13-15 Eglinton Street, Glasgow.
The Moffat Arms started life as a licensed grocers owned by wine & spirit merchant David Speirs Fraser.
Mr Fraser was born in 1858 in Millerhill, Midlothian, he came to Glasgow as a child and was educated at Glasgow Academy at Elmbank Street and later on to Glasgow University to study as a Physician, but entered into the licensed trade in his early 20s.
David lived with his mother Christina sister’s Agnes and Christina, brother’s William, Thomas and James at Laureston Place, Govan Road, his grandfather James Speirs a retired farmer also lived in the house with brother-in-law Edwin Cameron, he was born in Brazil. The family were well off to have a domestic servant called Annie Bell.
David had retail premises at 129 Govan Road at the corner of Plantation Street facing the River Clyde, the locals used to watch the Allan and State Liner’s dropping off emigrant’s as they first stepped on Scottish soil, the pub was a meeting place for Pole’s, German’s, Scandinavian’s and French, from here they found work in various parts of the city.
Mr Fraser’s other retail establishment was at 156 Crookston Street, he soon opened pubs at 64 Paisley Road West, 93 Govan Road, 333 Paisley Road, 307 Eglinton Street, 278 Cumberland Street and a wholesale business, the Southern Wine & Spirit Store at 13-15 Eglinton Street, the site of the Moffat Bar.
Business was booming and when he left his mother’s house, he moved to better accommodation at Sherbrooke Ave, Pollokshields. He had his own blend of whisky called The Canteen which proved popular with the locals in all his pubs.
David died in 1909 at which time trustee George Brownhill took over the running of the business which included 13 Eglinton Street and 93 Govan Road the other premises were sold on. The premises at 13-15 Eglinton Street obtained a full licence around the same time.
David Moffat changed the name of the pub in the 1930s. Lawrence Smith Blanche was licensee after WW2 and continued until the 1960s.
David Speirs Fraser. 1888.
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