Glasgow and its Clubs; or, glimpses of the condition, manners, characters & oddities of the city during the past & present century

Front matter

GLASGOW AND ITS CLUBS. GLASGOW AND ITS CLUBS; OE GLIMPSES OF THE CONDITION, MANNERS, CHARACTERS, & ODDITIES OF THE CITY, DURING THE PAST & PRESENT CENTURY. BY JOHN STRANG, LL.D. Author of "Germany in 1831," "Social & Economic Statistics of Glasgow," Sec, - Chaque age a ses pluisirs, son esprit et ses mceura-" — BviUat LONDON AND GLASGOW: RICHARD GRIFFIN AND COMPANY, PUBLISHERS TO THE UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW. 1856. GLASGOW: Frinted by James Hedderwick and Son, Printers to tin Queen,

Preface

. It is not without considerable hesitation that the fol lowing pages are submitted to the public ; for the writer cannot conceal from himself the fact that the lighter matters they contain are very foreign to his ordinary pursuits and avocations. Although nearly thirty years have passed since the idea was first entertained of snatch ing from oblivion the salient characteristics of a few of the more remarkable Clubs, connected with a City which has always been famous for the number and variety of its social fraternities, — and although, too, even at that early period, an attempt was made to sketch some of the more notable of these, it was not till accident, about eighteen months ago, brought again one or two of the long lost and very imperfect peneillings under the author's notice, that the thought occurred to him of entirely re modelling them, so as to render those social Clubs the vehicle through which the ever-changing manners and habits of Glasgow society might be popularly portrayed VI

PREFACE.

. and chronicled. The writer then began to coUect his materials, from various public documents, and from the information of private individuals whose memories stiU preserved such fast-fading subjects; and he has, during the intervals of his leisure hours, arranged these floating facts and traditions in the form in which they are now presented, — if not with that spirit and playfulness which a more practised penman might have displayed, yet, it is to be hoped, with that truthfulness which may at least render the foUowing pages not altogether unworthy ex ponents of the social history of Glasgow during the past and present century. To these brief preliminary remarks, the author has only to add his sincere apology for the imperfect manner in which he has performed his somewhat difficult task; trusting that, while his deficiencies cannot be whollv overlooked, tho multifarious duties and anxieties incident to an important public office will, in some degree, ex tenuate any inaccuracies he has committed, and induce his readers to treat with indulgence that which an other wise exacting criticism might condemn. 22 Woodside-Place, Glasgow, 1st November, IH.J.3.

CONTENTS. TAGE Glasgow abovt 1750 — and the Andersson Club, . . 1 The Glasgow Tobacco Aristocracy — and the Hodge Podge Club 34 Glasgow from 1750 to 1780 — and my Lord Ross's Club, . 67 Glasgow from 1777 to 1783 — and the Morning and Evening Club, 115 The Gælic Club, 128 Glasgow from 1780 to 1795 — and the Accidental Club, . 152 The Face Club, 227 Glasgow Loyalty — and the Grog Club, .... 234 The Camperdown Club, 240 The Meridian Club, . . . . . . 250 The Pig Club, 260 Stockwell -Street — and its Beefsteak or Tinkler's Club 270 The Medical Club, 289 Glasgow Theatricals — and the What-you-please Club, 307 Glasgow from 1795 to 1815 — and the Coul Club, . . 340 Quondam State of the Glasgow Police — and the Gegg Club 394 The Banditti Club, 413 The Packers' and the Every-Night Club, . . . 425 The Post-Office Club, CONTENTS.

FACE Glasgow in 1814 to 1816— and the French Club, . • 447 The Anderston Social Club— 1813 to 1816, • 461 The Duck Club of Partick— 1810 to 1830, . 477 The Waterloo Club— and the Wet Radical Wednesday of the West 492 Glasgow Charities — and the Shuna Club, . .511 Progress of Liberal Opinion in Glasgow — and the Sma' Weft Club, 523 Glasgow Politics in 1832 — and the Crow Club, . 542 Concluding Sketches of Past and Present Clubs, . 561