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johnnie ionta
does anyone remember the barbers on the galloegate run by the ionta brothers .all the males in our family went there even if they did,nt need a haircut just to hear the patter .wee johnnie was a star always taking the **** out brothers danny and tony . he had the most elaborate comb over i,d ever seen his parting started just above his left ear . students from the art college used to go there just to sketch the goings on , i,d love to get my hands on one f them [sketches that is] .
joe walker - 5/10/2004 1:57:43 PM
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I remember my dad taking me down to Wee Johnie's for a 50p special. I can still see that board that he put over the arm of the chair when I new it was my turn. He always reminds me of Zero Mostel in The Producers. That's the first place I saw the technique of hair burning. I used to brick it when I saw that.
MAR - 15/10/2004 4:16:16 PM
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I spent many hours at the Ionta barber shop, for haircuts and entertainment,sometimes when the shop was closed we would go upstairs and knock on Johnnys door and he would come down and open up and give us a haircut. As I recall he moved to Roselea Drive just round the corner from Whitehill Street, I dont know if wee Johnny is living or passed on??
Bill McIlroy
PS Joe Walker If you email me, I may??? have a copy of a caricature of the Ionta Brothers at work.
Bill McLlroy - 21/10/2004 5:33:04 PM
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I am married to Johnnie Ionta's nephew.
Sadly he passed away 11 years ago.
K IANNIELLO - 26/10/2004 4:59:25 PM
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born in 136 roselea dr 1955. moved to garrowhill when i was 11. memories are trolley bus to school candyball shop in cumbernauld rd.ian snodgrass graham ingram campbell gunn are the names i remember.granny gillies was anotherone.met lulu in mrs snodgrass's house she was getting a dress fitted.
danny devaney - 27/12/2004 1:33:02 PM
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hi joe,
this is going to be a long message LOL re johnny ionta
ny husband has continuously talked of his time going to johnnies for his hair cuts and how great the "patter' was. my children grew up with the knowledge that johnny was "THE BEST" and that every crime that was done in glasgow and went to court was first solved in johnnies shop. one of our children became a hairdresser and was always told by her dad ok your no bad BUT never as good as johnny!!!! we now live in perth western australia but at the moment are holidaying with our daughter and family in queensland where ONCE again grandad is regaling our grandchildren with stories of oor johnny. in fact so much so that my son-in-law decided to try and find out any info on johnny and came up with this page. by a strange coincidence my grandchildren are having their hair cut ready for going back to school and the hairdresser has come to the house to do all four of them (and grandad) and grandad was ONCE AGAIN talking of johnny when the email came through from my son-in-laws office to show us this web page. well you will realise what a great laugh we had at that. i know it is some time since you wrote into this page re johnny but if you get this and you have managed to get the caricatures of johnny i would love to get one as well.
mary ross - 21/01/2005 6:36:30 AM
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i was just looking around and found the name ionta luigi was my pal when i was at the wee mary i was fae 176 thompson street grannies hoose but really lived at mc intosh street behind the hospital moved to saltmarket then garngad dead interesting site certainly brings the memories back now 46 living in stirling anyone remembers me get in touch in later years best pal was mogi craigpark dr real name peter docherty
peachy doc - 4/02/2005 9:16:01 PM
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Hi Joe, If you would email me I may have a caricature of the Ionta brothers at work, but would like to talk to you first. Bill
w.mcilroy@sympatico.ca
Bill McIlroy - 11/02/2005 8:19:31 PM
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Wee Johhnny was my uncle and survived by his Widow Pina and 2 sons gino and Luigi(my cousins). His Tommy(Not Tony) is still livng in dennistoun and other brother Domnick died many years ago
I loved gettig a haircut because my uncle always gave me my money back plus a wee bit more. The patter was great and it was an estbalishment of the East End. My uncle got mass cards and condolences from many famous Glaswegians including Kenny Dalglish, Rickie Fulton , Alex Miller , Danny McGrain etc
Tony Ianniello - 16/02/2005 8:02:53 AM
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To Tony Ianniello, This may be a long shot, but did you happen to live at 2 Malvern Place????.
