100 years ago in Manchester

The Manchester Evening News runs a regular Nostalgia column which reproduces articles from a century ago.  Some items it would had to imagine appearing today.

From Wednesday February 11, 1914

Secret Drinking Among Women – Practice Condemned by Stockport Magistrates

At Stockport Brewster Sessions, to-day, the Chief Constable (M. F. Brindley) reported that during the past year there has been 483 prosecutions for drunkenness, as against 512 in the preceding year. Drunkenness was not nearly so rife as it was twenty years ago, or even 10 years ago. Compared with other towns Stockport could not be classified as one of the most drunken towns.

It was pointed out that the police had practically no control over the clubs, of which there were 49, with a total membership of 6,570. Then there are canvassers from breweries going from door to door, and inducing women to give them orders for some consumption, as it is styled.

In the opinion of the Chief Constable, the safest remedy for reducing drunkenness would be to put a check upon the present sources for the secret supply of intoxicating liquors to females. It would keep many weak-willed women from indulging so freely in secret as was now too often the case, and consequently their homes, husbands and children would get more attention.

Thanks to Hugh Reekie for the tip.