Old Glasgow Pubs

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The Dukes Bar

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Dukes Bar: 41-43 Old Dumbarton Road, Glasgow. G3 8RD.

Dukes Bar

Dukes Bar. 1991.

Once known as Bar Booshka a specialist vodka bar, selling over 100 different brands. It didn’t last very long here during the 1990s, a big shame as it was a really good bar.

The history of this old pub can be traced back to 1877 when Sarah Dow was landlady, Sarah was born in the Isle of Bute, she was a widow at the ago of 50 and had to look after a family of two sons and two daughters, her eldest son John helped her run the family business of pubs in Argyle Street and Old Dumbarton Road. The Dow family continued to serve here until 1891 when the licence was transferred to William Algie.

Donald McNeish took over the pub in 1897 paying an annul rent of £80.00. The McNeish family continued in this popular howff until the 1960s.

The Pub is now called Bar Transit. Tel: 0141 357 5247.

Bar Transit

Bar Transit. 2007.

Facts…

Licence Holders.
1991 Robert Russell.
1978 J Johnstone.
1972 Malcolm Fraser.

The Barrowland Bar.

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6-8 Kent Street, Calton, Glasgow. Demolished.

Barrowland Bar. 1970s.

The Barrowland Bar was one of my early memories of a public house as my father frequented it, he was John Gorevan (Johnny Cash) who for many years was a trader at the famous Glasgow Barras. He worked for Dick Lee (Cockney Jock) selling dolls and toys at Christmas time, He also sold towels and bedding from Kent Street, many will still remember him as he gathered one of the largest crowds on Kent Street with his funny jokes and gags.

The Barrowland Bar.

My father was killed in Rhyl, North Wales while visiting the Unicorn Bar in the Main Street. Two brothers were charged with man slaughter and received a few months in prison, where is the justice in this ever growing violent country.

Back to the Barrowland Bar, there has been licensed premises on the site since 1845 when James Gilfillan traded as a spirit dealer at number 6 Kent Street. Two years later Gavin Wilson was trading from the same address then nothing until 1866. Before 1845 John Crawford was trading at no6 as a Rag and Paper Merchant.

In 1866 there was a new licensee, Daniel Mathieson who traded at no 8 Kent Street, Daniel lived nearby at 5 South Mungo Street. Still in the same family two years later was Mr & Mrs William Mathieson, both lived at no2 Kent Street.

The longest licensee’s were the Orr family, John Orr wine and spirit merchant traded at no8 from 1871 until the late 1890s. Mr Orr was living at 25 Bellgrove Street. When John passed away a family member,r probably his brother took over in 1899 paying an annul rent of £85.

In 1900 Miss Margaret King Orr took over the licence, she continued to hold the licence until the 1940s.

Other owners of the pub were Patrick McDaid 1960’s and when Tennent Caledonian Breweries took over the pub they put James H Ballantyne as licensee. The pub was taken over by well-known Glasgow Cash & Carry Carpet Millionaire Peter Ferguson in the 1970s, he let the Barrowland Bar out to another well-known Glasgow character Jan Douglas (Singer) who lasted a few years in the 80s before Peter Ferguson demolished the pub which was not taking much money. Turning the old historic Kent Street pub into stalls would be more feasible was Mr Ferguson’s words.

Customers of the Barrowland Bar enjoy a pint with a breakfast. 1979.

In the NEWS 1979…

Beer and a Bite at the breakfast bar…

Topper the morning : : : and the toast is, bacon, egg, and sausage. This happy picture was taken today in a Glasgow pub at 8 a.m.

It illustrates just how much Scotland’s drinking habits have changed in the 70s. Not only are our pubs open all day and open until 11 p.m., they’re available on Sundays, and that now includes carry-outs.

A chap can now have brekkers with his pint, although Birdie Gilmour, one of the lads at the Barrowland Bar, didn’t really have to wear evening headgear to dine out. But his verdict was: “It’s about time we got in line with the Continentals, especially if we’ve got to stay in the Common Market.”

Do you remember the Barrowland Bar? If so please leave a comment.

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Chimmy Chungas.

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499 Great Western Road, Glasgow. G12 8HN. Tel: 0141 334 0884.

Chimmy Chungas. 1991.

This was once a well known Victorian Grocery business located in the Cooper’s Building. It has changed it’s name since this photograph was taken and is now called Bar Oz.

Update…2008

This old building is now called Cooper’s.

Cooper’s. 2014.

Cooper’s. 2018.

The interior of Cooper & Co’s grocery shop in Great Western Road, c 1890s.

Cooper & Co was founded by Thomas Bishop in 1871 and became one of Scotland’s leading grocery shop chains. The building at 499 Great Western Road, famous for its French Renaissance facade and clock tower, was erected in 1886 and contained beautiful fixtures and fittings. The pillars are decorated with garlands of fruit and female faces at the bottom, with intricate plasterwork leaves and swirls at the ceiling. The floor has the typical multi-coloured tiling of the period. There are a wide variety of goods on display including fresh fruit and vegetables, tinned and bottled foodstuffs, mops and brushes.

The shop closed in the early 1980s and the premises were converted for use as a pub.

Thanks to Peoples Palace the Glasgow Story.

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

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The Barnsmore

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42 Cowcaddens, Glasgow.

Kiwi

The Kiwi Bar.

The Kiwi Bar was originally called The Barnsmore, to read more on the history of the Barnsmore and one of it’s famous proprietors check back soon for my second book.

