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The Inverness Vaults

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46 North Frederick Street, Glasgow.

The Inverness Vaults was a very old pub, dating back to the early part of the 18th century. An old man who had emigrated fifty years ago to Montreal, in Canada returned to the city in 1893. He pointed out to the proprietor Mr J Graham, the room in which he had been born, away back in 1820. The exterior of the building remains what it was originally, but the interior has undergone great alterations; yet traces of all old character of the tavern remain. This old Glasgow howff was popular for many old Glasgow cronies.

The liquor was good quality and Mr Graham who acquired the business in 1871, knows how to cater to his numerous patrons. His predecessor was Mr Charles Stewart, who had been licensee for many years. The Inverness Vaults not only from the historical interest that surrounds it, but also for the excellent blends of “Mountain Dew,” “Long John,” and “Dew of Ben Nevis.” The old tavern was very busy as it was in the neighbourhood of George Square.

This old tavern was a famous landmark of North Frederick Street, from the 1830s to 1864 the old tavern was run between James and Colin McDonald. In 1865 the first of the Graham family Charles acquired the business, generations of the same family ran this landmark until it came to a devastating end. When Charles Graham passed away in 1871 his wife took control of the business for a year, she in turn gave Jason Graham the heavy load of running a successful family business. Jason continued as licensee until 1885 when another member of the family took over James Graham, he paid the North British Railway Company, that owned the property £70 rent per year.

In 1895 James was now licensee of the Inverness Vaults and a pub at 112 Houston Street at the corner of 18 Cathcart Street, and was living with his family at 84 North Frederick Street, a short walk to the Inverness Vaults. When the First World War broke-out James’s wife Agnes Houston Graham took over the licence, this may have been due to, all the men in the family were away fighting for their country. Agnes continued to run both the Inverness Vaults and a pub at 21 Vermont Street at the corner of Marlow Street, Kinning Park, until the end of the war, when James Graham stepped back into the business. Things may have been devastating to the families of the Graham’s, some of them possibly died in their fight to save their country, as there licensed trade connections soon ended, after nearly one hundred years as successful wine and spirit merchants, this was a great loss to the Scottish Licensed Trade.

During the 1930s Alexander McCondach was now the proprietor of the Inverness Vaults, he was a successful wine and spirit merchant, having premises at 207 Thistle Street at the corner of Cumberland Intersects, which he took over in 1926. The spirits of the Graham family were to haunt the Inverness Vaults for years, strange events were happening on the premises over the next few years until yet another war broke-out, the strangest thing happened that night on September 1940, when the Inverness Vaults was destroyed by a bomb during an air-raid by enemy Germany. This was devastating news to Mr McCondach, however he was soon reunited with another pubs at 159 Bridgegate, the famous Victoria Bar or “Vicky’s,” on the Briggait.

In 1965 Alexander McCondach took over the Maderia Bar, Torrisdale Street.

Facts…

North Frederick Street had two other pubs, the George Bar , 41 North Frederick Street, and the Queen’s Bar, 27-29 North Frederick Street.

The Institution

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51 King Street, Glasgow.

Mr Campbell

Mr Campbell. 1893.

Mr Campbell was a native of Armagh and came to Scotland in 1863, finding work where ever he could. For eighteen years he was in the employment of Thomas Ellis, Coatbridge, of the British Iron Works, as a contractor. He had been twelve years associated with the spirit trade, but left the management of the business almost entirely to Mrs Campbell. The Institution was conducted by Mrs Campbell with an assistant barman.

The Institution was situated in King Street, city centre, it was a favourite haunt of the old societies in Glasgow. The building of which it forms the ground floor, was old and time-worn. The tavern had two entrances, one from Kind Street through a narrow close, the other from the lane which bounds the western side of the Britannia Music Hall. On both sides the locality was insalubrious and inhabited by the rougher element of Glasgow’s population and when a stranger visited, he was surprised by the appearance of the place and the persons who patronised it, so out of harmony were they with the external surroundings.

Inside the Institution was a model of neatness, everything suggestive of comfort, the sitting-rooms cosy with a fire blazing in the grates and it was nothing unusual to find even a Glasgow Bailie or a Glasgow Minister enjoying a pipe, sipping stout or ale out of silver tankards, or consuming a snack of scallops or brandered steak.

