I have just received a notification from my friends and fellow Bathonians, Kirsten Elliot and Andrew Swift, about the Seven Stars pub in Bristol, which played a key role in the abolition of the Slave Trade, upon which Bristol became immensely wealthy - which is why I had never heard of this pub in this context before. (I hope you don't mind me linking it here, K & A).
You can read the entire article by clicking on this link to Awash with Ale, and I won't precise it here because it is not very long, but it is very well written and there would be no point in abbreviating it.
You see, good can come from the habitual drinking of beer.
It strikes me as ironic that just as the Seven Stars puts up a plaque to commemorate its role in abolishing the slave trade, our government is looking into ways of stopping the modern slave-trade which thrives today in places like London and - for all I know - Bristol.
ReplyDelete(I've just had to re-write the above, taking out the rogue apostrophe in 'its'. Sorry Sarah, old habits die hard)
Seven Stars drinkers will appreciate www.7stern.at/
DeleteThere's an English translation button at the top.
That's a lot of beers.
DeleteThere' one with hemp.
DeleteI recall that the Seven Stars of the early 60's was a great place to pick up women!
ReplyDelete...and so good that it was raided often.
ReplyDeleteSounds as though it was a great place to pick up men too.
DeleteHas 'The Arbiter of Taste' suggested a new colour scheme for its façade?
ReplyDeleteI might work on it.
DeleteThanks Tom ;-)
ReplyDeleteApparently there are more slaves in the world now than ever before. Most of it is sex trafficking.
That's a VERY depressing fact Sarah but sadly true.
DeleteMine also does the housework.
DeleteSarah, there was case the other day of a young woman who signed on as unemployed and they sent her for a job working nights as a 'barmaid' in a brothel.
DeleteWhich is fine, if she was aware of her new workplace.
DeleteI've been sent off by the same folk to work lawnmowing without health insurance. (A bastard when you break an ankle, with two kids and no income for six weeks.)
The other option was barmaiding in the local bikie pub with a history of violence.
I chose academia and writing in the end. It's paying off. Well, not in dollars.
Street cred?
Tom?
I would have paid you more than minimum wage to come over here and be my sex-slave. No housework involved - or bikers. History of violence not a requirement.
DeleteFor ten generations, my forbears lived near Bristol. They all seemed to marry and live within three miles of one little hamlet. Not really relevant to your post as I think they were farming folk and didn't benefit directly from the slave trade. But I'm going to publish this anyway.
ReplyDeleteCan you remember the name of the place?
DeleteMangotsfield. Sometimes they even went as far as Iron Acton to get their wives.
DeleteI had completely forgotten about Bristol's huge connection with the slave trade Tom - accounts for why there are so many pubs I suppose - sailors always were great drinkers(still are)
ReplyDeleteBath too. When I first moved here, you could drink in a different pub every day of the year.
DeleteDid you mean précis?
ReplyDeleteI might have done, smarty-pants. (who do you think you are - Sarah Toa?)
DeleteI am still fighting against WET FUCKING PAINT.
Delete