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You are here: Home / Archives for Address G / GeorgeStreet

GeorgeStreet

George Street Spirit Vaults

June 18, 2020 by John Gorevan Leave a Comment

94 George Street, Glasgow, G1 1RF

This pub was purchased by Mr A M Muir of 97& 99 Trongate in 1889, who renovated and renamed the pub the Portland Bar.

A number of gentlemen met, on Mr Muir’s invitation, to partake of cake and wine. Ex-Deacon convener Warren presided and those invited included ex-Bailie Shaw, ex-Bailie Thomson, Messrs Alex. Fraser, William Laurie, R D Samuels, John Reid, R Bryson, John Morrison, John Allan, R S Brown, G Walker and W L McKittrick.

The night was brought to a fitting close by singing “Auld Lang Syne”

Filed Under: G, George Street, GeorgeStreet

The Right Half

March 15, 2017 by John Gorevan Leave a Comment

16-18 George Street, Glasgow.

The Right Half

The Right Half. 1991.

It was shame to see this old Glasgow pub being demolished a few years ago.

There was a pub on this site away back in 1844, Alexander McKenzie was then landlord before pastry baker and spirit merchant James Gentles ran the premises for a short while.

In 1849 Alexander Fraser became the new owner, Mr Fraser lived with his wife Jane a few door away from the pub. He was born in Nairn in bonnie Scotland, he came to Glasgow at an early age to start as a publican in the city. Mr Fraser met his wife in Glasgow and had a large family, all of whom worked in the pub at some time, business prospered and other pubs were added to his small empire one at 36 Stirling Road and one at 1 Kings Cross, he was them known as a grocer and spirit merchant. With a good income Mr & Mrs Fraser moved home to Westercraigs, Dennistoun an exclusive address in the east end of the city. Locals in the area knew that if they went for a refreshment in Fraser’s Bar they would get nothing but the best liquor available. Alexander’s sons took over the business after his death and the family ran the pub until the 1960s.

In 1966 the pub was run by Colin Maxwell Brown jun the pub also had a name change, this is when it was called the Right Half. Mr Brown was a well known publican in the east end of the city in Bridgeton area having two pubs there, the Pop Inn at London Road at the corner of Fraser Street and the Regent Bar, London Road at the corner of West Street. He also ran a pub at St. Andrew’s Road at Shields Road. William Brown took over the running of the pub until it closed a few years ago.

Right Half old

View of the Right Half. 1960s.

Right Half advert 1975

The Brown family advert 1975.

Licence Holders.
1991-1978 William Brown.
1973-1966 Colin Maxwell Brown jun.
1960 Alexander Fraser.
1950-1937 William L S Fraser.
1919-1894 John stewart Fraser.
1894-1849 Alexander Fraser.
1847 James Gentles.
1845-1844 Alexander McKenzie.

Filed Under: George Street, GeorgeStreet, R

The Marland Bar

March 6, 2017 by John Gorevan Leave a Comment

 

54 George Street, Glasgow.

Marland Bar George Street

The Marland Bar, George Street. 1959.

The Marland Bar was once one of the haunts for the folk singers in Glasgow that loved to sing in Glasgow pubs, but singing was band in those days.

There’s been a pub on this site since 1830.

This is from a great book called Cod Liver Oil and The Orange Juice, reminiscences of a fat folk singer, Hamish Imlach and Ewan McVicar…

Page 54-55…

There were lots of all-night parties, and SNP dos to go to. People drank in the Eagle Inn or the Dunrobin. Singing in pubs was illegal at the time, and eventually the Marland Bar became the undisputed place to drink in, because they’s allow illicit singing with the drinking.

One Saturday we were thrown out of the Queen’s Own pub, off George Square, for persistent singing. Usually we’d go into the Dunrobin, and mumble the words of the songs in one of the booths. This time we went along George Street, found the next pub along was crowded- it being nine o’clock on a Saturday night- and went into the following one, the Marland Bar. There was a back room, which we all crowded into, and managed to order a couple of rounds before nine-thirty closing time.

