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In many cases the ‘lovely lasses’ in the pubs were also subject to sexual harassment

Dec 30, 2012 Letters

Dear Editor
It is good to know that the  BPG team does not intend to create a misogynistic atmosphere in their traditional pub with “lovely lasses dressed as wenches”  and that their references to ‘Lovely lasses dressed as wenches’ was not meant to be derogatory to those women who will be part of their traditional pub fantasy which they will bringing for Guyanese. (Letter by Mr. Avinash Persaud  in Kaieteur News of 28 December, 2012)
Some people like to romanticize ‘tradition’. It is no secret that the traditional British pub was not meant to be a space for women. In many cases the ‘lovely lasses’ which served were also subject to sexual harassment or meant to provide sexual services to the male clients. (Patriarchy and Pub Culture, Valerie Hey, 1986 explores this culture)
It is necessary to talk also of the troubles faced by many women (wives and mothers) in that traditional pub culture.
This story about Frederick Charington’s experience with one family in a pub might ring true to many of the narratives around our alcohol traditions in Guyana. (Anthony Pantlitz’s letter in the 28 December edition of Kaieteur News reflects on this culture)
Charrington was heir to one of London’s largest breweries. He converted to Christianity. He wrote about an experience he had in 1870 :- “One day, passing the “Rising Sun” at the corner of a little street in the East End, I saw a poor woman with her little children dragging at her skirt, go to the public house. She looked in and called to her husband, “Oh Tom, Tom do give us some money, the children are crying for bread”. The man looked at her, and his only reply was to rush out and knock her and the children down into the gutter. Just then I looked up and saw my own name “CHARRINGTON” in huge gilt letters on the top of the public house. I said to myself, “How can I say anything to that man seeing I am responsible for their misery”. When he knocked down his wife, He knocked me out of the Liquor Traffic. It suddenly flashed into my mind that this was only one case of the dreadful misery and brutality, in one of hundreds of public houses that our firm possessed ‘
The BGP team might want to decide how they will ensure that their traditional pub will offer a different woman-friendly and family-friendly experience  from the one offered by the hundreds of pubs which Frederick Charrington’s family owned.
Vidyaratha Kissoon

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