866 New City Road, corner of Garscube Road.
Queens’ Cross Vaults. 1960s.
This old Pub dates back to 1888, the first licensee was a spirit merchant Archibald McLeish, he was also a house factor and had property in the area, he also let the houses above the premises. The following year William Frederick Russell a wine and spirit merchant took over the pub.
Mr Russell also had premises at 251-53 Saracen Street at the corner of Balmore Road now the Balmore Bar. William Frederick Russell was born in Gonerbyhill, Grantham, Linconshire, he came to Glasgow for a holiday and fell in love with the city and made it his home. He was employed by John MacLachlan of G & J MacLachlan Ltd as a barman, he soon made it to general manager of the firm. He left to start business on his own at the Balmore Bar in 1880 and took over the Gushet House in New City Road in 1889, this pub became well known as the Queens Cross, situated at the gushet of Maryhill road and Garscube Road. During his stay he only had 2 managers George Barnet and after his death John Grant took his position. William Russell died in 1911 leaving an estate valued at £12,839, 10 shillings and 1 pence.
W F Russell, also known as the Gushet and the Queens’ Cross Vaults, then the Double J.
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In the NEWS 1977…
Revenge youth went wild in City Bar…
A teenager wrecked a pub and seriously assaulted a barman the night he went seeking revenge for a pal’s mother who had been banned by the publican.
Joseph Reilly (19) leaned over the bar and tried to pull barman James Hosey over the counter of the Queen’s Cross Vaults in Maryhill Road, Glasgow.
Then he vaulted the bar, scattered glasses and knocked Mr Hosey to the ground. “He proceeded to punch and kick him and then deliberately kicked pieces of broken glass into his body and arms,” said Barry Heywood, prosecuting at Glasgow Sheriff Court today.
BOTTLES
“At hospital 13 stitches were put in cuts in Mr Hosey’s arm, and another four in wounds in his back, all caused by the glass being kicked into him,” the fiscal added. The Reilly started throwing bottles at the gantry, smashing bottles of spirits and wine, causing damage of over £80.
Reilly, of 543 Maryhill Road, Glasgow, admitted threatening to kill Mr Hosey, of 26 Hayburn Street, Partick, Glasgow, in the pub on August 21 last year. He also admitted punching and kicking him on the body, arms and legs, and kicking pieces of glass into his arms and body to his severe injury, and a third charge of maliciously damaging the gantry.
Sheriff John Peterson fined him a total of £300. Mr Heywood said Reilly was drinking in the pub with a friend who told him his mother had been barred the week before.
Without any provocation he grabbed Mr Hosey, the son of the owner, who was serving, proceeded to punch and kicked him and deliberately kicked broken glass into him.
“All the time this was going on in the crowed pub, Reilly was shouting and threatening to kill everybody in the bar and Mr Hosey in particular,” Mr Heywood said.
The fiscal added that Reilly ran out and then returned moments late, and began flinging bottles and glasses at the gantry.
George Kavanagh, defending, said Reilly claimed that Mr Hosey had called his mother a cow and he went to the bar to remonstrate with him.