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67-564: The group first met in 1795 at the Green Dragon Tavern . Paul Revere acted as chairman. Subsequent meetings took place at Concert Hall and elsewhere. The group officially incorporated in 1806. Its constitution proclaimed: "It is universally admitted that the combined operation of the mechanic powers hath been the source of those useful inventions and scientific arts, which have given to polished society its wealth, conveniences, respectability, and defence, and which have ameliorated

134-416: A jukebox or dartboard ). By the 1970s, divisions between saloons and public bars were being phased out, usually by the removal of the dividing wall or partition. While the names of saloon and public bar may still be seen on the doors of pubs, the prices (and often the standard of furnishings and decoration) are the same throughout the premises. Most present day pubs now comprise one large room, although with

201-852: A commemorative plaque was placed: On this spot stood THE GREEN DRAGON TAVERN The secret meet place of the Sons of Liberty, And in the words of Webster, the Headquarters of the Revolution. To mark a site forever as Memorable as the birthplace of American freedom, this tablet is placed by the Massachusetts Society of the Sons of Revolution. The Green Dragon Tavern was located at Green Dragon Lane (today's Union Street) in Boston's North End. At 0.75 acres (0.30 ha) in size, it

268-524: A day, was increasing and that 39,404 pubs in England and Wales remained open at the end of June. There was regulation of public drinking spaces in England from at least the 15th century. In 1496, under, Henry VII, an act was passed, "against vagabonds and beggers" (11 Hen. VII c2), that included a clause empowering two justices of the peace, "to rejecte and put awey comen ale-selling in tounes and places where they shall think convenyent, and to take suertie of

335-537: A historic interiors list in order that they can be preserved. The pub took the concept of the bar counter to serve the beer from gin palaces in the 18th century. Until that time beer establishments used to bring the beer out to the table or benches, as remains the practice in (for example) beer gardens and some other drinking establishments in Germany. A bar might be provided for the manager or publican to do paperwork while keeping an eye on his or her customers, and

402-516: A manner akin to a restaurant. A licence is required to operate a pub; the licensee is known as the landlord or landlady, or the publican. Often colloquially referred to as their "local" by regular customers, pubs are typically chosen for their proximity to home or work, good food, social atmosphere, the presence of friends and acquaintances, and the availability of pub games such as darts , pool , or snooker . Pubs often screen sporting events, such as rugby , cricket and football . The pub quiz

469-411: A particular kind of image, or in many cases simply as a pun on the word "in". The original services of an inn are now also available at other establishments. Hotels, lodges, and motels focus more on lodging customers than on other services but usually provide meals. Pubs are primarily alcohol-serving establishments. Restaurants and taverns serve food and drink. In North America, the lodging aspect of

536-609: A patent in favour of John Lofting for a fire engine, but remarked upon and recommended another invention of his, for a beer pump: "Whereas their Majesties have been Graciously Pleased to grant Letters patent to John Lofting of London Merchant for a New Invented Engine for Extinguishing Fires which said Engine have found every great encouragement. The said Patentee hath also projected a Very Useful Engine for starting of beer and other liquors which will deliver from 20 to 30 barrels an hour which are completely fixed with Brass Joints and Screws at Reasonable Rates. Any Person that hath occasion for

603-651: A series of small rooms served drinks and food by waiting staff. By the early 1970s there was a tendency to change to one large drinking room as breweries were eager to invest in interior design and theming. Isambard Kingdom Brunel , the British engineer and railway builder, introduced the idea of a circular bar into the Swindon station pub in order that customers were served quickly and did not delay his trains. These island bars became popular as they also allowed staff to serve customers in several different rooms surrounding

670-425: A wider selection of better quality drinks that cost a penny or two more than those served in the public bar. By the mid-20th century, the standard of the public bar had generally improved. Many were built between the world wars as part of the "improved" pub movement and as "roadhouse" inns—with large car parks to attract passing trade. Pub patrons only had to choose between economy and exclusivity (or youth and age:

737-638: Is no strict definition, but the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) states a pub has four characteristics: The history of pubs can be traced to taverns in Roman Britain , and through Anglo-Saxon alehouses, but it was not until the early 19th century that pubs, as they are today, first began to appear. The model also became popular in countries and regions of British influence, where pubs are often still considered to be an important aspect of their culture . In many places, especially in villages, pubs are

