The Oak Bar.

565-565a Gallowgate, Glasgow.

The Oak Bar was one of the Gallowgates old pubs dating back to 1854 when Archibald Shaw acquired it. The address of the pub was 531 Gallowgate, and Archie lived next door at 533 Gallowgate. In 1861 the address changes to 565 Gallowgate, and Archie lived next close at 567, the addresses were at the same site.

The name of the pub was then called Archibald Shaw family Wine & Spirit Merchant. His licensed premises were close to Sword Street.

Archibald served the locals until 1885, his wife took over the certificate the following year. She had a family to look after and needed the pub for income, she worked very hard to keep the pub running in good condition. Mrs Shaw continued to hold the licence for over a decade and sold up to Mr William McLennan in 1898.

Wine and Spirit merchant William McLennan was a well known publican in the eastend of the city, having premises at 78 Stevenson Street since 1892 and then acquiring another pub at 775 Gallowgate in 1895 from Samuel Payne. Business must have been very good for him to take over another pub the “Oak Bar” in 1898 which was further along the Gallowgate. However business was very good for Mr McLennan who served the locals until 1910.

In 1899 William McLennan was paying an annul rent of £60 for the “The Oak Bar” and lived with his family at 19 Mansionhouse Drive, Springboig, Shettleston before moving to Cluny Cottage, Early Braes, Shettleston before he passed away in 1910.

His wife Jeanie then took control of the business, one of her faithful employees was Alexander Bruce who became manager of the pub as she also had a family to look after. The Stevenson Street pubs were sold off leaving two thriving pubs to live off.

The pub stayed in the same family until 1922 then popular publican Patrick Bradley then took over who already acquired the other pub at 775 Gallowgate, which was called Bradley’s Bar before extensions to the pub was carried out, the pub was then renamed The Treble 7.

Patrick Bradley held the licence through the 1920s and 40s before it was again sold on to Kenneth McKinnon.

Mr Matthew E Taylor.

Matthew E Taylor then took over “The Oak Bar” in 1965 until the 1970s which saw the redevelopment of the Gallowgate that demolished most of the shops, businesses and pubs. Matthew E Taylor came from a long family history of wine and spirit merchants having licensed premises all over the city.

In 1970 Matthew E Taylor was in the news for collecting money for the Shot Police Fund.

Matthew E Taylor pushes over a pile of coins as Police convener Bailie James Anderson holds a sack for collecting the avalanche of pennies. 1970.

Shot Police: City Fund tops £50,000.

Glasgow people shocked by the shooting of two city police officers showed their feelings when their donations to the Police Departments Trust topped £50,000.

This was said by Glasgow Police Convener Bailie James Anderson after he had collected 4800 pennies a total of £20 from the Oak Bar, Gallowgate.

He said after the Govanhill shooting many police officers lost their faith in humanity. This faith has been amply restored because of the generosity of Glasgow people.

“This brings the P D T up to £50,000. This is a tremendous effort which I think, reflects the feeling of the Glasgow people for their police officers.”

Earlier Bailie Anderson collected a cheque for £10 on behalf of the P D T from the owner of the Oak Bar at 565 Gallowgate, Mr Matthew Taylor.

He also received a cheque for £9 from the bar manager Mr Ian McGinigle (32) who raised the money by selling lager glasses to his customers. Mr McGinigle started off the penny pile a year ago when he put a tray filled with pennies on to his bar. His customers took it from there and gradually a penny pile neatly a foot high accumulated. Mr McGinigle said, “We were trying to think of a worthy charity to present the pennies to and we could think of none better than the P D T.”

To read more on the pubs on the Gallowgate read up & Doon the Gallowgate by John Gorevan. A copy can be bought for a few pounds at the Hielan Jessie on the Gallowgate or contact me at [email protected]

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