Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 2005 (SND, online supplement).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
SCHIPKA PASS, n. Name of a Glasgow street (between the Gallowgate and London Road) with a rather rough street market. [f. the name of a pass in the Balkans which was important in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877.] Gsw. 1994 Herald (5 Mar) 12:
“Now then,” writes Jim, “there is a Shipka Pass between the London Road and the Gallowgate.” As a Townhead man, Mr Keenan tells us he knows not how this name came about. As a Townhead man, the editor of the Department disnae know either, though he knows the Schipka Pass. Could this be something to do with the Crimean War? Ah, and why did I ask that?Gsw. 1997 Herald (1 Aug) 21:
The normally gallus traders at Paddy's have shown great reluctance to make use of the court wall. This is with the exception of one Dick Barton, a retailer who is world famous in the Glasgow Cross area as the proprietor of the "mini Barras" in Schipka Pass.Sc. 2001 Sun (3 Aug):
He amazes drinkers with his schemes to drum up business at the Calton Pool Club bar and his mini-market, the Schipka Pass in the city’s Trongate area. He once opened the Sheik-Ma-Tadger brothel in the back of the shop — staffed with girls from a local sausage factory.Sc. 2002 Scotsman (21 Nov) 14:
Our man Bill McBlane has traversed the Schipka Pass many a time on the way to the Barras. “It’s still there,” Bill tells us, “between the Gallowgate and London Road just past Glasgow Cross.” That’s despite being excised from both Glasgow’s A-Z and the AA map.