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804-420: Is when a pub owner allows patrons to continue drinking in the pub after the legal closing time, on the theory that once the doors are locked, it becomes a private party rather than a pub. Patrons may put money behind the bar before official closing time, and redeem their drinks during the lock-in so no drinks are technically sold after closing time. The origin of the British lock-in was a reaction to 1915 changes in

871-519: The Anglo-Saxons established alehouses that may have grown out of domestic dwellings, first attested in the 10th century. These alehouses quickly evolved into meeting houses for folk to socially congregate, gossip and arrange mutual help within their communities. The Wantage law code of Æthelred the Unready prescribes fines for breaching the peace at meetings held in alehouses. A traveller in

938-467: The Covid pandemic , followed by the wave of inflation that increased prices. By June 2022, pub numbers in England and Wales had fallen to a record low of 39,970, a loss of 7,000 in 10 years. Pubs also found it difficult to hire enough staff, with 142,000 jobs unfilled in the accommodation and food services sector by 2023. Figures published in 2023 showed that the rate of pub loss, equivalent to two closures

1005-607: The Freemasons and the Sons of Liberty , it was demolished in 1832. The property had been inherited by Mehitable (Minot) Cooper from her uncle, William Stoughton , in 1701; Stoughton himself had acquired the property some time before June 1676. Valued at 650 pounds in 1705, the Green Dragon Tavern was purchased from her son, William Cooper, by physician and pamphleteer William Douglas in 1743. Douglas lived in

1072-574: The smoking ban of 2007 , intense competition from gastro-pubs, the availability of cheap alcohol in supermarkets or the general economic climate are either to blame, or are factors in the decline. Changes in demographics may be an additional factor. In 2015 the rate of pub closures came under the scrutiny of Parliament in the UK, with a promise of legislation to improve relations between owners and tenants. The Lost Pubs Project listed 42,519 closed English pubs on 6 August 2023, with photographs of over 29,000. In

1139-521: The "Headquarters of the Revolution". The Sons of Liberty led by Samuel Adams , Boston Committee of Correspondence and the Boston Caucus each met there. Though membership in the Sons of Liberty was secret, it is widely believed to have included Samuel Adams, Dr. Joseph Warren, Paul Revere, John Hancock, James Otis, and Benjamin Edes (owner of the influential Boston Gazette ). The Boston Tea Party

1206-444: The "new" Green Dragon Tavern is located in 11 Marshall Street in Boston's North End. Public house A pub (short for public house ) is in several countries a drinking establishment licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises . The term first appeared in England in the late 17th century, to differentiate private houses from those open to the public as alehouses, taverns and inns . Today, there

1273-459: The "weasel" is unclear but the two most likely definitions are: a flat iron used for finishing clothing; or rhyming slang for a coat ( weasel and stoat ). A few pubs have stage performances such as serious drama, stand-up comedy, musical bands, cabaret or striptease ; however, juke boxes , karaoke and other forms of pre-recorded music have otherwise replaced the musical tradition of a piano or guitar and singing. The public bar, or tap room,

1340-471: The 17th century, this represented a fundamental shift in the way that many pubs were operated and the period is now widely regarded as the birth of the tied house system. Decreasing numbers of free houses and difficulties in obtaining new licences meant a continual expansion of their tied estates was the only feasible way for breweries to generate new trade. By the end of the century more than 90 per cent of public houses in England were owned by breweries, and

1407-504: The 1980s). In the Manchester area, the public bar was known as the "vault", other rooms being the lounge and snug as usual elsewhere. The vault was a men-only bar, meant for working men in their dirty working clothes. This style was in marked contrast to the adjacent saloon or lounge bar which, by the early 20th century, was where male or accompanied female middle-class drinkers would drink. It had carpeted floors, upholstered seats, and

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1474-535: The 19th century. The festivals alternated venues, sometimes taking place in Faneuil Hall , sometimes in the Music Hall, and elsewhere. From 1837, the association organized large exhibitions of mechanical innovations and related curiosities. The exhibitions, which took place every two years, were held in large indoor spaces such as Quincy Hall . In 1820, William Wood established a library that continued under

