In Victorian London the reckless abundance of pubs brought comfort, glitter and variety to the drab lives of the poor and a flush of righteous anger to the solemn faces of the Temperance reformers. The agitators made important gains but never achieved the total prohibition they sought. This book celebrates the rise and laments the fall of the Victorian pub by looking at buildings, builders, landlords and users with the eye of a social and architectural historian. The main emphasis is on London but there is also a final chapter covering in less detail the rest of England and Ireland.
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