The Six o'clock swill was the last-minute rush to buy drinks at a hotel bar before it closed. A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging usually on a short-term basis A bar (also called a Pub or Tavern) is a business that serves drinks especially Alcoholic beverages such as beer liquor and mixed drinks for consumption During a significant part of the 20th Century, Australian and New Zealand hotels shut their public bars at 6 p. The twentieth century of the Common Era began on For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island m. ; between finishing work (5 p. m. ) and this early closing hour, men drank heavily.
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The rush to drink
Six o'clock closing time was introduced partly in an attempt to improve public morals and get men home to their wives earlier. Instead, it often fuelled an hour long speed drinking session as men raced to get as drunk as possible in the limited time available. An unintended consequence was that glasses were saved during the hour after quitting time until the last call came for drinks. Then the emptied glasses could be refilled. "The bartender didn't carry your glass to the tap. He carried a pistol-shaped spigot hitched to a long tube and squirted your glass full where you stood. "[1]
Introduction of early closing
| Six o'clock closing | ||
| Place | Adopted | Abolished |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | 1916 | 1955 |
| SA | 1915 | 1967 |
| Tas | 1916 | 1937 |
| Vic | 1916 | 1966 |
| NZ | 1917 | 1967 |
Six o'clock closing was introduced during World War I. Year 1916 ( MCMXVI) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar) South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country Year 1915 ( MCMXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. Tasmania is an Australian island and state of the same name It is located south of the eastern side of the Continent, being separated from it by Bass Year 1916 ( MCMXVI) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1916 ( MCMXVI) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Year 1966 ( MCMLXVI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Year 1917 ( MCMXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The Woman's Christian Temperance Union and the Rechabites campaigned successfully for limits on the sale of alcohol and beer. The Independent Order of Rechabites was a Friendly Society founded in England in 1835 as part of the Temperance movement to promote total abstinence Beer is the world's oldest and most widely consumed Alcoholic beverage and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea Although the temperance movement had been active since the late 1870s, they mounted the successful argument in 1915 and onwards that a "well-ordered, self-disciplined and morally upright home front was a precondition for the successful prosecution of the war. See also Prohibition, Teetotalism The Temperance Movement attempted to reduce the amount of Alcohol consumed within a community or society in Events and Trends Technology The invention of the prototype telephone by Alexander G Year 1915 ( MCMXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year "[2]
The first state to introduce early closing was South Australia in 1915 where the rationale was a war austerity measure. South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country In Economics, austerity is when a national government reduces its spending in order to pay back Creditors Austerity is usually required when a government's fiscal Six o'clock closing was adopted in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania in 1916. Tasmania is an Australian island and state of the same name It is located south of the eastern side of the Continent, being separated from it by Bass Year 1916 ( MCMXVI) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year It was introduced in New Zealand in 1917. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Queensland introduced eight o'clock closing in 1923. Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern corner of the mainland continent Year 1923 ( MCMXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
The question of closing hours was put to New South Wales voters in June 1916. The question had previously been put to the vote in December, 1913 when the results of the Local Option Poll were in favour of 11 o'clock closing. The 1916 vote was influenced by a recent riot involving soldiers. The Liverpool Riot of 1916 is the name given to the event when a large group of Australian soldiers rioted through the streets of Sydney and surrounding areas In February 1916, troops mutinied against conditions at the Casula Camp. Mutiny is a conspiracy among members of a group of similarly-situated individuals (typically members of the Military; or the Crew of any ship even Casula is a Suburb of Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. They raided hotels in Liverpool before travelling by train to Sydney, where one soldier was shot dead in a riot at Central Railway station. Liverpool is a Suburb in south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Central Railway Station (also known as Sydney Terminal) is the largest Railway station in Sydney. [3]
Although it was introduced as a temporary measure, in 1919 it was made a permanent measure in Victoria and South Australia. Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The New South Wales Government brought in temporary extensions and discussed putting the matter to a referendum. A referendum (plural referendums or referenda) ballot question, or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita In 1923, however, without testing the matter by a popular vote, 6pm was enacted in NSW as a closing time. [4]
Hotels catered for a short heavy drinking period after work before the early evening closing by extending their bars and tiling walls for easy cleaning. The phenomenon changed Australian pubs as rooms in the building were converted to bar space; billiard rooms disappeared and bars were knocked together. [4]
Extension of closing time
Closing time was extended to 10 o'clock in Tasmania from 1937. See also 1936 in Australia, other events of 1937, 1938 in Australia and the Timeline of Australian history. The issue of ending early closing was voted on in New South Wales in 1947 but the proposal was voted down, however a vote in 1954 narrowly won and closing hours were extended to 10 p. See also 1946 in Australia, other events of 1947, 1948 in Australia and the Timeline of Australian history. See also 1953 in Australia, other events of 1954, 1955 in Australia and the Timeline of Australian history. m. in 1955. See also 1954 in Australia, other events of 1955, 1956 in Australia and the Timeline of Australian history. Hours were extended in Victoria in 1966, and South Australia was the last state to abolish six o'clock closing with legislation introduced by Don Dunstan in 1967 and the first legal after 6pm beer being drunk on 28 September. See also 1965 in Australia, other events of 1966, 1967 in Australia and the Timeline of Australian history. Donald Allan Dunstan, AC, QC (21 September 1926 – 6 February 1999 was an Australian Politician. See also 1966 in Australia, other events of 1967, 1968 in Australia and the Timeline of Australian history. Events 48 BC - Pompey the Great is assassinated on orders of King Ptolemy of Egypt after landing in Egypt. [5]
Ten o'clock closing was introduced in New Zealand in October 1967 after a referendum. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Referendums (or referenda) are held only occasionally by the government of New Zealand. [6] An earlier referendum, in 1949, had voted three to one to retain six o'clock closing.