Mrs Anderson was a most genial host, full of lore about the place and a link that connects Glasgow with that of two hundred years. Her father Mr Fisken, was the proprietor of the White Hart Hotel and the carrier quarters, situated where the Bazzar was located. The White Hart and carriers quarters were historical places; here, too, the old Glasgow Radicals met, and on one occasion Thomas Muir, the brilliant Glasgow advocate and one of the pioneers and martyrs of Scottish democracy, addressed a meeting of sympathisers of the great French Revolution. Mr Fisken ran coaches from Glasgow to Balfron and had the cleansing of the city before Drummond was entrusted with that duty.

Mrs Anderson still had in 1891, nine silver tankards presented by the students of the Old College to Anderston, one of the proprietors of the place, in recognition of the generous hospitality extended to the boisterous graduates who frequented the tavern. At that time the professors and students met regularly here, and here nightly story followed story and the roof rang with merriment.

On of the most interesting things about the Institution was a ring in a hugh stone at the King Street entrance, to which Sir Walter Scott was in the habit of fixing his horse while refreshing himself in the tavern. Sir Walter Scott, as it was said, when he visited Glasgow on legal business patronised The Institution, where he usually met other congenial cronies connected with his profession. Another feature in the Institution is what is known as the “Wishing Stone,” near the bar. The story goes that persons sitting underneath this stone, which projects slightly from the wall, were usually awarded with what they desired. The custom has fallen into disuse, but sometimes it is still resorted to by the more youthful of patrons.

There has always been a dispute as to the oldest tavern in Glasgow, the Institution in King Street and the Waverley in the Old Wynd were just two of them.

Facts…

King Street had some interesting old taverns, in the 1840s there was the Boar’s Head and the Peacock at no47, the Glasgow Arms at no10, the Polka no20 and the Hatter’s Arms at no27.

License Holders.

1893 Mr Campbell.

The Imperial Cafe

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96 West Nile Street, Glasgow.

The building of which the Imperial Cafe started it’s life as James Baird & Company, City Auctioneers and Valuaters. In 1890 David Adams opened it as the Imperial Cafe, Mr Adams was very successful and operated other licensed premises at 151 Queen Street and 80 Stobcross Street. The dinning area was very spacious, a large buxom woman, splendidly proportioned, and a picture of health, stands behind the bar. Artistic ability is shown in every corner of the cafe bar, a large crystal display was a feature of the Imperial. The bar stretched from the entrance right along the full length of the room. From the bar the visitor moves easily into the dinning-hall. The bill of fare was carefully selected, a full dinner to a quick snack could be got here at any time of the day. Mr Adams continued as licensee until 1890.

Mr John Craig then took over from David Adams. Mr Craig was also very successful here, he conducted a pub at 614 Eglinton Street in the south side of the city for many years. One of the last proprietors was a gentleman called James Greenless, the place closed down in 1910.

The Islay Inn.

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1256-1260 Argyle Street, Glasgow. G3 8TJ. Tel: 0141 334 7774.

Image of the Islay Inn Argyle Street corner of Radnor Street 2007
The Islay Inn. 2007.

There’s been a pub on this site since 1871 occupied then by Roderick Morrison. It closed down around 1913, however in January 1967 there was a bar here called the Carousel owned by Thomas Blue. Over the years it has been known as the Outside Inn, The Carousel, Fat’s O’Mally’s , Monty’s, The Inn, and the Islay Inn. It has had an Irish, a Welsh and a Scottish theme. The pub is situated at the corner of Argyle Street and Radnor Street.

Image of Mr Roderick Morrison 350 Dumbarton Road 1894
Mr Roderick Morrison. 1894.

Mr Roderick Morrison was an old member of the Glasgow Trade Defence Association. He was one of the first members to join it and render its directors all the assistance within his power. He joined in 1863, and worked through stormy and peaceful times.

Mr Morrison was born in the Black Isle, Ross-shire. At an early stage in his life he came to Glasgow from the Highlands in mid 1800s to learn the trade. His first premises were situated in King Street at the corner of Princes Street. There he might have remained but for the Union Railway Company. To enable them to carry out their operations for the line running from Bellgrove, over the Gallowgate and Saltmarket Streets and across the Clyde, the new railway people required the property in King Street. He then bade goodbye to the centre of the city and removed westwards.

