The Pig’s Ear Tavern
andyscamera
I don’t know. Maybe it’s a reference to the phrase made popular in 1579 by English clergyman Stephen Gosson: “Seekinge too make a silke purse of a Sowes eare.” Certainly, this tavern is no silke purse.
Or depending on when the tavern was constructed, it could be a comment on how it was constructed. During the mid-20th century it was common to refer to any sort of botched attempt as ‘a pig’s ear.’ An article in a 1950 issue of Reader’s Digest includes this instruction: “If you make a pig’s ear of the first one, you can try the other one.” But maybe not — this tavern is no marvel of architecture, but it doesn’t look actually botched.
Or perhaps it’s Cockney rhyming slang: pig’s ear for beer. In Daniel Barrett’s 1880 book Life and Work Among the Navvies he provides the following example of rhyming slang, which he fears “will shock the refined ears of some readers” (I’m assuming Utata’s readers aren’t so easily affronted): “Now, Jack, I’m goin’ to get a tiddley wink of pig’s ear; keep your mince pies on the Billy Gorman.” I’m convinced any poor soul with a thirst on them could find a beer in this tavern.
But really, it doesn’t matter why or how the Pig’s Ear got its name. It’s a good name and well-suited, and I’d bet my paycheck they have a hockey game on the television.
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