Adelaide, do you remember the end of the ‘six o’clock swill’?

[Classic Brewing Co]

How many of you remember this ? I do 

WHEN Premier Don Dunstan raised his glass at one minute past six o’clock in the front bar of the Challa Gardens Hotel, on the evening of Friday, September 28, 1967, it was a toast that would bring to an end six o’clock closing in Adelaide and South Australia.

The mood in the bar that night was one of optimism and profound relief as there had been some doubt, even just a few days before, that the newly introduced liquor laws would come into force, with the Licensing Act finally squeezing through State Parliament on Tuesday the 25th, almost six months after it was first proposed.

Early closing for hotels had been part of life here since 1916. It was initiated after a referendum held in conjunction with a state election in an attempt to improve public morality and as a wartime austerity measure.

It was argued at the time by the various temperance movements that while all other traders were forced to shut their doors by 6pm, public houses could remain open until 11pm to serve alcohol. John Beaumont also explains in his book Australia’s War 1914-18 that it was generally felt at the time a “well-ordered, self-disciplined and morally upright home front was a precondition for the successful prosecution of the war”.

The Advertiser reported on Tuesday, March 28, 1916, that the first night of early closing went down badly, creating rowdy street scenes outside the Imperial Hotel on the corner of King William and Grenfell streets.

It culminated in a march followed by a noisy protest outside the Adelaide Club in North Tce, which had been allowed to continue to serve alcohol to its members until 11pm.

Throughout the following decades, the practice of heavy drinking in that one hour between finishing work at 5pm and hotel closing time became known as “the six o’clock swill”. Hotels were packed every night with men drinking as much beer as they could and as quickly as possible, until finally the call would be made “time gentlemen, please”.

It might be difficult to imagine the scene now but men (women were not allowed in front bars then) would be four and five deep, all trying to get to the bar.

Choking cigarette smoke filled the air with the butts dropped on to the floor where they would be stomped into the stale beer already slopped everywhere by the thirsty drinkers, all eager to have more in those last few minutes before “time” was called.

Edited October 27, 2021 by Classic Brewing Co

[ozdevil]

16 minutes ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

How many of you remember this ? I do 

WHEN Premier Don Dunstan raised his glass at one minute past six o’clock in the front bar of the Challa Gardens Hotel, on the evening of Friday, September 28, 1967, it was a toast that would bring to an end six o’clock closing in Adelaide and South Australia.

The mood in the bar that night was one of optimism and profound relief as there had been some doubt, even just a few days before, that the newly introduced liquor laws would come into force, with the Licensing Act finally squeezing through State Parliament on Tuesday the 25th, almost six months after it was first proposed.

Early closing for hotels had been part of life here since 1916. It was initiated after a referendum held in conjunction with a state election in an attempt to improve public morality and as a wartime austerity measure.

It was argued at the time by the various temperance movements that while all other traders were forced to shut their doors by 6pm, public houses could remain open until 11pm to serve alcohol. John Beaumont also explains in his book Australia’s War 1914-18 that it was generally felt at the time a “well-ordered, self-disciplined and morally upright home front was a precondition for the successful prosecution of the war”.

The Advertiser reported on Tuesday, March 28, 1916, that the first night of early closing went down badly, creating rowdy street scenes outside the Imperial Hotel on the corner of King William and Grenfell streets.

It culminated in a march followed by a noisy protest outside the Adelaide Club in North Tce, which had been allowed to continue to serve alcohol to its members until 11pm.

Throughout the following decades, the practice of heavy drinking in that one hour between finishing work at 5pm and hotel closing time became known as “the six o’clock swill”. Hotels were packed every night with men drinking as much beer as they could and as quickly as possible, until finally the call would be made “time gentlemen, please”.

It might be difficult to imagine the scene now but men (women were not allowed in front bars then) would be four and five deep, all trying to get to the bar.

Choking cigarette smoke filled the air with the butts dropped on to the floor where they would be stomped into the stale beer already slopped everywhere by the thirsty drinkers, all eager to have more in those last few minutes before “time” was called.

no but have heard a few stories of  that piece of history

 

[Classic Brewing Co]

41 minutes ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

How many of you remember this ? I do 

WHEN Premier Don Dunstan raised his glass at one minute past six o’clock in the front bar of the Challa Gardens Hotel, on the evening of Friday, September 28, 1967, it was a toast that would bring to an end six o’clock closing in Adelaide and South Australia.

