Mono Monday - Tradition

This pewter tankard was given to me at my christening when I was 6 weeks old.  

Sadly the glass bottom has got broken at some stage.  I must get it repaired.

The legend is that the glass bottomed tankard was developed as a way of refusing the King's shilling, i.e. conscription into the British army or navy.  The Press Gang would drop a shilling into your beer when you weren't looking and when you drained your glass you would have "Taken The Kings Shilling".


With a glass bottom, the drinker could see the coin in the bottom of the glass and refuse the drink, thereby avoiding conscription.