157 Queen Street, Glasgow. G1 3BJ. Tel: 0141 243 2964.
The Crammond Bar.
This was originally the Crammond Bar. There’s been a pub on this site since 1848 run by Mr D McIntyre.
James Lighbody was running this public house from 1850, he also occupied licensed premises in Abercromby Street in the east end of the city. When James died his wife Margaret took over the pub, the family ran this successful pub until the end of the 1880s.
In 1890 Archibald Carruth was the new landlord, he served the public here but found it increasingly difficult with so many pub in the area. His barman John Howieson went into partnership with him trading under the title of Carruth & Howieson. Mr Carruth sold the business to partner Mr Howieson in 1900.
John Thomson Howieson was born in 1869, on leaving school he was sent to learn the trade as a plumber. On his first day he was requested to clean out the toilets, he decided this was not for him and never returned, instead he entered into the services of the licensed trade as barman in Queen Street with Mr Carruth.
John marry a Rutherglen lass on 25th February 1890, he married 19 year old Agnes Killin, a power loom weaver who was then, like John, living in Rutherglen. John took over the Queen Street business in 1900 and renamed the premises The Crammond Bar after his favourite place near Edinburgh – the village of Crammond. Mr Howieson was not simply a publican he was a spirit merchant which meant he blended his own whisky, John Howieson’s special blend of old Scotch whisky was a favourite in the Crammond Bar for years.
Mr Howieson took over the private bar in the Trades House, Glassford Street. He kept his accounts as meticulously as he blended his whisky. Many years after his death, his granddaughter, Effie, began work in the Clydesdale Bank in Glasgow. There she was told about “this publican who kept the most perfect books”. It was her grandfather they were talking about. John, with his waxed moustache, was said to be “crabbit” (bad-tempered) – due perhaps to stress. He had a breakdown with the worry of paying back the loan on the Trades house bar.
One of his sons James Howieson followed in his footsteps and became a publican in the Railway Tavern, 520 Rutherglen Road. He was also an International footballer.
He started drinking, and died of gastric neoplasm at the age of 57, on 8th June, 1926, at 15 Dunard Road, Rutherglen. He left £6000, a considerable sum at that time, enough to buy 12 houses. His wife Agnes took over the pubs for a year, but she made no money, due perhaps to the dishonesty of employees.
Another well known spirit merchant to occupy the premises was Alexander Cameron, he run the Crammond Bar during the 1930s till 1960. Many will still remember Stewart Shaw licensee who took over in 1961 and ran the pub successfully for many years.
The name of the pub changed to the Sundowners, the photograph below was taken 1991.
Sundowners 1991.
Update…2007.
This pub is now called O’Neill’s Irish Bar. 2007.
O’Neill’s. 2008.
Update…2010.
The pub has had a refurbishment inside and out and a new name “Naill’s”.
Naill’s. 2010.
Update…2015.
Yet another refit and a new name, this time it is called “Drouthy’s.”
Facts…
In 1897 Mr Robert Shields was licensee he also owned a public house in 31 South Portland Street.
In 1899 licensee Archibald Carruth paid an annual rent of £195.
There has been licensed premises here since 1848.
Do you remember this old Pub? If so please leave a comment.
END.