Jun
Sat 31 Jul 2021
Glasgow
As well as branches in such exotic locations as Charleston, South Carolina, the Cape Club had a Cape Hall in Glasgow! With some imagination, storytelling and scene-painting, we'll revisit those Glasgow Cape Club days of circa 250 years ago when the Tobacco Lords were also busying around Glasgow's streets. Expect visits to the Glasgow Cape Hall at Mrs Sch[r]eid's Tavern and a loyal toast holding the poker used by the Worthy Sovereign of the Glasgow branch of the Cape Club (currently housed in the Hunterian Museum). Was the famous Scottish engineer, James Watt, a regular at the Glasgow Cape Hall? Come and find out. Worthy Sovereign will lead the way.
Meet at Waverley train station outside Boots at midday. We'll embark on the 12.15 to Glasgow. Any Knight or guest travelling from elsewhere, we'll meet you in Glasgow, George Square at 13.30.

Guests welcome

*** Please note this an all day Manor on a Saturday.***
Report
Steve, Martin and Phil met at the appointed hour at the George Square statue of the man regarded as the father of modern British Policing, Robert Peel. First stop? A 'comfort break' in Buchanan Galleries after a failed attempt to infiltrate Wetherspoons! Knights wandered back to the statue of celebrated Scottish engineer James Watt where Steve presented a couple of bits of evidence of Watt's membership or at least awareness of the Cape Club and gave a short summary of the early history of Glasgow, including reference to St Mungo and apparent lack of an 'old town'. Knights then sauntered a few metres to the statue of Burns where his Cape Connections to Fergusson (Sir Precentor) were reiterated. After, a short walk down Queen Street to Exchange Square, Steve recounted some of the history of the Tobacco Lords, including the fact the building now housing Glasgow's Gallery of Modern Art was built in 1778 by Tobacco Lord, William Cunninghame; as his house! Steve announced Knights were late for Cape Hall so the small party scuttled off to Mrs Sch[r]eid's Tavern at 2a Buchanan Court; except that's now the old Debenhams building, so Knights made do with Sloan's, which claims to be the oldest pub in Glasgow, established in 1797 and directly across the road from where Mrs Sch[r]eid's would have been. Pints of WEST Brewery's St Mungo all round were enjoyed as Steve gave further insight in to Glasgow club culture in the late 1700s with a few amusing anecdotes related to 'whoring', quaiches and buxom landladies who stood for no nonsense from drunken clientele. He also showed a few photographs taken of the Glasgow Cape Club poker (larger than the Edinburgh one!) and mused on the Charleston branch of the Cape potentially being the result of Glasgow and its connection with tobacco. Knights wandered through Merchant City with the incentive of free whiskies for each sighting of a street name related to a Tobacco Lord. Jamaica and Virginia Street were also spotted on the way to Ramshorn Church where Phil quickly clocked the plaque to the first president of Canada, Sir John A. MacDonald, born in Ramshorn Parish. Steve mentioned a few Tobacco Lords were interred in the kirkyard. Unfortunately, it was all shut up. Nothing for it then than to visit another pub: off around the corner to the Press Bar, followed by further wanderings through Merchant City in the direction of the Tolbooth Steeple, Trongate and mercat cross. Phil found a shop ready to fit him out as the 'Cowboy in Paradise' and we also stumbled in to Babbity Bowster: a pub, not a person. Another pint and there was just enough time for a wander back through Merchant City and a stop at the well-known and well-loved watering hole, the Horseshoe Bar, before heading for the Glasgow branch of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) in Bath Street. Martin did a great job of playing the sad and desperate Edinburgher tourist wanting to drink in the Horseshoe in order to persuade the bouncers to squeeze us in without a booking. An evening meal in the SMWS, accompanied by a 'dirty' whisky was enjoyed by all before, around 19.30, everyone headed back to Queen Street station and trains we all hoped would be early enough to be stuffed with relatively sober day-trippers. Martin and Phil snuck a night cap in Robbie's in Leith Walk on the way home.

All-in-all, a great day with some sunshine, a few beers, the odd tall-tale or anecdote of high-powered debauchery, power-hungry club sovereigns fining with temperance, Hodge Podge, Grog and reckonings. Thanks to everyone who came with an attentive ear and convivial manner.

The usual photographs include many recce shots, including numerous sightings of the Glasgow city coat of arms and its nod to St Mungo and his four miracles related to birds, trees, bells and fish.
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