Words by John Thomson

Maryhill Burgh Halls has a small but growing collection of pub signage indicating the part that these local hostelries have played in the area’s history, but its most recent acquisition has not only been a major part of the life of Maryhill since 1848, but its very name reflects its links with the Forth and Clyde Canal over the years.

The Kelvin Dock sign from the side of the pub on display at Maryhill Burgh Halls. Restored and reinforced by Boomerang Woodworking.

The story of the Forth and Clyde Canal has been well told in these pages but not only did it offer passage between Edinburgh and Glasgow – a journey would only take eight hours or so – but it offered shipbuilding and repair for the vessels on the canal.

The major repairs would take place in a graving, or dry, dock where all the water would be removed allowing access to both sides of the vessel for proper repair.

It was originally known as the Drydock or the Dock and then it became known as the Kelvin Dock (and you can see where I’m going this can’t you?) because of its proximity to the Kelvin Aqueduct and to distinguish it from other graving docks in the area, such as Lancefield Dock or Barclay’s Slip Dock at Finnieston.

Therefore, when in 1848, licensed premises were opened at 1718 Maryhill Road on the corner with Fingal Street to serve the community, just across the road from Lock 22, there could be only one name for it – and the Kelvin Dock has been in existence ever since until 2024 when it closed for good to make way for affordable housing development by Maryhill Housing Association. Although as I write this, it still sits there, a monument to many ‘a hauf and a hauf’ consumed by the folk of Maryhill.

The original owner was coach proprietor and spirit dealer, William Abbott, who was well known in the licensed trade at the time and there have been many owners over the years, including, latterly the Miller family. However, its long term management was under the skilled handing of the Pattison family from the 1880s through the 1950s.

Like many Glasgow boozers, its life was fairly uneventful although many secrets and much gossip will have been shared over the beer and whiskies it served but it made the headlines in 1975.

The cellar of the pub ended up under 5ft of water and the bar staff could not get down to change the barrels. It was almost a pub with no beer and manager, Hector Miller, kept it going with bottles of beer and some bottles of whisky on the gantry. The cause? It was believed to be a blocked sewer under Maryhill Road and it was soon cleared up.

And then there was a fire in 2014 but details of that are sketchy. ‘There was not much damage to the pub itself but the police are treating the fire as suspicious.’

However, the pub did survive until 2024.

And all that is left now are memories of a tidy, little and very popular pub and its signage currently strategically placed in the Garden Room of the Burgh Halls – a pleasant memory for many of us, possibly of a certain age.