The chapters of Bottle and Glass (except for the first two) take their titles from actual, early 19th century Kingston inns and taverns (plus one in Halifax, Nova Scotia). Additional information on each drinking establishment follows. Establishment dates, where not exact, are based on first known mention. Proprietor is left empty where unknown. Locations, where known, are marked on the map at the beginning of the book.
The Rode and Shackle
The Rode and Shackle is based on The Bush Inn, a 13th century free house located in Morwenstow, next to the Cornish coastal path between Bude and Hartland, overlooking the Cornish sea.
More info: http://www.bushinnmorwenstow.co.uk/welcome/
Swanky is a sweet, bottle conditioned beer spiced with ginger and raisins, specific to Cornwall.
Chapter 2 – HMS Lancer – Captain’s Cabin
The Lancer is modeled on HMS Leopard, the British ship involved in the Chesapeake-Leopard affair. The Leopard, under Captain Salusbury Pryce Humphreys, boarded USS Chesapeake in 1807 looking for British deserters, seizing four, three Americans and one Briton, Jenkin Ratford. Ratford was hanged for desertion. The Americans were sentenced to 500 lashes though the punishment was never carried out. The American public was outraged and the incident was one of the contributing factors leading to the War of 1812.
Chapter 3 – Franklin’s Tavern – Montreal Road
Established: 1805
Proprietor: Joseph Franklin and family
Chapter 4 – White Bear Tavern
Established: 1808
The Kingston Gazette reported in 1817 that an Academy was opened across from the White Bear Tavern on Store Street with sciences being taught.
Bittered Sling – rye whisky, bitters, sugar, water, ice.
Chapter 5 – Badgley’s and Metcalf’s, Blake’s and Brown’s
Established: before 1830
Chapter 6 – The Golden Ball – Halifax
Established: before 1780
Proprietor: John O’Brien II. John O’Brien Senior, took the tavern over from Edward Phelan in 1780, looks to have died in 1808, after passing the business down to his son.
Chapter 7 – Ferguson’s Tavern – Barriefield
Established: before 1838
Proprietor: John Ferguson
Sherry Cobbler – sherry, lemon juice and rind, with shaved ice in a wine glass.
Chapter 8 – Old King’s Head (orig. King’s Arms)
Established: before 1823
Proprietor: Owned by Mrs. Patrick, widow of Jermyn Patrick, run by George Millward.
Chapter 9 – Walker’s Hotel
Established: As early as 1810
Proprietor: Robert Walker
Wassail – hot cider mulled with brandy, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, with a crescent of fried dough
Chapter 10 – Violin, Bottle, and Glass
Established: January 28, 1812, at Sir John’s Park
Proprietor: John Poncet
Three Threads – 1/3 pint each of Robinson’s Brown Ale, Pale Ale, and Tuppenny, Robinson’s strongest. Also known as Robinson’s Porter. Also known as Entire, combining the flavor of three threads. Local brewer James Robinson founded one of Kingston’s first breweries and distilleries.
The Bottle and Glass was evidently a going concern, with a number of advertisements posted in the papers for sensational entertainments.
Chapter 11 – King’s Arms Inn
Established: Before 1818
Bison Harris was an actual taverner of the era – it is unclear of which tavern.
Chapter 12 – Mother Cook’s
Established: Before 1818
Proprietor: Mother Cook
Common gin was sometimes flavoured with turpentine, in this case obtained from Loughborough Red Pine.
Daniel Cole, one of the members of that first U.E.L. Band, in his old age thus described his remembrance of Kingston, as the party passed through it on their way up the bay in 1784. He said: “Old Mother Cook then kept tavern in Kingston, in a low flat house with two rooms. There were only four or five other houses in the place. Some of our earlier log shanties were deeply covered with marsh hay or flags, carefully laid on lengthways, which seemed to keep out the rain and snow very well.”
[From the remembrances of Dr. Allen Ruttan, written by T.W. Casey, published in the Napanee Beaver, Jan. 29, 1897]
Chapter 13 – The Britannia Inn
Established: Early 1800s
Quetton St. Charles is based upon Quetton St. George, French Royalist emigre, who established a chain of stores in Upper Canada.
The Pernod Fils distillery was established in 1797. It produced an all-purpose elixir called absinthe, originally created by Dr. Pierre Ordinaire.
Chapter 14 – The O.K. (Owen Kennedy) Tavern
Established: Before 1822
Proprietor: Owen Kennedy
Dalton was another early brewer and founder of the Kingston Brewery.
Chapter 15 – The Black Bull
Established: Before 1822
Proprietor: Mr. Chestnut
William Warre’s 10-year old tawny port was a popular tipple throughout the colonies.
Chapter 16 – Old Sam’s
Established: Early 1800s
Toddy – hot bohea with brandy, honey, cloves, lemon, and stick of cinnamon
Chapter 17 – Tête-du-Pont – Officer’s Quarters
Established: 1783 (on the site of the ruined Fort Frontenac, built 1673) – The actual Officer’s Mess building was not built until after 1821, but there would have been a mess near the officer’s quarters.
Julep – Cognac, simple syrup, spearmint, ice.
Chapter 18 – Richmond Hotel – Near Point Henry
Established: Before 1820 (work began in 1812)
Proprietor: John Martin
Collins was a popular cocktail, made with Old Tom Gin
Chapter 19 – St. George and Dragon
Established: Early 1800s
Ale Flip (or, One Yard of Flannel) – One quart of Robinson’s Ale, heated, four egg whites, beaten, half cup sugar, four ounces rum, grated ginger, nutmeg and dried lemon peel, stirred with a red-hot poker.
Chapter 20 – Olcott’s Tavern
Established: Before 1816
Proprietor: Benjamin Olcott
Nor’wester – Tumbler, half water, half dark rum
Chapter 21 – The Rob Roy
Established: Before 1817
Oude Genever – distilled from malt wine spirits, infused with juniper, anise, caraway, coriander
Chapter 22 – Burnside’s Tavern
Established: Before 1817
Proprietor: David Burnside
Syllabub – cider, brandy, honey, nutmeg, warm milk pulled directly from the udder of a dairy shorthorn
Chapter 23 – Jim Beach’s
Established: Early 1800’s
Proprietor: Jim Beach