What's In A Name?

Gin has been called many different things in its lifetime. Some nice and some naughty ...here are some of our favourites.

"Cuckolds Comfort"

A slang term for a husband whose wife was unfaithful to him was "Cuckold". During the gin craze of the 18th century such a cuckold would drink gin to forget...or to find comfort that he wasn't getting at home.

"Strip Me Naked"

At the height of the gin grip on society London's poorest were selling everything they had to buy gin...including the clothes off their back.

"Mothers Ruin"

Probably the most well known alternative name for gin and most interestingly one still in use today. This term was due mostly due to the devastating effect early gin had on society in particular due to the effect gin had on birth rate and child mortality.

"Madam Geneva"

It was the Dutch who first introduced us to their drink Geneva. The name was a literal translation of the word juniper which is also similar to the old French word for juniper, genevre which is how we began using the word Geneva as a term for gin.

During the gin craze there were five gin acts passed between 1729 and 1751. Many fans of gin believed this would mean the death of their favourite drink. Some gin lovers went as far as holding a traditional funeral procession through the streets of London lamenting the death of Madam Geneva. See the coffin below with the glass, jug and barrel on top, followed by the unemployed distillers...You might also note the two mothers pouring themselves a cheeky gin so they can toast Madam Geneva.