A Dark History of Gin looks at the origins and development of a drink which seems to have a universal and timeless appeal. Historian Mike Rendell explores the origins of distilling in the ancient world and considers the how, when, where and why of the happy marriage' between distilled spirits and berries from the juniper bush. The book traces the link between gin and the Low Countries (Holland and Belgium) and looks at how the drink was brought across to England when the Dutch-born William of Orange became king.
From the tragic era of the gin craze in eighteenth-century London, through to the emergence of the cocktail', the book follows the story of gin across the Atlantic to America and the emergence of the mixologist. It also follows the growth of the Temperance Movement and the origins of the Prohibition, before looking at the period between the First and Second World Wars - the cocktail age. From there the book looks at the emergence in the twentieth century of craft gins across the globe, enabling the drink to enjoy a massive increase in popularity.
The book is intended as a light-hearted look-behind-the-scenes at how Mother's Ruin' developed into rather more than just a plain old 'G & T'.
| Preface |
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vi | |
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Chapter 1 The Humble Juniper Berry |
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1 | (8) |
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Chapter 2 The Advent of Distilling |
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9 | (15) |
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Chapter 3 Distilling comes to London -- Gin in the 1600s |
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24 | (7) |
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Chapter 4 The Early Years of the Gin Craze, up to the first Gin Act, 1729 |
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31 | (8) |
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Chapter 5 Gin takes hold ... despite the second Gin Act, 1733 |
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39 | (8) |
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Chapter 6 From half a Dozen Whiffs to Black Cats up to 1735 |
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47 | (8) |
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Chapter 7 The third Gin Act -- 1736 |
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55 | (12) |
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Chapter 8 The Gin Acts 4, 5, 6 and 7 -- and bodies bursting into flames! |
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67 | (9) |
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Chapter 9 The final Gin Act of 1751 -- and on to frost fairs and fuddling tents |
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76 | (12) |
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Chapter 10 From the Gordon Riots to Gordon's Gin |
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88 | (11) |
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Chapter 11 G & T (Gin and Temperance) -- an unfortunate mixture |
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99 | (10) |
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Chapter 12 The Victorian Gin Palaces |
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109 | (15) |
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Chapter 13 Distillers, Developments -- and the Dirty Martini |
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124 | (17) |
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Chapter 14 Gin Magnates and their Money |
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141 | (9) |
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Chapter 15 Prohibition -- Before, During and After |
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150 | (14) |
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Chapter 16 The Modern World of Gin |
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164 | (11) |
| Appendix 1 Synonyms and Slang |
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175 | (5) |
| Appendix 2 Early recipes for Gin cocktails |
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180 | (5) |
| Bibliography |
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185 | (3) |
| Credits & Acknowledgements |
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188 | (4) |
| Index |
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192 | |
Mike Rendell has written thirteen books, all of them about Georgian England. His interest in the period was inspired by a fascinating cache of papers left by his 18th century ancestors. His other books with Pen & Sword include: In Bed with the Georgians, Trailblazing Women of the Georgian Era, Pirates & Privateers in the 18th Century, Crusoe, Castaways and Shipwrecks in the Perilous Age of Sail, Sex and Sexuality in Georgian Britain, and most recently Georgian Harlots and Whores.
When not writing, he spends his time talking on Georgian topics both in Britain and abroad, and in particular on board cruise ships. He travels extensively but his home is in Dorset.
