Drunkenness was a serious social problem in Victorian England. Alcohol, mainly beer and gin, was readily available for a penny or two in pubs found on every street corner.
By modern standards pubs were bleak, but they offered warmth and the chance to forget the drinker’s woes for a few hours. It was very easy for people to spend their wages on drink at the expense of their families.
Several Acts of Parliament were passed in the hope of
