Address G

338 Gallowgate, Glasgow.

The White Elephant. 1991.

The White Elephant stood out amongst all the pubs on the Gallowgate for it’s unusual name. There has been licensed premises on this site since the early 1800s. Over the years many spirit merchant’s have come and gone, serving the locals with their favourite tipple.

In 1866 George Jeffrey took over the pub, he ran another public house on Watt Street at the corner of Ardgowan Street, south side. The pub was a real success for George as he held the licence for over fifty years. The pub was sold on to William P Arthur in 1911, Mr Arthur was fined £5.00 at the Sheriff Court a few years later for allowing liquor to be consumed on his premises during prohibited hours at 10.45pm, an hour and three quarters after closing time. When the Police raided his premises on the Gallowgate he said that no liquor was being sold but he was giving the liquor to his friends free of charge. He lost his licence in 1920 as a result.

Another well known and respected member of the Scottish Licensed Trade to own the pub was Robert Eadie who ran this pub successfully for 30 years, Mr Eadie came from a well known family of spirit merchant’s in the city, the family owned some of the most popular bar in town including premises on Rutherglen Road, Watt Street, Caledonia Road, Eglinton Street and West Scotland Street. Robert Eadie was heavily involved in the Thistle Burns Club and was appointed President in 1957.

In 1966 Nicolina McGinlay took over the licence, she also held a certificate for premises a few door away at 374-378 Gallowgate, the Regal bar, now well known as the Hielan Jessie.

The last publican to hold the licence for the White Elephant was Tam Patrick before the pub was finally demolished in 1987, Tam removed to new premises across the road at the Earl of Lennox, now Hoops Bar.

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]

Mr Robert William Bruce Eadie, President of the Thistle Burns Club. 1957.

Licence Holders.

1986 Thomas Patrick.

1973-1966 Nicolina Florentina Matteo McGinlay.

1950-1928 Robert William Bruce Eadie.

1920-1911 William Patrick Arthur.

1910-1866 George Jeffrey.

1863-1950 William Richardson.

1847 Margaret Elder.

1831 William Block.

1827 William Ferguson.

1825 Joseph Thom.

361 Gallowgate, Glasgow.

The Wee Man’s.1991.

Also see the new Weemans at number 425 Gallowgate originally Mac’s Bar.

There has been a pub on this site since the early 1800s.

In 1891 John McConnell completely overhauled the old pub making major alterations to the interior. The bar counter was close to 40 feet in length extending from one end of the bar to the other. The old family department was also modernized. Before Mr McConnell took over the pub he was manager of Flynn’s bar in the east end of the city, he was also an expert blender of whisky.

Mr McConnell was born in Ayrshire in a small town called Sorn, Catrine, at an early age he came to Glasgow and worked in some of the best bars in the city. Mr Connell only lasted a few years in this pub on the Gallowgate and sold it on to Patrick Cassidy in 1894. A few years later Mr Cassidy took over a small pub in Camden Street, Gorbals. He ran the Gallowgate pub until 1921, he gave up the licence to concentrate of his other premises on London Road.

The licence was then taken over by Dominick J Muldoon, Dominick had experience in the licensed trade as he ran a pub in Gairbraid Street, Maryhill beforehand. He also owned pubs in Crookston Street, Stobcross Street and Gallowgate near to the corner of Fielden Street. The pub was known by the title of Muldoon’s. Dominick was refused the licence at Crookston Street for permitting a man to consume liquor on the premises after 9pm and fined 4 Guineas. Daniel Muldoon took over the licence after his fathers death in 1931. The pub was still in the Muldoon family in the early 1940s.

In 1947 the name of the pub was changed to the Wee Man’s, by the new landlord John Young. Mr Young served the locals in the Wee Man’s for 30 years.

D J Muldoon’s Special Old Liqueur, a whisky label found by an old friend of mine Wully Gallacher, in the Wee Man’s in the 1980s.

Mr Joseph Rock took over the Wee Man’s which was on a short lease as the Glasgow District Council had plans for the surrounding ground that the pub sat on which included the sit of the Rob Roy bar which was already closed down. The two pubs were finally demolished a few years ago, the land is still lying derelict. It was such a shame to see two of the Gallowgate’s best known pubs pulled down.

Mr Joe Rock changed the name of the Auld Hoose (Mac’s Bar,) to the Wee Man’s a pub which sits further along the Gallowgate near to the corner of Graham Square.

Members of the Licensed Trade Defence Association 1959. left to right C McCabe, Shakespeare Bar, Norman MacLeod, Townhead Cross Bar, Donald A MacLean, Coronation Bar, Edward Barrett, Halfway Bar, Rutherglen, Joseph McCabe, Kick Off Bar, J R Steedman, Burns Bar and John Young, Wee Man’s.

Left to Right D D Rennie, Booths Gin, John Young and John E Jackson. 1962.

Left to right at the Glasgow and District Licensed Trade Association, Thomas F Flynn, R W Nimmo, A Stewart, George Grier, R B Paxton, John Young, Donald MacLean. 1960.

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]

Licence Holders.

1999 Joseph Rock.

1991 Daniel Gray.

1973-1947 John Hunter Young.

1937-1921 Daniel J Muldoon.

1921 Dominick J Muldoon.

1914-1894 Patrick Cassidy.

1891 John McConnell.

1863 William McLaren.

1858 Archibald Weir.

1825 Alexander Blackie.