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Publican B

Bissland, Bailie The Douglas Arms.

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The Douglas Arms, Milngavie. Demolished.

exterior image of the Douglas Arms, Milngavie early 1900s
Douglas Arms.

It is not a far cry to “Mulguy,” a rising burgh in our northern suburbs, and there are few nicer drives than to that same place from Glasgow. To those who cannot afford a conveyance of their own, the Glasgow Tramway Co. runs buses every half hour in summer time, and these buses stop at the well-known “Douglas Arms,” the proprietor of which was Ex-Bailie Bissland. The home comforts of the old hostelry and the civility, attention and gentlemanly bearing of the proprietor made this a very popular hostelry in its day.

Charles Bissland was a gentleman who reflected honour on the trade and would do the same to any other branch of business to which he might apply himself. He had a capital and varied commercial training, after leaving school he was for six years in the counting-house of Messrs. John Black & Co., calico printers, Milngavie. He was then two years in the office of the general goods manager of the North British Railway. Then he sent several years with Messrs. A. G. Kidston & Co., iron merchants, as traveller. At this time he was proprietor of a licensed house in Glasgow.

Milngavie, however, had attractions for him which were irresistible, and so in 1887 he took over the wine and spirit business so long and so successfully carried on by the late Mr Matthew Weir, sen., a gentleman well-known to many of the older school as a man of the strictest integrity and honour, combined with the best of social characteristics.

image of Ex-Bailie Bissland of the Douglas Arms, Milngavie 1894
Ex-Bailie Bissland. 1894.

The traditions of the old business are faithfully carried out by Mr Bissland and his worthy helpmate, a daughter of Mr Weir. To show the esteem in which Bailie Bissland is held by his townsmen, we may be permitted to state that only a week or two age he was elected to the School Board of the Parish of New Kilpatrick, and was at the head of the poll with 1294 votes, being more than 300 above the next successful candidate. In Municipal elections, too, he has several times been at the top of the poll. He was a man who spared not himself in the public services. In the Commission Board he had been for ten years convener of the finance committee, and for five years treasurer of the burgh. He has been secretary to the Mechanics Institute for twenty-five years. As secretary and president he has been connected with the Horticultural Society for twenty years. In the infancy of the Co-operative Society he acted as secretary. In Masonic lore, Mr Bissland was a past master and the establishment of Lodge “Ellangowan” is largely due to his fostering care. For seven years he had been honorary president of the Burns Club and he has always shown the warmest love and enthusiasm in the Burns Cult.

Charles Bissland was a staunch conservative, being a vice-president of the association. He has all along taken a leading part in the burgh, being one of its most prominent townsmen. Through his long connection with the trade Mr Bissland’s services were much in demand in the matters of stock-taking and valuations and also in connection with trust estates. Anyone requiring such services could not do better than place their case in Mr Bissland’s hands, and they can rest secure that they will receive all the benefits of a large experience, combined with strict integrity and justice.

Do you know anything about this old Tavern? If so please leave a comment.

END.

Buchanan, John M.

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216-18 Hope Street, 200-202 New City Road, Glasgow. Demolished.

Mr John M Buchanan. 1893.

John M Buchanan was a native of Dunfermline, when still an infant his parents removed to Carnoustie, in Forfarshire and there under the late Mr Gray (afterwards of Townhead, Glasgow,) a well-known and respected dominie of the old Scottish type, he received a thoroughly sound elementary education. On leaving school young John was apprenticed to the grocery trade with the largest concern in the district, the Co-operative Company’s store, where he served for four years with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of the directors. Determined to seek a wider field, he came to Glasgow and engaged in the same line of business, the grocery and provision trade, with a firm in Bridgeton.

Ever anxious to better himself and gain experience, he was employed with John Ewing, grocer and wine merchant, Argyle Street, and so faithfully did he perform his duties that in a short time he was promoted to the responsible position of manager. After four years, Mr Buchanan purchased from Mr Miller the licensed premises, hope Street in 1880, and retained as his headquarters, and which he carried on under the style of Buchanan Brothers.

