The Bowlers Rest.
65 Tollcross Road, Glasgow. G31.Tel: 01415547585.
Bowlers Rest. 1991.
In the early 1800s a lane known as Montgomery's opening led to Parkhead Bowling Green and Montgomery's Tavern now the Bowlers Rest. In the middle of the 1800s a group of players left this club an formed the Belvidere Bowling Club in Elba Lane, part of Barr's Iron Bru now occupies the site.
Hugh Montgomery the landlord occupied the premises until his death in the 1850s, his wife then took control of the business which also had a grocers licence. In 1883 Mrs Margaret Glen was licensee, she sold the old tavern to Samuel Hay Gardiner in 1892. The magistrates ordered Mrs Glen to keep the back door closed, which led out the old bowling green. For years the punter's from the tavern could play bowls while they were drinking, the bowling green belonged to the tavern.
Mr Gardiner ran a small licensed grocers shop in Eglinton Street. When Samuel died in 1929 the licence was transferred to his wife Elizabeth. The pub stayed in the family right up until the 1950s the locals then called the pub “ Hay Gardiners.”
William Pender then took over the licence in 1958, he was also licensee for the Kimberley and the Waverley in Tollcross and the Red Lion on New City Road.
Today the pub is known as Whitelaw's, the last time I passed this ancient hostelry it had a TO LET sign above the door. The same proprietor also had Whitelaw's at Bridgeton Cross. This pub too had a To Let sign above the doorway.
I'm sure these two pubs will again open shortly as they have been very popular in the past and most of all the history behind them should keep them open in the future.
I noticed the other day that the Bowlers rest is still closed down March 2007, I also heard the other day that the pub may be under threat of demolition as new houses are planned for the plot.... WATCH THIS SPACE....
Whitelaws. 2005.
Whitelaws is now closed down, it has been lying empty for some time now.
The Bowlers Rest. 2008. After a long while closed the Bowlers Rest was reopened and had a new paint job and the name above the door was changed back to the Bowlers Rest.
End.
