(ISTOCKPHOTO/GLOBE STAFF ILLUSTRATION)
Globe Editorial
After 235 years of independence, is it finally safe to let the British nobility back on Boston Common? For first time since Evacuation Day in 1776, a titled Englishman may soon occupy one of the most historic plots of ground in the United States.
Not that anyone would immediately recognize the Pink Palace, a 1920s-era public restroom on Boston Common that has been unused for decades, as a place of historic import. It is slated to be transformed into a sandwich shop in the next two years. The owner of the shop will be a company called Earl of Sandwich, which has an affiliation with the 11th Earl of Sandwich. The sandwich is named after the 4th Earl, who, according to legend, found it a convenient way to eat meat with one hand while still being able to hold a deck of cards and gamble with the other.
While it may ruffle our inner patriot to know that the British peerage is back in Boston, it’s not all bad. After all, 237 years ago, Bostonians were upset over being assessed British taxes without representation. This time, not only will a British peer be serving food, but he’ll pay Massachusetts taxes too.
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