The mood in the bar that night was one of optimism and profound relief as there had been some doubt, even just a few days before, that the newly introduced liquor laws would come into force, with the Licensing Act finally squeezing through State Parliament on Tuesday the 25th, almost six months after it was first proposed.

Early closing for hotels had been part of life here since 1916. It was initiated after a referendum held in conjunction with a state election in an attempt to improve public morality and as a wartime austerity measure.

It was argued at the time by the various temperance movements that while all other traders were forced to shut their doors by 6pm, public houses could remain open until 11pm to serve alcohol. John Beaumont also explains in his book Australia’s War 1914-18 that it was generally felt at the time a “well-ordered, self-disciplined and morally upright home front was a precondition for the successful prosecution of the war”.

The Advertiser reported on Tuesday, March 28, 1916, that the first night of early closing went down badly, creating rowdy street scenes outside the Imperial Hotel on the corner of King William and Grenfell streets.

It culminated in a march followed by a noisy protest outside the Adelaide Club in North Tce, which had been allowed to continue to serve alcohol to its members until 11pm.

Throughout the following decades, the practice of heavy drinking in that one hour between finishing work at 5pm and hotel closing time became known as “the six o’clock swill”. Hotels were packed every night with men drinking as much beer as they could and as quickly as possible, until finally the call would be made “time gentlemen, please”.

It might be difficult to imagine the scene now but men (women were not allowed in front bars then) would be four and five deep, all trying to get to the bar.

Choking cigarette smoke filled the air with the butts dropped on to the floor where they would be stomped into the stale beer already slopped everywhere by the thirsty drinkers, all eager to have more in those last few minutes before “time” was called.

Here's a bit of colour.

[Classic Brewing Co]

27 minutes ago, ozdevil said:

no but have heard a few stories of  that piece of history

I wonder what they would be ?   We all knew about his preferences. At least there was no social distancing & masks. 

[stquinto]

I still do a six o’clock swill whilst I’m making dinner

Mind you, the bar stays open

[Classic Brewing Co]

48 minutes ago, stquinto said:

I still do a six o’clock swill whilst I’m making dinner

Mind you, the bar stays open

I find a 24 Hour License the best as you can always close when you want to & of course re-open if necessary.   My beer drinking is done when I start Dinner, it's on to Wine. 

[stquinto]

14 hours ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

I find a 24 Hour License the best as you can always close when you want to & of course re-open if necessary.   My beer drinking is done when I start Dinner, it's on to Wine. 

Me too Phil, beer before  dinner then some vino with dinner. I might have a couple of Belgian style dark ones after. Next week I’ll be knocking it on the head for a while though, rinse out the liver a bit and get some early nights. SWMBO got me a Fitbit sleep tracker and when I’ve been on the grog it is quite “revealing” how little proper sleep you get. Or maybe it was the peanuts before dinner

[Classic Brewing Co]

9 hours ago, stquinto said:

Me too Phil, beer before  dinner then some vino with dinner. I might have a couple of Belgian style dark ones after. Next week I’ll be knocking it on the head for a while though, rinse out the liver a bit and get some early nights. SWMBO got me a Fitbit sleep tracker and when I’ve been on the grog it is quite “revealing” how little proper sleep you get. Or maybe it was the peanuts before dinner

Yea peanuts can wreak havoc with sleeping, cut them out & you will be fine. 

[DavidM]

21 hours ago, stquinto said:

Me too Phil, beer before  dinner then some vino with dinner. I might have a couple of Belgian style dark ones after. Next week I’ll be knocking it on the head for a while though, rinse out the liver a bit and get some early nights. SWMBO got me a Fitbit sleep tracker and when I’ve been on the grog it is quite “revealing” how little proper sleep you get. Or maybe it was the peanuts before dinner

 

11 hours ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

Yea peanuts can wreak havoc with sleeping, cut them out & you will be fine. 

The other way is to take the FitBit Off while you sleep

No clocks in my bedroom