Matters prospered with him there, and in 1894  owned several places of business, with his headquarters at 350 Dumbarton Road. Roderick owned another public house at 130 Gloucester Street at the corner of Clarence Street which he rented out to Elizabeth Fraser. Mr Morrison was a member of the Glasgow Celtic Society, the Glasgow Northern Highland Society, which assisted natives of the northern counties who came to the city who were in need of a brotherly helping hand.

He was also a Mason and a member of Lodge Thistle (No. 87), Glasgow, while he had been arched by the Order in Partick. He was fond of all outdoor sports, he was good with a gun and a crack shot. He was also a member of the Partick Licensed Trade Association, in which he acted as Director and to the Glasgow Trade Benevolent Institution. Its a wonder he had time to run his businesses. Roderick Morrison gave up this public house in 1913.

Image of Monty's Bar Argyle Street corner of Radnor Street 1991
Monty’s. 1991.
Image of the Carousel Bar Argyle Street corner of Radnor Street
The Carousel Bar.

The Carousel on the left hand side with an old bus heading toward the Art Galleries.

IN THE NEWS 1969…

WITH A SONG IN HIS HEART…

A lifetime in the licensed trade, broken only by war service with the 8th Battalion on the Argylls, is behind mine host of the Carousel, Glasgow’s newest drinking rendezvous which opened in January 1969.

image of Mr Thomas Blue owner of the Carousel Argyle Street 1969
Mr Thomas Blue. 1969.

Situated on the corner of Argyle Street and Radnor Street, close to the Kelvin Hall, it’s a pleasant little place which has been transformed from an ice-cream factory. One of its many good points from the trade point of view, according to genial Tommy Blue, who bought the place in 1968, is the former ice-cream cellar, which is also ideal for storing his drinks.

There are five large flats above The Carousel and the proprietor’s son and his wife and a guard dog stay in the one immediately above the pub. “It’s very handy having him on the spot,” said Mr Blue. “I shall be around throughout the day but I like to have someone handy at night too.”

It has always been Mr Blue’s ambition to have his own place , and he’s always intended calling it The Carousel “That’s my favourite musical,” he explained. “And whenever we have a licensed trade “do” I usually get up and give them a party-piece always something from “Carousel”!

A perfectionist in every sense, Mr Blue endeavors to see that his staff reach his own extremely high standards. And that’s a tall order for he admits to being “One of the old school,” trained in the days when lads went into the trade at early age and worked their way up, learning every little detail about every aspect of the business.

In his first pub the staff had to be on the premises at 8am in order to get the place spotless and ready for the first customer at 11am. “Those days you have a job getting your staff in by 10.45,” he said. I get terribly critical when I go into other pubs and see bad service, but those days managers are put into places after about three months training, and that’s no substitute for experience gained over the years.

The Carousel will be the sort of pub, there’s a public bar and a lounge bar, where every single customer will get quick, cheerful attention, and where you can eat as well as drink.

“I intend providing soups and salads and so on to begin with, at least that’s what I shall do when I can find a chef or a cook,” At first I want to provide these snacks at lunch time, and between 5 and 7.30pm., but if there’s a demand I’ll extend the hours.”

A note for the decor, dominant colours in the lounge are red and black, while the public bar is resplendent in knotted pine panelling, red and black check paper on one wall and the remainder left white. Right now there’s a staff of four which is expected to increase to six very shortly.

Advert for the Outside Inn Argyle Street 1979
Advert for the Outside Inn. 1979.

This was the opening of the Outside Inn in May 1979. The pub was selling Real Ale, 60/-, 70/-, 80/- on hand pumps.

Belhaven, Old fashioned Strong Ale served from the Barrel.

Malt Whisky quarter gill, Over 180 Malt Whisky on their gantry.

Malt Whisky By the Bottle, We carry a huge range of Premier Malts in our cellar.

A “Traditional” Bar with comfortable surroundings. Traditionally served Beers and Quality Whiskies.

Image of the Islay Inn sign
The Islay Inn sign.

Do you have any memories of this popular West End pub? If so please leave a comment.