Robertson's Bar.
84 Gloucester Street, Glasgow.
Robertson's Bar was situated at the corner of Gloucester Street and 113 Dundas Street, Kinning Park. Landlord Mr P Robertson. The interior had little snug's well furnished and well ventilated, with bright fires always burning, giving a very warm and cosy look. Mr Robertson spent a small fortune redecorating the premises. His five-year old "Glendhu" whisky was a favourite of the locals, he sold good quality liquor and mature Highland whisky. Mr Robertson got his training from Mr James Miller of Norfolk Street.
In 1875 the pub was owned by William Grahame, who also had a pub at 25 Rutherglen Road, Gorbals, on the south side of the city. At this time there were another five pubs on Gloucester Street. Mr Robertson was only in the pub for a few years and sold to wine and spirit merchant Thomas Cooke, he ran a pub at 92 King Street now Kingston Street, south side.
The pub changed hands again in 1902, this experienced wine and spirit merchant turned this struggling pub around and turned it into a thriving business, he was very successful in this establishment. The pub never changed hands again, well this is not quite true, the pub stay in the family until it was closed down in the 1960s.
William Bruce never enjoyed the pub game for long, as he died in 1916, perhaps he was killed during the First World War. His wife Hannah then took control of the thriving business, she injected something new to the pub as she was the first female to run the pub, during the busy times she was helped by her son William. Hannah continued as licensee until the late 1930s. Her son William later took over the pub and was sadly closed down and demolished during the City Council's Redevelopment Scheme, that saw hundreds of old pubs disappear.
End.
