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Abstract
In this article, I use an eclectic data set that spans several data sets – Trade directories, newspaper articles, ordinance maps, and photographs, including sketches – to understand the discourses of alcohol provision in Nottinghamshire during the long nineteenth century. Thus, I show that alcohol provision in Nottingham and the influence of temperance ideology was a fraught battle between contrasting moralistic predilections regarding the behavioural and political notions of the lasting effects of alcohol consumption within nineteenth-century communities. Attitudes towards alcohol consumption were not a simple choice between teetotalism and drunkenness but a more nuanced debate that went to the core of societal norms and accepted cultural traditions that contradicted the governmental and moralising forces of the paternalistic reformists emerging in this period.
Keywords:
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Notes
1 Micheal Jackson, The English Pub: A Unique Social Phenomenon (Collins: London, 1976), 5–46.
2 J. Rowley, “Drink and the Public House in Nottinghamshire, 1830–1860,” Transactions of the Thoroton Society of Nottinghamshire, 79 (1975), 72–83.
3 “Pigot and Co.’s National Commercial Directory for 1828–9; comprising … Cheshire, Cumberland, Derbyshire, Durham, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northumberland, Nottinghamshire, Rutlandshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Westmoreland, Worcestershire, Yorkshire … North Wales … [Part 2: Notts – Yorks & N Wales],” Internet Historical Directories at https://cdm16445.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16445coll4/id/231876/rec/1 (accessed March 29, 2021).
4 “Multiple news items,” Huddersfield Chronicle, 29 April 1891, online version.
5 Peter Calrk, The English Alehouse: A Social History 1200–1830 (Longman: Essex, 1983), 43.
6 R. S. Tresidder, Nottingham Pubs, Nottingham Civic Society: Get to Know Nottingham-5 (1980), 3.
7 “Bailey’s Western & Midland Directory for … 1783. [Also 1784. Nottinghamshire only],” Internet Historical Directories at https://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/digital/collection/p16445coll4/id/162773/rec/4 (accessed October 30, 2023).
8 Rowley, “Drink and the Public House in Nottinghamshire, 1830–1860,” 72–83.
9 B. Twelvetrees, The Flying Horse Hotel, Circa 1975, NTGM004374, (creative commons licence) online version https://picturenottingham.co.uk/image-library/image-details/poster/ntgm004374/posterid/ntgm004374.html (accessed December 18, 2023).
10 “Bailey’s Western and Midland directory for 1783–84,”; “Universal British directory of Trade, Commerce, & Manufacture 1791–98. Nottingham & Newark extracts],” Internet Historical Directories at https://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/digital/collection/p16445coll4/id/161046/rec/10 (accessed December 30, 2023); “The Nottingham Directory, containing a general list of the merchants, tradesmen, and principal inhabitants of Nottingham, New Radford, and New Snenton … [1815],” Internet Historical Directories at https://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/digital/collection/p16445coll4/id/162793/rec/23 (accessed December 30, 2023); “Glover’s Nottingham Directory, for 1825, being a General List of The Merchants, Tradesmen, and Principal Inhabitants of Nottingham, New Radford and New Snenton.” Internet Historical Directories at https://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/digital/collection/p16445coll4/id/255256/rec/26 (accessed October 30, 2023); “History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Nottinghamshire, and the … town of Nottingham …/by William White. [1832],” Internet Historical Directories at https://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/digital/collection/p16445coll4/id/136146/rec/7 (accessed October 30, 2023); “Pigot and Co’s National Commercial Directory, comprising a classification of the merchants, bankers, professional gentlemen, manufacturers and traders … in the counties of Derby, Hereford, Leicester, Lincoln, Monmouth, Nottingham, Rutland, Salop, Stafford, Warwick and Worcester; and also … Wales. [1835],” Internet Historical Directories at https://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/digital/collection/p16445coll4/id/217400/rec/16 (accessed October 11, 2023); “The Nottingham Annual Register; Containing An Almanack, Useful Tables, Chronicle of Parliament, and Remarkable Occurrences, also a New and Corrected Directory for 1840/by James Orange,” Internet Historical Directories at https://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/digital/collection/p16445coll4/id/258079/rec/19 (accessed November 06, 2023); “Lascelles and Hagar’s Commercial Directory of the Town and County of the town of Nottingham; also the Parishes of Basford, Bridgford, Carlton, Lenton, Radford, Sneinton, Wilford, and Wollaton … [1848],” Internet Historical Directories at https://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/digital/collection/p16445coll4/id/210332/rec/25 (accessed August 03, 2023); “Wright’s Nottingham and Suburban Directory for 1858” Internet Historical Directories at https://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/digital/collection/p16445coll4/id/162927/rec/28 (accessed September 07, 2023); “Wright’s Nottingham and Suburban Directory, for 1862” Internet Historical Directories at https://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/digital/collection/p16445coll4/id/163282/rec/11 (accessed September 21, 2023); “Directory of Nottingham and twelve miles round, including the town and environs of Mansfield, the greater part of South Notts, parts of Derbyshire and Leicestershire, the borough of Ilkeston and suburbs, with the townships and parishes of Southwell, Hucknall Torkard, Beeston, Bingham, Kegworth, Castle Donington, Sutton-in-Ashfield, &c., 1894–5/by C. N. Wright,” Internet Historical Directories at https://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/digital/collection/p16445coll4/id/164516/rec/17 (accessed May 27, 2023); Caroline Barry, “The Fascinating History of Nottingham Shopping Arcade the Flying Horse Walk,” Nottingham post, January 29, 2023, online version.
11 Peter Haydon, The English Pub: A History (Robert Hale: London, 1995), 1–80.
12 Paul Jennings, The Local: A History of The English Pub (The History Press: Stroud, 2011), 1–56.
13 Brian Spiller, Victorian Public Houses (David & Charles: Newton Abbot, 1972), 1–15.
14 Spiller, Victorian Public Houses, 1–26.
15 Jessica Warner, “Faith in Numbers: Quantifying Gin and Sin in Eighteenth-Century England,” Journal of British Studies, 50: 1 (January 2011), 86–97.
16 Jackson, The English Pub: A Unique Social Phenomenon, 22–25.
17 Fiona Fisher, “Presenting the Perfect Pint: Drink and Visual Pleasure in Late Nineteenth-Century London,” Visual Resources, 28: 4 (2012), 324–330.
18 “Nottingham Directory 1815.”
19 Nottingham City Council, The Talbot Inn ‘Wines and Spirits Vaults,’ Circa 1865, NTGM008879, (Creative Commons Licence), online at https://picturenottingham.co.uk/image-library/image-details/poster/ntgm008879/posterid/ntgm008879.html (accessed December 11, 2023).
20 Nottingham City Council, The Talbot Inn, Circa 1890, NTGM004470, (Creative Commons Licence), online at https://picturenottingham.co.uk/image-library/image-details/poster/ntgm004470/posterid/ntgm004470.html (accessed December 11, 2023).
21 Nottingham City Council, The Talbot Inn – interior, The Top Bar, Circa 1903, NTGM004466, (Creative Commons Licence), Online at https://picturenottingham.co.uk/image-library/image-details/poster/ntgm004466/posterid/ntgm004466.html (accessed December 13, 2023).
22 Nottingham City Council, The Talbot Inn – Interior, St James’ Dining Room and Grill Room, NTGM004468, (Creative Commons Licence), online at https://picturenottingham.co.uk/image-library/image-details/poster/ntgm004468/posterid/ntgm004468.html (accessed Dece 13, 2023).
23 Nottingham City Council, The Talbot Inn - interior, The Smoke Room, Circa 1903, NTGM005064, (Creative Common Licence), online at https://picturenottingham.co.uk/image-library/image-details/poster/ntgm004468/posterid/ntgm004468.html (accessed December 13, 2023).
24 Jennings, The Local, 87–100.
25 Mark Girouard, Victorian Pubs (Yale University Press: London, 1984), 213–217.
26 R. Baker, The Talbot Inn (now Yates’ Wine Lodge) – After Refurbishment 1985, NTGM005016, (Creative Commons Licence), online at https://picturenottingham.co.uk/image-library/image-details/poster/ntgm005016/posterid/ntgm005016.html (accessed December 13, 2023).