1541-665: The MCMA promoted classes held at the Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston." Beginning in the late 1840s the association "invested in the Revere Hotel ." Around the 1860s and 1870s the association's Mechanics Hall was located at Bedford Street and Chauncy Street. A new Mechanics Hall was constructed for the association in 1881 on Huntington Avenue , at West Newton Street near Copley Square . Architect William Gibbons Preston designed it. Like its predecessor,

1608-675: The UK, soft drinks and often food), but less commonly accommodation. Inns tend to be older and grander establishments: historically they provided not only food and lodging, but also stabling and fodder for travellers' horses, and on some roads fresh horses for the mail coach . Famous London inns include the George, Southwark and the Tabard . There is, however, no longer a formal distinction between an inn and other kinds of establishment. Many pubs use "Inn" in their name, either because they are long established former coaching inns , or to summon up

1675-421: The advent of gastropubs , some establishments have returned to maintaining distinct rooms or areas. The "snug" was a small private room or area, typically with access to the bar and a frosted glass window above head height. Customers in the snug paid a higher price for beer and nobody could look in and see the drinkers. Not only did wealthy visitors use these rooms, but also patrons who preferred not to be seen in

1742-431: The bar. A "beer engine" is a device for pumping beer, originally manually operated and typically used to dispense beer from a cask or container in a pub's basement or cellar. The first beer pump known in England is believed to have been invented by John Lofting (born Netherlands 1659-d. Great Marlow Buckinghamshire 1742) an inventor, manufacturer and merchant of London. The London Gazette of 17 March 1691 published

1809-591: The big breweries to sell their tied houses, the Government introduced the Beer Orders in 1989. The result, however, was that the Big Six melted away into other sectors; selling their brewing assets and spinning off their tied houses, largely into the hands of branded pub chains, called pubcos. As these were not brewers, they were not governed by the Beer Orders and tens of thousands of pubs remain tied, much in

1876-469: The characteristics that make pubs instantly recognisable today. In particular, and contrary to the intentions of the Beerhouse Act, many drew inspiration from the gin houses and palaces. Bar counters had been an early adoption, but ornate mirrors, etched glass, polished brass fittings and lavishly tiled surfaces were all features that had first made their appearance in gin houses. Innovations such as

1943-693: The condition of its citizens. Rational, therefore, is the inference, that the association of those who conduct those powers will prove highly beneficial to them, by promoting mutual good offices and fellowship; -- by assisting the necessitous; -- encouraging the ingenious; -- and rewarding the faithful." Founding members included tailors, hatters , hairdressers, bakers, blacksmiths, whitesmiths , goldsmiths, watchmakers, coopers , engine-builders, painters, printers, bookbinders, booksellers, curriers , shipwrights, riggers , sailmakers, ropemakers, cabinet-makers, housewrights, masons, bricklayers, paint-sellers, saddlers, farriers , furriers, cordwainers , silk-dyers. Among

2010-573: The country or along a highway. In Europe, they possibly first sprang up when the Romans built a system of roads two millennia ago. Some inns in Europe are several centuries old. In addition to providing for the needs of travellers, inns traditionally acted as community gathering places. In Europe, it is the provision of accommodation, if anything, that now distinguishes inns from taverns , alehouses and pubs. The latter tend to provide alcohol (and, in

2077-410: The development of the large London Porter breweries, a trend grew for pubs to become tied houses that only sold beer from a single brewery. (A pub not 'tied' in this way was called a free house .) The usual arrangement for a tied house was that the brewery owned the pub but rented it out to a private individual (landlord) who ran it as a separate business (even though contracted to buy the beer from

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2144-668: The early Middle Ages could obtain overnight accommodation in monasteries, but later a demand for hostelries grew with the popularity of pilgrimages and travel. The Hostellers of London were granted guild status in 1446, and in 1514 the guild became the Worshipful Company of Innholders . A survey in 1577 of drinking establishment in England and Wales for taxation purposes recorded 14,202 alehouses, 1,631 inns, and 329 taverns, representing one pub for every 187 people. Inns are buildings where travellers can seek lodging and, usually, food and drink. They are typically located in

