Final report of Her Majesty's Commissioners appointed to inquire into the operation and administration of the laws relating to the sale of intoxicating liquors.

  • Great Britain. Royal Commission on the Liquor Licensing Laws.
Date:
1899
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Final report of Her Majesty's Commissioners appointed to inquire into the operation and administration of the laws relating to the sale of intoxicating liquors. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

    274/406 (page 256)
    vi. Increase in Clubs. It was unfortunately not possible to obtain exact tables as to the increase of clubs from 1886-1896. No record is kept of clubs that die a natural death, but according to our returns 352 clubs have been closed during that period owing directly or indirectly to the action of the police or the excise. Of this number 87 were in London and 124 in Cardiff, 26 in Liverpool, 34 in Dublin, 10 in Lancashire, 8 in Oldham, 8 in Dorsetshire. 5 each in Glasgow and Swansea and 4 to Dundee. Taking these facts into account, and making allowance for other clubs that have voluntarily lapsed during the 10 years there has been a very great increase in clubs. Of the 3,990 clubs existing in 1896, 3,160 existed in 1893, 2,788 in 1890 and 2,160 in 1887. The rise of new clubs is most marked in London, where 362 out of 660 are less than 10 years old ; in Wales (including Cardiff) 84 out of 122, Devonshire 26 out of 39, Durham 23 out of 35, Essex 19 out of 28, Northamptonshire 29 out of 43, Wiltshire 30 out of 43, and in boroughs, Leeds 27 new out of 61, Liverpool 27 out of 49, Bradford 36 out of 81, and Oldham 27 out of 69. Dublin shows 26 new ones out of 51, but both in Dublin and in Wales the total number of clubs has actually decreased. vii. Causes of the Increase. It is contended by some people that the club movement is largely due to a desire to evade the restrictions of the licensing law, and that any further restrictions would lead to an outburst of drinking clubs. Whatever may be the truth about the future, such an explanation is wholly inadequate on the figures supplied to us. It doubtless had something to do with the outburst of clubs in Cardiff after 1882, but even in 1896 Cardiff clubs numbered only Lewis an(* s^nce then about half of those remaining have been closed. In Dublin 23 532' Mr. Mallon told us that many clubs started in anticipation of complete Sunday closing, 15 901 but in Scotland, where restrictions are greatest, clubs are fewest; and, if Oldham or Bradford be compared with Cardiff, it will be clear that some other explanation must be looked for. The same applies to London, wbere a large number of clubs is not accompanied by any difficulty in obtaining liquor from public-houses. 16,299. Mr. Ha.ll told us that at Swindon dissatisfaction with tied houses and the kind of liquor they supplied was said to be a motive in forming clubs, and Mr. Parker of 23,941. Barnsley mentioned the same thing. Possibly such a motive may have had some small e fleet. The real truth is that the extension of the franchise, the spread of education, and a general improvement of conditions among the working classes have had a great effect 16,746. in promoting clubs. Besides these, political influences have been at work. Mr. Bryans, secretary of the Association of Conservative Clubs, told us that the Association 16,862. contained 587 clubs, of which about three-fourths sell intoxicants. He strenuously denies, as does Mr. Hall, that the activity of the club movement is due to desire for •drink. The main object of our clubs is good fellowship and education, concerts, lectures, and that sort of thing. I do not think the main object is drink in the least. The figures show that the club movement has not as yet attained any very great dimensions. 4,000 clubs selling intoxicants is not a very large total. No doubt, a certain class of club is, as we shall see, a very great evil, and should be put down with a strong hand, but these are comparatively few, and have attracted attention out of proportion to their numbers. viii. Complaints as to Clubs. We have pointed out the difference between proprietary and members' clubs in point of legality ; but it does not follow that all legally constituted members' clubs are well-conducted, or that all proprietary clubs are ill-conducted. Bourke, Some of the oldest West-end clubs are proprietary, but these depend upon the 6156. annual subscriptions and entrance fees of members, and the sale of liquor is quite 6280. subsidiary. Some of them even supply non-intoxicating liquor free of charge. Still, 6332* as far as the sale of exciseables goes, they are illegal. It is true that Mr. Bourke, proprietor of one of these, says he has no anxiety as to the legal status of his club, because it would be impossible to obtain evidence against it; but all such clubs should be put ou a legal basis.