Pubs - Books
Alt Text: Image from above of a man pointing to a photograph of a pub in an open book on a coffee table. Photo by Ashley Thomas-Pate
While writing my Masters dissertation I spent hours and hours in libraries (when I wasn’t in a pub!) I focused my research on historic pub interiors, specifically late-Victorian pubs in Leeds. While researching pubs, I found a lack of information on women. Women owned and ran pubs, worked behind the bar and as waitresses, served the family of the owners, and were also customers. However, the majority of books on pubs are written by men, and not much investigation has been undertaken into how women experienced pubs.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of books on pubs as my research was very specific, so if you have other suggestions of books people should read please leave a comment.
The Pub (2016), Pete Brown
A birthday gift from my partner, in pre-pandemic times. We visited many of the London pubs mentioned in Pete’s book, and it was one of many influences that sent me back to university to study pubs. Beautiful photography, brief descriptions, the book is a visual treat.
Public House (2021), David Knight and Cristina Monteiro
A gift from a friend, Public House is a book about 100 London pubs, including some incredible drawings, photographs, paraphernalia, and stories . Edited by architects David Knight and Cristina Monteiro (DKCM) for Open City.
Yorkshire’s Real Heritage Pubs (2014, updated 2020), David Gamston for CAMRA
Written for The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), Dave Gamston has edited this list of Yorkshire’s real heritage pubs. The book contains descriptions and photographs of Yorkshire-based pubs with significant historic interiors.
Licensed to Sell: The History and Heritage of the Public House (2004), Geoff Brandwood, Andrew Davison, Michael Slaughter
With a foreword from Bill Bryson, this book is the best source of information on the history of alcohol and policy, general pub typologies, furniture and furnishings, and more.
Victorian Pubs (1975), Mark Girouard
Specifically useful for my dissertation on Victorian pubs, Girouard’s book not only provided descriptions of pub architecture and interiors, but insight into pub culture and people.
