Glasgow Jiggin'

Davie · Post by **Davie** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 11:41 am

Hi all,
Ah huv been oot oan the skite this week.
Takin' a few photies of the auld dancehalls, or what is in ther' place the day.
http://www.theglasgowstory.com/image.ph ... &add=99&t=
Huv pit the Palais oan the gallery.
Taken frae Duke Street.
Mer tae follow, if it works
Davie

Post by **emanday** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 11:54 am

Now I'm really beginning to think my mind is going

In that link it says the Palais became a supermarket in 1962

I didn't leave school till 1963, at 15 years old, so how come I was able to go dancin in the Palais. No way would my parents have let me do that any younger than that.

bluebell2go · Post by **bluebell2go** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 1:35 pm

Hi emanday,

You're not losing your marbles. I'm sure the Palais was open later than 1962. I never went to it as a dance hall but I'm sure some of my classmates used to go on a Saturday afternoon when we were in second year, so about 1963/64. It was a roller skating disco around 1966/67 as I remember attending it then. I remember it was a supermarket in the early/mid seventies.

Memory lane, again.

Since we're being nostaligic, I have a question. I've always called Lewis's in Argyle Street, Lewis's, not anything else. I discovered that two of my colleagues of similar age referred to it as Lewis's Poly or Lewis's Polytechnic. I then asked my mother and she has heard of this. I'm really baffled as to how I have missed this as I like to think I know quite a lot about my native city. Does Lewis's Poly sound familiar to anyone else?

nelmit · Post by **nelmit** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 2:01 pm

bluebell2go wrote:Hi emanday,

You're not losing your marbles. I'm sure the Palais was open later than 1962. I never went to it as a dance hall but I'm sure some of my classmates used to go on a Saturday afternoon when we were in second year, so about 1963/64. It was a roller skating disco around 1966/67 as I remember attending it then. I remember it was a supermarket in the early/mid seventies.

I remember going to the roller 'disco' on a Saturday afternoon around 1962.

bluebell2go wrote:Memory lane, again.

Since we're being nostaligic, I have a question. I've always called Lewis's in Argyle Street, Lewis's, not anything else. I discovered that two of my colleagues of similar age referred to it as Lewis's Poly or Lewis's Polytechnic. I then asked my mother and she has heard of this. I'm really baffled as to how I have missed this as I like to think I know quite a lot about my native city. Does Lewis's Poly sound familiar to anyone else?

I never knew of it being called anything but Lewis's (where they did an amazing Knickerbocker Glory) but a quick google found -
But the beginnings of revolution were stirring. Thousands of young people were "converted" in 1955 by Billy Graham at mass rallies at Ibrox, Hampden and the Kelvin Hall. But there was mass hysteria of a different kind when Johnny Ray came to the Empire Theatre in the same year. And later, 3,000 younger kids mobbed Fess Parker, who played Davy Crockett in films, when he appeared at Lewis's Polytechnic in Argyle Street.

The "Poly" must get a mention here. Opened in the 19th century as Anderson's Royal Polytechnic it had a children's zoo, a library, a huge food hall, a hairdressers and several restraints. For children like me, a visit there was an exciting day out (today Debenham's occupies the site).
from a really interesting article by Rosemary Long.

Kind regards,
Annette M

Post by **emanday** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 2:09 pm

Although we all called it Lewis's as well, my grandmother never referred to it as anything but the Poly. Luckily, when she said she was going to the Poly, we all knew where she meant.

I don't know where that came from either, but did a google and found this...

But there was mass hysteria of a different kind when Johnny Ray came to the Empire Theatre in the same year. And later, 3,000 younger kids mobbed Fess Parker, who played Davy Crockett in films, when he appeared at Lewis's Polytechnic in Argyle Street.

The "Poly" must get a mention here. Opened in the 19th century as Anderson's Royal Polytechnic it had a children's zoo, a library, a huge food hall, a hairdressers and several restraints. For children like me, a visit there was an exciting day out (today Debenham's occupies the site).
It was on this site a bit down the page.

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/lo/features/7012624.html

There's also a bit more here

http://www.theglasgowstory.com/story.php?id=TGSEA02

Post by **emanday** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 2:11 pm

Snap Annette

nelmit · Post by **nelmit** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 2:16 pm

emanday wrote: Snap Annette

Aint Google grand.

Post by **emanday** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 2:26 pm

Yup, Tried the rest - Went back to the best

Russell · Post by **Russell** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 9:48 pm

Hi Mary

I thought Lewis' was a bit up-market and never had unruly children.
Was I wrong ?

a huge food hall, a hairdressers and several restraints. For children like me

Russell

Post by **emanday** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 10:03 pm

If memory serves me, Russell, Lewis's wasn't quite as upmarket as Arnott Simpsons, just along the road

My Gran may have told us she was going to the Poly, but she told her neighbours she shopped at Arnotts