Old Glasgow Pubs

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Address G

Dick’s Bar

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517 Gallowgate, Glasgow.

Former Women’s President Dies.

Mrs Margaret Dick 1970

In August 1970, Mrs Margaret Dick former President of the Glasgow and District Women’s Auxiliary Group (Licensed Trade), died in a Renfreweshire hospital.

Mrs Dick, wife of the late Mr Robert Dick, retired from the trade towards the end of 1966 after holding for 16 years the licence for Dick’s Bar, 517 Gallowgate, Glasgow, with which the Dick family had a long association.

Taking an enthusiastic interest in the activities of the Glasgow and District Women’s Auxiliary Group, she became their president in 1967, serving for two years in this capacity.

Among those attending the fureral service were several of Mrs Dick’s friends in the women’s auxiliary movement. Mrs Dick left a daughter.

Mrs Dick group photo 1972

Left to right Mr. and Mrs. T. Docherty; Mrs. J. Lindsay (Dick’s Bar, Gallowgate); and Mrs. and Mr. A. Gillies (The Clachan.) 1972.

To read more on the pubs on the Gallowgate read up & Doon the Gallowgate by John Gorevan. A copy can be bought for a few pounds at the Hielan Jessie on the Gallowgate or contact me at [email protected]

The Caledonian Wine & Spirit Vaults

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68 Great Eastern Road, Glasgow.

 

The old Caledonian Wine and Spirit Vaults was a prominent site in Camlachie, it was situated across from Stevenson Taylor’s Vaults at the Camlachie Institute. The Caledonian Vaults was an old fashioned tavern, the proprietor lived on the premises in its early history.

During the 1840s cowfeeder and spirit dealer William McNicol was the landlord, Willie was a well-known character in Camlachie, when the circus came to Vinegar Hill all the pubs in the area were packed. Old Willie sold up in the early part of the 1850s. He was followed by William Willox, Issac Stewart then in 1879 James McConnell acquired the business.

James McConnell was a well respected wine and spirit merchant in the east end of the city, his wife Margaret took over the business in 1897 as one of the trustees of his estate for her late husband. She had a long title, being married a few times, she was known at the licensed courts as Margaret Flynn or McConnell or Murphy. She became licensee of several pubs in the east end including The Springfield Vaults, 743-49 London Road, the Mill Vaults, 122 Millburn Street, the Waverley Bar, 37 Preston Street at the corner of Bernard Street.

Margaret prospered during her years as a landlady, the old Caledonian Wine & Spirit Vaults were finally closed down by the magistrates, as it was very old and in desperate need of renovation, they said the the place was falling down under your feet and the premises should be blown up, it would have been cheaper to demolish the building rather than refurbished it. It was closed in 1921.

Brechin’s Bar

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174 and 443 Gallowgate, Glasgow.

In 1888 it was reported that William Brechin & Son, Gallowgate had made the headlines, Brechin’s had blended 12.000 proof gallons of the best brands of Scotch Whiskies. Such vast amounts was not heard of in those days. Publicans, Wine and Spirit Merchants hearing of this news, know how serious and busy Brechin’s was and made them a household name.

When Brechins left the 174 Gallowgate premises it became known as Lynch’s, John Lynch’s father owned it for many years. John Lynch is better known in the east end of the city for owning the Old Barns on London Road.

Argyll Arms.

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122 Glebe Street corner of 109 Kennedy Street, Townhead, Glasgow.

This old Glasgow pub was established in the 1860s owned by wine and Spirit Merchant John Hutcheson. the pub sat at the corner of Glebe Street and Kennedy Street. Members of the same family took over the business, in the 1890s William Hutcheson owned the premises, William lived in the poss Charing Cross Mansions. He also owned premises in nearby 100 Glebe Street.

Mr Hutcheson died in 1900, his son David then took over the business but only kept it until 1903. He sold the pub to manager Archibald McNiven. The McNiven family kept the pub until it was demolished in the 1960s. Donald McNiven was the last publican to own the pub. Another pubs that the family owned was “The Argyll Arms” 168 Kelvinhaugh Street, “The Argyll Arms” Paisley Road West.

Mr Archibald McNiven. 1936.

To read more on Archibald McNiven and his other pubs see Argyll Arms Paisley Road West.

END.

Connelly’s Bar

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95-97 Glasgow Road, Clydebank, near Glasgow.

Connolly's Bar Glasgow Road Clydebank

Connolly’s Bar, Restaurant, Glasgow Road, Clydebank. 1970s.

It’s farewell to Connolly’s Bar, the “Star” of a Gracie Fields film!

A Clydebank public house which has been at the heart of the town’s eventful history for many years has closed down and the licensee who has been associated with the premises for 40 years is going into retirement.