2211-616: The early 19th century the association promoted efforts to expand educational opportunities for apprentices and other boys. One outcome was the establishment in 1821 of the first public high school in America, the English High School of Boston (originally the English Classical School). A number of prominent members of the association served on the school committee that created English High School. The school

2278-490: The fifteen years to 2017 a quarter of London's pubs had closed. The closures have been ascribed to factors such as changing tastes and a rise in the cost of beer due to tax increases. Some London boroughs where there has been an increase in British Muslim population— Islam forbids alcohol to its adherents—have seen a high amount of closures. The industry suffered a major decline from 2020, due to reduced trade during

2345-476: The first country in the world to ban smoking in all enclosed public areas. Scotland was the first UK nation to introduce a ban on indoor smoking in March 2006, followed by the rest of the UK in 2007. Australia introduced a similar ban in 2006 and now has some of the world's toughest anti-smoking laws, with some territories having also banned smoking in outside public areas. Some publicans raised concerns, prior to

2412-520: The first members were Paul Revere and Paul Revere, Jr., goldsmiths; Benjamin Russell, printer; David West, bookseller; Samuel Perkins, painter; Ephraim Thayer, engine-builder; Jedediah Lincoln, housewright; Edmund Hartt , shipwright; Samuel Gore, painter; and several dozen others. Later members included Joseph T. Buckingham , Alexander Parris and Thomas Waldron Sumner . Beginning in 1809 the association held "Triennial Festivals" which continued through

2479-426: The focal point of local communities. In his 17th-century diary, Samuel Pepys described the pub as "the heart of England". Pubs have been established in other countries in modern times. Although the drinks traditionally served include draught beer and cider , most also sell wine , spirits , tea , coffee , and soft drinks . Many pubs offer meals and snacks, and those considered to be gastro-pubs serve food in

2546-609: The growth from 1869 by introducing magisterial control and new licensing laws. These aimed to make it harder to obtain a licence, and control drunkenness, prostitution, and other undesirable conduct on licensed premises. In the United Kingdom, restrictions were tightened considerably following the advent of the First World War. The Defence of the Realm Act , along with introducing rationing and censorship of

2613-494: The implementation of restrictions, that a smoking ban would have a negative impact on sales. The impact of the ban was mixed, with some pubs suffering declining sales, and others seeing an increase, particularly in food sales. By the end of the 18th century, a new room in the pub was established: the saloon. Beer establishments had always provided entertainment of some sort—singing, gaming or sport. Balls Pond Road in Islington

2680-566: The introduction of hand pumps (or beer engines ) allowed more people to be served, faster, while technological advances in the brewing industry and improved transportation links made it possible for breweries to deliver beer far from where it was brewed. The latter half of the 19th century saw increased competition within the brewing industry and, in an attempt to secure markets for their own products, breweries began rapidly buying local pubs and directly employing publicans to run them. Although some tied houses had existed in larger British towns since

2747-508: The keepers of ale-houses in their gode behavyng by the discrecion of the seid justices, and in the same to be avysed and aggreed at the tyme of their sessions." The Beerhouse Act of 1830 is widely considered to be a milestone in the history of public houses. Gin was popularised in England in the late 17th century, largely because it provided an alternative to French brandy at a time of political and religious conflict between Britain and France. Because of its cheapness, gin became popular with

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2814-590: The licensing laws in England and Wales, which curtailed opening hours to stop factory workers from turning up drunk and harming the war effort. From then until the start of the 21st century, UK licensing laws changed very little, retaining these comparatively early closing times. The tradition of the lock-in therefore remained. Since the implementation of the Licensing Act 2003 , premises in England and Wales may apply to extend their opening hours beyond 11 pm, allowing round-the-clock drinking and removing much of

2881-480: The need for lock-ins. Since the smoking ban , some establishments operated a lock-in during which the remaining patrons could smoke without repercussions but, unlike drinking lock-ins, allowing smoking in a pub was still a prosecutable offence. Concerns about the effects of cigarette smoke inhalation first surfaced in the 1950s and ultimately led many countries to ban or restrict smoking in specific settings, such as pubs and restaurants. Early in 2004, Ireland became

