Once upon a time every working man in the country would visit the pub on their lunch breaks, straight after work and spend all of their days in the pub on their days off at the weekend. I thought it would be interesting to see just now much we used to drink back in the day in comparison to these days.
The Statistics
I came across an article in the National Guardian in May of 1912 that was discussing what the Temperance movement has done to drinking from 1890 – 1910 and it got me thinking about just how much of a difference there would be from. The article showed that the peak of that time period was in 1899 when the statistics were 32.53 gallons per head in the UK and 8.72 pints of Spirits per head.
I compared these statistics to some that the World Health Organisation (WHO) released in 2016. The statistics in their report shows that we consume 14.89 gallons of beer per head and 21.11 pints of pure alcohol in the UK.
Year | Beer (Gallons) | Spirits (Pints) |
1890 | 30.00 | 8.16 |
1891 | 30.16 | 8.32 |
1892 | 29.75 | 8.24 |
1893 | 29.55 | 7.84 |
1894 | 29.41 | 7.76 |
1895 | 29.58 | 8.00 |
1896 | 30.79 | 8.08 |
1897 | 31.29 | 8.16 |
1898 | 31.76 | 8.24 |
1899 | 32.53 | 8.72 |
1900 | 31.56 | 8.86 |
1901 | 30.78 | 8.72 |
1902 | 30.29 | 8.40 |
1903 | 29.78 | 7.92 |
1904 | 28.92 | 7.68 |
1905 | 27.85 | 7.36 |
1906 | 28.17 | 7.28 |
1907 | 27.82 | 7.28 |
1908 | 26.88 | 6.88 |
1909 | 26.12 | 5.60 |
1910 | 26.32 | 5.20 |
2016 | 32.53 | 21.11 |
Why Do We Drink More Now?
If I am honest, I thought that we wouldn’t even be close to what the country used to be when pubs were always full and the alcohol was always flowing and in most cases a lot safer to drink that water!
I think one of the main reason that we drink more now is that the prices in pubs are very expensive in comparison to what they used to be because of the taxes that they need to pay, whereas it is a lot cheaper for you to go into a supermarket and purchase a bottle of vodka or crate of beers.
What are your thoughts on these findings? Are you shocked that we drink a lot more now? What do you think the reason is?
To read other stories from the past, check out our other articles here
William Allan says
Never, never went into a pub just to get drunk. The interaction with other people, was, and still is the attraction for me. Do not drink alone in the house, to me that is the sign of an alcoholic. Sitting in the house knocking back all sort of booze, what is the attraction, don’t tell me it’s the taste.
John Gorevan says
I agree William, I think it is the socialising with friends that is the attraction for most people that go out to pubs, including myself 🙂