The Story of the Hanky Panky

Humble Beginnings

Only those who have never done it would think that bartending is an easy job. You need the right ice, the right number of shakes, the right garnish! It goes on and on and on. Quite frankly, you need to know your shit.

And you need to serve with a smile. No one did that better in her day than London’s most famous female bartender, Ada “Coley” Coleman. Ada was a shining star in the hospitality industry before women were welcome to participate.

But she took her shot and knocked it out of the park, becoming one of the most notable mixologists in history.

Ada Coleman was born in 1875 in London and lived a quiet, humble life with her father. After her father’s untimely death left her strapped for cash, Ada was offered a job at a flower shop owned by a successful businessman named Rupert D’Oyly Carte, who also happened to be her father’s former employer. She then moved on to a bar at Claridge’s Hotel in London, where she proved a quick study after learning her first cocktail, the Manhattan. She noticed a bit of an uptick in her income, but she had some concerns—chiefly, her age.

Ada was 24, which at the time was considered old for a female bartender (or “barmaid”). It also didn’t help that only about a quarter of the bartenders working during this period were women. Bartending was considered an occupation reserved for men or “daughters of tradesmen.” Although some women enjoyed the job, since it was less physically grueling and paid more than other trades, it was still considered a bit “untoward” for women to hold such positions.

But as time would tell, her age, her gender, and the prejudices of the time couldn’t hold back her talent. Ada’s skill would put any concerns about her capabilities to rest.

Hot Shots

• Another female head bartender was not hired at The Savoy until 2017
• It’s believed Ada mentored Harry Craddock
• Ada did not speak to her co-worker for 20 years
• Ada is best known for creating the Hanky Panky cocktail

The Savoy Hotel

Ada found her way to another of Carte’s establishments: the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel in London.

This was a massive accomplishment, as The Savoy was the first hotel in England to have electricity and consistent running water. Today’s basic amenities were the height of luxury back then.

It was an exciting time to be part of the ever-growing hospitality industry, especially at such a prestigious hotel. Only the best of the best bartenders were permitted to work there.

Ada was an immediate hit with patrons far and wide. (So much so that they gave her the nickname “Coley.”) She brought a certain je ne sais quoi to her drink making and always offered impeccable service and engaging conversation.

She was promoted to head bartender almost immediately, in 1903, and head bartender she stayed for a whopping 23 years!

Stick that in your pipe and smoke it!

During her tenure, Ada created a cocktail called the Hanky Panky. (Back then, the phrase meant something more akin to black magic than its modern meaning.)

At the request of one of her regulars, Sir Charles Hawtrey, she created the unique libation, with a bit of punch, after hours of experimenting.

Upon tasting it, Hawtrey allegedly exclaimed:

By Jove! That is the real hanky-panky!

It was a slam dunk not just for Sir Charles but for all of her patrons! (And it is still served at The Savoy to this very day.)

Ada’s regulars included the likes of the Prince of Wales, the Earl of Lonsdale, Mark Twain, and Diamond Jim Brady.

(Like…no big deal at all, right?)

Her regulars also showered her with gifts like you wouldn’t believe, from being left 100 pounds in a will to being introduced to a princess!

The fun didn’t stop at the bar, however. Ada was renowned for throwing parties at her home with most of her regular patrons. She loved to host, and she loved the theater, so a night with Ada was destined to be one you wouldn’t soon forget. Ada was a bona fide celebrity in her own right.

However, it’s important to note that Ada was neither the only nor the first female bartender at The Savoy…

Versus Battle

Ruth “Miss B” Burgess was employed at The Savoy in 1902, just one year before Ada started. It is said that Burgess and Coleman did not speak a single word to one another or work a single shift together during the 20 years that they worked at The Savoy.

The root of the beef was Ada’s regulars asking Ruth for Ada’s unique cocktails when she wasn’t working. Ruth asked Ada if she could share her recipes so she could serve those customers in Ada’s absence, and Ada refused. It was also said that Ada was quite a beauty, and that a lot of the male patrons seemed to favor Ada over Ruth.

