659 Pollokshaws Road, Glasgow. G41 2AB. Tel: 01414245071.
Strathie’s. 1991.
To read the full history of this old south side favourite, check back soon for our second book.
Strathies. 2008.
This popular southside local was once called “The Kindmans.”
The Kind Man advert 1977.
The Kind Man’s advert 1970.
1453 Pollokshaws Road, Glasgow.
The Station Bar sat at the corner of Pollokshaws Road and Leckie Street formerly College Street.
55 Port Dundas Road, Glasgow. G4 0HF. Tel: 01413323117.
To read the history of the Station Bar click here.
Bar manager Thomas W Stothart. 1893.
Young Thomas Stothart started work in this bar at the bottom of the ladder and worked his way up to manager, is employed stated that he was a friend and well liked by the locals, smart pushing salesman.
296 Polmadie Road, Glasgow. G42 0PH. Tel: 01414239528.
The Spur Bar. 1991.
The Spur Bar was opened by John Scouller in 1877. Mr Scouller also owned the Snaffle Bit, Howard Street and the Horse Shoe Bar, Drury Street. To read more on Mr Scouller and his popular bars click here.
Johnny Bonnar was involved in this pub at one time.
I got an phone call 10th November 2008 from Mr Willy Gallagher stating that he passed the Spur Bar at the weekend and noticed that the Spur Bar was now closed for good. The wood panelling outside the pub with the horse shoe’s and whips have been destroyed and is now a cafe.
Another reminder of the state of the licensed trade in the country.
14 Pitt Street, Glasgow.
There has been licensed premises here since 1859. Over the years many wine and spirit merchants have come and gone including David Anderson 1959-1864; Thomas Murphy 1865; Nicol Clark 1866; Peter McBride 1872-1873; George McGregor 1874-75; 1880 Joshua Pearson; 1895 Mrs J Turner; Donald Stewart 1900. Donald paid an annual rent of £65.
In 1910 John Porter was licensee, when John passed away his wife Janet took over the licence in 1910 and continued to run the pub until after WW1. The name of the pub then was “The Tweenie Bar.”
1925 John J Byran was the licence holder followed by Patrick Leonard who took over in 1930. Patrick also had a public House at 124 Crown Street, Gorbals known as the Wheatsheaf Bar. Patrick left Pitt Street in 1938.
In 1938 Mr Charles William Brennan was running the pub. In 1945 Mr Brennan left the pub and Patrick Vincent O’Kane took over.
Patrick Vincent O’Kane’s brother Thomas was also a publican he owned O’Kane’s in London Road then O’Kane’s in Westmuir Street, Parkhead.
Patrick continued here until the late 1950s.
Another well known publican to own this pub was Patrick Carr. Mr Carr also had a public house called Carr’s Bar, 33 Duke Street. Many will remember this old pub as the Lampost.
24 Portugal Street, Gorbals, Glasgow.
Rosses Bar, 24 Portugal Street, Gorbals. 1960s.
There has been licensed premises on this site since 1837. John Duncan acquired a licence to sell Wine, Porter and Spirits. Before 1877 the address of the pub was 12 Portugal Street, although the pub was on the same site. After 1877 the pubs address was 24 Portugal Street.
Over the years many Spirit Dealers have come and gone including Robert Morton, James Johnston, William Frame, he lived at 36 Cumberland Street, John Meikle, he resided at 21 Apsley Place, John Meikle jun, he also owned pubs at 255 Rutherglen Road, many will still remember this old pub as the Kick Off, 128 Paisley Road West, 103 McLean Street, John jun lived at 22 Abbotsford Place.
The Meikle family must have been very successful in this business as they owned a few public houses and lived in well to-do houses in Abbotsford Place.
John Meikle jun a well known and respected spirit merchant owned the pub from 1891, he took over from his father, John Meikle who started out in the licensed trade in 1874 in a small public house on Portugal Street. The family went on to owns other well known pubs in the city including J Meikle, Paisley Road West and Eglinton Street.
John Meikle senior was born in 1826 in Muiravonside Parish, Stirling. Mr Meikle met his wife Jane in Bothwell where they started a family, they soon moved to Glasgow and settled in South Apsley Place, Gorbals.
The happy couple had three other children there, the eldest was Agnes, John, Jane and Robert. John jun learned the trade as a commercial traveller with a silk firm while Robert was a commercial clerk for a grain business. The family then moved on to better accommodation in Abbotsford Place.
After the First World War John jun was running three pubs in the city which included Rutherglen Road, Paisley Road West and Eglinton Street all having the title J Meikle above the doorway. The family continued to run the Rutherglen establishment until the early 1950s.
Rosses Bar, 24 Portugal Street taken from Dunmore Street. Thanks to Norrie McNamee for the image.
Another well-known wine and spirit merchant to own this old pub was Thomas Bennett jun., he took over this pub in 1896 until 1905. His father Thomas Bennet was also a well respected personality in the Licensed Trade in Scotland having premises at 467 Aikenhead Road at the corner of Polmadie Street now called the International Bar, and the Hampden Bar at 58 Albert Road at the corner of Langside Road.
Left to right Jack Baillie (from Guinness); John Hope (from MacKinlay -McPherson); Mrs J K Webster; Mrs John Hope; J K Webster and Cornelius Byrne, at the Gorbals Ward annual outing to Glendaruel, 1966.
In 1906 Peter Kernan took over the licence. Peter paid an annual rent of £48. He lived with his family at 9 Park Road, Pollokshaws. Mr Kernan survived the First World War and continued to run the bar just before the next World War.
In 1937 Hugh O’Neil was licensee. The O’Neil family continued to run this pub until the 1940s.
Another well-known publican to own this pub was James Culligan. Mr Culligan also owned the Norfolk Arms, 66-68 Norfolk Street.
From 1951 to the 1960s the Byrne family owned this pub, James Byrne followed by Cornelius Byrne, he was the last one to have the licence before it was demolished in the early 1960s.
Left to right Mr J Culligan; Miss P McGuire; Mrs Bertha Sendall (Royal Restaurant); and J K Webster (Webster’s Bar). 1963. This image was taken at the annual Gorbals Ward outing.
Left to right Mr & Mrs John Hamilton, (The Tavern Bar, Glebe Street); Mrs and Mr James Culligan. 1962. This image was taken at a Gorbals Ward night out at the Glasgow Empire at the opening of the Andy Stewart Show then followed by a night out at the Ca’doro Restaurant.
Licence Holders…
John Duncan 1837-1839.
Robert Morton 1852-1840.
James Johnston 1853-1864.
William Frame 1865-1871.
John Meikle 1872-1885.
John Meikle jun 1885-1896.
Thomas Bennet jun 1896-1905.
Peter Kernan 1905-1936.
Hugh O’Neil 1937-1940s.
James Culligan 1940s-1950.
James Byrne 1951-1957.
Cornelius Byrne 1960s.
Other Pubs on Portugal Street…