Still ambitious and enterprising he acquired a pub at 200-202 New City Road, which by judicious alterations, he had improved beyond recognition. His manager Mr Alexander Robertson, who has held the reins of government since the opening of the concern by its present proprietor. Fond of art, and a generous patron of its votaries, Mr Buchanan’s premises were decorated by unique, well-selected, and valuable, paintings, giving abundant evidence of his refined taste and appreciation.

The Hope Street business was sold to wine and spirit merchant George Shields Peat in 1901, Mr Peat redecorated the premises and renamed the pub to Peat’s Pavilion Bar.

In 1913 this old pub closed down for good. It was located at the corner of Renfrew Lane next to Molly Malone’s.

Do you remember any of the old pubs in Hope Street? If so please leave a comment.

END.

Henry J Brown

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The Imperial Vaults, 25 Stockwell Street, Glasgow.

 

When old crooked thatched roof dwellings and ancient tavern’s adorned Stockwell Street the Imperial Vaults first became a licensed business. Although under a different name the old howff was a thriving haunt of sailor’s and merchant’s. In the 1840s spirit dealer James Beekenridge sold claret, stouts, beer and hot ale, tea was also served at any time of the day and a large urn behind the bar stewed till closing time. Other spirit dealers had their names above the door of the old tavern like Wilson’s, Reid’s and Dunlop’s. James McCrone took over the business in 1867, he turned the tavern into a very successful concern, year after year the pennies rolled in and Mr McCrone opened a tobacconist business next door to his public house in Stockwell Street followed by another pub at 239 Stirling Road.

Mr McCrone was now residing in High John Street with his wife and family. His wife and children all worked in the pub at one time or another. When James passed away his took over the business but struggled to keep an eye on her husbands business concerns, one by one she sold them off but kept the old tavern in Stockwell Street until 1892. She sold the business to Henry J Brown.

Mr Brown a talented wine and spirit merchant completely transformed the interior of the pub, few traces of the old interior arrangement remained. A new staircase was built, leading to the fine rooms on the second flat. The bar counter and gantry arrangements were also changed, now the rich mahogany bar counter ran the full length of the premises, fifty men could now be served with plenty of elbow room. Two of the rooms upstairs were admirable adapted for the meetings of football clubs and masonic meetings. One of the rooms was more of a hall than a room.

Mr Brown’s alterations to the pub cost him a small fortune of £500, the outlay had been judiciously expended and no establishment in Stockwell Street looked tidier than the new Imperial Vaults. Mr Brown was well experienced for the conduct of such an establishment, for eleven years he was a member of the Glasgow Police Force in the Central district. His record throughout those years was impeachable, his character and friends in the right places added to him getting a certificate to sell wine and spirit. He was very familiar with the dark side of the neighbourhood which was going through massive structural changes. Henry stocked good quality liquors, beers and ales and some of the finest blends of whiskies including Bushmills and the best Edinburgh ales.

Henry J Brown was an Irishman and came to Glasgow about the time he joined the forces. Henry lived with his wife Mary and their children in a flat across the street, he still used his past training as a police officer during his time as a publican, this is probably why he lived across the streets from the pub, to keep an eye on it when he was absent or when the pub was closed, as licensed premises were always being burgled at that time. Henry sadly passed away in 1898, his wife Mary took the business. During the First World War Mary was licensee of both Stockwell Street and a pub on Gairbraid Street (Maryhill Road.) Her licence for Stockwell Street was under threat, as she appeared at the License Courts for various offences during these hard times and lost her certificate in 1919, however she got it back in 1920, the pub continued trading and stayed in the family until the late 1930s.

Buchanan Brothers

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216-18 Hope Street, 200-202 New City Road, Glasgow.

Mr John M Buchanan

Mr John M Buchanan. 1893.

John M Buchanan was a native of Dunfermline, when still an infant his parents removed to Carnoustie, in Forfarshire and there under the late Mr Gray (afterwards of Townhead, Glasgow,) a well-known and respected dominie of the old Scottish type, he received a thoroughly sound elementary education. On leaving school young John was apprenticed to the grocery trade with the largest concern in the district, the Co-operative Company’s store, where he served for four years with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of the directors. Determined to seek a wider field, he came to Glasgow and engaged in the same line of business, the grocery and provision trade, with a firm in Bridgeton.

