. In 1873 James was running a pub at 54-56 Crown Street and 43 Adelphi Street.
In 1880 Mr Whyte was running another pub at 8-10 Eglinton Terrace.
In 1890 he was running 8-10 Eglinton Street and his Crown Street establishment but had lost his Adelphi Street premises.
4 years later another pub was added to his small empire of pubs, 400 Victoria Road (Victoria Bar). Mr James Whyte sold the Crown Street business to Peter McMenemy in 1897.
Other licensee after Mr Whyte…
Peter McMenemy, 1897-1914.
Thomas Elliot, 1914-1932.
Michael A Elliot, 1932-1937.
Charles Bell, 1937-1945.
Kenneth Grant, 1945-1960s.
In 1960 Kenneth Grant also ran pubs at 705 Gallowgate (Crown Bar) and 143 George Street.
Cowcaddens, Glasgow.
Mr W H Webster was manager of the Grand Theatre, Cowcaddens, Glasgow. Born in Nottingham in 1857 and educated at the High School there, he finished his studing at Trent College.
Originally intended for the Bar, his abilities and aptitude for the front and at an early age was manager of the theatre a very responcible position for someone so young.
He was a well-known amateur actor and was the founder of the Byron Amateur Dramatic Club, in connection with which he was introduced to the late Mr Joseph Eldred, who, till his death, remained his warm and esteemed friend, and under whose advice and guidance he entered the profession. His first engagement was with Mr Eldred’s company, with which he had a most successful tour in 1880, playing the part of Tremolini, the waiter, in Princess of Trebizonde.
His versatility was shown in his next engagement, at the Theatre Royal, Sheffield, he acted the part of Mrs Sinbad in the pantomime of Sinbad the Sailor.
274 Cathedral Street, Glasgow.
The Grafton Bar. 1960s.
The Grafton Bar was named after the street on the corner of the pub, Grafton Street.
The first licensee to hold a certificate was a publican called Francis Anthony Mulholland Dailly, he acquired the pub in October 1909. He continued to serve the locals here until after the First World War.
During the depression on the 1930s Mrs C McGarrigle and Mr J McGarrigle were running the pub. They soon gave up the business and sold it to William Cran Forbes a wine and spirit merchant, in 1937.
Many of the drinkers will still remember James McGuire, the licensee who ran the pub in the 1960s. Like many of the old houses and businesses in Cathedral Street the pub too was demolished in 1969 in the City Council’s redevelopment scheme in the 1960s and 70s.
However Mr. McGuire reopened a new Grafton lounge bar in Sandyford Place a few years later.
During the WW1 there were another 6 public houses on Cathedral Street, which included McLaren’s at number 137, Pragnell’s at 214-16, McArthur’s at 339-41, Stewart’s at 486, Lang’s at 481-83 and the Cosy Den at 496 Cathedral Street at the corner of Buchanan Street.
Cathedral Street in 1960s. The Grafton can be seen on the left hand side of the image.
Other Cathedral Street Pubs…
Gilliland’s Bar, 69 Castle Street, Townhead, Glasgow.
Interior view of James Gilliland’s Bar. 1888.
James Gilliland also owned a pub nearby at 4 Glebe Street, Townhead.
To read the full history of James Gilliland, Click here.