Drink and the Lancashire Press p129

Abstract

The UK Alliance, the organisation set up to campaign for legal restrictions on drink, presented this digest of Lancashire press reports where drink was involved, for the last six months of 1929. It gives some fascinating insights into behaviour, and attitudes to this, in the late nineteen twenties.

5. D.C., died in Police Cell from cerebral haemorrhage, accelerated by heavy drinking.
6. M.A.W. (69) “in the habit of taking too much drink,” fell down stairs when intoxicated and was killed.
7. J.G. (65), “Had been drinking heavily “: fell down stairs and was suffocated “probably due to excess of alcohol.”
8. Collier found drowned after taking cat down to canal to drown. He had been drinking heavily on the night in question.
9. R.S. collapsed and died in the street. He had always taken a lot of drink: for some days had eaten little but drunk a lot : death due to heart failure.
10. H.E.S. (Norwegian), took the wrong turning and fell 30 feet down a coal tip : had three pints at one public-house and four or five at another.
11. Mrs. I.S. (47), in seeking to avoid a crowd of men brawling outside the A – Hotel at 10.50 p.m. was forced out into the middle of the road : knocked down by a ‘bus and killed.
12. J.S. (60), had two pints of beer at the R – Club : left club at 5 p.m. taking with him a half bottle of whisky. He was found drowned in a pond : the empty whisky bottle near by : his watch had stopped at 5.45 p.m.
13. E.B. (64), “found drowned.” “She was very fond of drinking,” continually drunk : quarrelled with the man she lived with.
14. F.E.G. ship’s steward : had been drinking for two or three days : ashore without leave : visited public-house : returned to ship by ladder instead of gangway : fell and fractured his skull.
15. H.H., “death from exhaustion due to alcoholism “ : found naked on bare mattress.
16. W.H. (62), “used to have drunken orgies,” death due to acute lobar pneumonia masked by alcoholism.”
17. T.H. (60), suffering from blood pressure : visited public-house, had mild beer and three barley wines : refused more drink : helped home ; later fell from chair : “death due to haemorrhage caused by wound received whilst in a drunken state.”
18. M.M. (49), locked up for being drunk and disorderly : released on bail : knocked down by ‘bus when near his home.
19. A.W. (44), died from cerebral haemorrhage in public-house. Had been drinking day after day.
20. D.J.O’H. (36), a heavy drinker of methylated spirits died in police cell from chronic alcoholism causing heart failure.
21. D.K. (17), found dead in shallow brook : had been out with three friends : had seven glasses of beer each ; left to go home alone and fell in ditch.
22. J.A. (43), was found drowned in Rochdale Canal : no evidence as to cause : a regular drinker but never seen drunk.