Etiquette Of Women Visiting Pubs. 1940's, 50's, 60's, 70's

[Lynn_M]

Could a lone woman go into a pub during those times? My mum would visit pubs in the 1970's, but if she was on her own, she'd wait outside till her friend turned up. Women weren't even allowed into pubs during some erased

Can anyone add anymore insight?

[tamborine]

Females were seen as 'pick-ups' when in pubs alone. We cared about our reputations when young but as you mature we go in to pick up young bucks

[FredPuli43]

It was definitely frowned upon, even in fairly liberal London. I remember, as a student, arranging to meet a girl in a pub off Fleet Street. Her mother rang me up, horrified, because she understood that I was meeting her daughter in a pub, and demanded that I make absolutely sure that I was there outside well in advance lest her daughter was to enter alone. That was in 1970.

[stewey]

In Ontario up until the late '70s, local bars had two entrances: "Men's" and "Ladies and Escorts". Women could enter the latter with a male friend or alone; however, men could not enter that portion of the bar alone. Obviously, women could not enter the "Men's" section.

[tamborine]

Fred, did you marry the girl with the interfering mother ?

[FredPuli43]

No,tambo, I didn't marry her, but I did win the mother round. The girl herself died of leukaemia when she was 25,so that,tragically, was the end of that, but mothers like hers were pretty universal at the time when it came to pubs.

[tamborine]

I'm sorry for reminding you Fred and sad to hear of the girls demise.

I never told my parents who I was seeing as my dad would give blokes the third degree.

[Old_Geezer]

Brazen hussies going into such places when they ought to be in the kitchen getting dinner ready !

[Mosaic]

As I recall from Salford pubs seemed to have a bar where men went and a 'snug' where couples or women in groups went - usually older women, who would have a single port and lemon, or a half of mild, during the course of the evening.

Young women going out in groups was a feature of the 1970s but it didn't seem comfortable or wise to go to a pub even with just one other female friend - it was seen as a signal for male attention.
One of the features of the 1950s was that the market for 'ladies drinks' grew - so from offering beer or whiskey, pubs stocked the likes of babycham and cherry B, so were clearly trying to get a slice of the ladies night out market.
However 'going in pubs' as a whole concept remained something that was associated with being 'common' by my mother's generation.
Liberated girlies of the ealry 1970s would quite deliberately go in pub bars alone and order pints of beer whether they liked it or not. This was to push the limits and have a row if they were refused service (I speak from family experience of sibling relationships).
You've got a fascinating topic for some big research there Lynn - fancy a ghost writer / collaborator?

[tonyav]

In my youth !, there was a Labour club near where we lived and women were not allowed in the bar only in the lounge or the big room.

[ummmm]

My mum lives opposite working mens pub and when she moved there in the mid 80's women weren't allowed to use the snooker table. My mum is a champ pool player...telling her she couldn't play snooker didn't go down well.

[paddywak]

In our local Miners Welfare, right into the eighties, women usually the wives or daughters of members while being welcomed either accompanied or by themselves into parts of the club such as the lounge bar and concert room, they were "encouraged" not to use the tap room or snooker room. There were several pubs that had similar traditions especially those close to the Pit but the further away from the pit you got the more relaxed things became, having said that you rarely saw a single girl in a pub unless she was meeting somebody.

[heathfield]

I remember in the 70s a Dundee pub that still had a sign at the door saying "Women must be accompanied". Another had two lounges, one labelled "Women and couples only"

[craft1948]

I remember being thrown out of a bar in a pub called The Frog Hall in the 60's. I hadn't noticed it was a Men Only bar.............

[aelmpvw]

... they'll be drinking pints next

[joggerjayne]

Women never drink pints unless they are fat lezzers.

[joggerjayne]

LOL ... sorry, couldn't resist that.

[boxtops]

I worked in a brewery in the 1970s and there were still Gents Only rooms in some of the pubs - women could only go in the Lounge.

Oi JJ - I like a pint....

[craft1948]

Thanks jj..........I used to drink pints of John Smiths.

[joggerjayne]

I said sorry, lol

I'm sure neither of you are fat, he he x

:0)

ps. John Smiths???

Like on that advert?

[EcclesCake]

I'd rather be a fat lezzer than drink a half of Guinness!