FEATURED
THE MARLBOROUGH (THE SHED)
We are interested to hear from anyone with memories of ‘Marlborough House’ (now known as The Shed) on Langside Avenue in Shawlands. The building was, in its heyday, frequently used as a venue for weddings, receptions, dinners, dances and social functions.
Within the Marlborough there were different suites named after the famous Duke of Marlborough`s great victories over the French in the Low Countries and Germany-Malplaquet, Oudenarde, Ramillies and Blenheim etc. The landmark was built circa 1920 and became a Category C listed building in June 1992.
Anyone out there with photographs, memories and anecdotes about this unique building’s past vibrant life please get in touch at info@sghet.com or leave a comment below.
Published 27th August 2015
Update October 2024: The Shed nightclub closed after its final night on Sunday 15th September 2024. The future use of the building is uncertain. Has the dancing era of this purpose-built landmark come to an end? What would you like to see for its future..?
Update 16th February 2025:
On the cusp of The Marlborough’s reopening later this week, after 26 years rebranded as The Shed, we’ve a mission for you to help make Southside history – can you help identify the un-named people in the photos from the 1920s and 1940s below?
We’ve been sent 3 photographs taken in what appears to be the same spot in the Shawlands / Crossmyloof venue and YOU can help identify the un-named participants and share any connected or similar stories.
After many years as The Shed, the 1920-built venue re-opens with its original name on Friday 21st February – having uncovered some of the ballroom area’s original features in the process of its internal updating. We’re intrigued to get a look at what’s been revealed and how it’s been adapted while keeping these unique features intact.
We’ve also been send further photos since then, including one of a newspaper advertisement from the 1920s from William & R.S. Kerr caterers who owned Marlborough House as well as numerous other outlets across Glasgow.
Style spotting
In turn, check out the ladies fashions of the 1920s photos and later decades. 2025 is the Art Deco Centenary aligning exactly with year of the first wedding in 1925… and by the time of the second wedding in 1929 the bobbed hair and women’s dropped waist modernist dress styles were ubiquitous (men’s fashion didn’t change much).
By the late 1940s, the styles have moved on considerably. Interesting when you compare differences between 2005 and 2025 – have our prevailing fashions changed as much in a similar 20-year time span?
1920s weddings photos – courtesy of Clare M Clark
The 1925 wedding of Clare’s husband’s great aunt Jessie Graham to Alexander Mitchell in The Marlborough, with her husband’s grandmother Daisy Graham as bridesmaid.
Back row: Alexander Mitchell (father-in-law), Alexander Mitchell (groom), Jessie Graham (bride), unknown (best man), George Graham (father). Front row: Daisy Graham (sister), Agnes Mitchell née Lyall (mother-in-law), unknown (child), Jessie Graham née Campbell (mother), Marion Graham (sister).
Clare also gives details about the fathers of the groom and bride: “Alexander Mitchell (father-in-law) was a drapery salesman and George Graham (father) was a grocer in the southside of Glasgow.” However Clare and her family don’t know the names of the best man or the pageboy… can you help?
A related development is that the child in the 1929 photo below is Jessie Campbell Mitchell born 1926 and is the daughter of the couple in the 1925 wedding photo!
The 1929 wedding of Clare’s husband’s grandparents Daisy Graham and William Milne
Bride Daisy Graham and groom William Milne with their bridesmaid Marion Graham, best man Alastair MacIntyre, and child Jessie Campbell Mitchell born 1926 (daughter of the couple in the 1925 wedding photo) in what appears to be The Marlborough ballroom Shawlands. Everyone in this photo is identified.
Regarding this 1929 photo Clare tells us: “William Milne (groom) was a railway clerk in Glasgow. William Milne’s (groom) mother had died in 1922 and his father William Milne was a policeman in Glasgow (East End then Partick) who had been injured in the line of duty and was in a wheelchair thus may not have attended the wedding.”
Clare has also shared a photo taken on the day of the bride Daisy Graham’s parents below:
This photo of Daisy’s parents George Graham and Jessie Campbell was also taken in Marlborough House, Glasgow, but we’re not sure if it’s in the same room as the larger wedding group pictures.