27 Girouard, Victorian pubs, 19–23.
28 Paul Readman, “The Place of the Past in English Culture c. 1890–1914,” Past & Present, 186 (February: 2005). 159–162.
29 Jennings, The Local, 11–18.
30 Jackson, The English Pub, 1–25.
31 Clark, The English Alehouse, 23–26.
32 Parliamentary Archives, HL/PO/PU/1/1830/11G4&1W4n272, Public General Act, 11 George IV & 1 William IV, c. 64, Act of Parliament, 1830.
33 Jennings, The Local, 57–62.
34 Jennings, The Local, 60–68, 73–75.
35 Parliamentary Archives, HL/PO/PU/1/1830/11G4&1W4n272, Public General Act, 11 George IV & 1 William IV, c. 64, Act of Parliament, 1830.
36 “THE EXTENT & CAUSES OF THE COMMERCIAL PANIC,” Nottinghamshire Guardian, December 24, 1857, online version.
37 Haydon, The English Pub, 181–191.
38 “Pigot & Co.’s Directory of Derbys, Herefs …, 1835.”
39 B. Wilson, Cock & Hoop Public House, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, (Creative Commons License), online at https://www.flickr.com/photos/billy_wilson/49843346301/in/photolist-fBqemh-KKEaNm-Pyncbs-JYBtwK-2iWubkF-62ctkE-admJs2-8JjqbG-cWN8wE (accessed December 22, 2023).
40 Nottingham City Council, High Pavement, Lace Market, Nottingham, pre-1960s, NTGM014458, (Creative Commercial Licence), online at https://picturenottingham.co.uk/image-library/image-details/poster/ntgm014458/posterid/ntgm014458.html (accessed December 09, 2023).
41 Nottingham City Council, 27 High Pavement, NTGM006619, (Creative Commercial Licence), online at https://picturenottingham.co.uk/image-library/image-details/poster/ntgm006619/posterid/ntgm006619.html (accessed December 09, 2023).
42 Abigail Rabbet, Yahoo! News, 26 October 2023, online version.
43 “The Census of Nottingham,” Nottinghamshire Guardian, 2 May 1861, online version.
44 “The Census,” The Standard, 2 June 1831, online version; “The Census of Leicester,” Leicester Chronicle, 9 May 1891, online version.
45 David W. Gutzke, “Progressivism and the History of the Public House, 1850–1950,” Cultural and Social History, 4:2 (2007), 235–259.
46 Parliamentary Archives, HL/PO/PU/1/1830/11G4&1W4n272, Public General Act, 11 George IV & 1 William IV, c. 64, Act of Parliament, 1830.
47 “Licensing Act 1872, An Act for the Sale of Intoxicating Liquors – 10th August 1872,” Legislation.gov.uk: delivered by The National Archives UK Public General Acts, published 10 August 1872, version archived on 01 February 1991. Retrieved from UK Government Web Archive: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/35-36/94/introduction (accessed August 19, 2021).
48 “Police Intelligence,” Nottinghamshire Guardian, 30 October 1874, online version.
49 Guardian, “Police Intelligence,” 30 October 1874.
50 “Police Office Nottingham,” Nottinghamshire Guardian, 30 July 1869, online version.
51 “Police Office, Nottingham,” Nottinghamshire Guardian, 20 May 1870, online version.
52 “County Police: Spittlegate,” Nottinghamshire Guardian, 12 August 1858, online version.
53 Lillian Lewis Shiman, Crusade Against Drink in Victorian England (New York Press: St. Martin’s, 1988), 18–29.
54 David W. Gutzke, Protecting the English Pub: Brewers and Publicans Against Temperance (The Boydell Press: Woodbridge, 1989), 11–29.
55 Brian Harrison, Drink and The Victorians: The Temperance Question in England (Keele University Press: Staffordshire, 1994), 1–62.
56 James Kneale, “The Place of Drink: Temperance and The Public, 1856–1914,” Social & Cultural Geography, 2:1 (2001–03), 43–59.
