The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-12-03
LONDON TAVERN SIGNS.
SOMEQUAINT OLD DEVICES WHICH
SEEM
To Have Little Relation to the Fare
within.

JuOSL cdSudl observer dS lie pe59e7
through the streets of our towns and
villages. The origin of many of these
Is obvious and requires little eXplana-
ton, but there are some whose mean
ing is almost if not quite hidden in the
dim oblivion of the past.
For example, 1.-THE Labor in Vain"
inn, which formerly existed in Old Fish
street, with it's sign of two women en-
gagged in scrubbling a negro white, an
impossible task, would imply that to
produce such ale as was to be found at
the inn in question would be labor in
vain"
The 'salutation and Cat in Newgate
street is explained by a picture hung
up in the coffee room, representing an
aged dandy offering a pinch of snuff
from box which forms the top of his
wooden cane. This box knob was
known at that period by the name of
cat" hence the connection of terms ap-
parently so foreign to one another.
1.-THE Catherine Wheel" or "Wheel"
as it is often termed, has its origin in
the old legend of ST. Catherine the Mar
tyr, who, condemned to punishment
and death by the blood-thirsty Empe-
ror Maxentius after her conversion to
Christianity, was tortured with four
cutting wheels, in which were iron
saws sharp nails, and knives which
clashed against each other. The Cath
crime Wheel was also the badge of the
Knights of st. Catherine of Sinai, Gre
ated in 1868 who wore the sign of a
half-wheel on their spotless garments.
The "Cat and Fiddle" as a public
house sign has to do with another Cath
crime being considered a corruption of
the French, Catherine la fdele, wife Of
the Gear Peter the Great of Russia.
" The 'Moonrakers," in the borough,
another singular title, derived it's name
from a term at one time applied to in
habitants of Wiltshire. A party of
smugglers belonging to that county is
said to have been engaged one moon
light night in ''raling" their casks of
contraband spirits out of a pond in
which they had been deposited. Being
questioned by the excisemen as to what
they were doing, one of the smugglers
exclaimed: "Whoy don't you zee the
cheese there?" Then a boy belonging
to the party, taking the hint, and
splashing the water with his rake,
CdllGu Outy Lulu, iLOIu tAiCAS NC C
thousand little cheeses, feyther-rake
away, rake away, feyther." The idea
that these simpletons had mistaken the
moon for cheese is said to have so di-
verified the excisemen that they went
away laughing, and thus the snug
glers' kegs were left in safety for a
more favorable opportunity.
Many signs We're connected with
trades or companies, such as the Gram
and Teazle," so designated out of COM
pliment to the Clothiers' company, the
ram being emblamatic of the wool,
while the taazle was used to raise the
nap of the wool which was woven into
the CLOTH
So, too, the Leather Bottle" which
belonged to the Company of Bottle
makers and Horners of London, an in
stance of which is to be found in
Heather Lane at the corner of Charles
street" Similarly, the "Three Goats
herds were originally the arms of the
Cordwainers' or Shoemakers' company,
just as the "Three Horseshoes" are
those of the Farriers'.
The "Hand and Shears" in Smith
field, was a house of call for the tail
ors, who frequented the Cloth Fair oof
the neighborhood while the Hand and
Pen a scriveners' sign, was much af-
fected by the keepers of the houses
where the Fleet marriages of the last
century were celebrated.
Many signs, as might be expected, re-
fer to personages famous in history or
early legendary lore. Such a one is
1.-THE King and Miller" founded on the
ancient ballad quoted in Kitson's can
Gent Songs and Ballads" Untitled "A
Pleasant Ballad of King Henry the |
Second and the Miller of Mansfield, and |
how he was entertained and lodged at
the Miller's House, and their pleasant |
communication; the ballad terminates |
with the lines:
Then Sir John Cookie the King called |
unto him,
And of Merry Sherwood made him
overseer,
And gave him out of hand three hun
dred pound yearly.
And now take heed you steal no more
of my deer,
And once quarter let's here have your
view,
And thus, Sir John Cookie, bid you
adieu.
The famous Guy, Earl of Warwick,
occurs frequently as a sign, especially
In the Midlands, where the Bear and
Ragged Staff, commemorative his vic
tory over a mighty giant, are equally
well known.
The "Red Dragon" was the device
adopted by Henry VII for his stand
ard on the field of Bosworth, while the
"Eagle and Child" is the crest of the
Stanley family.
Similarly the "Black Bull was an
early badge of the House of Clarence
from which family the line of York de-
rived their right to the throne. So, too,
the numerous Rose" inns recall the
struggles of Lancaster and
York
The names of animals and birds are
extremely common in tavern
Technology; thus the Cock" the
Bear" and the Falcon" bear evidence
to the old pastimes of cock-ffghting,
bear batting and hawking, once so dear
to our ancestors. AT the Cock Tavern,
in Fleet street hard by Temple Bar
noted for a large gilt sign said to have
been carved by Grinling Gibbons, a no.
tice is said to have been posted, during
the oraat oIao11a which ran q follows,