Month: April 2004

The Queen’s Inn, Kingston, Ontario

When I was going up to find the back view of the Royal Tavern the other day, I passed this pub and realized that it said established 1839 on the awning. For those of you in outside of North America, this may not be extraordinary but for Canada – especially west of Quebec – operating establishments of any kind older than, say, 1900 are rare. Far rarer are bevvy related things of that age as we had prohibition for a good chunk of the period before WWII. In PEI this lasted decades, from before WWI to after WWII. As a result, few aspects of the inn and pub life of the place remain. Ontario’s prohibition lasted only from 1919 to 1927 but as this article points out the rippling effects of misguided do-goodery were felt for decades.

I had suspected the Queen’s Inn in large part due to the brick wall seen in the alley and the somewhat phoney limestone rebuild out front but when you get back behind the place you see the real history. The brick wall in the alley must have been pit in when a neighbouring building was removed and you can clearly see from the rear views to the left and below that the limestone walls are indeed of the early or mid-1800s, rough and irregular. Similarly to the Royal Tavern, to the post on which I have added two exterior rear shots, there is the monarchist aspect to the name, too, that requires a certain age for the use of reference to the Crown to be grandfathered.

Also like the Royal Tavern, I have yet to make a stop at this pub but will do some interior reconnaissance soon.

The Darkness


The Darkness’s fitba team at the Music Industry Soccer Six, 2003

Months too late to be cool, I picked up The Darkness‘s CD Permission to Land. The entire thing is such a worthy tribute to 1970’s power rock or whatever you would call it – the nudie arse on the cover, the Marshall stacks, the ELO spaceship theme, even the fact that it is on the Atlantic label – home to Zep. I was very surprised to find out that I can actually sing along with the rapid falsetto lead vocals of Justin Hawkins – but only alone in the car when there is no one in view. I am in touch with my inner 13 year old channelling to 1975 rec room and it is going to be alright.

Pilot House, Kingston, Ontario

Another in my occasional series on the pubs of Kingston. This is at the corner of King Street and Johnson. Half a fish and chip shop, half pub. This is our version of Chess’s of St. John’s, Murphy’s of Truro except it has Guinness on tap. Your choice of fish and chips includes smoked cod. Seats about 30. The outside patio along the right side of the building in the picture was getting put up yesterday. Summer is a comin’ in.

Later: Here is a November morning shot of the Pilot House.