Drunks have always been drunks... Recently, The London Daily Mail compiled a collection of vintage shame-faced Edwardian drunks as they stared rather blankly into the lens of the police camera.
The pic above is James Doyle, a laborer whose arrest record listed such "peculiarities" as having two scars on his right forearm and a crossed right eye. He was pinched for being drunk and disorderly in a watering hole -- called public houses back in 1904.
These habitual drunkards were charged with such offenses as being caught while in charge of a horse, carriage and even a steam engine. I guess that was the old school version of DUI...
The extensive info under each mug was compiled by the Watch Committee of the City of Birmingham, which was set up by the police to enforce the Licensing Act of 1902. The act was passed in an attempt to deal with public drunks, giving police the power to apprehend those found drunk in any public place and unable to take care of themselves.
To check out the rest of the collection, click HERE.
Great! I saw this advertised Anthony but forgot about it. Thanks for the reminder. The strange thing is, modern English drunks still look the same, even the Victorian dress sense. :-)
ReplyDeleteThere's got to be some flash fiction within those photo's mate.
Regards, David.
Anthony, thanks for the link to these pictures. What strikes me is that they look like the English Cricket Team!!!
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