Drink - the History of Alcohol

June 14, 2006: The patent for Britain’s first ever registered trademark - the Bass logo - and 19th and early 20th century advertisements illustrating changing attitudes to drink are among many fascinating items on display at a new exhibition which opens next week at the National Archives in Kew, Surrey.

Drink - the History of Alcohol (1690-1920) opens today and will run until the end of March next year.

Documents on display will show, among other things: the amount George IV spent on alcohol when visiting Scotland in 1822; a report on drinking conditions among women and girls in 1918; a deposition from Lt Col Mason to Sir Robert Peel regarding the adverse affects of the Beer Act 1830; and an 18th century affidavit, signed by customs officer John Foster, against John Taylor regarding a violent struggle over an empty spirit bottle.

Fascinating artwork includes that famous Bass trademark, an 1816, beautifully illustrated Admiralty map of the Portsmouth Coastline showing the locations of landing places used by the smugglers, together with the locations of riding officers, tide surveyors and Excise cutters, and old advertisements illustrating changing attitudes to drink.

The exhibition - which is free to attend - is open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, from 9am to 5pm, Tuesdays from 10am to 7pm, Thursdays from 9am to 7pm and Saturdays from 9.30am to 5pm.