Drink and the Lancashire Press p131

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. Father makes brutal assault on daughter, age 12 : blackening her eyes : causing lips to swell : under the influence of drink.
6. Son attacks father because of father’s drinking habits and abuse of mother.
7. Young man attacked young married woman : jumped on her back and gripped her throat.
8. Step-son attacks drinking step-mother because of her habits.
9. Man boards ‘bus and assaults conductor : very drunk.
10. Quarrel among neighbours : one man stabbed.
11. Father charged with indecent assault upon ten-year old daughter -also persistent cruelty : had been drinking.
12. Two men (Poles) attacked landlady : asked to leave because of their drinking habits.
13. Licensee’s sight grievously injured and nose broken : refused to serve two men, already drunk, with more liquor.
14. Man injures lodger : kicked in the lower part of body : had had many drinks.
15. Brothers attack cousin ; wounded him : all had had a considerable quantity of drink.
16. Boxer charged with assaulting ‘bus conductor and also for being drunk and disorderly.
17. Two young men (23 and 25), drunk and riotous attracted crowd : assault policeman. Treated by friends and had never had drink before.
18. Young man out with his fiancee : refuses to pay taxi-fare : attacks taxi-driver : attacks his fiancee : had been in Manchester drinking port and whisky and was not used to it.
19. Father turns his daughter (19) and son out into street half naked : he had come home drunk.
20. Four men, 27, 23, 32, 39 years, sentenced to hard labour for assault on policeman : a quarrel after day on the “ spree “ : were drunk at 7 p.m.

ATTEMPTED SUICIDES (5 cases).

1. L.-P., an Italian street musician attempted suicide by drowning. He stated that drink was the cause of the trouble and promised to go teetotal.
2. D.H. (60), (Wigan), attempted suicide by throwing herself into the canal. “The woman got more drink than was good for her.”
3. P.Y. (42), of Crewe, attempted suicide by inhaling coal gas. Had made the lives of his father and sister almost unbearable by reason of his intemperate habits.
4. M.S. (Bury) attempted suicide by drinking salts of lemon. Had got into trouble in the house he was living in and started drinking and eating nothing.
5. W.F., former licensee : attempted gas poisoning : not responsible for his actions.