1947 Scout dance photo – courtesy of Roger Gann
Roger Gann sent us this this photo in late December 2024 showing a large group in what he thought was The Marlborough, from which he has only identified his mother whose possessions it was among. The wall panelling seems to have the same details, but there are no curtains in one area so windows are shown.
Roger had the following remarks and queries to share: “I would be very interested in hearing more about it, particularly if anyone… might recognise other people in the photo, particularly the minister, which might help identify any church connection and who the group might be.
My mother is in the 2nd back row 6th from the right hand side [or 8th standing overall], two men behind her and two ladies either side, dark hair no glasses and seems to have something [a pin or brooch?] on the left breast of her jacket.
Mum… was born 25th July 1925, Elizabeth Mitchell Dunlop and lived in King’s Park and would have attended Mount Florida Church, but the minister is not from that church as I have photos of all the MFC ministers from 1888 to 2010. The only other piece of information I have about my mother is that she attended Hutcheson’s Girls Grammar School but left about 1943 or 44 to join the Timber Corps, and worked down in Garlieston, Wigtownshire till the end of the war.”
Can you help identify the minister sitting in the front row or any of the 38 other people in the group? Do you have any old photos of The Marlborough yourself? The surname Mitchell also recurs in both families – could it be that they are somehow related?
On 6th January 2025 Roger got back in touch with an update: “I have interesting news concerning the photo with my mother in the Marlborough. I found the original in our loft, and discovered print details on the back of the photo.” He added that his mother had written elsewhere on the sleeve: “Scout Dance at the Marleborough – post war – late 1940’s”
This stamp on the back of the 1947 photograph dates it to 18th April 1947 and bears the name of the photographers ‘Ellbee Studios 633 Govan Road’, with the with the re-order number 18/4/47-1. We’re not sure if this was the photograph’s development date, or the date the photo was taken.
The address 633 Govan Road no longer exists due to redevelopment of the area. From initial online searches, the only other mention of Ellbee Studios on Govan Road we can find is this item at University of Glasgow Archives and Collections:
Walter Elliot and Rhoda Fullerton [Vice-President, Queen Margaret Section, SRC] at Elliot’s Rectorial Ball [?] c1948
Do you know anything more about Ellbee Studios, or have any leads or contacts who may help us discover more about this bygone Govan photographers business?
1955 wedding reception of Mary Whyte & William Middleton
Heather Middleton has sent us these photographs of her parents’ wedding reception in the Marlborough following their official marriage ceremony at Cathcart Registry Office.
Spot the same decorative wall panels in the background, the changing hair and dress styles, and the removable sleeves of the bride’s dress… perhaps for the post-cake dancing as the night warms up! Were removable sleeves a common feature at the time? Any fashion history buffs among you (expert or amateur) are welcome to tell us in the comments box below the story.
1920s Marlborough House newspaper ad from W & R. S. Kerr
Alison Kerr has sent us this newspaper advertisement from her family’s archives for ‘The Marlborough House’ from William and R. S. Kerr caterers who were its proprietors. The ad features an illustration of the building and the adjoining Corona Bar, and gives a description of its purpose and facilities, naming the interior function rooms and describing its design.
The advertisement further lists four of their other Glasgow outlets, one of which was on Victoria Rd in Govanhill, and all of which were restaurants, plus their company registered office address on Renfield St. The newspaper ad clipping is courtesy of Alison’s father Donnie Kerr.
Acknowledgements & how to contribute:
Many thanks to Clare M. Clark, Roger Gann, Heather Middleton, and Alison and Donnie Kerr for providing these fantastic photos and newspaper ad, all of which shine a light on the use and story of The Marlborough in former times by the south Glasgow community.
To contribute, please either leave a comment below here on this blog, contact us on social media (all links here https://linktr.ee/sghet), or email us (https://sghet.com/contact/).
—
Updates published: Sunday 16th February 2025, Sunday 2nd March 2025
Updates author: Deirdre Molloy
English
I have a photo of a family wedding taken in 1929 inside Marlborough House.