57 “Wright’s Directory of Nottingham, 1894–95.”
58 Jenning, The Local, 165–172.
59 John R. Greenway, “The ‘Improved’ Public House, 1870–1950: The Key to Civilized Drinking or The Primrose Path to Drunkenness?” Addiction, 93:2 (Feb 1998), 173–175.
60 Gutzke, Protecting the English Pub, 30–40.
61 “Lascelles & Hagar’s Commercial Directory of Nottingham, 1848,”; “Wright’s Nottingham Directory, 1858,”; “Wright’s Nottingham Directory, 1862,”; “Wright’s Directory of Nottingham 1894–5.”
62 Nottingham Temperance Hall – Document to Promote Investment and Shares in The Venture, Circa 1870s–1890s, NTGM005153, (Creative Commons Licence), online at https://picturenottingham.co.uk/image-library/image-details/poster/ntgm005153/posterid/ntgm005153.html (accessed December 21, 2023).
63 Shiman, Crusade Against Drink, 189–194.
64 Phil Whittington, “Intoxicants and Society in Early Modern England,” The Historical Journal, 54: 3 (2011), 631–638.
65 Jackson, The English Pub, 13.
66 Jennings, The Local, 165–166.
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68 “State of Trade,” Leicester Chronicle, 28 April 1838, online version.
69 Rowley, “Drink and the Public House in Nottinghamshire, 1830–1860,” 72–83.
70 Shiman, Crusade Against Drink, 43–50.
71 “Correspondence,” Nottinghamshire Guardian, 15 July 1852, online version.
72 Guardian, “Correspondence,” 15 July 1852.
73 “Temperance Festival,” Nottinghamshire Guardian, 15 January 1852, online version.
74 “Teetotalism,” Nottinghamshire Guardian, 4 April 1850, online version.
75 “The Temperance Movement,” Nottinghamshire Guardian, 4 April 1850, online version.
76 “Farnsfield,” Nottinghamshire Guardian, 1 May 1851, online version.
77 Harrison, Drink and The Victorians, 167–173.
78 Gutzke, Protecting the Pub, 54–55.
79 Harrison, Drink and The Victorians, 182–187.
80 “Representation of Nottingham,” Nottinghamshire Guardian, 6 December 1861, online version.
81 “Nottingham and Notts. Licensed Victuallers’ Association,” Nottinghamshire Guardian, 3 December 1869, online version.
82 “The Permissive Bill. Deputation to Lord Palmerston,” Nottinghamshire Guardian, 10 June 1864, online version.
83 “The Permissive Bill,” Nottinghamshire Guardian, 12 May 1859, online version.
84 “The Liquor Traffic,” Nottinghamshire Guardian, 24 March 1859, online version.
85 “Nottingham Anniversary Dinner of The Licensed Victualler’s,” Nottinghamshire Guardian, 23 August 1846, online version.
86 “Publicans and Parliamentarians,” Nottinghamshire Guardian, 25 November 1864, online version.
87 “MR. BRIGHT ON THE PERMISSIVE BILL,” Nottinghamshire Guardian, 21 January 1870, online version.
88 Harrison, Drink and the Victorians, 283.
89 “Licensing Act 1872, An Act for the Sale of Intoxicating Liquors – 10th August 1872,” Legislation.gov.uk: delivered by The National Archives UK Public General Acts, published 10 August 1872, version archived on 01 February 1991. Retrieved from UK Government Web Archive: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/35-36/94/introduction (accessed April 30, 2021).
90 Girouard, Victorian Pubs, 62–65.
91 “Local Intelligence,” Nottinghamshire Guardian, 19 November 1857, online version.
92 “Nottingham Board of Guardians,” Nottinghamshire Guardian, 14 March 1861, online version.
93 “Supplies of Cotton,” Nottinghamshire Guardian, 9 October 1874, online version.
94 Chronicle, “Multiple News Items,” 29 April 1891.
95 “Notts. Beer and Wine Association,” Nottinghamshire Guardian, 10 December 1875, online version.
96 “Nottingham Beer and Wine Trade Association,” Nottinghamshire Guardian, 22 December 1876, online version.
