I have only encountered the vestiges of this movement twice. Once with the LBR (or Lady's Beverage Room) on Spring Garden Road in Halifax, NS and again at the Douglas Tavern in Renfrew Co., Ontario according to the sign at one end saying "Ladies and Escorts" - the separation of the Canadian sexes by tavern door. I had no idea that it was connected to mid-20th century VD concerns:
...in the late 1930s, the Provincial Division of Venereal Disease Control launched a major campaign against hotel beer parlours alleging that they were spreading venereal disease and that prostitution was the main source of VD. "You read these official records and it’s only women who spread disease," Campbell said with a laugh. "They never acknowledge that they got it from a man. Only women."I may work right next to another such door - likely along this row. Robert Campbell, a Capilano College history professor in British Columbia is giving a lecture on the subject entitled "Ladies and Escorts: Gender Segregation in British Columbia Beer Parlours" at Burnaby Village Museum on Thursday, Jan. 18.The campaign intensified with the Second World War during which VD was seen as undermining the war effort by infecting young men. In 1942, the provincial government ordered that beer parlours erect physical barriers between two separate areas with separate entrances designated for men only and for ladies with escorts. The latter would allow women either alone or with their husbands and boyfriends. "The whole idea was to try to separate unattached women from unattached men."
I can't go as it is 3,000 km west of here but you could head over and let us know.
Comments
geekboy - January 17, 2007 4:12 PM
You don't need to pilgrimamge that far west to see actual operating examples of these doors. Head down the 402 to Sarnia, ON ... the Colborne Hotel, the Balmoral, and the Sarnia Hotel still have the doors with the original signs.
Better, the half-height wall that divided the two parts of the room is still there at the Bal ...
Bottoms up!
Alan - January 17, 2007 4:29 PM
Photos! We need photos!
Mike C - January 18, 2007 9:39 AM
The LBR was perhaps the earliest of my under-age haunts. Didn't always work, of course. Got "carded" or "queued" half the time I'm sure.
It's interesting that they kept the name, or at least the acronym, long after the gender rules changed.
My Uncle Joe saw Stan Rogers there in the late 70's.
Sadly, the LBR is no more. Angie's. Cabbagetown. All my under-age spots are gone. At least The Seahorse is still there, pretty much.
New York escorts - September 21, 2007 12:23 AM
The idea of separating the unattached men from the unattached women by a physical barrier was a bold enough move.it may have avoided the spread of VD but the idea was not relevant enough to last even half the century.perhaps the huge requirement of manpower for the war drove this idea.and if sick men were to fight on the battlefields,their comrades would also be affected.
Sydney - June 24, 2009 1:19 AM
The only place I ever recall seeing such signs was at an old bar in White Rock, British Columbia. They have long since removed the sign - and the strippers!
I think I also say one in New Westminster, BC as well.
Susie - August 29, 2009 8:46 PM
Hi folks! I really hope someone sees my comment here and can help... I'm currently doing research into these separate entrances that were used in Ontario bars/taverns and am having a heck of a time finding any old photos of them! I desperately need some pics from the 30's, 40's, etc. showing bars with these segregating signs. Does anyone have any they can share with me?? If not, any ideas where I can find some?? I've been to the Ref. Library here in Toronto, the T.O. and Ontario Archives - not to mention many hours of online searching... it is truly proving to be a needle in a haystack!! I'm actually going to contact the pubs that were mentioned above to see if they have any old photos but other than that - I'm stumped!
If anyone can help me out, it would be so appreciated!! I'm taking a leap of faith here and will leave my email address for anyone who might be able to help.
Thanks for reading!!
Susie
crazypants11@hotmail.com