Bill mcilroy - 16/02/2005 6:10:30 PM
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I seem to remember four barbers in the shop, Johnny, Dan, Tommy, and a lady I think her name was Agnes???. she was right in there with Johnny always kidding around.
Bill McIlroy - 18/02/2005 2:10:48 PM
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Looking for family Comack, lived at 8 Comley Park Place(1930) Godfrey/McCormack, 8 Malvern Place and Barr 2 Malvern Place. email vancom@tbaytel.net (ontario, Canada)
Heather - 17/03/2005 3:56:00 AM
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Re>Johnie Ionta Myself & a pal [Chris Donohue] used to walk from Cranhill to Johnies shop for a haircut regularly ,the patter in the shop was ACE and the way he handed out the
Woodbines was a scream I don't remember many takers. Me and
my pal used his barbers because [1] he was the best. [2] he was the cheapest. Between the haircut & busfares you make a
good wee skin, all the more dosh to spend in the Rendezvous
Cafe great days we were easily pleased Regards to all Ricky
ps I still live in the East End [Baillieston]
Ricky Smith - 19/03/2005 10:18:57 AM
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My husband's grandfather came from San Cosmo E Damiano and I believe is related to the Iontas in Glasgow. Would love to get in touch with them. That side of the family live in New York. I come from Dumfries and have heard about the Glasgow Iontas from friends who live there. My email address is iontacar@yahoo.com
Carol Ionta - 4/12/2005 5:14:55 AM
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i used to live on campbellfield st. and used to go to johny iontas every time i needed a haircut. it was like going to a show or the pictures. there was always something going on. if you were in a hurray it was not the place to go. he will be sadly missed ,hope for his family in the future.
ray maxwell - 14/12/2005 12:37:00 AM
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I have just found a couple of caricatures of Johnny and his brothers at work. These were given to me by Johnny personally and I'm sure he would have had a good laugh at them if he were around today. He was a great wee guy. They can be seen on this website here:
http://www.dennistoun.co.uk/Page.asp?Title=Digest&Section=22&Page=3
Big Wullie - 13/01/2006 12:53:51 AM
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Tommy has been my father in law for the past 27 years. I never got my hair cut in the shop as his daughter Flora became my personal hairdresser! The shop was an institution and even when we lived in London for 14 years I regularly came across ex pats who knew of the shop and indeed had their hair cut there.Now we have discovered that my daughter's boyfriends dad used to getv his hair cut in Iontas. His sun Thomas has a salon in the west end to carry on the tradition nad his daughter now works there as well.
alasdair w reid - 14/05/2006 1:21:48 PM
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tommy and his wife Giovanna will celebrate their 60th Wedding Anniversary in October 06.
alasdair w reid - 5/09/2006 6:22:52 PM
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Hi I am currently trying to Gather info on the Ionta family tree and would be greatfull for info or pictures I am the Grandson of Rudolph Mario Ionta and sadly he past away before I could get to really know his family I have heard alot about the Ionta barbers and would like to know more. fell free 2 email at gentle_gelvis88@hotmail.com
Gino Ionta - 26/01/2007 11:25:10 PM
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There are some photos of Johnny in his shop at this lINK www.glaswegians.org JOHNNY IONTA
Remember my uncle talking about where you got the 'BEST HAIRCUT'
Ian Hodge - 29/01/2007 8:03:42 PM
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I can remember as a boy in the packed barbour shop being sent out by Johnny to buy a packet of 5 Woodbine. He would take the first cigarette out of the packet for himself and then offer the rest to everone else in the shop. When they were finished he crushed the packet, then took one everybody who offered him ... I think Johnny worked out the odds!! They were good times.
