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Arthur Lloyd performed at the Whitebait music hall, Glasgow many times.

Arthur's Music Hall debut was in March 1861 at the Whitebait Music Hall in Glasgow. Walter Freer recalled that hall in his "My life & Memories" published in 1929 "Shearer's Whitebate (sic) Music Hall was on the spot where St. Enoch Station now stands........as you went in you paid your entrance- money, and the price of a refreshment (for drinkin gin those days was almost as common as breathing) and took your place in the hall beyond. The stage was railed off from the audience, and the owner of the music hall acted as chairman, announcing each item as it fell due."

From Peter Charlton's 'Lion Comiques.'

In Peter Honri's book 'John Wilton's Music Hall' for the date of 23rd December 1879, the following is written: '...Arthur Lloyd inquired whether I had noticed his letter in the ERA about comiques salaries following the revelations that Vance's salary for 12 nights at the Cambridge was one hundred guineas. A considerable sum for the period. Arthur pointed out that - Perhaps it was new to London, but in the provinces, several years ago, he had received £60 per week from Messrs George Ware at the Whitebait Glasgow, The Star, Liverpool, and the Alexandra, Manchester.'

Horatio Lloyd, Arthur's father, was a regular performer at the Theatre Royal Dunlop Street which was also lost in 1869 for the building of St Enoch Station.

"...Could Alexander revisit the site of the theatre of which he was so proud, he would be strangely bewildered. Neither theatre or Arcade is there. Dunlop Street is, for the chief part of it, now but a tunnel over which the trains of Glasgow and South-Western Railway run into the terminus station of St Enoch Square."

From 'Life of an Actor' by Horatio Lloyd.

If you have a picture of the Whitebait, or any information, I would be very pleased if you would share it with me.

Above - Bill and cutting from the book ' The Scottish Music Hall 1880 - 1990 ' by J.H.Littlejohn published by G.C.Books, 1990. - Courtesy Gareth Price

The Whitebait was demolished to make way for St. Enoch's station and hotel, now also demolished.

Above - Advertisement for St Enoch Station Hotel, demolished 1976,
From The Playgoer And Society Illustrated 1910 .

City of Glasgow Union Railway.

The major feature of this line was Glasgow St Enoch's station. This station was famous for its quality hotel. The station has been closed and completely demolished. There were two glazed roofs side-by-side here situated above the Glasgow streets. The original smaller version of the station was called Dundas Street. The site of the station is now several car-parks and the St Enoch's shopping centre.

This railway is open to freight between Shields Road and High Street. Between Bellgrove and Springburn the line is open to passenger trains. A new line (the Cowlairs Chord) has been brought into use to allow trains to run down the line from High Level Glasgow Queen Street. The line has a link to the line to Cumbernauld and trains from High Level Queen Street use this link. The section of the line between Gorbals and Larkfield is closed and uplifted.

The date is July 1976, and the curved steel and glass canopy that once covered the platforms of the magnificent St Enoch Station and Hotel building has been demolished. The station building and hotel will soon suffer a similar and undeserving demise to be replaced by a shopping mall.

Right - The St Enoch Centre in 2003, replacing the Whitebait Music Hall, St Enoch's Station, and the Theatre Royal Dunlop Street. M.L.

Above - The St Enoch Centre in 2003, replacing the Whitebait Music Hall, St Enoch's Station, and the Theatre Royal Dunlop Street. M.L.