Address L

496 London Road, Glasgow.

The Oasis Bar 1960s.

This part of London Road was formerly called 40 Canning Street. The pub sat near Arcadia Street Intersects and near the Arcadia Picture Hall.

There has been licensed premises here since at least the 1870s, owned by John Burns a prominent wine and spirit merchant in the east end of the city, he also traded at 517 Gallowgate, 111 George Street and 209 Main Street, Bridgeton.

In the 1890s wine & spirit merchant Duncan Campbell was licensee, he also owned pubs at 24 Brown Street, Anderston and 10 Douglas Street at the corner of Holm Street. He took over the Anderston premises in 1885, two years later he took over the Douglas Street premises.

Another view of the pub same date.

Another well-known wine and spirit merchant to hold the licence was Thomas Nicholson, he took over the premises at the end of the 1890s. His son Alexander became licensee in April 1900 and continued a successful business until the mid 1930s.

Afterwards Francis Patrick McAvoy took over the Oasis. During the First World War Mr McAvoy traded at premises at 196 Rose Street at the corner of Cumberland Street in the south side of the city in the 1910s he also had a pub at 59 Thistle Street, Gorbals, (Horn Bar) in the 20s he was running a public house at 332 Scotland Street at the corner of Watt Street and during the mid 30s had premises at 52 Park Road and 650 Gallowgate (Barr’s old Pub). During the 1930s Francis was living at 15 Partickhill Road.

One of the last publicans to hold the certificate was James G Wilson who ran the pub in the 1960s, the pub was pulled down shortly after in a massive clearance in the east end of the city that saw many old businesses, shops and pubs disappear over night.

The Oasis on the far right. 1960s.

Facts…

The Greenhead Brewery, Canning Street now London Road.

Parts of London Road was formerly known as London Street, Great Hamilton Street, Canning Street and London Road.

Forgotten Pubs on London Road…

Ascot Bar, 440 London Road. (Hugh Mclaughlin.)

John McLaren’s Bar at 78-80 Canning Street sold a splendid eight penny blend of old Scotch Whisky.

Barnums. 18-30 London Road.

Graham’s Bar. 18-30 London Road.

Kerr’s Bar. 150 London Road.

International Bar. 415 London Road.

The Mecca. 18-24 London Road.

Canning Street in 1787…

55 Canning Street, Calton. British Lion Tavern, W R Marney.

166 London Road. Queen Mary’s Tavern, Nathan Muir.

In 1875 London Street had 6 Pubs.

18 London Street. William Abbot jun.

55 London Street. Andrew Nevas.

80 London Street. John Douglas.

107 London Street. Joseph Neeson.

118 London Street. William Abbot jun.

145-47 London Street at 46 Charlotte Street. Archibald McLaren.

149 London Road,Calton, Glasgow.

The Oxford Tavern. 1991.

This very old east end pub has an interesting history to read more, check back soon for our second book.

Oxford Tavern on the right and the Nags head on the left. 1960.

Interior view of the Oxford Tavern, an interesting gantry. 1990.

Waxies Dargle as it was called just before it closed it’s door for good. Photograph taken August 2005.

In 1892 the proprietor of the Volunteer Arms as it was called then, was wine and spirit merchant James Crawford, he stated that his premises had a large room or hall that could hold about sixty people, there was also several small rooms or snug’s for private parties and ample lavatory accommodation, fitted up with the latest sanitary appliances. The cellar was kept delightfully cool by natural springs that trinkles down the sides, he either had a very sophisticated cooling system many a publican would be envy of or the water he had running down the walls was actually an over-flow of the Molandinar burn. His whisky and ales were forced up by air-pressure, the stock casks were fitted up in such a way that the contents can be seen at a glance. Mr Eben Wren the able manager of the pub worked in the bar for many years.

John (Jack) Devin was proprietor for many years, he was a well known member of the Scottish Licensed Trade.

Golfing Vintners’ Big Night Out.

The Glasgow Vintners Golf Club’s annual dinner and dance and presentation of prizes in the Eagle Lodge, Bishopbriggs, was a tremendous Success.

