415 London Road. Calton, Glasgow G 40 1AG. Tel: 0141 554 1573.
Weavers Inn. 1991.
The Weavers Inn was situated at the corner of 415 London Road and 131 Green Street. Land-lady and well-known author, Actress, Comedian, Janey Godley renamed the pub “The Weavers Inn” as a reminder of the Calton Weavers. In 1787, a meeting of the weavers was held on Glasgow Green. Their wages had dropped because of the increased importing of cheaper textiles from abroad and most of the workers decided to strike, although some weavers accepted the lower wages and carried on working.
This was a desperate situation for many of the people. To be without employment and wages resulted in them being evicted from their homes and seeing their families go hungry. Yet the striking weavers stood strong and took on the might of the authorities.
The dispute eventually came to a head on 3 September, 1787: violence erupted after the strikers tried to seize materials from the weavers who had carried on working despite the low wages. The military were called in and a detachment of the 39th Regiment of Foot opened fire on the demonstrators.
The strike was broken.
Six of the men killed at the scene were considered martyrs and some of them were buried in the Calton Cemetery. The families of the men were so poor that they could not afford a headstone, although a century later a memorial was raised to commemorate their actions.
A group of local people are currently fighting to preserve the graveyard, to cherish the memory of the martyrs and also to educate the local youngsters in their historical roots.
The Calton Bar. 2005.
An old hostelry dating back to the year 1776 sat on this site, it was called the “Old Herb Beer House,” and was famous all over the city as the house where herb beer was first retailed along with alcoholic drinks.
In 1837 a licence was granted to a gentleman called Robert Marshall to sell porter & spirits. Mr Marshall was born and bred in the Calton and also stayed in the premises. In 1839 the licence was transferred to Mrs Marshall, the family ran this pub until 1847.
In 1893 a Mr Robert Cumming owned the premises and was a very successful businessman, he owned three other public houses in Glasgow one at 56 West Street, south side, 63 Stobcross Street and one at 15 Catherine Street, Anderston. Mr Cumming travelled daily from his home at 395 Eglinton Street by horse and cart and visited all four premises to make sure business was good, his daughter took over the licence in 1896.
In 1897 the licence was transferred to Mr Timothy Joseph Walls. These old premises were demolished around 1898 and a red sandstone building was erected on the same site with a tenement of flats above and a public house on the ground floor. Mr Walls continued business here in his new public house.
The Calton Bar. 2005.
In the early 1900s the licence holder was a Mr Patrick Cassidy who also owned the Weeman’s on the Gallowgate, he resided at 6 Montgomery Street, Bridgeton. In 1927 the address changed from 161 Great Hamilton Street to 415 London Road.
On 21/10/1969 Mrs Mary Birnie Storrie took over the licence, the Storrie’s continued in the pub for many years. Many will remember this old pub as the Nationalist Bar, in the 1950s it was known as the Crystal Bar owned by Thomas O’Kane. Mr O’Kane sold the pub in the early 50s and took over a pub on Westmuir Street and renamed it O’Kane’s Bar.The pub was then really small, he bought the adjacent shop to make a new lounge.
Calton Bar. 2012.
Calton Bar. 2013.
Facts…
In 1899 the rent for the premises was £120.00 per annum and a gill of 10 year old Scotch whisky was 10d, in 1920 a gill of whisky was 1/8 and rum 2/1, 1929 a pint of draught beer was 6d, 1976 a pint of lager was 30p, heavy 28p and a quarter gill of whisky was 33p.
Do you have any memories of this old Pub? If so please leave a comment.
END.