Summary

This fragment of a ceramic ginger beer bottle was excavated at the Commonwealth Block site between 1988 and 2003.

Alcohol and Drinking.
There were 15 hotels at Little Lon in 1900. The profusion of beer, wine and spirit bottles revealed in excavations at Little Lon confirms that immense quantities of liquor were consumed. Were the drinkers mainly residents or visitors to Little Lon? Unearthed in the former yard of a 'high-class' brothel was a mass of French wine and champagne bottles. Reformers identified alcohol as a major social problem - 'the cause of crime, disease, insanity, marriage breakdown, poverty'.

Physical Description

This is a fragment of the base and body of a ceramic ginger beer bottle. The manufacturers name is transfer printed on the bottle and there is an indecipherable manufacturers trademark impressed near the base.

Physical Description

Part base (85%) of ginger beer bottle, has manufacturers name transfer printed. Indecipherable manufacturers trademark impressed near base. Mark: 'Ellio(tts)', 'THIS BOTTLE REMAINS THE PRO(PERTY OF) G.H. ELLIOT' and other side 'GINGER BEER MELBOURNE'. Elliots, Melbourne, 18-?

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