Pictured shows a group of prizewinners. from left Charles Sweeney, Arlington Bar (Captain’s Prize); Jack Devlin, Oxford Bar (Cantrell & Cochrane Cup); John Boyle, Waverley Bar (Queen Anne Trophy); Tony Ferry, Alamo Bar, Paisley (Silver Stag and Club Championship); Hugh McLaughlin, Ascot Bar (Dunn & Moore Coronation Cup); Peter Smith Shedden’s Bar (Skol Cup); Bill Martin, Calypso Bar (Vintner’s Tankard); Eddie Smythe, Anvil Bar (The Younger Putter); Ian Kennedy Molls Mire (The Brady Trophy).

Also see E Smyth.

179 London Road, Calton, Glasgow.

The Old Barns. 1991.

This is the oldest established pub in the city of Glasgow dating back to the 1600s. However the original Old Burnt Barns was demolished and this pub stands in it’s place.

To read the full history of the Old Barns check out our book here.

Exterior view of the Old Barns, August 2005.

Interior View of the main bar with the late John Lynch the proprietor. This photograph was take just two weeks before he died. Many will remember him as a generous man. He was like Dellboy from the East End, I met him many a time in various auctions in and around Glasgow, he always went away with something. He told me “You should come along and see the treasure’s I’ve picked up over the years.” He must have had an Alladin’s cave somewhere. I will miss John as we always had a good chat about the old days in the Calton the Gallowgate and the Barras. R I P.

Various view of the interior of the Old Barns. 2006.

Mr Patrick McVey, manager of the Old Barns at the turn of the 1900s.

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In the NEWS 1979…

15 HELD in DAWN RAIDS AFTER PUB BLASTS…

Fifteen men were being held in custody by Strathclyde Police last night following two bomb blasts in public houses in Glasgow on Saturday night.

They were arrested by armed members of the Special Branch and Strathclyde serious crime squad yesterday in dawn swoops in various parts of Glasgow.

The men can be held for 48 hours under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and police can then apply to the Secretary of State for Scotland to hold them without charge for a further five days.

Police confirmed yesterday that explosive devices were used in the blasts, and they believed they were related and were the work of an extremist group.

WARNING

The incidents brought a warning to the public from Chief Constable Patrick Hamill of Strathclyde Police to “display the utmost vigilance in licensed premises for any suspicious package, parcels, hold-all or the like which is unattended.”

In this statement, Mr Hamill said: “Management and staff of Licensed premises, and in all instances where suspicious objects or articles are observed the police should be noticed immediately.”

Police inquiries into the blasts, at the Old Barns public house in London Road, Calton and the Clelland Bar, Hospital Street, Gorbals, were continuing last night, and a special mobile police station was set up outside the Clelland Bar.

The bomb in the Old Barns public house went off in a lounge bar, which is being redecorated. No one was injured. In the Clelland Bar, however, five people were treated in hospital for cuts caused by glass from the juke box, fruit machine, and windows, and a hole was blown in the floor.

APPEAL

The licensed trade last night backed up the chief constable’s appeal to the public. A spokesman said: “We want people to co-operate fully with the police. Anyone who sees anything remotely suspicious should tell the bar staff to contact the police, even if it does turn out to be innocent.”

Neither of the bars involved in the blast is sectarian, but those arrested are believed to have connections with the Ulster Defence Association.

Two week ago at Paisley 24 men, believed to be associated with the UDA, were charged under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. Police are believed to have taken possession of weapons and explosives during raids on houses in Ayrshire and Renfrewshire.

Also see John Lynch didn’t pay the water bill…

Licence Holders.

2006-1967 John Lynch. R.I.P.

1940 E R Cowan.

1937 Margaret McElroy Magee.

1920 Edward Magee.

1903 Amelia F Scouler.

1899-1885 James McElroy.

1871 Mrs Janet Hislop.

1870-1866 Robert Hislop.

1863-1856 John Boyle.

1853-1848 James Davie.

1847-1831 James Barr.

1828-1816 Peter Barr.

1783 William Buchanan.