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Duke Street

Shuna

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111 Duke Street, corner of 2 John Knox Street, Glasgow.

Shuna

The Shuna Bar sat at the corner of Duke Street and John Knox Street. This old east end pub stayed in the same family from 1863 until it was demolished in the late 1970s.

Neil Brown the founder of the business was born in Argyllshire and came to Greenock to set up as a wine & spirit merchant. Business was good for him and he opened other premises in nearby Port Glasgow. He lived with his family at Brisbane Street, Greenock before moving to better accommodation at Dunclutha House, Esplanade, Greenock.

He came to Glasgow in 1863 and opened a new public house at 111 Duke Street, the Shuna Bar and held the licence until 1891. The licence was then transferred to his son John who ran the pub successfully for many years. John lived with his wife Jane and had a large family of three daughters and four sons in Annfield Street.

After the First World War the licence was held by ladies of the family, firstly John’s daughter Annie then Jean Toner who married into the family, she held the licence until the pub was demolished in the late 1970s.

Licence Holders.
1976-1951 Jean Brown Daly Toner.
1947-1937 Miss Annie Brown.
1919-1891 John Brown.
1891-1863 Neil Brown.

Ramsay’s Bar

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402 Duke Street, Dennistoun, Glasgow. Tel: 01415540710.

Ramsay's Bar

Ramsay’s. 1991.

There has been a pub on this site since 1875, landlady Mrs Mary McDonald sold the pub to Gallowgate publican John Ramsay who ran a small pub on the site of the Drover’s, Gallowgate.

John Ramsay was born in 1828 in Stewarton, Ayrshire, he followed the occupation of a farmer until the age of 31, when he came to Glasgow with his wife Margaret also from Stewarton. For ten years Mr Ramsay successfully ran a dairy business in the city supplying public institutions with milk, including the Royal Infirmary. Retiring from the dairy trade he entered into the licensed trade in the Gallowgate, occupying small premises at the corner of Graham’s Square, the Drover’s bar now stands on the site of his old pub.

Ramsay's old

Etch of John Ramsay’s bar, 402 Duke Street. circa 1895.

In 1880 Mr Ramsay took over from Mrs McDonald a public house at 402 Duke Street at the corner of Slatefield Street giving up the Gallowgate pub shortly afterwards to concentrate on one pub, his motto was one man one licence. John and his wife Margaret lived with their daughter Mary Anne at 190 Slatefield Street a good move as they could always keep an eye on their business as it was just a stones throw away.

Ramsay’s bar was one of the best on Duke Street, he kept a smooth running shop with no drunks allowed. All the best liquor was stocked at Ramsay’s including his own blends of old scotch whisky. All the bottling and blending was done on the premises in the large cellar underneath the shop which was divided into three chambers. His stock also included John Daluaine, Kirker Greer’s five year old whisky, Bass, Guinness, Knox (Alloa), Tennents lager, Maclay’s old malt stout, Loopuyt’s Holland gin and Brown’s mineral waters. The manager in Ramsay’s in 1897 was a gentleman called Donald McDonald possibly a relation to the first owner.

John Ramsay died in 1898 age 70, his daughter’s husband William Buchanan then took over the licence paying and annul rent of £120.00. William and Mary Anne lived at Elmknow, Kirkintilloch. Mr Buchanan also ran a pub in Castle Street at the corner of Tennant Street, when he died in 1918 Mary Anne took over the licensed premises. The pub stayed in the family right up until the late 1960’s.

Ramsay’s Bar has now been closed for some time, the last time I walked by August 2005 there was a TO LET sign above the door. It is in need of a total refurbishment, a lot of money will need to be spent on the pub to bring it back to the standards that the customers in Duke Street are used to.

2007 travelling along Duke Street early this year 2007 I noticed that Ramsay’s Bar has now opened. Good luck to the proprietor.

Ramsay's Duke Street 2008

Ramsay’s Bar. 2007.

The Palace Bar

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1285 Duke Street, Parkhead, Glasgow.

Palace Bar

The Palace Bar, Duke Street was situated at the corner of Salamanca Street, a stones throw from Parkhead Cross. The history of this old pub can be traced back to the very foundation of the Dalrymple family, Jane McAndrew Dalrymple obtained the licence in 1873. The Dalrymple family then had pubs on the Gallowgate, Great Eastern Road and the Trongate.

