Gin and the City of London have a long and dark history, summed up best in Hogarth’s dark satire Gin Alley (contrasted with the relative sobriety of Beer Street)
http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20150610-london-city-of-sin
However one of the more light hearted stories associated with Gin in London is the invention of what is probably the first ever vending machine in the world – commemorated at the entrance to the City of London Distillery in Bride Lane (see the photo above).
This was the brainchild of a notorious adventurer, spy and playwright Dudley Bradstreet who in the 1730’s noticed that the recently passed Act of Parliament, attempting to clamp down on sales of the devilish drink, had a massive loophole in it.
In his own words:
“The Mob being very noisy and clamorous for want of their beloved Liquor…it soon occurred to me to venture upon that Trade. I bought the Act, and read it over several times, and found no Authority by it to break ones Doors, and that the Informer must know the Name of the Person who rented the house it was sold in. To evade this, I got an Acquaintance to take a House in Blue Anchor Alley…and purchased in Moorfields the Sign of a Cat, and had it nailed to a Street Window. I then caused a Leaden Pipe… to be placed under the Paw of the Cat…When the Liquor was properly disposed, I got a Person to inform a few of the Mob that Gin would be sold by the Cat at my Window the Next Day, provided they put money in its mouth… I heard the Chink of Money, and a comfortable voice say, “Puss, give me two Pennyworth of Gin.” I instantly put my mouth to the tube, and bid them receive it from the Pipe under her Paw…. from all parts of London People used to resort to me in such Numbers, that my neighbors could scarely get in or out of their Houses. After that manner I went on for a Month, in which time I cleared upwards of two and twenty Pounds”
The act itself was a complete failure and Parliament wrestled in vain for many years to control the sale of this very cheap, very easy to make and very ruinous drink.