The premises are Connolly’s Bar, 95-97 Glasgow Road, only a stone’s throw from Clydebank’s famous shipbuilding centre. The licensee is Mr. Denis McLaughlin.

In such a situation the premises naturally became a favourite place of call for thousands of shipbuilding workers and personalities associated with shipbuilding over the years. It was at John Brown’s shipyard, of course, that the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth were built and launched. The yard was also the birthplace of innumerable other vessels, among them the Royal Yacht, the Indefatigable and the Vanguard.

Mr. McLaughlin served as manager of the premises for 20 years under the former owner, Mr. Daniel J. Connoly, who had taken over in 1921. After Mr. Connolly’s death the premises went into trust before a company, D. J. Connolly, Ltd, was formed, Mr. McLaughlin becoming the licence- holder.

Mr. Denis McLaughlin 1976

Mr. Denis McLaughlin. 1976.

For Denis McLaughlin the end of a famous pub that helped to make history.

One featureof the pub’s spacious public bar was a large Johnnie Walker mirror, 8 ft. by 5 ft., believed to date back to before the turn of the century.

Connolly’s Bar became known not only to shipbuilding and shipping people, but also to personalities in show business and also to boxers, footballers and golfers. Mr. McLaughlin remembers with pride that a replica of the bar was built on the studio of a Gracie Fields film, “Shipyard Sally” in 1938.

The premises became a focal point during a dispute at the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders a few years ago. A Russian TV team came over and used the premises as background for a documentary. It is because of redevelopment that the premises have closed.

For the past 23 years Mr. McLaughlin has had as his right-hand man Mr. Philip Allen, and between them they have had 63 years association with the premises. For many years Mr. McLaughlin was active in the affairs of Clydebank L.T.A. which is now part of the Strathclyde Association, and for about 10 years latterly he was the Clydebank vice-president. 1976.

Alexander McKenzie’s Vaults

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339-41 Gairbraid Street, Maryhill, Glasgow.

Mr Alexander McKenzie

Mr Alexander McKenzie. 1892.

339-41 Gairbraid Street was later 991-99 Maryhill Road at Oran Street.

Many of the older generation will remember this old pub as McKenzie’s which was then renamed the Cabar Feidh and old Scots gaelic word meaning Stag’s Head.

Cabar Feidh

The Cabar Feidh. with the Orange Walk passing the premises.

Alexander McKenzie was born in Blair Athol. In 1875 he came to Glasgow and started work in MacRae’s Hotel in Bath Street, after 2 years service he was promoted to the famous Caledonian Hotel in Oban. He missed the city life and came back to Glasgow to work for Mr Stewart in Gairbraid Street, Maryhill where he prospered from shopman to manager then to partner then sole proprietor. Alexander had his own blend of scotch whisky called “Caba Feidh” which was very popular with the locals of this old established Maryhill local. Mr McKenzie was a member of several societies, an ardent Free Mason, a burgess of Glasgow and a member of the Trades’ House, an Anderston Weaver, a Forester, a member of the Kelvin dock Curling and Maryhill Bowling Clubs as well as an honorary member of the Dumbartonshire Mounted Rifle Volunteers. He was a crack shot and was fond of angling.

In 1899 Maryhill had 21 pubs in it’s ward and from Celtic Street the top end of Maryhill to St. George’s Cross there was 31 pubs.

In 1888 there was a court case against Alexander McKenzie and Hugh Tennent, Brewery.

A small dept action was tried in the Glasgow Sheriff Court last month before Sheriff Spens, at the instance of John Graham, 212 West George Street, Glasgow, for the trustees of Hugh Tennent & Co., Wellpark Brewery, Cambuslang, against Alexander McKenzie, spirit merchant, Gairbraid Street, Maryhill, concluding for a sum of £10.00, being the value of a large mirror show card, which was the property of the said firm of Hugh Tennent & Co., and was alleged to have been left with McKenzie’s predecessor in the business for business purposes, and which he now refuses to deliver or give up, although repeatedly asked to do so.

Mr Thomas J Smillie, of Smillie & Blyth, writers, Glasgow, appeared for the defender, and stated as a preliminary objection that Graham had no right to sue in the name of the trustees of Hugh Tennent & Co., and also stated as a defence on the merits that the show card had been given in a present to McKenzie’s predecessor, and that they were not now entitled to demand restitution of it. The Sheriff, after hearing the pursuer, gave effect to Mr Smillie’s first contention and dismissed the action.

Facts…

Gairbraid Street is now Maryhill Road.

1973-1966 Robert McBride, for Alexander McKenzie.

1960 Kenneth McKenzie.

1937 Neil McKenzie.

1919 – 1894 George Brownhill for Alexander McKenzie’s trustees.

1893-1888 Alexander McKenzie.