Paisley Road West

Argosy Bar

July 12, 2017 by John Gorevan Leave a Comment

2200-02 Paisley Road West, Glasgow.

This drawing was sketched by Laird-Neon a neon sign makers, 117 Bath Street, Glasgow.

The Argosy was built on the grounds of the old Universal Garage in 1957. The Argosy was advertised as being a modern Roadhouse. Richard Brash was licensee, he formerly owned a pub at 78 Nelson Street in the southside of the city, when the pub was demolished he moved to the new Argosy. He also owned pubs at 245 Hospital Street and 233 Cowcaddens.

Many will still remember these pubs in the 1960s as The Cathcart Bar, 245 Hospital Street at the corner of 53 Cathcart Road and the Subway Bar at 233 Cowcaddens at the corner of 1 Cambridge Lane.

Argyll Arms.

July 7, 2017 by John Gorevan 1 Comment

122 Glebe Street corner of 109 Kennedy Street, Townhead, Glasgow.

This old Glasgow pub was established in the 1860s owned by wine and Spirit Merchant John Hutcheson. the pub sat at the corner of Glebe Street and Kennedy Street. Members of the same family took over the business, in the 1890s William Hutcheson owned the premises, William lived in the poss Charing Cross Mansions. He also owned premises in nearby 100 Glebe Street.

Mr Hutcheson died in 1900, his son David then took over the business but only kept it until 1903. He sold the pub to manager Archibald McNiven. The McNiven family kept the pub until it was demolished in the 1960s. Donald McNiven was the last publican to own the pub. Another pubs that the family owned was “The Argyll Arms” 168 Kelvinhaugh Street, “The Argyll Arms” Paisley Road West.

Mr Archibald McNiven. 1936.

To read more on Archibald McNiven and his other pubs see Argyll Arms Paisley Road West.

END.

Thomas Vallance, The Club.

May 27, 2017 by John Gorevan 3 Comments

The Club Restaurant, 22 Paisley Road West, Glasgow. G51 1LB. Tel: 0141429 0665.

Image of Mr Thomas Vallance 1906 — Mr Thomas Vallance. 1906.

Thomas Vallance was born 27 May 1856 on Succoth Farm, Renton. He won six international caps between 1877 and 1881, representing Scotland against England and Wales. In 1882 Vallance retired from football and travelled to Assam in India to work as an engineer on a tea estate. Due to ill health he returned to Glasgow and straight back to Rangers Football Club.

In 1883 he was elected President of the club and continued in the post for six years. After his return from Assam, Vallance turned his back on engineering. He worked for a few years as a travelling salesman for a wine and spirit merchant and then for a brewer. During the early 1890s he opened a licensed restaurant, The Club, at Paisley Road Toll. Its success encouraged him to acquire other licensed premises in Glasgow’s city centre, and he became a leading figure in the trade, serving as President of the Restaurateurs and Hotel-keepers association in 1906.

Advert for the Club 22 Paisley Road West — The Club advert.

He was a fine athlete, and a Scottish record holder in the long jump. He was also an artist of note, and the Royal Scottish Academy accepted two of his paintings.

In the News…1906

In 1906 Thomas Vallance presided over the Restaurateurs and Hotel-Keepers’ Ball held in the Windsor Hotel. Young Thomas came to Glasgow in the early 1870s and at once plunged into the vortex of athletics in which he was so many years a household name wherever at least football was played. During the whole of his career he captained the famous Rangers Football Club, and was one of the representatives of Scotland against England in the Internationals of 1877. 78, 79 and 1881.

Civil engineering and architecture first claimed Mr Vallance’s attention as a profession when he came to Glasgow. Then for eight years he found instruction in mechanical engineering in the best yards of the Clyde, going out to India in 1882 to construct machinery on an Assam tea estate. The Malarious climate proved too much even for his robust construction, and on his return to Scotland he threw in his lot with the spirit trade, starting as a representative with Captain James Menzies. A couple of years afterwards he joined the staff of James Aitken & Co., Falkirk Brewers, where he travelled the south of Scotland for five years.

Giving up travelling Mr Vallance and acquired a licence for premises at 22 Paisley Road West, where he renovated and enlarged the premises, improving the business and named it “The Club.”

