The Commercial Bar.
320-22 Ballater Street, Gorbals, Glasgow.
The Commercial Bar was situated at the corner of Ballater Street and Commercial Road hence the name of the pub. This photograph was taken with Mr Byrne the licensee outside the premises shortly before the pub was demolished in 1955.
Ballater Street was originally called Govan Street.
This old pub was formerly owned by the Robin family, the founder of the business was Peter Robin who had pubs on the Gallowgate from as early as the 1840s, his son George Robin occupied premises in Gallowgate, Dundas Street, Princes Street and Norfolk Street.
In 1888 the Govan Street ( Ballater Street) premises were taken over by William Robin, he also own extensive premises at the corner of Norfolk Street and Warwick Street, known as William Robin's spirit vaults. When he died in 1912 his wife Edith took control of the business.
Charge-hand Mr P C Masterton was employed with William Robin from 1890.
Mr P C Masterton. 1892.
During the 1930s Thomas Scott was running this pub, he continued to hold the licence until after WW2.
The last licensee was William Byrne, he was forced to leave the premises in 1955 as a result in the City Council's major redevelopment scheme that saw the Gorbals old businesses and tenements being demolished. The Commercial Bar was one of the first pubs in the area to be flattened by the bulldozer's.
End.
