Gin Craze

Causes of the Gin Craze

The main cause of the Gin Craze was economic protectionism brought about by war.

In 1688, the Dutch-born William of Orange took the throne of England.

Fig. 1 - Statue of King William III in Petersfield

A year later, Britain was at war with France in the Anglo-French War which was on and off until 1815. To try and damage the French economy, the government put high tariffs on the import of brandy - a liquor made in France that was very popular in Britain.

The government also lifted many of the restrictions on the domestic production of alcohol. The production of gin was encouraged because it was originally from Holland - seeing as William of Orange was originally Dutch, it was thought patriotic.

Fig. 2 - Depiction of an eighteenth century gin shop by George Cruikshank

In addition, food prices had dropped, and people's wages were rising, so people had more disposable income to spend.

All of this combined to cause a huge rise in the production and consumption of gin. However, the availability of gin, especially amongst the poor, led to a rise in drunken behaviour that had serious consequences.

Effect of the Gin Craze

By 1730, there were roughly 7,000 legal gin shops in London and on average, 10 million gallons of gin were being distilled each year. Of course, this was only the legal gin trade - there were plenty of illegal drinking dens and bootleggers who distilled gin illegally.

For the poorer classes of London, gin offered a cheap way to keep warm and escape the drudgery and misery of their everyday lives. It could be bought for a few pennies on street corners.

Gin also allowed women to start drinking alongside men. Gin became popular amongst women and was blamed for mothers' neglect of their children and a rise in prostitution, becoming known as 'Mother's Ruin'.

Historical accounts speak of the widespread violence, alcoholism, and social devastation caused by the Gin Craze. The full extent of the issue became clear in 1734 when the story of Judith Dufour reached the ears of Parliament.

Government Reaction to the Gin Craze

By 1734, the government realised that it had to do something to stop the rapid consumption of gin. These were their main tactics:

• Increase the price of distilling licenses so only reputable distillers could make gin.
• Increase restrictions on the production of gin, so it became more expensive.

The government also faced pressure from public leaders and religious figures who denounced gin and the poorer classes who were so inclined to it.

This was done through the passing of five 'Gin Acts' in 1729, 1736, 1743, 1747, and 1751. They had varying degrees of success - the two most influential acts were those of 1736 and 1751.

The 1736 Gin Act

1736 introduced taxes and licenses for the production of gin. It established an excise tax of 20 shillings per gallon of gin distilled and made it compulsory to have a license to produce gin, which cost £50 - the equivalent of about £8,000 in today's money.

This was intended to ensure that gin became a luxury item that was not widely available. However, it did not really work. Only two licenses were taken out. Bootleggers thrived, illegally distilling gin that was often cut with harmful substances. Consumption of gin did not really decrease.

The Act was later repealed in 1743 as it was not very effective.

The 1751 Gin Act

The 1751 Gin Act prohibited the selling of gin to unlicensed merchants and only allowed larger manufacturers to produce gin, having reduced the price of licenses.

The government also encouraged the importation and drinking of tea in order to rival gin, and encouraged men to drink beer instead.

This act was largely successful, and the Gin Craze is considered to have ended by 1757.

The Gin Craze: Overview

Artists such as Hogarth were instrumental in this paradigm shift with his depiction of the civilised Beer Street a stark contrast to the chaotic Gin Lane. Coupled with the acts, the price of beer began to fall. This narrative became prominent in the latter half of the eighteenth century.

Fig. 2 - William Hogarth's depiction of the chaotic Gin Lane

Although Mother's Ruin and the example of Judith Defour should be attributed to gin addiction, we must also remember that the appalling living conditions in increasingly urbanised areas and lack of knowledge of germs also contributed to a huge number of fatalities. It is easy to point to a new more economically conscious, capitalist existence as the cause of gin's popularity, and a willingness to break the French monopoly on liquor. However, for White, the craze had a clearer explanation.