So famous is their rivalry that a play called Ruth and Ada at the Savoy was produced in Washington, D.C., in 2017. It would seem that neither woman was open to burying the hatchet until the very end, even though they retired at the same time. Now, whether that retirement was voluntary or otherwise is a whole other conspiracy indeed.

In Walks the New Guy

In 1920, a new hotshot bartender by the name of Harry Craddock stepped onto the scene at The Savoy. Originally from England, Harry had migrated to the States when he was 21.

He stayed there for just over 20 years and even became an American citizen. But after being rumored to have served the very last drink before the 18th Amendment took effect, Harry made his way back to England to hone his bartending skills.

He bided his time on the back bar for five years as Ada and Ruth worked up front. It is even said that Ada mentored Harry for a brief time, but we can’t be sure.

There are also whispers that Harry convinced management that the bar could use some new blood—with, guess who, Harry in charge.

He argued that it wasn’t appropriate for women to serve behind the bar and that American drinkers didn’t feel comfortable being served by women in this setting.

He also said it would make more sense to put someone with an American accent behind the American Bar, especially since Prohibition was taking off right then and attracting a lot more business.

Really, dude? You lived in England for 21 years; whatever American accent you think you have is weak at best. He definitely laid it on too thick.

It’s more likely that Harry realized Ada would be some intense competition and did everything he could to make sure his own light would shine.

And so, by 1924, he got his wish: The Savoy was shut down for renovations, and Ada and Ruth went into retirement. Nobody alive knows whether it was their choice or not.

When The Savoy reopened in 1926, Harry brought his own flair, which made him stand apart in his own right and become one of the most famous bartenders in the world.

He was in such high demand that local newspapers would post the dates he would return from extended time away from the American Bar.

Kudos to Harry, though: he went on to create and publish The Savoy Cocktail Book in 1930, with over 700 recipes that are still well regarded to this day. It lists some of the cocktails he’s known for, such as the Corpse Reviver #2 and the White Lady.

And his thank-you to Ada? He lists the Hanky Panky in the book and credits its creation to her.

I mean, it’s not nothing.

A Legacy

When Ada “retired,” multiple London newspapers published the news to alert the public and thank her for two decades of service. She was fondly dubbed “The Queen of Cocktail Mixers” and would surely be missed by all in the industry.

In an interview with a local newspaper, Ada estimated that she had served somewhere in the neighborhood of one million drinks to 100,000 customers.

That sounds like a strong pouring arm, if I do say so myself!

Liquor.com justly named her one of the best bartenders of all time, and her Hanky Panky was listed as one of the best-selling cocktails in 2015. In 2018, a New York bar was named Ada’s Place in her honor.

Ada died at the ripe old age of 91. She lived a quiet life after her time at The Savoy, but her legacy most certainly reigns supreme—so much so that the next female head bartender wasn’t hired until 2017. (Over 90 years later!)

The American Bar is the oldest surviving cocktail bar in London, and in 2017 it was named the best bar in the world by CNN Travel. Yes, you read that right. Best. In. The. World.

It’s a title that is undoubtedly owed in no small part to Ada’s precedent of superb service and attitude.

It’s heartwarming to know that Ada was an icon in her time who received her flowers while she could still smell them. Although the nature of her departure from The Savoy may be controversial, it’s important to note how significant an impact she made—enough that we can still sing her praises almost 100 years later.

Cheers, Coley. Thank you for your service.

Hanky Panky Recipe

You didn’t think I was going to let you go without telling you how to make a Hanky Panky, right? Of course not! It’s in the neighborhood of a Martini but takes an interesting twist with the addition of Fernet-Branca, an herbal Italian bitter.

It’s a mix of bitter and sweet that is bound to make you say “By Jove!” just like Charles Hawtrey.

Ingredients

• 1½ ounces gin
• 1½ ounces sweet vermouth
• 2 dashes Fernet-Branca
• Garnish: orange twist

Preparation

Add the gin, sweet vermouth, and Fernet-Branca to a mixing glass with ice and stir until well chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with an orange twist.