YOU can get it whetting your whistle, sipping, supping, scoffing or quaffing, but there could be quite a tale behind the public houses serving your cleansing ale.
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And as a matter of fact, you can now get the story behind the world’s most bizarre bar names and inn insignia in Tamworth, this Friday.
A public lecture hosted by the Tamworth Association Decorative and Fine Arts Society (ADFAS) will dive into the curiously-coded names given to pubs.
The talk will be delivered by British lecturer John Ericson at the Tamworth Town Hall at 6pm on Friday, September 7.
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The colourful lecture highlights some of the most interesting and distinctive signs of history before exploring the fascinating stories behind the origin of some of their peculiar names.
Tamworth ADFAS chairwoman Meg Larkin said the group was able to pick its poison when it came to securing the lecture.
Ms Larkin said Mr Ericson was also well-versed in children’s literature, but she said his pub parley would be a better pick for Tamworth.
“I think it'll be lively,” she said.
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“It’ll be a lot of fun for people who’ve have travelled and I think we're all fond of pubs when we're travelling.”
The Tamworth ADFAS group hosts about nine public lectures a year and they’ve been garnering a growing interest from the community, Ms Larkin said.
She said the sessions regularly pulled in 100 guests.
This Friday’s lecture focuses on the more peculiar pub names found in the UK, such as ‘The Bucket of Blood’, the ‘Cow and Snuffers’ or even the ‘Eager Poet’.
You could be forgiven for thinking the local taproom titles are a bit bland, in comparison.
Conservative names for Tamworth bars have been the order of the day since the city’s first licensed premises opened its doors in 1847. It was christened the ‘Tamworth Inn’ and is believed to have stood near the site of the current Joe Maguires’ Pub.
The Tamworth Hotel is now toting the tag, however the Marius Street alehouse has had a few monikers over the years, including the Town Talk and the Railway.
- Know how Tamworth’s pubs got their names, get in touch at jacob.mcarthur@fairfaxmedia.com.au