Jack Gordon - 31/01/2007 1:19:04 AM
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Tommy Ionta has sadly passed away on Sunday 4th March 2007. He is the last of the Ionta Barbers and this brings an end to an era. He was a truly wonderful husband to Giovanna and a loving father to Vincenza, Flora, Angelina and Thomas. He was the head a large family of seven grandchildren Stephanie, Natalie, Alexander, Giovanna, Jane, Vivienne and Claire and even lived to see his cherished great grandaughter Charlie. Vincenza, Flora and Thomas all followed in his footsteps by embarking on careers as hairdressers even his two grandaughters Stephanie and Vivienne are keeping the trade alive. Our "Nonno" (grandfather) was a gentle, kind and very content man. He was at his happiest with all his family round him and this is what fuelled him on to reach the ripe age of 82.He will be missed dearly but his legacy and the Ionta Barbers will live on.
Natalie Lawlor - 5/03/2007 8:51:25 PM
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Further to the message posted by neice I's like to post this eulogy I read at his funeral.
It is an honour to be able to talk about Dad, but so difficult. Difficult as mere words are so inadequate to talk about Thomas Ionta as a person, a husband, a father, a father -in-law, a grandfather and latterly a great granfather. Every person whose life he touched came away the better for it and blessed for having met him and known him.
Born in Coatbridge on 10th Novembe 1924 he was only 11 when his owm father died and he had to help out in the family business. He enlisted during the war in the HLI and served for over a year in both active service and combat before being seriously wounded in Holland. One of only six to survive from his troop he was left for dead until Salvation Army following the battle noticed he was still alive and he was rushed to the field hospital where he made a slow recovery.
After the war in 1946 Dad married his sweetheart Giovanna Russo and brought her over fromm Italy to start their married life here in Glasgow. Their love and devotion to each other is a shining example to every one and their generosity and hospitality to their extended family and friends was so well known.
Iontas barbers shops in the Gallowgate gained cult status and it is true to say that people came from not only all over Glasgow to get their hair cut, but from all corners of the world. No one could go anywhere without bumping into someone who knew the shop. Dad and his two brothers Dan and Johnnie cut the hair of many of Glasgow's personalities, actors, football players and singers.
Along came four children, Vivienne, Flora, Angelina and Thomas. More loving and devoted parents and a father they could not have had. Dad led the way each summer on the convoy back to Italy, and with various nieces and nephews thoese journeys have become legendary.
As the children grew up along came their partners and each of us Eric, Peter, Jean and myself have so many memories to treasure. Being selfish I want to share a few of my own starting with Dad saying yes when I asked if I could marry his daughter FIVE weeks after our first date.
Long before Changing Rooms hit the screen Dad and Mum showed the way. What a great decorating team they were. I still tremble with terror at the thought of Dad on a precarious plank across the top of our hall in our first home. Then when we lived in London a hot summers night saw us walk along to Spar to see what exotic foreign beer we'd have that night. Of trips round Kew Gardens and then that magical drive round London one summers night, To Canary Wharf and right along the Embankment from Chelsea to Tower Bridge.
Dad was blessed with wonderful grandchildren, Stephanie, Natalie, Alexander, Giovanna, Jane, Vivienne and Claire. Each of them were treasured and he cared for them so much and gave so much of himself to them. He took great pride as they grew up and was so much a part of his life at their christenings, communions, confirmations and then the engagement parties and weddings. Dad loved each of them so much and their partners Mark, Charles, Debbie, Alex and Paul become so much a part of his life and equally as loved. Hardly a day went by when one them were not in the house seeing their beloved Nonno.
Finally he was blessed with a great grand child in Charley. She is such a gem and character and brought so much joy and life into the house, especially in his last days.
Bless you Dad and thanks for all you did for every one of us.
Thanks to Father Eustace for such a lovely funeral mass. To Paolo, Maria and Giovanna for all their pastoral care over the days before the funeral.
