Although brought up in the teetotal ethos of the Band of Hope, Lawrence wrote a surprising amount about pubs, from the Ram Inn at Beauvale (see earlier blog) to the Punchbowl in Mapperley, Nottingham. The second chapter of Aaron's Rod is set in the fictional 'Royal Oak', in reality the Thorn Tree, illustrated in the damaged photo above.
Now demolished, this stood on Mansfield Road opposite Cockerhouse Lane. In the novel the landlady, Mrs Houseley, is described as: 'a large, stout, high-coloured woman with a fine profile, probably Jewish', which doesn't seem to match the only woman in this picture. In the book she ran a special bar parlour for 'superior' customers, as she is fond of 'intellectual discussion'.
It is noteworthy that the landlady of the Thorn Tree, Ellen Wharton, was licensed to brew and sell beer, such a role being an acceptable way for a woman at that time to run her own business.
No comments:
Post a Comment