There has been licensed premises here since 1852, as this was a very old established pub over the years many licence holders have taken over this notorious Glasgow howff. Including Peter McCrudden.

James Murrin or better known by his locals as Jimmy, took over the Barnsmore in 1960 with partner Willie McFadyen, they both were buddies and barmen in the merchant navy in the 50s. Jimmy joined the merchant navy as a pantry boy in 1929 and became barman,an in 1936. Jimmy was head barman on the Captain Cook, he was in charge of five bars and two shops, catering for 1100 passengers and 350 crew. The Captain Cook carted thousands of Scots emigrants to Australia and New Zealand after the war.

Kiwi Bar

Exterior view of the Kiwi Bar with Willie McFadyen and Jimmy Murrin.

When he came ashore he bought the pub on Cowcaddens in partnership with colleague Willie McFadyen and renamed the pub to The Kiwi because of their association with New Zealand. Jimmy Murrin was a teetotal and a none-smoker, he only tasted alcohol once, when he was in the merchant navy, his ship was wrecked off the Nova Scotia, he had to stand on deck for an hour and a half in freezing blizzards waiting to be picked up. On the relief ship he knocked back a tot of rum in one, then he drank his mates, it hit him after a few minutes and slept on deck for seven hours in a furious storm.

The Kiwi Bar was mainly a whisky shop and sold quarter gills, one gentleman a local businessman used to come into the bar three or four times a week, from 11 until 2pm, in that short space of time he would go through a bottle of whisky and walk out the door without a stagger. Another customer suffered from an ulcer, but still liked his hauf, he used to buy a whisky and half a pint of milk, this weird mixture caught on and for months a dozen regulars were drinking this Kiwi Special.

Kiwi interior3

Some of the locals in the Kiwi Bar.

Kiwi Bar Closes 1976

Kiwi Bar Closes Down 1976.

The Kiwi Bar was closed down by the City Council in 1976, it was another Cowcaddens Local to bit the dust as Cowcaddens saw the bulldozers clear away the old tenements and many old city landmarks, many of them public houses.

kiwi interior4

More locals posing for the camera.

kiwi interior7

The thirsty customers crowd the bar for last drink of the night.

Kiwi Interior

Four of the many barmen in the Kiwi Bar. Left to right Willie McFadyen, Jimmy Murrin, Andy Fulton and Willie Twigg.

Kiwi interior1

Seven barmen were needed to serve the locals of this popular Cowcaddens pub.

Kiwi interior2

Who are these people on the left of the picture?

Kiwi Interior6

Willie McFadyen and Jimmy Murrin posing behind the bar.

Kiwi interior5

A typical night in the Kiwi.

In the NEWS 1976…

Kiwi closes down 1976

Last toast to the Kiwi Bar from owners Jimmy Murrin and Willie McFadyen. 1976.

Good-bye to the Kiwi.

The year 1976 has seen the end of many things, but one of the most unfortunate was the closure of that popular quarter-gill pub the Kiwi Bar in Cowcaddens.

Owners Jimmy Murrin and Willie McFadyen shouted “time gentlemen” for the last time this week as the District Council nailed a demolition order to the Kiwi’s Coffin.

More than 125 faithful regulars, who came from all over Glasgow crowded into the tiny free house to pay their last respects to a pub that for 15 years provided lubrication for the nearby offices of STV, Sunday Post, British Rail, and Scottish and Newcastle.

The owners, who were barmen in the merchant navy together in the 50s were presented with pewter mugs and a few wet hankies to mark the Kiwi’s passing. So now yet another good pub with good service and atmosphere has gone to the wall.

I hear Tennent Caledonian are planning to build a brand spanking new restaurant and bar on the site of the Kiwi. It will have a hard job living up to the standards set by its predecessor.

Reversal

Heard at a city bus stop – “I never use that pub now. The barmaid kept telling me all her troubles.”

Antique

Heard in a staff restaurant – “I’d like to ask Arthur Negus the age of this rock cake.”

The Barn Club.

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903 Shettleston Road, Glasgow. G32 7NU.

The Barn Club. 2017.

In the NEWS 1972…

New Club in Shettleston.

A Cinema, Catholic Church, bingo hall, dancing school, these are just some of the purposes the building at 903 Shettleston Road has served in its 70 years long history. Last Thursday it opened its doors for yet another purpose, a special club.

Interior view. 1972.

The Premier Cinema was opened in August 1912 by George Urie Scott. The Premier Cinema closed it’s doors in 1948.

But few of the people who have visited the premises before could have recognised them. A big renovation scheme was carried out and the new decor is very modern and befitting the name of the club, The Barn Social Club. Club secretary Mr. John Foley told me that the club came about as an amalgamation of several other organisations and local clubs which have now closed.

The Barn offers something to please all its members from dancing to dominoes. The administration is carried out by a committee of 12 and the president is local man Mr. Frank Deeney. Memberships costs a modest £1.50 a year and couples are encouraged to join. “The Barn is a man and wife club, says Mr. Foley.

Although the members have been enjoying the facilities of their club for six days now, the official opening won’t be until after the New Year. But it promises to be a star spangled occasion with lots of celebrities being invited along. Already the committee have some star guests in mind, but their names are still top secret. As well as guest artists there is a resident band Second Sound, who are already great favourites.

Members have plenty of opportunities to visit The Barn. It’s opened Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings. Then there’s the Wednesday bingo session and a ladies only night on Tuesdays.

Advert from 1972.

Do you have any memories of the Cinema or the Barn Club? If so please leave a comment.

END.