97 “Weekly Review of The Corn Trade,” Nottinghamshire Guardian, 8 June 1877, online version.
98 “Mr. Gladstone on Agriculture,” Huddersfield Chronicle, 14 January 1882, online version.
99 “The Corn Trade,” Morning Post, 13 September 1881, online version.
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101 1: 500 County Series 1st Edition [TIFF geospatial data], Scale 1:2500, Tiles: nott-04202-1, Updated: 30 November 2010, Historic, Using: EDINA Historic Digimap Service, https://digimap.edina.ac.uk, Downloaded: 2021-04-10 04:46:07.909.
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103 Jennings, The Local, 111.
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105 Greenway, “The ‘improved’ public house, 1870–1950,” 173–174.
106 Haydon, The English Pub: A History, 247–255.
107 Rowley, “Drink and The Public House in Nottingham, 1830–1860,” 72.
108 Jacksons, The English Pub, 5–12.
109 Haydon, The English Pub: A History, 9–16.
110 Girouard, Victorian Pubs, 213–217.
111 Rowley, “Drink and The Public House in Nottingham, 1830–1860,” 72–83.
112 Jackson, The English Pub, 5–19.
113 Jennings, The Local, 167–168.
114 Haydon, The English Pub: A History, 260.
115 Rowley, “Drink and The Public House in Nottingham, 1830–1860,” 72–74.
116 Harrison, Drink and The Victorians, 182–187.
117 Haydon, The English Pub: A History, 236–237.
118 Shiman, Crusade Against Drink, 190–193.
119 “Pigot and Co.’s National Commercial Directory for 1828-9; comprising…Cheshire, Cumberland, Derbyshire, Durham, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northumberland, Nottinghamshire, Rutlandshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Westmoreland, Worcestershire, Yorkshire…North Wales…[Part 2: Notts - Yorks & N Wales].”, Internet Historical Directories at https://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/digital/collection/p16445coll4/id/231876/rec/1 [Accessed 03/22/2023]
120 “History, Gazetteer and Directory of Nottinghamshire, 1832.”
121 “Pigot and Co’s National Commercial Directory, …… [1835].”
122 “Nottingham Annual Register, 1840.”
123 “Pigot and Co.’s Royal National and Commercial Directory and Topography of the counties of York, Leicester & Rutland, Lincoln, Northampton, and Nottingham …to which is added classified directories of the great manufacturing towns of Manchester and Salford … [1841],” Internet Historical Directories at https://cdm16445.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16445coll4/id/167148 (accessed March, 2021).
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125 “Wright’s Nottingham Directory, 1862.”
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129 “Population Returns,” Aberdeen Journal, 7 August 1811, online version.
130 “Pigot & Co.’s Directory of Ches, Cumb …, 1828–29. [Part 2: Notts - Yorks & N Wales].”
131 “History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Nottinghamshire, and the … town of Nottingham …/by William White. [1832].”
132 “The Census,” Sheffield Independent, 26 April 1851, online version.
133 “Meeting Of The Lace Trade,” Nottinghamshire Guardian, 19 January 1860, online version.
134 Guardian, “The census of Nottingham,” 2 May 1861.
135 “Post Office Directory of Nottinghamshire, 1876.”
136 “Multiple News Items,” Huddersfield chronicle, 29 April 1891, online version.
137 Rowley, “Drink and the Public House in Nottinghamshire, 1830–1860,” 72.
138 “Nottingham Annual Register, 1840.”
139 “Post Office Directory of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. [1855].”
140 “Wright’s Nottingham and Suburban Directory, for 1862.”
141 “Post Office Directory of Nottinghamshire, 1876.”
142 “History, Gazetteer & Directory of Nottinghamshire, 1885.”
143 “Kelly’s Directory of Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland, and Nottinghamshire. [1891. Part 3: Nottinghamshire],” Internet Historical Directories at https://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/digital/collection/p16445coll4/id/219701/rec/4 (accessed October 12, 2023).
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Corrie Green
Corrie Green was born and raised in the Sherwood forest area of Nottinghamshire, developing an interest in local history and the nineteenth century from an early age. Email: [email protected]