����tv

After 1660, alcohol became a big health and social problem when gin became very cheap. The national government introduced various measures to tackle the problem. However, these had only a limited impact until the 1751 Gin Act, which was more effective.

The Gin Craze

Reasons for the increase in gin drinking

Drinking ale had always been popular. However, after 1660, many poorer people started to drink spirits, particularly gin, because it became a much cheaper alternative. This was as a result of several factors:

• The government was trying to encourage people to drink gin as an alternative to brandy. Brandy was imported from France, and Britain was involved in a war with France in the late 17th century.
• The government reduced taxes on the distillation of spirits. Meanwhile, taxes on ale and beer went up.
• Gin could be made in England, just from corn, which was also cheap.
• Distillers didn’t require a licence to make gin, so they could use smaller and simpler workshops. In contrast, brewers of ale had to serve food and provide shelter for customers.

“Drunk for a penny, dead drunk for two pence.”

An advertising slogan for gin spotted by the artist William Hogarth, who placed it in his Gin Lane etching from 1751. Hogarth was a strong critic of the Gin Craze.

Effects of the Gin Craze

Thousands of small gin shops opened in cellars, attics and back rooms in London. It was very easy to buy, and hundreds of thousands of people drank gin as they believed drinking alcohol offered a quick escape from the problems of life. By the 1720s it had become a serious problem in London:

• crime increased
• families fell into increased poverty
• babies were harmed because mothers were drinking gin while pregnant
• there was a large increase in the death rate, caused by alcohol-related deaths

Lots of people at the time were very concerned about the impact that gin was having on people’s health and society as a whole. Individuals, charities and Parliament started demanding reform to combat the problem.

The Gin Acts

In 1729, 1736 and 1743, Parliament passed laws to try to control the gin trade. These acts introduced taxes for distillers. Those who sold gin had to purchase an annual licence. However, these early acts were not very effective because:

• the government did not do much to enforce them
• the number of small gin shops was too high
• they encouraged people to make and sell gin illegally (ie without paying the licence fee)

The 1751 Gin Act

In 1751, Parliament passed a much tougher Gin Act. This law:

• further restricted who was allowed to sell gin - only people who paid rent and taxes could now do so
• introduced harsh punishments for anyone caught selling gin illegally - imprisonment and whipping for a second offence and transportation for a third