2948-565: The new Mechanics Building featured an auditorium, sometimes referred to as the Grand Hall. The building was demolished in 1959. By 1988 the association conducted its business from quarters in Quincy, Massachusetts . Green Dragon Tavern The Green Dragon Tavern was a public house located on Union Street (then known as Green Dragon Lane) in Boston . A popular meeting place for both

3015-414: The only practical way brewers could now grow their tied estates was to turn on each other. Buy-outs and amalgamations became commonplace, and by the end of the 1980s there were only six large brewers left in the UK, collectively known as the Big Six; Allied , Bass , Courage , Grand Metropolitan , Scottish & Newcastle and Whitbread . In an attempt to increase the number of free houses, by forcing

3082-482: The poor standard of rural roads meant that, away from the larger towns, the only beer available was often brewed by the publican himself. With the arrival of the Industrial Revolution , many areas of the United Kingdom were transformed by a surge in industrial activity and rapid population growth. There was huge demand for beer and for venues where the public could engage in social interaction, but there

3149-586: The poor, eventually leading to a period of drunkenness and lawlessness, known as the Gin Craze . In the early 19th century, encouraged by a reduction of duties, gin consumption again began to rise and gin houses and gin palaces (an evolution of gin shops) began to spread from London to most towns and cities in Britain. Alarmed at the prospect of a return to the Gin Craze, the government attempted to counter

3216-640: The popular music hall form of entertainment—a show consisting of a variety of acts. A most famous London saloon was the Grecian Saloon in the Eagle, City Road , referenced by name in the 18th-century nursery rhyme : "Up and down the City Road / In and out the Eagle / That's the way the money goes / Pop goes the weasel ." This meant that the customer had spent all his money at the Eagle, and needed to pawn his "weasel" to get some more. The meaning of

3283-535: The press, restricted pubs' opening hours to 12 noon–2:30 pm and 6:30 pm–9:30 pm. Opening for the full licensed hours was compulsory, and closing time was equally firmly enforced by the police. There was also a special case established under the State Management Scheme where the brewery and licensed premises were bought and run by the state, most notably in Carlisle . A "lock-in"

3350-410: The public bar. Ladies often enjoyed a private drink in the snug in a time when many frowned on women visiting a pub. The local police officer might nip in for a quiet pint, the parish priest for his evening whisky, or lovers for a rendezvous. The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has surveyed the 50,000 pubs in Britain and it believes that there are very few pubs that still have classic snugs. These are on

3417-769: The said Engines may apply themselves to the Patentee at his house near St Thomas Apostle London or to Mr. Nicholas Wall at the Workshoppe near Saddlers Wells at Islington or to Mr. William Tillcar, Turner, his agent at his house in Woodtree next door to the Sun Tavern London." "Their Majesties" referred to were William III of England and Mary II of England , who had recently arrived from the Netherlands and had been appointed joint monarchs. A further engine

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3484-441: The same way that they had been previously. In reality, government interference did very little to improve Britain's tied house system and all its large breweries are now in the hands of foreign or multi-national companies. The number of pubs in the UK has declined year on year at least since 1982. Various reasons are put forward for this, such as the failure of some establishments to keep up with customer requirements. Others claim

3551-749: The shortest possible time. The other, more private, rooms had no serving bar—they had the beer brought to them from the public bar. A number of pubs in the Midlands or the North still retain this set up, though now customers fetch the drinks themselves from the taproom or public bar. One of these is the Vine, known locally as the Bull and Bladder, in Brierley Hill near Birmingham, another the Cock at Broom, Bedfordshire

3618-413: The supervision of the main body of the association until 1828, when the newly formed Mechanic Apprentices Library Association took over. The Apprentices Library then operated for several decades thereafter. In 1892 the library ceased; its collections were "distributed throughout repositories in Boston. Throughout its history the association collected and distributed charitable funds to the needy. During

3685-561: The tavern, calling it his "mansion house". After his death in 1752, the tavern passed to his sister, who sold it to the St. Andrews Lodge of Freemasons in 1766. The Masons used the first floor for their meeting rooms led by Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts , Joseph Warren (killed at Bunker Hill ), followed by Grand Master John Hancock . The basement tavern was used by several secret groups and became known by historians as

