26 Abercorn Street, Glasgow.
Interior view of the Abercorn Bar.
The Abercorn Bar sat at the corner of Abercorn Street and 48 Burnside Street. There has been a public house on this site since 1868. The first licensee was a gentleman called James McPhee, he was no stranger to the licensed trade as he acquired his first licence in 1850 at 6 Brunswick Place. Three years later he was a wine & spirit merchant trading at 83 South Wellington Street, also living on the premises.
In 1863 James had another certificate to sell wines and spirits at 3 Florence Street, Gorbals. James had family members in the licensed trade, Archibald had premises at 70 Abbotsford Place, Hugh was trading at 2 Rutherglen Road.
In 1868 James was trading at 26 Abercorn Street and 3 Florence Street, living at 158 Cumberland Street. A few years later Mr James McPhee was serving the locals at Abercorn Street, 3 Florence Street and 256 London Road in the east end of the city.
Business was booming by the 1870s as James moved house with his wife to 76 Buccleuch Street. Hugh McPhee was trading at 145 Bernard Street.
Mr James McPhee sadly passed away in 1875, his wife Isabella then took over the running of the business. Isabella was running the business successfully until 1886 when her son James McPhee took over the licence’s, by this time he was running Abercorn Street and London Road. James continued in this position till 1898.
His brother John then took over the same year, giving up the pub on London Road to concentrate fully on the Abercorn Street shop and 145 Bernard Street which he took over after Hugh McPhee in 1907. The London Road pub became known as the Tap Bar. John continued at Abercorn Street until 1923.
Other licensee were C J Durken, Angus McDonald, Donald Crerar, Michael McGonigle, Titus Neeson. In 1953 James Millan took over the pub. Mr James Millan was a well-known and respected member of the Scottish Licensed Trade also having the Arcade Bar at Wemyss Street.
James Millan, 1950s.
James Millan, 1960s.
James Millan, cartoon by Coia, 1950s.
After James Millan, William Walker then took over then his wife Margaret took over the licence. The Walker’s changed the name of the pub to the Royal Bar. Margaret was the last licensee before the pub was demolished in the 1960s.
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Facts…
Manager of the Abercorn Bar was a gentleman called John Donnelly from 1947 1954 on behalf of James Millan. John then left to manage Burtons at the corner of Union Street and Argyle Street.
END.