Gin rendered men impotent, and women sterile, and was a major reason why the birth rate in London at this time was exceeded by the death rate. The government of the day became alarmed when it was found that the average Londoner drank 14 gallons of spirit each year!
The Gin Act 1736 taxed retail sales at a rate of 20 shillings a gallon on spirits and required licensees to take out a £50 annual licence to sell gin, a fee equivalent to about £8,000 today. The aim was to effectively prohibit the trade by making it economically unfeasible.
The Sale of Spirits Act 1750 (commonly known as the Gin Act 1751) was an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain (citation 24 Geo. 2. c. 40) which was enacted in order to reduce the consumption of gin and other distilled spirits, a popular pastime that was regarded as one of the primary causes of crime in London.
Alcoholism was widespread amongst the poor in the 1700s, and the rise of the 'gin craze' became infamous. Gin was cheap and extremely strong, and for many people offered a quick release from the grinding misery of everyday life. By the 1730s, over 6000 houses in London were openly selling gin to the general public.
By 1730, an estimated 7,000 gin shops were turning Londoners into degenerate alcoholics. Historical accounts of violence, widespread addiction, and social devastation call to mind the early 80s crack epidemic.
A series of bad harvests forced grain prices up, making landowners less dependent on income from gin production. They also forced food prices up and wages down, so the poor were less able to afford their drug of choice. By 1757, the Gin Craze was all but dead.
Gin joints allowed women to drink alongside men for the first time and it is thought this led many women neglecting their children and turning to prostitution, hence gin becoming known as 'Mother's Ruin'.
Gin & tonic to fight malaria
When they came to India, they brought gin with them, and soon they were struggling with malaria. By the 1840s British citizens and soldiers in India were using 700 tons of cinchona bark annually for their protective doses of quinine.
Which country drinks the most gin? Per capita, people in the Philippines drink more gin than any other country in the world.
Today we use the term 'drug crazed' but back in 18th century London the poor were 'gin crazed'. This period is generally perceived to have been 1720 to 1751 but the truth is that these were the dates between which people publicly expressed their concern over the craze.
Drinking gin won't make people feel any more depressed than if they were to drink other spirits, such as whisky or vodka. However, as a depressant, it's important to drink gin responsibly, as the drink can have a significant impact on your central nervous system.
The production and consumption of gin rocketed, and it soon became wildly out of hand. It began to cause massive social issues as poorer areas of London suffered from widespread drunkenness. It was declared the major cause of idleness, criminality and moral decline.
In 1729, 1736 and 1743, Parliament passed laws to try to control the gin trade. These acts introduced taxes for distillers. Those who sold gin had to purchase an annual licence.
Even children got a taste for gin
It was a particular favourite of women, who also used liberal quantities of the stuff to silence children. The consequences were dire. Children would congregate in a gin shop, and would drink until they could not move.
Most people get hit by this strong taste that lingers in their mouth when they drink it. Some say it is too bitter and has a weird taste, which is usually if they taste a traditional, dry gin that will have a strong juniper aroma.
A gin company has been widely criticised after posting an advert online which referenced a tweet by Donald Trump about "shooting and looting". Bristol Dry Gin's advert said rioters would like its "high flammability" amid widespread protests in the US about the death of George Floyd.
Like many of Britain's national favourites, gin did not originate on our shores. In fact, if you don't count the Italian monks who are thought to have used juniper berries as flavourings in distilled spirits back in the 11th century, it's Holland that's credited as the birthplace of gin.
London is a city of gin-lovers
For, in all cities across the world, we can reveal that (drum-roll, please) London is the gin capital.
Looking at the amount of alcohol consumed per person aged 15 years or older, the Seychelles is in first place with around 20.5 litres of alcohol drunk per person per year, according to Our World in Data; studies show that young male peer groups primarily drink high amounts of alcohol in the Seychelles.
Winston Churchill once declared: “Gin and tonic has saved more Englishmen's lives, and minds, than all the doctors in the Empire.” The “saving lives” statement shocks us, as it shifts the perspective of this familiar long drink from recreational to a medical sphere.
The monarch was known to enjoy a Dubonnet and gin cocktail
The chef also clarified: "She doesn't wake up in the morning and have a large gin and tonic," he said. Darren added the Queen also enjoyed a glass of her favourite German sweet wine "just in the evening". "She certainly doesn't drink four glasses a day."
When gin was being made at home by the underclasses, it was a women's drink; now that it's 'posh', the dudes have it. It is now so unburdened by feminity, 'gin drinker' is as much an identity as being a fan of a particular football team.
Exploring gin consumption today
Roy Morgan research reveals that women drink more gin than men, and it's overtaken vodka in the popularity stakes.
And he includes many nicknames for food and drink - words for gin (an enormously popular drink at the time) include: blue ruin, cobblers punch, crank, diddle, frog's wine, heart's ease, lightening and drain.
Why is gin called 'Mother's Ruin'? By 6 O'clock Despatch on Monday 8th March 2021. Our favourite tipple has gone by many names over the years. Dutch courage, ladies' delight and knock me down are just a few, but perhaps the most common and widespread of these nicknames is Mother's Ruin.