3752-478: The term "bar" applied to the publican's office where one was built, but beer would be tapped directly from a cask or barrel on a table, or kept in a separate taproom and brought out in jugs. When purpose built Victorian pubs were built after the Beerhouse Act 1830 , the main room was the public room with a large serving bar copied from the gin houses, the idea being to serve the maximum number of people in

3819-518: The threat, and encourage the consumption of a more wholesome beverage, by introducing the Beerhouse Act of 1830. The Act introduced a new lower, and largely deregulated, tier of premises called "the beerhouse". Under the act any householder, upon payment of two guineas (roughly equal in value to £237 today), was permitted to brew and sell beer or cider in their own home. Beerhouses were not allowed to open on Sundays, or sell spirits and fortified wines; any beerhouse discovered to be breaking these rules

3886-582: The word "inn" lives on in hotel brand names like Holiday Inn , and in some state laws that refer to lodging operators as innkeepers. The Inns of Court and Inns of Chancery in London started as ordinary inns where barristers met to do business, but became institutions of the legal profession in England and Wales . Pubs as we know them today first appeared in the 19th century. Before this time alehouses were largely indistinguishable from private houses and

3953-494: Was also intense competition for customers. Gin houses and palaces became increasingly popular, while the Beerhouse Act of 1830 caused a proliferation of beerhouses. By the mid-19th century, pubs were widely purpose-built, and could incorporate architectural features that distinguished them from private houses to make them stand out from the competition. Many existing public houses were also redeveloped at this time, borrowing features from other building types and gradually developing

4020-486: Was also modeled after a similar effort by the mechanics of Edinburgh, Scotland. It also ran "an evening school in the mechanical arts" 1820-1859. "In 1900 the first classes of the MCMA Trade School began. The Trade School provided classes in electrical wiring, drafting, and carpentry, among many others. During World War I, the enrollment dropped substantially and the school closed in 1917. Following this closure

4087-443: Was closed down and the owner heavily fined. Within eight years 46,000 new beerhouses opened and, because operating costs were so low, huge profits were often made. The combination of increasing competition and high profits eventually led to what has been described as a golden age of pub building when many landlords extended or redeveloped their properties, adopting many features modern pubs still have. Authorities attempted to check

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4154-583: Was established in the UK in the 1970s. Ale was a native British drink before the arrival of the Roman Empire in the first century, but it was with the construction of the Roman road network that the first pubs, called tabernae (the origin of modern English " tavern "), began to appear. After the departure of Roman authority in the fifth century and the fall of the Romano-British kingdoms ,

4221-407: Was invented in the late 18th century by the locksmith and hydraulic engineer Joseph Bramah (1748–1814). Strictly the term refers to the pump itself, which is normally manually operated, though electrically powered and gas powered pumps are occasionally used. When manually powered, the term "handpump" is often used to refer to both the pump and the associated handle. In the 18th century, after

4288-405: Was named after an establishment run by a Mr. Ball that had a duck pond at the rear, where drinkers could, for a fee, go out and take a potshot at the ducks. More common, however, was a card room or a billiards room. The saloon was a room where, for an admission fee or a higher price of drinks, singing, dancing, drama, or comedy was performed and drinks would be served at the table. From this came

4355-516: Was one of the largest structures in Boston. Primarily composed of brick , the building had three floors in the back and two in front; greeting visitors was a copper dragon mounted on an iron crane. According to Steven D. Barleen in The Tavern (2019), "no tavern from this era (pre- revolution ) is as famous or as important in American history" as the Green Dragon Tavern. A pub self-styled as

4422-515: Was planned there and Paul Revere (a Mason) was sent from there to Lexington on his famous ride. In January 1788, a meeting of the mechanics and artisans of Boston passed a series of resolutions urging the importance of adopting the Federal Constitution pending at the time before a convention of delegates from around Massachusetts. The building was demolished in 1832. A warehouse was subsequently built in its place. On August 19, 1892,

4489-454: Was where the working class were expected to congregate and drink. It had unfurnished floorboards, sometimes covered with sawdust to absorb the spitting and spillages (known as "spit and sawdust"), bare bench seats and stools. Drinks were generally lower-quality beers and liquors. Public bars were seen as exclusive areas for only men; strictly enforced social etiquettes barred women from entering public bars (some pubs did not lift this rule until

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