Some info from the owners (past?);
"This cafe belongs/belonged to my family. This was sent to me this morning (I now live in the US) by my father who is still in Glasgow.
For reference the Maryhill Road cafe that existed in the 60's was made easier due to the fact that most of the family lived in a tenement on Windsor Street right opposite the cafe!
This http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/ca ... ial.21875/ link will provide a little further insight into the origins of the cafe. See post 3.
The following was noted by my father. His father (Scottish origin) lived on the top floor of the Maryhill Town Hall where his own father was the caretaker. Their dog, Bruce can still be heard barking throughout the corridors to this day.
From notes made many years ago:
1885 your great grandfather (Pietro Di Mascio) born.
1906 he arrives in Scotland. Learned cafe business at the cafe that used to be at the bottom of Polnoon St Eaglesham. This cafe was owned by a cousin.
Through a conversation with a fellow Italian he was told that there was a vacant shop in Byres Rd. He went to see about it, made arrangements to become the owner or proprietor and with a joiner/joiners began the work of turning it into a cafe. On the first day of opening the taking were excellent. His wife had worried about all this but the taking were so good he was able to say that they were ''now in business''.
1917 Aunt Minnie born.
1918 Great grandpa's first wife dies (think it was from Peritonitis).
1919 Sells University cafe and returns to Italy with his children. I believe it was sold to a cousin a few times removed.
1920 Returns to Glasgow with new wife (my gran) and two of the children. The other two would stay with your grandpas parents in Italy and come over once a home/new business had been established.
1927 Aunt Minnie comes to Glasgow (aged 11).
1954 Annie- one of the daughters dies of Pneumonia/Pleurisy.
1929/1930 New cafe at 130 Maryhill Rd opened but could well have been earlier- around 1927.
This second cafe closes - City Bakery owns the property and your great grandpa is forced to find another property. This was a great shock as apparently this was a well-loved cafe and good business.
1947 130 closes and the third cafe - 156/158 Maryhill Rd (the one I knew as a kid) was opened. this was originally two shops and they were knocked into one. One of the shops was originally a Tailors."