George Square, Glasgow.
This images shows the west side of George Square and St Vincent Place, with the Waverley, Crow and Clarence Hotels. The first tow hotels were demolished to make way for the Headquarters of the Bank Of Scotland in the late 1860s. All the buildings in the image were replaced between 1850 and 1906, for the best, the replacements were superior to the originals.
When the Bank of Scotland was being erected, part of the Crow was taken down, but the landlord, with a petty wit, put up a placard, “A wing of the Crow still open.” On either side of the entrance was a large zinc plate, with a crow with outspread wings.
Facts…
All the fashionable hotels were mainly centred in George Square. The Wellington, Star, Caledonia, Royal Horse, Franklin, James Watt, Sir John Moore, Old Royal Hotel and McDonalds’ Private Hotel , the Waverley, Crow, Clarence, Globe, Imperial (which became the L & N.E. Parcel Office), Queen’s, Royal and George, while at no. 16 there was a somewhat unpretentious hostel named “The Noddy Drivers’ Eating House.”
Do you remember any of the old pubs or hotels in George Square? If so please leave a comment.
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