Springburn Archives - Old Glasgow Pubs

149 Springburn Road, Glasgow. G21 1YB.

Cawder Vaults. 1991.

This old established pub is now closed down. It was set on fire like many of our old Glasgow pub in recent years, there seems to be more than usual in the last couple of years. Follies, the Bay Horse in West Nile Street and the Clarendon on Maryhill Road, Granny Blacks, Candleriggs and Rigg’s Bar Candleriggs.

Established in 1876 this old pub was owned by Alexander Kay. Alexander died a very young man leaving his wife Christina and small daughters. Christina had to run the pub to keep her young family and her house above the pub, she employed a servant Jessie who looked after the kids while she ran a very busy public house, which faced the old Caley (Caledonian Railway Company.)

Mrs McKay sold the pub to well known brothers George and John MacLachlan in 1881, the brothers also owned another pub at 400 Springburn Road at the corner of Palermo Street. The MacLachlan brothers owned dozens of pubs in and around Glasgow including the Castle Brewery in Maryhill, Auchentoshan Distillery, Duntocher and the Castle Chambers in West Regent Street. All of MacLachlan’s pubs were called Castle Bar or Castle Vaults whoever when Tennent’s Caledonian Brewery took over MacLachlan’s business the pub had a name change The Cawder Vaults.

Cawder Vaults. 1984. Thanks to Robert Forsyth for this image in Twitter.

The Cawder Vaults went on fire and was demolished shortly afterwards.

Facts…

Licence Holders.

1970 D Johnstone.

1973-1971 George Alexander MacKay.

1960-1950 W Gibb.

1937 Thomas Dow.

1930 G MacLachlan.

Do you remember this old Pub? If so please leave a comment.

END.

149 Balgrayhill Road, Springburn, Glasgow. G21.

The Talisman. (Baron) 1991.

The Talisman was opened in 1966 by Scottish & Newcastle Breweries. This new venture consisted of a function room, a dining room, lounge bar, a public bar and an off sales.

In the lounge the Talisman theme was captured in a large mural by artist Charles Anderson. It showed knights in chain Armour, a horseback battle between a knight and a saracen, and an argosy under sail.

Facing Springburn Park this looked the part when it opened in 1966.

Interior view of the lounge bar with charge-hand Mary McGowan 1966.

The bar counter was an eye catching feature with its front of snow white bricks. On the same floor as the lounge was the function room and the dining room. It had a large dance floor made from Canadian maplewood, surrounding this was a blue patterned carpet.

Interior view of the Talisman. 1966.

Downstairs in the public bar was decorated in red and dark blue. The resident manager was Mr W McIntosh and assisted by his wife. Mr McIntosh was previously manager of the Provanmill Inn and formerly of the Central Bar, Tollcross and the Drum, Shettleston. Ruby Walsh was in charge of the lounge bar and Mary McGowan looked after the main bar, both ladies assisted Mr McIntosh in the Provanmill Inn.

Manager Mr McIntosh and his wife 1966.

Some of the Scottish Brewers executives at the opening… (from left) Mr J S Goulding, Glasgow and West of Scotland manager, Mr G Reed, director: Mr G W Younger, director, who opened the premises; and Mr J M Pratt, manager of managed houses department, Glasgow and West of Scotland. 1966.

The old Talisman in a poor state. If is ready for demolition, it has been set on fire and looks like a bomb has hit it. 2009.

Update 2019…

The Talisman is still not demolished and is just a shell left of its former self.

Facts…

Do you know anything about this pub or any other pub in the city?

If so please contact us and we will review your comments.

The Talisman was situated across the road from Springburn Park.

It was refurbished and given a new title The Baron. It went on fire and is currently in a poor state and about to be demolished.

Do you remember the Talisman? If so please get in touch.

END.