60 Eglinton Street, corner of 2 Wallace Street, Glasgow. G5 9DE. Demolished.
The Southern Bar was situated at the corner of Eglinton Street and Wallace Street.
When a new tenement building was erected in 1873 at the corner of 60-62 Eglinton Street and 4 Wallace Street, William Craig was granted a licence to sell wine and spirits.
Mr Craig was already an established liquor merchant in Glasgow having premises at 52-54 West Street, Tradeston at the corner of Nelson Street; he also operated a licensed grocer’s (off sales) shop at 36 Pollok Street formerly owned by Thomas Bennett.
In 1889 he took over the pub at 15-17 Norfolk Street (Garry Owen) near to Gorbals Cross, at that time there were twelve pubs trading on Norfolk Street. William Craig came to Glasgow from Inchinan, Renfrew where he was born.
In 1881 he was living at Craigmiller, Nithsdale Road with his wife Janet and had a large family of three sons and three daughters. Also living with them was his father-in-law Robert Miller a retired Mercantile Clerk, along with his wife’s aunt Susan.
Mr Craig was making enough money in the licensed trade and could afford two domestic servants. When the Mr and Mrs Craig took over a beautiful villa in Nithsdale Road they named it Craigmiller after their surnames.
When the family moved to St John’s Road, Pollokshields they renamed this villa “Craigmiller”.
William was born in Inchinan in 1842. He came to Glasgow in 1862 and identified himself with the retail Trade, entering the service of Mr John Aitken, of Dalmoak, Dumbartonshire, in his public house in High Street. Mr Aitken was at that time one of the best known and highly esteemed members of the Trade in the city. He was one of the founders of the Benevolent Institution and was its second president, filling the chair in 1870 until his death.
After a time Mr Craig left Aitken’s employment and joined the staff of George Robin, remaining with that gentleman until January 1868, when he started business on his own account in West Street, Tradeston. In 1873 William took over new premises at 60-62 Eglinton Street “The Station Bar” formerly owned by Mr Robin since 1842. Mr Craig then acquired the Pollok Street establishment which he made his head-quarters. He then took over premises at Norfolk Street in 1889.
William Craig was heavily involved in all trade matters including the Benevolent Institution in 1876 and a member of the Board of Directors since 1892. He then carried out important work in the Institution’s Committees. He was also involved in the Pension’s Committee and was appointed vice-president in 1896. He was fortunate in having the unique experience of being president during the year of Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee, and of seeing the pensioners of the Institution suitably looked after.
Mr Craig was a member of the Incorporation of Coopers and of the Incorporation of Wrights. Of the former Incorporation he had the honour of being elected Deacon in 1889, and one year he was also Trades’ House representative on the Board of Governors of the Victoria Infirmary. He was a member of the Grocer Company. He was an enthusiastic bowler and was a representative of the Queen’s Park club which carried off the Eglinton cup in 1895. In later years Mr Craig had deserted bowling for Golf and enjoyed playing at Troon or Pollok course. He was a great swimmer and won the life-saving certificate of the Humane Society for plunging into the Clyde and saving a drowning child.
William Craig’s public houses and the grocers business was demolished many years age, West Street was demolished in the 1960s, Norfolk Street followed in the 70s, then owned by Michael Joseph Heraghty the well-known Garry Owen Bar, the Southern Bar was the last to survive and was demolished shortly afterwards.
The Cottage at the corner of Eglinton Street and Wallace Street. 1970s.
The Cottage. Thanks to Norrie McNamee for the images.
Facts…
Other licensees …
M Reuben 1977.
Donald J Grant 1973-1966.
Frederick W Miller 1960.
J N Murdock 1945.
James W Smith 1937.
A Smith 1934.
J W Whittot 1933.
T Quin 1923.
Do you remember this old Pub? If so please leave a comment.
END.