References in culture
The Bar (1954), a painting by John Brack which was based on the Six o'clock swill was sold for a record price for an Australian painting of $3. John Brack ( 1920 - 11 February 1999 in Melbourne Victoria) was a notable Australian painter. 17 million. Another painting by Brack, Collins St, 5 p. m. (1955) held by the National Gallery of Victoria is also based on the 5-o'clock rush to get to the bar. The National Gallery of Victoria is an art gallery and museum in Melbourne Australia. [7]
Caddie, the Story of a Barmaid, an autobiography of a depression era barmaid, describes the six o'clock swill, at a time (1952) when it was presumed that the reader would be familiar with the concept. Plot introduction The book follows the story of the otherwise unnamed author Caddie from a brief outline of her childhood to her work as a barmaid and later SP bookmaking
References
- ^ Peluso, Jr. , A. J. (2001). Saloon Nudes. Maine Antique Digest. Retrieved on 2007-12-22. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1790 - The Turkish fortress of Izmail is stormed and captured by Suvorov and his Russian armies quoting Red Smith's coverage of the 1956 Olympics at Melbourne
- ^ (1995) in Joan Beaumont (ed. For other uses see Red Smith. Walter Wellesley "Red" Smith ( September 25 1905 in Green Bay Wisconsin The 1956 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an International Multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne ): Australia's War 1914-18. Sydney, Australia: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86373-461-9. , page 81.
- ^ Robson, LL (1969). Australia & the Great War: 1914-1918. Australia: Macmillan. ISBN 0-333-11921-5. , pages 12 and 63-65.
- ^ a b Freeland, JM (1966). The Australian Pub. Australia: Melbourne University Press. , page 175.
- ^ Strawhan, Peter (2004). "The Importance of Food and Drink in the Political and Private Life of Don Dunstan" (pdf (342 pages)). Retrieved on 2002-12-22. See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1790 - The Turkish fortress of Izmail is stormed and captured by Suvorov and his Russian armies - see page 61 (page 71 of the pdf)
- ^ Phillips, Jock (1967). The ‘six o’clock swill’ (image plus caption). New Zealand in brief: Sports and leisure. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand (New Zealand Government: Ministry for Culture and Heritage). Retrieved on 2007-12-22. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1790 - The Turkish fortress of Izmail is stormed and captured by Suvorov and his Russian armies
- ^ Green, Jonathon. "The freat art robbery", Arts Reviews, The Age, 15 April 2006. Retrieved on 2007-12-22. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1790 - The Turkish fortress of Izmail is stormed and captured by Suvorov and his Russian armies "John Brack's The Bar, that brown-suited, hard-faced, hard-drinking, wryly ironic take on Edouard Manet's A Bar at the Folies-Bergère. A Bar at the Folies-Bergère, painted and exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1882, was the last major work by French painter Édouard Manet . . the central figure of the barmaid had been modelled on a milk bar attendant, . . . the artist's [has inserted a] self-portrait on the far right of the canvas, . . . the appearance of the painter's army friend, John Stephens, who also features in the Collins St, 5pm crowd. "
See also
External links
- Dinkum Aussies: Events: The Six O'Clock Swill
- Literary quotes about six o'clock closing
- University of Technology Sydney: Journalism: Pubs and People
- State Library of New South Wales: Picture of patrons at the Northern Club Hotel toasting the introduction of 10 p.m. closing, 1 February 1955
- The Political Economy of Six O’Clock Closing (in New Zealand) Tim Mulcare. (Rich Text Format)
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