Gin & the Georgians: A Spirited Evening

An enjoyable evening of gin, history and tasting in the beautiful surroundings of Samuel Johnson’s Georgian home

You begin your experience with a refreshing G&T and are invited to take a seat in the Withdrawing Room where our curator will take you on a journey through the intoxicating history of gin—from its notoriety as 'Mother's Ruin' in Georgian London, to 19th-century Gin Palaces and its revival as a trendy British tipple today!

Discover how gin shaped Georgian society, from the infamous ‘Gin Craze’ to its role in everyday life, and sample two distinctive gins inspired by the period. Whether you're a connoisseur or enthusiast who simply enjoys gin, this event promises to be an intoxicating and enlightening experience. Cheers! 🍸

What's included:

• G&Ts served in gin goblets with ice, lime and Fever Tree tonic
• Two Gins to sample
• A fascinating story of British Gin
• A visit to a 1690s house - the home of Samuel Johnson, who famously declared, 'When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life'!
• A chance to see where Johnson wrote his legendary Dictionary of the English Language in 1755.

'When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life...'

Like many Londoners today, Samuel Johnson was not from London. The son of a bookseller in Lichfield in Staffordshire, Johnson walked to the capital in 1737 seeking fame and fortune. He never left. While fortune evaded him, Dr Johnson rose to become one of the greatest literary figures of the 18th century.

Explore a Georgian townhouse

Dr Johnson's House is the only original historic townhouse still standing in Gough Square, having survived the Blitz when it was still the tallest building in the area. Built in the 1690s, shortly after the Great Fire of London, the four-storey house retains many of its period features, including a very quirky anti-burglary device!

You are welcome to:

• browse all the rooms
• see the quirky cellarette cupboard where luxuries like tea were locked away
• peek into clever cabinets set in wooden panelling
• sit down on the chairs, rest your feet and enjoy a chat
• cosy up in a window seat and soak up the atmosphere!

🎟 Priority booking available to Members