Posted by Alan Hakim on November 11, 2002 at -1:56:58 from 212.137.166.171 user awhakim.
In Reply to: Re: Taking the waters posted by Robert Dilley on November 09, 2002 at 19:14:12:
Taking the waters
meant exactly that: drinking it. Still very popular - where do you think all that mineral water comes from that they sell in restaurants?
About 40 years ago, you could buy a cupful of Tunbridge Wells water in the main street. It cost 1d (an old penny) neat, or 6d with lemon squash in it.
Since it was memorably described by Dickens (Sam Weller in The Pickwick Papers) as tasting of old flatirons
you will see that the extra 5d was a good investment.