Binge Britain 1904: The rogues' gallery that shows war on booze is nothing new




Angry, bewildered and shame-faced these Edwardian drunks stare into the lens of the police camera.

They were 'habitual drunkards' whose offences included being caught while in charge of a horse, carriage and even a steam engine.

Issued a century ago, the drunks were given the equivalent of modern-day Asbos in that they were banned from being served in pubs because of their past behaviour.



Information was compiled by the Watch Committee of the City of Birmingham, which was set up by the police to enforce the Licensing Act of 1902.

The act was passed in an attempt to deal with public drunks, giving police the power to apprehend those found drunk in any public place and unable to take care of themselves.



This drunk on the left was James Doyle, a labourer, whose report listed 'peculiarities' such as having two scars on his right forearm and a 'crossed right eye'. He was convicted of being drunk and disorderly in a public house in 1904. Alice Loxley on the right had a crippled left hand



The list featuring these drunks was distributed to 250 pub landlords managed by the Holt Brewery.



The report included photos and descriptions of ‘habitual drunkards’ who were not to be sold alcohol due to their reputation and past crimes.

Similar lists were created for cities across the country and were commonly distributed by the area’s major brewery.

People were placed on the list after receiving four convictions under the Inebriates Act of 1898, which included being 'intoxicated to the point of complete incompetence' and 'being found in a shebeen' – an illicit bar that sold alcohol without a licence.



Richard ‘Dirty Dick’ Flemming (left) – also listed with the alias ‘Dick the Devil’. He was sentenced on February 20, 1903 for being drunk and disorderly, receiving 21 days of hard labour. He is described as 5ft 2in with a slim build and pug nose. Tamar Edwards on the right was given seven days of hard labour



Other offences included riding a horse whilst under the influence or drink-driving a steam engine.

Each drunkard’s entry includes photographs (front and profile views), their name, alias, residence, employment, physical description, distinguishing marks, nature of conviction and the sentence received.

The detailed description also lists distinguishing marks such as tattoos and scars, and their professions, including prostitutes, ‘bedstead polishers’, ‘hawkers’, and even ‘grease merchants’.

The collection only exists today because the brewery kept hold of them and the Black List has now been published online for the first time by ancestry.co.uk.



Eliza Fallon (left): She was a 38-year-old ‘woodchopper and prostitute’ who was put on the blacklist after being found heavily intoxicated on numerous occasions in 1904. She is noted as having a scar on the left side of her nose and the right side of her neck. Alice Tatlow (right): She was a 25-year-old ‘polisher and prostitute’ and was convicted for drunk and disorderly behaviour in January 1904. She is noted as having a number of distinguishing tattoos including Prince of Wales’ feathers on her right hand and a heart and clasped hands with ‘true love KB’ on her right arm



Ancestry's Dan Jones said: 'Although it is a small collection, the Black List paints a fascinating picture of some of Birmingham’s most debauched characters from the turn of the last century and we hope to compliment it with similar lists from other cities in the future.

'The detail in these records is incredible, featuring photographs as well as physical descriptions meaning anyone with an ancestor in the collection will find out a great deal about them, whilst others can uncover compelling information about forgotten members of society who were down on their luck or perhaps spending their good fortune in unwise ways.'

Anyone looking for a black sheep in the family could also find their ancestor within the England & Wales Criminal Registers, 1791-1892 online at Ancestry.co.uk, which feature registers for all 1.4 million criminal trials which took place in England and Wales from the late 18th to the late 19th centuries.

Matthew Moran is pictured here at 32 years old and is described as a 'tube drawer' while 'bedstead polisher' Charlotte Humphries was described as having 'sores on her cheek'





'Sallow' groom William Hughes (left), 61, had a 'twitching of face' while 37-year-old labourer William Tustin was, unusually for this gallery, devoid of peculiarities







Thomas Riley (left) was also known as 'Young Punch' while 62-year-old boot manufacturer Walter Harrison is described as 'ruptured'







Charwoman Minnie Osborne had a broken nose and was 'subject to fits' while Thomas Wall was said to have a scar across his nose







'Pock-pitted' Harry Davies (left) had a number of crippled fingers and Joseph Allsopp had tattoos of a tree in a flower pot and a bust of a woman







Hawker George Allen had a cut scar down the left side of his nose while 44-year-old charwoman Emily Jane Parrish had one on her forehead







Eliza Cowley, 26, was a charwoman and prostitute and David Addicott was a canvasser - both had scars on their faces







Prostitute and charwoman Mary Cooper and Benjamin Bloxsidge, a boatman

