London’s 18th-Century Craze for Gin: A Spirited Journey

In the 18th century, London was gripped by a peculiar and intense fascination with a clear, potent spirit known as gin. This period, often referred to as the “Gin Craze,” saw gin rise from relative obscurity to become the drink of choice for Londoners across the social spectrum. The craze left an indelible mark on the city’s culture, economy, and social fabric, and its impact is still felt today.

The Rise of Gin

Gin’s ascent in London began in the early 1700s. The drink, originally distilled from grain and flavoured with juniper berries, was brought to England from Holland, where it was known as jenever. By the early 18th century, gin had become immensely popular, largely due to its affordability and the ease with which it could be produced. A government policy designed to promote English spirits over French wine and brandy also played a crucial role. The 1690 Distilling Act allowed anyone to produce spirits without a license, leading to a boom in gin production.

James IV of Scotland. We know that alcoholic spirits were drunk by the very rich since 1500, as the king is known to have purchased several barrels of whisky.

By the 1720s, gin was everywhere. In a society plagued by poverty and hardship, gin offered an accessible escape. Daniel Defoe, in his 1726 work “The Complete English Tradesman,” observed, “The distillers call it a brisk trade, and the retailers a thriving trade, and the poor that drink it a comfort, a cure for the colic, and a help to the consumption” (Defoe, 1726).

A print of an 18th-century liquor seller.

Gin Lane: The Dark Side of the Craze

Despite its popularity, gin had a dark side. The drink was potent, often adulterated with dangerous substances, and its widespread consumption led to severe social problems. The artist William Hogarth captured the destructive impact of gin in his famous 1751 engraving “Gin Lane,” which depicted scenes of debauchery and despair fuelled by gin consumption. In one corner, a mother, insensible from gin, lets her baby tumble from her arms. Hogarth’s grim portrayal was a stark warning of the consequences of unchecked gin consumption.

The social costs were high. Crime rates soared, and public health deteriorated. London’s poorer neighbourhoods were particularly hard-hit, as gin was cheaper than beer and often consumed in large quantities. Dr. Thomas Bowrey’s account from the period starkly describes the scene: “The principal sustenance (if it may be so called) of more than one-half of the poorer sort of people is that diabolical liquor called gin” (Bowrey, 1736).

Legislative Measures and Reform

In response to the mounting crisis, the government introduced a series of legislative measures aimed at curbing gin consumption. The Gin Act of 1736 imposed heavy duties on gin and required distillers to obtain a license. However, this act was largely ineffective, as it led to the rise of illicit gin production and sales. It wasn’t until the Gin Act of 1751, which lowered the tax on gin but increased regulation and enforced stricter licensing laws, that the craze began to subside. This act was more successful, partly due to changing public attitudes and increasing awareness of gin’s detrimental effects.

Gin’s Legacy

By the end of the 18th century, the Gin Craze had largely subsided, but gin itself remained an integral part of British culture. The reforms helped pave the way for the development of more refined gin production methods, leading to the high-quality gins that would later become popular in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Today, the legacy of the Gin Craze is evident in the resurgence of interest in gin, with countless distilleries producing a wide variety of gins and gin-based cocktails. London’s gin bars pay homage to the spirit’s turbulent history, reminding us of an era when gin was both a blessing and a curse.

The Gin Craze was a classic example of a drug without social norms. Every society on earth has had its narcotics (and almost every society has chosen alcohol). But those narcotics have come with social rules about when, where, how and why you ‘get blasted’. Every age and every society is different. Today, young adults tend to get drunk on a Friday evening, while in medieval England, the preferred time was Sunday morning. In ancient Egypt, it was the Festival of Hathor and in ancient China, it was during the rites that honoured the family dead.

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