Palace Bar 1970s

Palace Bar. 1970s.

George Dalrymple & Co., were probably better known for his Home Brewery, Parkhead. The Home Brewery presents many features of more than ordinary interest, and has for many years occupied a leading position among the great brewing establishment of this city and district. Dating back in its foundation to the year 1860, when it was established originally in Whitevale Street, the business rapidly increased to such an extent that the firm found it necessary to erect a new extensive brewery at Parkhead.

The premises extend over fully three acres of ground, and comprise within their limits a large main building of three flats where the brewing operations are conducted, also extensive warehouse, stores, and workshops, a spacious suite of well appointed offices and counting house, and all the accessories of a large and thoroughly organised establishment. The premises having been specially erected for the trade, they were very compact, and place the firm in a most favourable position to maintain and extend their already large and valuable connection. Messrs. George Dalrymple & Co. brew XXX and XX stout at 50s. and 45s. per barrel; Scotch porter 20s. per barrel net; also India pale ale, from new Artesian well, at 60s. and 54s. per barrel; table beer, &c. They posed the advantage of a well of excellent water, and exercise in the selection of their stocks of malt and hops that great care and sound judgement which were acquired only by long and continued practical experience. In addition to the brewing business, Messrs. George Dalrymple & Co. were extensively engaged in the retail wine and spirit trade, and were well known for their special blends of Scotch whisky, and also imported large quantities of wines and brandies of the best vintages. They held perhaps one of the largest, and certainly one of the best selected, stocks of wines and spirits in the city. The cellars, which were very spacious, contain some very rare and choice ports, sherries, clarets, burgundy, and champagne. The firm’s blends of Scotch whisky were a great favourite with connoisseurs, and in great demand where a sound, mellow, and fine flavoured whisky was valued.

The firm send out energetic travellers, covering the whole of Scotland. Mr George Dalrymple, who was the sole proprietor of the business, was a gentleman possessing the advantage of long and thorough experience, and occupied a very influential position in social and mercantile circles, being an ex-magistrate of Kinning Park, and was the President of the Scottish Wine, Spirit, and Beer Trade Association.

The Home Brewery was eaten up by the larger Tennent Caledonian Brewery, Wellpark, who also took over other smaller breweries in the city.

Facts…

George Dalrymple was born in Kirkintilloch in 1831, he married a Parkhead lass called Mary and had a family of two daughters Margaret and Jane, two sons George and William.
William Dalrymple died in 1902 leaving an estate valued at £23,241, a vast amount of money in those days. He resided at 255 Nithsdale Road.
The licensee during the 1940s and 60s John F Craig also held the licence for pubs Polmadie Street, International Bar, Balmore Road, Parson Street and Westmuir Street, Ward’s Bar (check out War’s bar in our book).
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Licence Holders.
1976 F McKell
1972 Douglas Robert White McFadyen.
1960-1947 John F Craig.
1919-1903 William Dalrymple.
1899-1873 Mrs Jane McAndrew Dalrymple.

The Overdale

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114 Duke Street, Drygate, Glasgow.

The Overdale

The Overdale. 1991.

The Overdale has been closed for years now. At one time this place had a great singing lounge upstairs.

In the mid 1920s this was a car showroom occupied by the Scottish Commercial Cars Co Ltd. Guy Motors of Wolverhampton.

In 1927 James McAlees turned it into licensed premises. During the First World War James ran a pub in Stockwell Street, he took over from Daniel McAleese.

Licence Holders.
1991 Vincent Paterson.
1973-1959 Catherine Chapelle McLeese.
1950 Miss Mary McAleese.
1930-1927 James McAleese.

Morrison’s Tavern

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6 Duke Street, Glasgow.

 

Morrison’s Tavern was in the same family for over forty years. In 1875 Thomas Morrison was license holder he was followed by his wife Isabella who had spent more than forty years serving the locals here. Mrs Morrison had a reputation for her good quality liquor. She was a shrewd, far-seeing lady from the north of Scotland, a shrewdness which had stood her in good stead since she came to Glasgow. After a long lapse of time the tavern had gone to increase in popularity, a fact largely due to the genial disposition of the proprietrix. She was well known in the licensing courts as there was never a bad moment in the time she held the licence, this was due to the manner in which he conducted the tavern. The old Tavern was demolished around 1905.