Page "Pub" Paragraph 37

By the end of the 18th century a new room in the pub was established: the saloon.

Beer establishments had always provided entertainment of some sort — singing, gaming or sport.

Balls Pond Road in Islington was named after an establishment run by a Mr Ball that had a duck pond at the rear, where drinkers could, for a fee, go out and take a potshot the ducks.

More common, however, was a card room or a billiard room.

The saloon was a room where for an admission fee or a higher price of drinks, singing, dancing, drama or comedy was performed and drinks would be served at the table.

From this came the popular music hall form of entertainment — a show consisting of a variety of acts.

A most famous London saloon was the Grecian Saloon in The Eagle, City Road, which is still famous because of a nursery rhyme: " Up and down the City Road / In and out The Eagle / That's the way the money goes / Pop goes the weasel.

" This meant that the customer had spent all his money at The Eagle, and needed to pawn his " weasel " to get some more.

The meaning of the " weasel " is unclear but the two most likely definitions are: a flat iron used for finishing clothing ; or rhyming slang for a coat ( weasel and stoat ).