The Sunday Closing (Wales) Act 1881 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was one of the Licensing Acts 1828 to 1886.[1] It required the closure of all public houses in Wales on Sundays. The Act had considerable political importance as a formal acknowledgement of the separate character of Wales, setting a precedent for future legislation and decisions. It was repealed in 1911.
The legislation followed pressure by the temperance movement and, in particular, the nonconformistchapels. According to historian John Davies, the public houses in Wales had become "recruiting centres for the Conservative Party" following earlier Liberal legislation to restrict the licensed trade, and there was considerable backing among Welsh working class men to restrict their opening. However, one of the effects of the legislation was to encourage the opening of a large number of private social clubs which were excluded from it, and the legislation seems to have had little effect on drunkenness.[4] According to Davies, "above all, [the legislation] connected Welshness with negativity", and it became increasingly unpopular through the 20th century.[2]
Repeal
The Sunday Closing (Wales) Act 1881 was repealed and consolidated into the Licensing (Consolidation) Act 1910.[5] The Licensing Act 1953 later repealed the Licensing (Consolidation) Act 1910.[6] Sunday Closing, however, was still retained.[7] The Licensing Act 1961 enabled local authorities in Wales to hold polls if their electorate wished to retain, remove or readopt Sunday Closing.[8] Shortly after the enactment of the Licensing Act there was a nationwide referendum in 1961.[9]
^H. Carter & J.G. Thomas, ‘The referendum on the Sunday opening of licensed premises in Wales as a criterion of a culture region’ 1968, Vol 3, Regional Studies, <https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09595236900185071> accessed 8th August 2022, Page 62.
^H. Carter & J.G. Thomas, ‘The referendum on the Sunday opening of licensed premises in Wales as a criterion of a culture region’ 1968, Vol 3, Regional Studies, <https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09595236900185071> accessed 8th August 2022, Page 63.
^H. Carter & J.G. Thomas, ‘The referendum on the Sunday opening of licensed premises in Wales as a criterion of a culture region’ 1968, Vol 3, Regional Studies, <https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09595236900185071> accessed 8th August 2022, Page 65.
^Prior, Neil (2011). "130 years since Sunday drinking was banned in Wales". BBC News.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^"Time called on drink ban rule". 2003.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
January 07, 2023
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The Sunday Closing Wales Act 1881 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom It was one of the Licensing Acts 1828 to 1886 1 It required the closure of all public houses in Wales on Sundays The Act had considerable political importance as a formal acknowledgement of the separate character of Wales setting a precedent for future legislation and decisions It was repealed in 1911 Sunday Closing Wales Act 1881Parliament of the United KingdomLong titleAn Act to prohibit the Sale of Intoxicating Liquors on Sunday in Wales Citation44 amp 45 Vict c 61Territorial extent WalesDatesRoyal assent27 August 1881Repealed1 January 1911Other legislationRepealed byLicensing Consolidation Act 1910Relates toLaws in Wales Acts 1535 1542 Wales and Berwick Act 1746 Welsh Language Act 1967 Government of Wales Act 1998Status RepealedText of statute as originally enacted Contents 1 Introduction of the legislation 2 Background and effects 3 Repeal 4 ReferencesIntroduction of the legislation EditThe legislation was introduced by the Liberal Government elected in 1880 under Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone It was the first Act since the annexation of Wales which specifically applied only to Wales 2 A similar Bill which would have applied in England was rejected by Parliament The 1881 Act did not apply to Monmouthshire but was extended over that county in 1915 under wartime legislation which was reaffirmed in 1921 3 However later Acts which were specific to Wales including the Welsh Intermediate Education Act 1889 were also applied to Monmouthshire citation needed Background and effects EditThe legislation followed pressure by the temperance movement and in particular the nonconformist chapels According to historian John Davies the public houses in Wales had become recruiting centres for the Conservative Party following earlier Liberal legislation to restrict the licensed trade and there was considerable backing among Welsh working class men to restrict their opening However one of the effects of the legislation was to encourage the opening of a large number of private social clubs which were excluded from it and the legislation seems to have had little effect on drunkenness 4 According to Davies above all the legislation connected Welshness with negativity and it became increasingly unpopular through the 20th century 2 Repeal EditThe Sunday Closing Wales Act 1881 was repealed and consolidated into the Licensing Consolidation Act 1910 5 The Licensing Act 1953 later repealed the Licensing Consolidation Act 1910 6 Sunday Closing however was still retained 7 The Licensing Act 1961 enabled local authorities in Wales to hold polls if their electorate wished to retain remove or readopt Sunday Closing 8 Shortly after the enactment of the Licensing Act there was a nationwide referendum in 1961 9 This first referendum oversaw the removal of Sunday Closing in Monmouthshire Newport Cardiff Glamorgan Swansea Merthyr Tydfil and Flintshire 10 Another referendum was held in 1968 which oversaw the further abandonment of Sunday Closing by Brecknockshire Radnorshire and Denbighshire 11 The last district to abandon Sunday Closing was Dwyfor who abandoned it in 1996 12 The requirement for regular polls on Sunday opening in Wales was abolished by the Licensing Act 2003 13 References Edit The Short Titles Act 1896 section 2 1 and Schedule 2 a b John Davies A History of Wales 1993 ISBN 0 14 028475 3 Hansard 1921 BBC Wales Industrialisation and temperance Archived from the original on 5 February 2009 Retrieved 1 November 2008 Licensing Consolidation Act 1910 sch 7 Licensing Act 1953 sch 10 Licensing Act 1953 s 111 Licensing Act 1961 s 6 H Carter amp J G Thomas The referendum on the Sunday opening of licensed premises in Wales as a criterion of a culture region 1968 Vol 3 Regional Studies lt https www tandfonline com doi abs 10 1080 09595236900185071 gt accessed 8th August 2022 Page 62 H Carter amp J G Thomas The referendum on the Sunday opening of licensed premises in Wales as a criterion of a culture region 1968 Vol 3 Regional Studies lt https www tandfonline com doi abs 10 1080 09595236900185071 gt accessed 8th August 2022 Page 63 H Carter amp J G Thomas The referendum on the Sunday opening of licensed premises in Wales as a criterion of a culture region 1968 Vol 3 Regional Studies lt https www tandfonline com doi abs 10 1080 09595236900185071 gt accessed 8th August 2022 Page 65 Prior Neil 2011 130 years since Sunday drinking was banned in Wales BBC News a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Time called on drink ban rule 2003 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sunday Closing Wales Act 1881 amp oldid 1103220580, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
