Snuffmill Road, Cathcart.
Granny Robertson’s Inn. C 1890s.
Granny Robertson’s Inn was a landmark in old Cathcart for three hundred years. The old inn was positioned near to the old paper and snuff mill and close to the river Cart. It was a favourite haunt with ramblers, old tales have it that Rabbie Burns wrote a poem on one of the doors of the old inn which was preserved for years, Mary Queen of Scot’s visited the inn and Hugh MacDonald the Rambler spent many happy hours under the roof of this quant inn.
For many years the licence was held by Blacksmith Mr Warnock, when he died the licence was transferred to former worker Mr Robertson. Mr Robertson saw many Glasgow folk travelling on a Sunday to Cathcart, where they would stop at the old inn for refreshments, when he died his wife Jane took over the licence. For over one hundred years the locals and travellers called this old inn Ye Olde Hoose, but was celebrated as the Wee Thatched Hoose in the Glen. It was a two storey whitewashed house at the end a row of small cottages.
The Auld hoose, the auld hoose, Close to the auld brig end, O mony a happy nicht’s been spent, At the auld hoose in the glen.
Mrs Robertson held the licence for over fifty years and the place became known as Granny Robertson’s. A number of years before Mrs Robertson’s death her daughter Mrs Hunter conducted the business, she had all the good qualities of her mother, politeness but firm when it came to refusing a drunk liquor, courtesy and kindness.
Jane Robertson ran the inn which was also known as “The Wee Thatched Hoose in the Glen.” The two-storied white-washed house stood at the end of a row of cottages in Snuffmill Road. There was a horse-drawn omnibus service between the city and the inn from the 1870s until 1894.
The old inn was demolished in 1892, but Mrs Hunter was granted a transfer licence to new premises at Rosebank Terrace, now Old Castle Road and Crompton Avenue. While the old inn was being demolished two swords were found in the thatch, antiquarians who inspected them declared that they belonged to the Queen Mary period, and the probability was that they were used at the battle of Langside. Mrs Hunter did not get possession of the swords.
The old traditions of the old inn were carried on to the new premises, the old Cathcart Burns Club met there along with other social clubs. The owner of the new building was a Mr Robert Peddie, who charged Mrs Hunter £60 rent per year for the property. The pub had two large rooms, the front room had tables and chairs were parties could sit. Mrs Hunter named this public house the Auld Hoose. Top quality ales and whiskies were only sold in the new pub.
The address of the new pub was 123 Castle Road. and was taken over by John T Adams in 1900. Mr Adams had another pub the Shawfield Bar at 291-93 Main Street, Bridgeton, situated at the north end of the Rutherglen Bridge. The two pubs had telephones connected Corporation no. y355 and National 2716, all the latest football results were received at a moments notice. Mr Adams was treasurer of the Clyde Football Club, he was also a member of the Lodge Union and Crown of Free Masons, also the Brave Old Oak, Free Gardeners, Bridgeton Burns Club and the Cathcart Curling Club. He was a breeder of Collie Dogs and in 1901 he had one of his dogs stolen which cost him a massive £20.00, a lot a money in those days.
The Shawfield Bar had six large plate glass windows beautifully engraved. The bar counter, bar fittings, cornices and frescoes were a work of art. The counter panels were of walnut and oak picked out with gold, the doors and screens were of maple and mahogany wood and was lit by five massive oxydised silver pendant lights.
John gave up the licence in Main Street, Bridgeton in 1906 and concentrated on the Auld Hoose, Cathcart. However Cathcart went dry in 1921 and the Auld Hoose was closed down, locals then had to travel to the Queens Park Cafe, Victoria Road for a drink. The pub was converted to a bakery shop called Kirkwood’s.
Mr John T Adams. 1901.
Facts…
Licence Holders.
Granny Robertson’s Inn.
1840s Mr Robertson.
1850s-1880s Jane Robertson.
1889 Mrs Hunter.
The Auld Hoose.
1897 Mrs Hunter.
1900-1921 John Thomson Adams.
Shawfield Bar.
1898-1906 John T Adams.
1906-1919 James Kemp.
1938 Alexander Hardie.
1960 Mary M Hardie.
1973 Andrew Marshall Casey.
1976 Mr D McNiven.
END.