675-679 Gallowgate, Glasgow.
The Victory Bar. 1970’s.
The old Victory Bar on the right hand side of the photograph was founded in 1861 by William McNicol. In 1873 John McNicol took over the running of the business, he had another pub on the Gallowgate at number 539, many will still remember this old pub as the Crest Bar also known as the Grant Arms.
John McNicol sold the Victory Bar in 1921 as he was now retiring at the age of 70 years, the pub was taken over by Peter McGonigle, he also ran the Regal Bar, Gallowgate now the Hielan Jessie, Peter died a few months after taking over the Victory Bar. As a result of his death his wife Mary had to run the two pubs and look after her young family of five children, the eldest was 14 and the youngest was only 1 year old.
Mary found it to very hard to run the two pubs, probably as a result of dishonest staff and trying to look after her young family, she sold the business in 1923 to John Mohan for a massive £950.00. John ran a successful business for the next 20 years.
After the Second World War the pub was run by Alexander M Fleck until the 1960’s, the last publican to run the Victory before it was finally demolished due to the redevelopment in the Gallowgate in 197’0 was Mr M Allan.
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