The only other people in the back room were an old gent and his wife and daughter. He was a wonderful Donegal singer called Paddy Tourish. I didn’t know him then, but I could see from the murals on the walls it was a Donegal pub- murals which had been done by a guy who had been paid in drink, and it showed. On a sloping counter lay a half crown which was in fact bolted from the bottom, put there to entice strangers into putting a hat over it and trying to scrape it oiff the bar.

I thought “What the hell”, and sang Boolavogue.

At Boolavogue, as the sun was setting

O’er the bright Mary meadows of Shemalier

A rebel band set the beather blazing

And brought the neighbours from far and near

And father Murphy, from old Kilcormack

Spurred up the rocks, with a warning cry

“To arms’, he cried, ‘For I come to lead you

For Ireland’s freedom we’ll fight or die”.

Far from throwing us out the owner, Christie McMenanin, came into the back room with a whisky for each of us. We’d found our place.

A week later, we were lashing into all the Rambling Boy songs, and the Tourish family were there again. Rosie the daughter, said ‘Ma da’s a great singer’. He protested ‘Oh, no, no, I only know old fashioned songs, I enjoy hearing you young lads singing, it’s great. To read more of this great book please buy it.

Filed Under: George Street, GeorgeStreet, M

The Dunrobin

January 8, 2017 by John Gorevan Leave a Comment

145 George Street, Glasgow. Demolished.

Interior image of the Dunrobin Bar with barmen 1947
Dunrobin Bar. 1947.

To read the full history of the Dunrobin Click here.

The Dunrobin Bar opened in 1931. The new owner was John W Fraser served the locals until his death in 1945. His son Ian W Fraser then took over and made some alterations.

Image of Mr Ian W Fraser 1947
Ian W Fraser. 1947.

Thanks to Gavin L Cutler for the following email…

Hi John, I just found your site and was browsing old haunts from when I was a post grad student in Glasgow.

I was at Strathclyde (Physics Dept) and one of our favourite haunts was the Dunrobin on George Street. My enduring memory is that the draught Tennent’s lager was fantastic, way better than anywhere else (at least to the taste buds of an English bitter drinker who usually stuck to Guinness in Glasgow- sorry if that’s sacrilege.)

Anyway I think the Dunny was demolished in about 1986, but we rescued the 20ft name board from the site and stuck it up in the John Anderson Building of Strathclyde Uni, on Rottenrow (Top Floor Common Room). I have no idea if it’s still there as I left Glasgow in 1989 (sadly.) The Dunny was a great wee bar with snug seating and frequent sing-songs. A proper pub. We got temporarily banned for singing The Wild Rover, which must have upset somebody’s sensibilities! Happy memories. You haven’t enjoyed a Glasgow pub until you’ve been barred from it… Cheers….

Do you remember this old pub? if so please leave a comment.

END.

Filed Under: D, George Street, GeorgeStreet Tagged With: Dunrobin Bar, George Street, George Street pubs, Ian W Fraser, Pubs in George Street, The Dunrobin

Buzby & Co.

November 11, 2016 by John Gorevan 1 Comment

100 George Street, Glasgow. G1 1RF. Closed.

Buzby & Co. 1991.

This is now called Bourbon Street a great place for entertainment, artists do fabulous impersonations of all the great stars including Rod Stewart, Tina Turner, Elton John and Freddy Mercury. A FUN place to be.

Bourbon Street. 2001.

Bourbon Street. 2001.

January 2007, As I passed here I noticed the pub has changed to the Campus, attracting students from the nearby colleges. There is also a Campus on Sauchiehall Street.

This establishment is now closed.

Do you remember this as Bourbon Street or Buzby & Co? If so please leave a comment.

END.

Filed Under: B, George Street, GeorgeStreet Tagged With: Bourbon Street, Buzby & Co, Campus, George Street

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