History of Pubs

British Pubs have always been at the heart of British culture. "Public House" was coined during the 17th century and from then we have seen the British pub become a major figure and where people meet up and socialize. We have seen the growth of pub culture over the years, with many expanding to other cultures as well.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/8287145/The-rise-and-fall-of-the-British-pub.html
This article by the Telegraph shows a timeline of the public house, going through many different acts that were implemented and politicians opinions on the importance of the pub to the community. It also shows a contrasting view on how certain acts have had an impact on the pub leading to the decline of many being forced to close down.

I started reading Barmaids: A History of Women's Work In Pubs by Diane Kirkby. Kirkby talks from experience from her time in Australia and how the barmaid took a cultural and political significance in Australian pub life that went beyond the economic importance of their work. She looks at how the term "barmaid" has seen to deteriorate, it is not used as commonly as it was in the 1950's. Kirkby explores the struggles that women have experienced in working in a bar and stereotypes that may come with the job.  Exploring sexuality within the workplace, different drinking cultures in pubs and race and gender differences too, Kirkby's book seems very interesting regarding how different pubs in separate communities work.