Glasgow

MacSorley’s on Jamaica Street has one of the richest pub histories in Glasgow — beginning as the Clan Vaults in 1861 and transformed into the MacSorley’s we know today after a major rebuild in the late 1890s.

Origins: The Clan Vaults (1861–1897)

Licensed premises have stood at 42 Jamaica Street since 1861.

The early pub was known as the Clan Vaults, originally owned by William Dryburgh, then taken over in 1889 by George McGregor, who blended his own whisky on site and offered accommodation in ten rooms.

The Clan Vaults was noted for its ornate tiled entrance, snuggeries, and a distinctive half‑moon bar, with decorative glass panels featuring the Camel’s Head — the trademark of later owner Gray Edmiston, a well‑known Glasgow publican.

Philip MacSorley and the Rebuild (1897–1899)

Philip MacSorley took over the premises in 1897 and demolished the old building, replacing it with a new tenement and a modern pub on the ground floor.

The new MacSorley’s opened in 1899, positioned on the corner of Jamaica Street and Ann Street (now Midland Street).