The 1736 Gin Act effectively barred the selling of gin by all but a minority, but it proved difficult to enforce. To secure prosecutions, magistrates relied on informers who would attempt to cajole or dupe others into selling gin, pocketing a fee on prosecution. Attempts to evade informers allegedly led to the birth of the ‘puss and mew machine’. This contraption permitted the anonymous dispensing of gin.

Artists Luis Carvahal and Annie Davey have been exploring the idea of the puss and mew in an ongoing art project, part of which involves the reconstructing of the rudimentary mechanism. Carvahal claims its origins allegedly lay in a painting of a cat, which would be placed in a doorway. This had a slit cut in its mouth, through which coins could be dropped, and a copper pipe protruding from the tail, through which gin was poured. Later, the contraption apparently evolved into a hidden drawer mechanism, built into doors.

1. Gin-thirsty punter heads down a secluded alley, somewhere in the dingy backstreets of Georgian London, approaches a non-descript doorway, and whispers, “Puss”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. From behind the door, concealed vendor cryptically replies, “Mew”. A small drawer shoots out from the door.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Gin-thirsty punter drops some coins into the drawer, which promptly snaps shut.

4. Seconds later, small drawer shoots out once more, this time containing a dram of gin, which is seized, downed and glass replaced, before the now gin-soused punter continues on his way.

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‘Puss and mew’ is an excerpt from the feature ‘The life and times of Slappy Bonita’ from Issue 1 – The Gin Issue, which you can buy from our shop.

 

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