author
Richard Valpy French
Best known for a lively history of drinking in England, this Victorian clergyman wrote with the curiosity of a researcher and the moral seriousness of a preacher. His work turns social habits, laws, and everyday customs into a surprisingly vivid story.
1 Audiobook
Nineteen Centuries of Drink in England: A History
by Richard Valpy French
About the author
An English clergyman and social historian, Richard Valpy French lived from 1839 to 1907. Archival records identify him specifically as a clergyman and social historian, and surviving book records show that he wrote on both religion and social customs.
He is best remembered for Nineteen Centuries of Drink in England: A History, a wide-ranging study of drinking habits, regulation, and public life in England. The book reflects a patient, documentary style, drawing on historical examples to show how ordinary practices around food and drink can reveal a society's values.
French also edited or wrote religious works, including Lex Mosaica and sermons, which suggests the blend of scholarship and moral concern that runs through his writing. Even now, his books stand out for making social history feel concrete and human rather than abstract.