Acquiring premises at 40 Hutcheson Street, he also added to his small empire another place at 183 Hope Street, which he altered and in his own words “It is a special creation entirely my own.” The walls were adorned with Glasgow artists in various rooms. Mr Vallance himself was a great artist and his works were also used in his premises. For many years his work was regularly exhibited in the Royal Scottish Academy. He named his new premises in Hope Street the “Landsdowne.”

The Club. 1891.Interior view of the Club restaurant. 1891.

From the Club Restaurant, Paisley Road Toll, Menu; the occasion was that of the Amalgamated Carpenters of Govan.

Mr Thomas Vallance sold up in 1899 and concentrated on his other establishment “The Met” at 40 Hutcheson Street, and “The Landsdowne” at 183 Hope Street.

Image of an older Thomas Vallance — Mr Thomas Vallance.

Menu:

Cod and Oyster Sauce

Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding

Roast Mutton and Red Currant Jelly

Beef Steak Pie

Vegetables (assorted)

Cabinet Pudding

Gooseberry Fool

Apple Tart.

Do you remember any of the old Pubs on Paisley Road West? If so please leave a comment.

END.

Wallace Bar

March 27, 2017 by John Gorevan Leave a Comment

31 Paisley Road West, Kinning Park, Glasgow. G51. Closed Down.

The Wallace Bar, 1991.

In 1873 George McLachlan was landlord here he also owned pubs in Gardner Street, Paisley Road, South Street and Elder Street.

In 1887 George Christie Walker took over the pub. George was born in Keith where he spent most of his younger days, he had a good education in commercial and business training. He left for London where he spent a few years and other parts of England before returning to Scotland. He came to Glasgow and worked for Thomas Young & Co, south side publican’s.

Thomas Young & Co had premises on Paisley Road, Crookston Street and the Gallowgate, young George Walker managed the pub on Paisley Road and succeeded in becoming a partner in the firm. Maybe this was a business arrangement between Mr Young and Walker as George married his bosses illegitimate daughter who died in childbirth, leaving a baby daughter Winifred.When Thomas Young died George Christie Walker and a son Thomas Pringle Young were to inherit the business.

George then went on to take over George McLachlan’s pub on Paisley Road West. The pub was renamed from McLachlan’s to The Alhambra Bar, George sold mostly whisky and wine in the pub. In 1892 he reduced the price of his beer and stout to try and encourage more ale drinkers into his establishment, a gamble that paid off. George now had ale and whisky drinker in his premises. In his spare time he would ride horses, he was also in the Queen’s own Yeoman’s.

In 1893 extensive alterations were made, including a horse shoe bar of seventy three feet in length.

George later opened another pub in the south side, this time in the Gorbals at 117-19 Oxford Street, this pub sat at the corner of North Coburg Street.

In 1910 Wallace B Todd took over the pub, Wallace ran the pub until the outbreak of the First World War, his wife Janet then took over as licensee until the end of this horrific war.

Another well known face in the pub was Thomas McAuley, the McAuley family ran this pub for over thirty years.

The Wallace Bar has been close now for some time. It is now a Deli shop.

George Christie Walker, 1887.

Do you know anything about this old pub? if so Please get in touch.

Facts…

Licence Holders.

1990 Margaret McAuley.

1960 Thomas McAuley.

1947 John Connor.

1937 Patrick Gallen.

1919-1914 Janet Todd.

1903-1910 Wallace B Todd.

1887-1902 George C Walker.

1887-1873 George McLachlan.

END.

The Viceroy & Club.

March 26, 2017 by John Gorevan 2 Comments

22 Paisley Road West, Glasgow. G51 1LB. Tel: 0141 429 0665.

The Viceroy. 1991.

This ancient public house has some interesting stained glass door panels by the Knox brother’s. In the 1870s the Knox brothers painted glass for many of our public houses. These works of art are probably the only glass panels left by the Knox brother’s. In all the years I’ve been in and out of pubs I have never seen anything like them. They are a work of art and must be seem before someone snatches them up or even worse get smashed by a drunk.

The Glass Doors at Viceroy Bar.

There has been a public house on this spot since 1856, the first to hold a licence was spirit merchant David Stobo. David continued to serve the locals until 1866. Dugald Paterson was the next publican to run the pub. Mr Paterson also had a public house at 64 East Howard Street, he was living at Clifford Street, Paisley Road. Dugald Paterson continued as licensee until 1885.

Robert Gall was next on the list of wine and spirit merchants to run this old pub. Robert was also a licensed grocer (Off Sales) having premises at 117 Lambhill Street. Robert didn’t last long in the Paisley Road West pub and sold up to Thomas Vallance in 1890.

