Was the Cossack a gay pub ?

[Moira1984]

Ah yes, the Cossack. How I loved that place. While studying journalism in 1984, I discovered the Cossack and plucked up the courage to go in, order a pint of lager and sit down near the door. Within minutes, a lovely woman called Dot came over and whispered "That's where the men sit. Come and sit over here with us".

Segregation. Hard to believe now! I was shy and very defensive and although I felt friendly inside, I know my shyness made me a bit defensive and stand-offish. But I did join Dot and her women friends at their table, and tagged on to them for some months.

I remember many names and faces, locals and students - Dot, Kathy & Jenny (who, bless them, helped me through a bit of a heartache) Big Mac, Siobhan, Sasha, Sara, Beccy, and loads more regulars whose names I may never have known.

I remember well the Cossack's outside back toilet, and the little club they opened on one side of the pub once, where I inhaled my first ever noseful of poppers and went completely bonkers for about half a minute.

I remember getting on a bus to Attercliffe and ending up in a place called the Hole in the Wall, where I met Millie of My Boy Lollipop fame and had a dance with her.

I remember the Chequers discos that happened monthly at the Mecca club, and also the occasional Lesbianline Benefit Bop in the Leadmill, where I was gloriously seduced in a dark corner by a lovely woman who shall remain nameless but who deserved better than the 21-year-old nervous fool that I was. She was the "bit of a heartache" I mentioned earlier.

I believe the Cossack has gone now. That makes me a little bit sad. The scene was still a bit excitingly clandestine and hush hush back then, and though the world has moved on, I do miss that excitement sometimes.

[crookedspire]

Yes the Cossack is now history closed in late 2003 , what a small pub with its central U- shaped bar. It came down in August 2007 to be replaced with lawns how exciting is that? I remember going down Attercliffe to Planet or Barcelona and if time went to Av It pub so many places to go its hard to believe. I'm too young to have gone in the Hole In The Wall pub but have heard many stories about it what a shame its all gone instead we sit in front of computers and not mixing like we did back then time for me to go under my rock.

[Spogs]

I love Moira1984's recollections.

 

I only went in once, around 1998 with my wife to be and her sister and gay partner. We went to the wonderful U shaped bar described by crookedspire above and after a short while got served. Someone shouted to the barmaid 'when did you start serving straights in here then' She replied 'what straights?' Bit disappointing. Apart from that, nice atmosphere in the place.

[trevorb]

having spent a long time of my childhood living on eyre lane where my family were caretakers of a factory ,i used to go to the globe pub landlord pete drabble..... down the road in the seventies a gay man called pete had the cossack, i was allways told it was a gay pub was this true ?

 

Was that the same Drabble that ran the Ball Inn on Mansfield Rd?

[Julia1961]

On 26/09/2007 at 20:08, alex3659 said:

having spent a long time of my childhood living on eyre lane where my family were caretakers of a factory ,i used to go to the globe pub landlord pete drabble..... down the road in the seventies a gay man called pete had the cossack, i was allways told it was a gay pub was this true ?

My grandfather ran it for a while in the 70s, it was definitely a LGBT meeting place, it was my first time interacting with the LGBT community I was around 13, after hours it was always a hoot and I remember it very fondly.

[Jim Hardie]

2 minutes ago, Julia1961 said:

My grandfather ran it for a while in the 70s, it was definitely a LGBT meeting place, it was my first time interacting with the LGBT community I was around 13, after hours it was always a hoot and I remember it very fondly.

Even the gays wouldn’t have known what LGBT meant at that time.

[gaz 786]

On 27/09/2007 at 15:36, flyer said:

glad to see you lot are still warped ,haven't stop chuckling ha ha ha

 

On 27/09/2007 at 15:36, flyer said:

glad to see you lot are still warped ,haven't stop chuckling ha ha ha

You still alive ? 

[pattricia]

I always found that nearly all gay men were good looking.  

[trastrick]

In my travels I found that gays have a good eye for the finer spots in the world. The best, safest, cleanest area of any town. the best restaurants, the best beaches.

 

I remember finding myself in Provincetown, Cape Cod with my girlfriend. Surrounded on three sides by great beaches.

 

Had to buy a swim suit, but all they sold in the stores were the very brief speedo types that emphasised the nether regions.

 

No matter, when in Rome.! 

 

Kept it as a souvenir for years, and occasionally broight it out at family pool parties for a laugh!

[cuttsie]

13 minutes ago, trastrick said:

In my travels I found that gays have a good eye for the finer spots in the world. The best, safest, cleanest area of any town. the best restaurants, the best beaches.

 

I remember finding myself in Provincetown, Cape Cod with my girlfriend. Surrounded on three sides by great beaches.

 

Had to buy a swim suit, but all they sold in the stores were the very brief speedo types that emphasised the nether regions.

 

No matter, when in Rome.! 

 

Kept it as a souvenir for years, and occasionally broight it out at family pool parties for a laugh!

Trasty, I bet Nuffields millions you have never been to Sitges near Barcelona, Some how me and my Mrs ended up there one summer.

I soon realised that some thing very strange was happening around me in hotel and on the beach , We seemed to be the only Heterosexual couple around , if you saw another pair of lad and lass hand in hand you shouted snap .

 

Any  way at that time I had a big tash , tha knows a proper tash like Burt Reynolds and that lot . 

I also noticed that all these blokes in speedos who held hands also had rashes and some where winking at me and openly waiving as we passes the pink lit bars and clubs .

Our lass also noticed this shamanabang behaviour and on return to our Hotel that night the Rolls razor was at my throat and my tash was in the plug hole . 

Tash gone no more  winking