Ever anxious to better himself and gain experience, he was employed with John Ewing, grocer and wine merchant, Argyle Street, and so faithfully did he perform his duties that in a short time he was promoted to the responsible position of manager. After four years, Mr Buchanan purchased from Mr Miller the licensed premises, hope Street in 1880, and retained as his headquarters, and which he carried on under the style of Buchanan Brothers.

Still ambitious and enterprising he acquired a pub at 200-202 New City Road, which by judicious alterations, he had improved beyond recognition. His manager Mr Alexander Robertson, who has held the reins of government since the opening of the concern by its present proprietor. Fond of art, and a generous patron of its votaries, Mr Buchanan’s premises were decorated by unique, well-selected, and valuable, paintings, giving abundant evidence of his refined taste and appreciation.

The Hope Street business was sold to wine and spirit merchant George Shields Peat in 1901, Mr Peat redecorated the premises and renamed the pub to Peat’s Pavilion Bar.

Bradshaw, Philip.

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48 South Albion Street, Glasgow. (100 Albion Street / 33 Blackfriars Street).

The Market Bar. 1960s.

In the mid 1850s Philip Bradshaw founded Bradshaw’s Bar at 48 South Albion Street which later became 100 Albion Street. The old pub sat at the corner of Stirling Street which later became known as Blackfriars Street. The old howff had a wide reputation for it’s whiskies and wine, he blended all his own whisky on the premises, it was said that they were palatable as any other blend that can be procured in the city. Mr Philip Bradshaw went into semi-retirement in the 1890s and his son also Philip managed the pub. Young Mr Bradshaw was familiar with every detail of the trade, he was popular by the locals. Affable, and of a kindly disposition, qualifications requisite for those who will cater successfully for the public. Perhaps he refused more people whom he suspects to be under the influence of liquor than any other manager in the city.

If there was the slightest indication of intoxication there is at once a direct refusal. This is a point that other members of the trade should have practiced. Mr Philip Bradshaw jun., was for a number of years a Freemason and was a member of the Shamrock and Thistle Lodge 275 and also a member of the Cathedral Chapter 67.

Adjoining the pub in South Albion Street were the premises of Philip Bradshaw & Son, Cork Manufacturer. It was one of the oldest establishments of it’s kind in the city. A considerable trade was done among brewers, bottlers, aerated water manufacturers and hotel keepers.

The business was sold in 1906 to wine and spirit merchant Robert Baxter, who served the locals until after the First World War, at this time the address was 100 Albion Street. Mr Baxter was very successful in the pub, he was followed by Robert Brown who owned the pub during the 1930s.

John A Kelly owned the pub during the 1950s-60s, the name of the pub was then was “The Market Bar,” his son John O Kelly acquired the pub in 1963 and continued in the pub until around 1980. The pub became known as “Kelly’s Bar” after 1977.

Interior view of the Market Bar. 1960s.

Interior view of the Market Bar. 1960s.

Mr & Mrs John O Kelly and Mr & Mrs King. 1972.

In the NEWS 1977…

John Kelly outside his premises. 1977.

A “Reel” record for Kelly’s…

Kelly’s Bar in Albion Street, Glasgow, certainly isn’t one of the biggest in the city, but it is unique in that it has had a reel named after it.

It was written by James Moir, conductor of the Glasgow Caledonian Strathspey and Reel Society.

After he had written it he was searching for a name. Members of the Society frequented Kelly’s after they finish practising in the City Hall in Albion Street. As he was sitting in the bar sipping a drink he got the inspiration. Why not “Kelly’s Bar.”

He had a word with the owner John Kelly. Had he any objections to the name”?

Said John, “Naturally I was delighted and a little flattered. I hope everyone who hears it will come in and have a drink,” he added hastily- “Not on the house of course.”

“Kelly’s Bar” is included in the Society’s newest long-playing record. The thought occurs to me that “Kelly’s Reel” might have been a more appropriate title.

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

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