Cosy Corner Public House was a former public house with address 206 Glasgow Road at the corner with 1 Greenside Street.
The building dates back to 1875, when brothers William and Thomas Hart bought a vacant field, previously never built upon and constructed a tenement 154 feet long facing on to and opening on to Glasgow Road. The tenement was to become known as Harts Building or Herts Laun and was originally subdivided into 4 shops with a central pedestrian pend close allowing access through to the back yard. At either end of the block, were larger double sized shops. The upstairs above the shops were let out as homes. William and Thomas established their own businesses there and it is known that at least some of the family lived on the premises. Tenants appear to have been easy to find, and the homes may have been particularly attractive for families with the Stonefield Primary school opening across the road in 1875, that same year. (Note 1876 was engraved on the chimney, but the year 1875 was inscribed on the lintel above the close indicating the year of construction)
By 1879, Harts Laun had many established businesses. J Anderson was a haircutter there, Alex Forrest a spirit merchant, Thomas Hart himself as a tobacconist, William Hart himself as a Plumber, ironmonger and gas fitter, Patrick McDonald in the sales room at one end, Allan McKendrick a carter and William Nisbet in the other sales room.
Importantly, there are no public houses shown in this building on the 1898 map. However, sometime between 1898 and 1910, one of the salesrooms at the west end of the building gave way to become the Central Bar. At the other east end of the building the other salesroom, was subdivided to become two rooms, one, which would eventually become the Cosy Corner pub. I.e. the 6 subdivisions became 7. It is safe to say that a pub at the Cosy Corner location was established before 1898 although it is not known if it was originally called the Cosy Corner. By 1910 map, there is a pub shown at either end of Harts Building.
Another change that occurred in this time period is that nearby Greenside Place was renamed as Greenside Street.
In 1915, the public house was owned by Peter Dawson Ltd of 82 Clyde Street, Glasgow. He was leasing to Jane Devenney, a widow for £75 per year. It is noted that even then the eastern side of Harts Laun had different owners from the western side. Peter Dawson Ltd owned numbers 206 (the public house), shops at 208, 210, 212 and also 6 houses at number 214 Glasgow Road. To the west the trustees of the late John McCaffrie owned 4 houses at number 214, a shop at 216, a house at 218 and also the pub which was the Central Bar at 220 Glasgow Road.
By 1925, the licensed premises also had a cellar. Mr James Devenney was then the name above the door, leasing the premises and acting as spirit dealer for an annual rental of £93. (thats about £5,000 in todays money). He may have been the son of Jane Devenney. Whilst that rent may seem low, remember these were the days of a global depression. The same owner and occupier arrangement was still taking place by 1925.
According to the 1930 valuation roll, the Greenside Property Company Ltd owned it by that time, who had also built and owned houses adjacent to the pub alongside Greenside Street. The buildings are gone by 1936 map.
Blantyre Project reader, John Sanderson now lives in Beauly but his family originated in Blantyre. John emailed me this 1950’s photo of the Cosy Corner commenting, “My father kept this from his days back in Blantyre. A damaged copy was apparently on the wall of the pub and many of the winners were given their own photo along with a celebration programme listing all the team winners. Dad was not really much of a hoarder and lost the programme but he was good with photos and keeping things important to him. On the back is his words ’54 CC Amateur Darts Enthusiasts, Blantyre celebrating a win, Standing l to r, John Tamson, Patrick McGonigal, George McDade, Frank Urban, Patrick McAleenan, Terry Bute, James McCallum, William McLinden, W Allan, Philip McGuiness, Andrew Alan, J Mooney, Shug Murphy, Robert McNamara, Walter Park, J (? sorry illegible), John Fullerton, Bobby McKay, Dave Houston, Pat MacAleenan, James McAleenan, Thomas McGarvie, Brian Soper. Front, l to r are Jim McAlister, David Ellis, Steven Robertson, Frank Brown, H Glen, T Allen, Robert Clarke, Thomas Kane and Pat McCleary or McClearv(?)”
Miss E.L Davidson was the proprietor of the pub at that time and lived in the house about it at the corner of Greenside Street.
Harts Land was demolished in 1978, succumbing to the development of Glasgow Road, like many other adjacent tenements. Today, the current eastern piece of grassland between Glasgow Road carriageway and the circular hardstanding near the sports centre is where the site of the Cosy Corner Pub used to be.
The same photo of the men, was taken from this vantage point, what it looks like today.
Do you have any memories of the Cosy Corner or anything to add to the detail in this story?
On Social media:
Jeanette Allardyce Ward My gran used to clean that pub. I used to go with her and play with their dog. I was only around 3/4 at the time 😄
My grandmother was Elizabeth Davidson and I have the same photo of the Cosy Corner Pub outing. My grandfather, James Davidson was the proprietor before he died and my Grandmother took over. My father Johnny Davidson also helped out there for a while. I would love to find out some more information if anyone knows anything of the Davidson family or has any photos from that time. Thanks.