Mr Thomas Vallance was a famous Glasgow Rangers Footballer and manager. To read more on Vallance click here.

The Viceroy Interior. 2007.

After Thomas Vallance the pub was sold to Mr Edmund McDonald. Edmund also had premises at Rue End Street, Greenock. Mr McDonald was a soldier and served his country and his Queen faithfully. Mr Edmund McDonald was born in Aberdeen and went to school in the Granite City, where he did well. He entered the army as a boy, joining the 93rd Sutherland Highlanders, with which he remained for eleven years. On duty in Gibraltar and most of the garrison towns in England, Ireland and Scotland. He was also a drill instructor to the 1st Battalion Renfrew Volunteers. The first army man who had ever taken the regiment in hand, he soon showed the metal he was made of, and by his ability and tact transformed the Battalion into one of the best sense of the term, he won the confidence and respect of all he came in contact with.

Edmund took a great interest in drill and gymnastics, and acted as instructor in many private colleges and public schools. He was appointed an instructor under the School Board of Glasgow, where he taught in some of their best schools, principally of the higher grade. He trained in St Andrew’s and City Hall’s in every instance most successfully.

Retiring from military life in 1894, Mr McDonald entered the Trade and acquired the Eagle Tavern, Rue End Street, Greenock. Making a success of this public house he obtained the transfer of the license at “The Club” 22 Paisley Road West. He was an old member of the Greenock Burns Club, in his spare time he played bowls with the Ardgowan and golfs with the Golf Club of the same town. He was an amateur photographer, fond of music and played the piano and violin and many more musical instruments. He also sung for the choir of the Old West Parish Church, in the graveyard of which, Burns’ Highland Mary is buried.

Mr McDonald was a director of the Greenock Branch of the Wine, Beer and Spirit Trade Defence Association, in the interests of which he spared neither time nor trouble. In 1881 he married Miss Burns, daughter of Mr James Burns, M.R.V.C.S., of Dublin. His was an expert cyclist too. Edmund McDonald sold up in 1905.

In 1905 the premises was taken over by wine & spirit merchant James Kerr and changed the name to “The Clarence.” Mr Kerr thoroughly remodelled and fitted all new appliances. There was a large room suitable for holding functions and smaller rooms for smaller parties. James got his training in the famous Horse Shoe Bar, Drury Street. The Clarence celebrated Welsh Rarebit which was becoming very popular with his patrons.

James Kerr was very successful in the Clarence and sold up to James Watt in 1907. Wine and spirit merchant James Watt served the locals until 1924.

John Kennedy then took over. John continued until 1937 and sold to well-known southside wine and spirit merchant James Clelland. Mr Clelland will still be remembered by some as the owner of the Cleland Bar, Hospital Street, Gorbals.

Over the years many publicans have come and gone including: John McKinlay 1940s – 1963, Denis Gerald McKinlay 1963 – 1970s, and present licensee Mr Peter Derrick.

Do you have any memories of this old Pub? If so please leave a comment.

END.

The Doctors

January 8, 2017 by John Gorevan 1 Comment

4-6 Cornwall Street, Glasgow. G41 1AQ. Closed July 2019.

Image of The Duke Bar Cornwall Street 1991 — The Duke. 1990.

The address of this pub is actually Cornwall Street, many people search for this pub on Paisley Road West. Names this public house has been known as “The Doctors Arms,” “The Doctors,” “The Bellrock.”

This was originally the Doctors. The pub’s name was changed to the Duke in the early 1990s but was changed back to the Doctors a few years later as every one in the area still called the pub by it’s original name.

Image of The Doctors Cornwall Street 1980s — The Doctors. 1980s.

The Doctors also known as the Doctors Arms was actually situated at 4-6 Cornwall Street and never had an entrance to Paisley Road West.

In 1896 Andrew Paterson Drysdale was the owner, he paid and annul rent of £90.00. There were three other public houses on Cornwall Street and a licensed grocers.

Image of The Doctors Cornwall Street — The Doctors. 1997..

Image of the Bellrock Bar Cornwall Street 2008 — The Bellrock. 2008.

Image of the Bellrock Bar Cornwall Street 2017 — The Bellrock. 2017.

Image of the Bellrock Bar Cornwall Street 2018 — The Bellrock. 2018.

Do you have any memories of this old pub? If so please leave a comment.

END.