fact or fiction

[Colin Pook]

on one of Esso's 'Golden Extra' regular runs from Fawley to Bowling, we docked in Bowling, (near Dumbarton) either late one Saturday night, or early one Sunday morning, and feeling a thirst coming on, two of us decided to go ashore for a pint. As far as I can remember, Bowling was a small village with only one watering hole. Upon entering the aforesaid premises, mine host enquired as to whether we were 'bona fide travellers', or had we spent the night in Bowling. A bit non-plussed we told the guy that we were off a ship berthed at the terminal. He wanted to know when we arrived to ascertain whether or not we could be served. The remainder of the conversation is now getting lost in the mists of time, but it boiled down to an ancient Scottish law that forbade any-one from having a drink on a Sunday morning unless they were a 'bona fide traveller' or, spent the night in that town. As far as I can remember, we took our leave without having sustanance, and caught the bus into Dumbarton, alighting somewhere near the Picture House where we were warmly welcomed in the nearest pub.
Question. Did I dream this, was someone manipulating my plonker, or was it for real?
Anyone north of the border care to comment?
regards to all,
Colin.

[Keith at Tregenna]

It was quite usual:

My Lords, in the Government's opinion the position regarding the sale of liquor on Sundays in Scotland is thoroughly unsatisfactory and should be rectified. May I remind your Lordships of what that position is? There are no permitted hours on Sunday. Public houses are closed; hotels, however, may supply liquor—and here I quote the terms of the hotel certificate in the 1959 Act— ‘for the accommodation of lodgers and travellers".’ So far as concerns "lodgers"—"residents" we call them today—there is no difficulty: it is accepted that hotels should supply liquor to residents at any time of day on any day. The difficulty relates to "travellers". The local hotel has been unable to supply drink on Sunday to the local residents, but it could supply people who were, or said they were, travelling.

LINK: LICENSING (SCOTLAND) BILL [H.L.] (Hansard, 21 November 1961)

[Ivan Cloherty]

Question. Did I dream this, was someone manipulating my plonker, or was it for real?
Anyone north of the border care to comment?
regards to all,
Colin.

No Colin you were not dreaming, sailed into the Scottish conundrum many a time, in 50/60's, some landlords would serve you if the ship docked after 1200 hours on Sunday and some wouldn't serve you if the ship had been in port a couple of days before the Sunday. So onto the bus it was, if there was one running, sometimes got a lift from a local who was going 'travelling', all part of life's tapestry and the memory bank.

[Louis the Amigo]

Hi shipmates, Hi Colin Drinking on a sunday in wales was not allowed in a public house, only in a hotel? so many pubs were called Hotels but had no rooms for travellers to rest inn .But in the olden days "The hotel de Marl was opened for trade on sunday morning in Cardiff a few barrels in a field, not far from the docks, in grangetown this was stopped by the law the .Temprance movement was very strong in Cardiff in them days .

[Keith at Tregenna]

Furtunately not every County:

Often a short walk down the road or over a bridge took you into the next shire and though some boozers had to close, depending where you lived there was hopefully another not to far away.

Stuck West years ago waiting for a train on a Sunday, waited for a pub to open - yes it was a Sunday: Fortunately found a Rugby Club all bars open and nearly missed the train for Cardiff.

Another good place was the BeerTent at the Cricket, seem to remember sport was not affected.

Always could get into a working mens club otherwise:

Market days were best: pubs did have to close in the afternoon, but on market days they did it on a rota. As the early opener closed, the pub next door opened. So you could drink all day.

Never had a problem in Cardiff on a Sunday: Would go to the Scarmouche.

K.

[Colin Hawken]

Back in the late 50s,I was on a coastal tanker. (Esso Ottawa) we had about 3 weeks on the slipway at Scott's shipyard in Bowling.There was a pub right outside the gate. We never had any problems. There was a local Coal Merchant by the name of Mr.Herderson. On a Saturday if Dumbarton F C were at home he would arrive at the Pub around 12 Noon. We'd all have a few scoops of beer with him. Then we'd all pile on to his coal lorry and roar off down to Dumbarton Football ground.By the time we got back to Bowling,the Pub was open again.The rest of the story you can guess for yourselves. Never get away with it these days.

[vic mcclymont]

I lived in Port Glasgow and next door was Greenock and adjacent was Gourock.
If you lived in PG and wanted a drink on a Sunday you had to travel to Gourock.
Living in Gourock you had to travel to P.G.
Don't know what you did if you lived in Greenock.
Remember the pubs shut 21:30 hours in them days.

[happy daze john in oz]

Not the only place with such laws. Here in Victoria until the end of 6'o clock swill you could only get a drink on Sunday if you were a bona fide traveller.

[Duke Drennan]

If I remember correctly, in Sweden, in the 60's, you had to go to a hotel to get a drink. Am I mistaken about this?

[Louis the Amigo]

Hi Shipmates, Hi Keith my barry buddy, was the Scarmouche in City road? Bessemer road fruit market had a bar that was open 24x7days for lorry drivers only? The arts club and the old 21 club did a lock inn service for the few . Much more fun to drink outside legal hours back then.