Alasdair W Reid - 10/04/2007 11:53:47 AM
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i found the dennistoun website by accident and posted the note about the ionta's and being hopeless with computers could'nt find it again . so imagine my delight when finding it again tonight i will print off the replies and show them to my dad .he is 85 now we lived in bluevale st his parents were localy known as auld jake and auld aggie . a family story says that johnnie proposed to my late mother martha winn all my auntie's remember his wife's lack of english and taught her to swear .
joe walker - 15/06/2007 11:20:50 PM
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Alasdair if you would send me your email I have a picture of wee Johnny and his wife from 1988 taken at their home on Roselea Drive. If you read the seventh message on this post you will find my email, also Joe walker if you send me your email I will send you a caricature of Johnny in action. Bill Mc
Bill McIlroy - 17/06/2007 5:06:36 PM
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Hi there Bill
E-mail address is alasdairreid72 @aol.com.
Cheers
Alasdair
alasdair w reid - 18/06/2007 11:43:31 PM
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Johnny used to cut my hair 50 years ago,I remember him as a little stirrer, he`d get an argument going in the shop and sit back and chuckle. He was a great barber, and cut hair from first thing until all the punters had their hair cut, usually around 7.30pm. I remember going down to Barrowland on the tram past the shop and the lights were still burning at that time. I lived in Glenlyon St then. He really was the best barber in the city, and the entertainment was free, he was a legend.
alex from Sydney Oz - 24/12/2007 11:03:10 PM
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I used to go to 'Wee Johnny's' to get my hair cut as a boy, and it was pure theatre. A real part of east end history.
pwm437 - 4/01/2008 8:31:44 PM
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Alasdair ,I can't your email to send, is it correct?? Bill
Bill mcilroy - 11/01/2008 12:06:04 PM
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Hi Bill
Yes e-mail address is alasdairreid72@aol.com
Alasdair reid - 27/01/2008 7:36:34 PM
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Hi Alasdair I have't forgotten you my computer is in the shop and I'm having a hard time with this old one getting access to my mailbox. Bill
Bill Mc - 5/02/2008 2:41:57 PM
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I was brought up in Rowchester Street in the middle late 50's and remember Ionta's barber shop. What sticks in my mind was the hair gel he used and no matter what cut you asked for all got the same. Brought back fond memories of a great glasgow childhood.
Jim Crawford - 15/04/2008 10:02:38 PM
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I was brought up in the original Comelypark Terrace and moved to East Kilbride in 1964.
I was taken to Ionta's from about 1958 onwards, and continued until well into the 80's.
(You can take the boy out of the Gallowgate...)
The shop was on the Gallowgate just next to the top of Soho Street and moved several times until it ended up across the road next to the old Orient.
I ended up taking my own son (who is now 30) there just for the patter.
I recall a guy called Jimmy Primrose who used to come in and sing.
Sadly, the barber shops I visit nowadays have no atmosphere or character, and Ionta's formed a big part of my childhood and adult life.
God bless Dan, Tommy, Johnny, and not forgetting Agnes.
I always went to Tommy, who has now sadly gone, but my
john a - 4/06/2009 7:21:17 PM
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Hi John a,
I lived on Malvern Place I knew some of the people on the terrace, I also went to wee Johhny up until I came to Canada in 1960, I posted the caracature of wee Johnny's shop you can see it on this site.
Billy Mc
PS if you would like a copy I can send you one just post your email
Billy Mc - 5/06/2009 1:15:54 AM
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Tommy's son Thomas Ionta celebrates 25 years of his own salon in the west end this October. His daughter Vivienne is now a stylist so the next generation keeps the name very much alive.
Alasdair W Reid - 12/09/2009 11:07:26 PM
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Hi Folks,
Discovered the site by accident. I was having a conversation with an ex-pat East End of Glesga man the other day and the subject of Wee Johnny and his 'shop' came up. I can remember we used to ask for a 'Perry Como'....!!
I lived at the top end of Fielden Street and went to St Anne's primary (middle to late '50's)
Jim McKay - 5/06/2010 11:05:43 PM
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