| Act of Parliament | |
.svg) | |
| Long title | An Act to prohibit the Sale of Intoxicating Liquors on Sunday in Wales. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 44 & 45 Vict. c. 61 |
| Territorial extent | Wales |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 27 August 1881 |
| Repealed | 1 January 1911 |
| Other legislation | |
| Repealed by | Licensing (Consolidation) Act 1910 |
| Relates to | |
Status: Repealed | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
TheSunday Closing (Wales) Act 1881 (44 & 45 Vict. c. 61) was anact of theParliament of the United Kingdom. It was one of theLicensing Acts 1828 to 1886.[1] It required the closure of allpublic houses inWales on Sundays. The act had considerable political importance as a formal acknowledgement of the separate character of Wales, setting a precedent for future legislation and decisions. It was repealed in 1911.
The legislation was introduced by theLiberal Governmentelected in 1880 underPrime MinisterWilliam Ewart Gladstone. It was the firstAct sincethe annexation of Wales which specifically applied only to Wales.[2] A similar Bill which would have applied inEngland was rejected by Parliament. The 1881 Act did not apply toMonmouthshire, but was extended over that county in 1915 underwartime legislation which was reaffirmed in 1921.[3] However, later Acts which were specific to Wales, including theWelsh Intermediate Education Act 1889, were also applied to Monmouthshire.[citation needed]
The legislation followed pressure by thetemperance movement and, in particular, thenonconformist chapels. According to historianJohn Davies, the public houses in Wales had become "recruiting centres for theConservative Party" following earlier Liberal legislation to restrict the licensed trade, and there was considerable backing among Welshworking class men to restrict their opening. However, one of the effects of the legislation was to encourage the opening of a large number of private social clubs which were excluded from it, and the legislation seems to have had little effect on drunkenness.[4] According to Davies, "above all, [the legislation] connected Welshness with negativity", and it became increasingly unpopular through the 20th century.[2]
The Sunday Closing (Wales) Act 1881 was repealed and consolidated into the Licensing (Consolidation) Act 1910,[5] which was itself later replaced by the Licensing Act 1953.[6] Sunday closing, however, was retained.[7] TheLicensing Act 1961 enabled local authorities in Wales to hold polls if their electorate wished to retain, remove or readopt Sunday closing.[8] Shortly after the Act's enactment, there was a nationwide referendum in 1961.[9]
This first referendum oversaw the removal of Sunday closing inMonmouthshire,Newport,Cardiff,Glamorgan,Swansea,Merthyr Tydfil andFlintshire.[10] Another referendum was held in 1968, which led to the abandonment of Sunday closing inBrecknockshire,Radnorshire andDenbighshire.[11] The last district to follow suit wasDwyfor, which removed Sunday closing in 1996.[12] The requirement for regular polls on Sunday opening in Wales was abolished by theLicensing Act 2003.[13]
