EMPIRE MUSIC HALL: THE STORY OF A LEGENDARY PLACE OF PAISLEY

Johnnie Luske was a remarkable figure in 19th-century Paisley. While most people could write their names, he could not. Nevertheless, he was capable of engaging in meaningful conversations. As a young man, he joined the “Dumbarton Fencibles,” but he spent the majority of his working life in the Paisley meat market. Long before Johnnie's time, in 1757, a meat market was established on Moss Street, right across from School Wynd. It was noted for being “one of the most orderly and comfortable of its kind in Britain,” featuring “its elegant cut-stone facade.” This market was designed by bailie John Whyte, who also created plans for the High Church. In 1835, when Johnnie learned that the old meat market had been purchased by Paisley merchants Andrew and Ninian Crawford and was set to be demolished, he burst into tears at the thought of losing his job. He couldn’t understand why they would “tear down the market that had stood for so long,” although he was not particularly a traditionalist. The only thing he salvaged were the remnants of beer bottles left by prisoners from the nearby Toolbooth jail! When questioned about this habit, he insisted he was merely collecting “the scraps that others had discarded.” Despite Johnnie Luske's protests, the old meal market was demolished. In its place, the Crawfords built an elegant two-story classical building facing Moss Street. This new structure, with its tall second-floor windows, was named “The Exchange Rooms.” Located near Paisley Cross and the city’s commercial center, it was hoped that this speculative venture would become the hub of monetary transactions. What happened next? Stay tuned for the next article!