MJ Posted February 10, 2008 Report Share Posted February 10, 2008 Been trying to figure out where to start for information on the temperance movement and act in Shetland. Can find plenty of information about Orkney, Wick, Stewarton and Dundee but apart from very brief references, v little online about Shetland.Anyone know some basic dates that Lerwick was "Dry"? How far did the dry zone stretch, was it all of Shetland? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostrider Posted February 10, 2008 Report Share Posted February 10, 2008 The first licences for retail sale of alcohol in Lerwick since 1921 were granted on May 28th 1947. James C. Grierson, a lawyer, and ZCC vice convener was active in promoting temperance, with some success, as early as before 1893. That's about all I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medziotojas Posted February 10, 2008 Report Share Posted February 10, 2008 If you haven't already read it, you may be interested in this thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuckleJoannie Posted February 11, 2008 Report Share Posted February 11, 2008 I did a Google search on temperance in Shetland and came up with this curious quote from the Wikipedia article on Shetland under Culture Originally a temperance festival held to break up the long nights of winter Up-Helly-AA: Custom, Culture and Community in Shetland By Callum G. Brown mentions letters to the Shetland Times in 1920 about the Veto poll. I don't have a copy to hand but you can see the relevant pagehere. A reference is quoted at the end of the chapter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJ Posted February 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2008 Hard to imagine up helly aa as an alcohol free night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuckleJoannie Posted February 11, 2008 Report Share Posted February 11, 2008 How far did the dry zone stretch, was it all of Shetland? Delting, Nortmavine and one other outlying parish, which I forget, remained wet all through this period. You could by drink wholesale in Lerwick by the case, but not individual bottles. The nearest off licence to Lerwick was Adies in Voe, which allegedly gave raise to the expression "It's aye a fine day in Voe" Incidentally Laureen Johnson wrote a history of Adies Inside the Postcard: Working Life at Adie's, Voe At this time the only pub in shetland was the Booth at Hillswick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 Yeah, Calum Brown's Up-Helly-Aa book has a bunch about the temperance organisations' efforts to pacify the passive drink-and-fire-fuelled antics of early Up-Helly-Aa, which created the whole Viking theme of the event. (it's also a very well written and interesting book regardless) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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