The Fisherman's Cottage - Reading, UK
Posted by: dtrebilc
N 51° 27.348 W 000° 57.320
30U E 642056 N 5702496
This pub sign shows two crossed rowing boat oars.
Waymark Code: WM121B4
Location: South East England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 01/31/2020
Views: 1
The pub is at the side of the River Kennett close to its confluence with the River Thames and presumably the fisherman used a boat to do his fishing.
On the side of the pub is a passage taken from the famous comedy novel Three Men In A Boat by Jerome K. Jerome published in 1889. The novel tells the story of a two-week boating holiday on the Thames from Kingston upon Thames to Oxford and back to Kingston.
They pass the confluence of the Thames with the Kennet in both directions. Reading does get a few mentions in the book, but apart from purely historical references to the town Jerome is not particularly kind about it.
"Let your boat of life be light,
packed with only what you need -
a homely home and simple pleasures,
owe or two friends worth the name,
someone to love and someone to love you,
a cat, a dog and a pipe or two,
enough to eat and enough to wear,
and a little more than enough to drink,
for thirst is a dangerous thing."
JEROME K. JEROME
THREE MEN IN A BOAT