Records of the National Citizens Council, temperance organisation, Glasgow, Scotland

• Finance committee minutes, 1920-1921;
• Literacy and publicity committee minutes, 1920;
• Organising committee minutes, 1920-1922;
• Women's Section minutes, 1920;
• North Kelvin Ward No Licence Committee minutes, 1920-1939.

The National Citizens Council was established in 1919 as a consultative body of the various temperance organisations in Scotland. Its Executive formed organising, finance, literary and publicity committees, and a women's section.

One of its main objectives was to secure the veto poll campaign of 1920 that gave the electorate of a district the right to decide by majority vote such issues as limitation of licence and local prohibition under the Temperance (Scotland) Act of 1913. To this end, the Council co-operated with the Scottish Temperance League, the Scottish Permissive Bill & Temperance Association, and the International Order of Good Templars: Grand Lodge of Scotland.

The formation of No License committees in the electoral wards of Scotland had been entrusted to the older Scottish Temperance League, Scottish Permissive & Temperance Association, and the International Order of Good Templars: Grand Lodge of Scotland. Members of the organising committee of the National Citizens Council would go out and visit regional No License committees and report back to committee meetings on activities.

In 1922, the Scottish Temperance League and Scottish Permissive & Temperance Association merged to form the Scottish Temperance & No Licence Union in order to amalgamate their individual aims of producing temperance propaganda and influencing and supporting legislation. The National Citizens Council declined to join as it felt these two activities should remain separate.

Also in 1922, the Council was reorganised under an Emergency committee. The Council included representatives from the various temperance associations in Scotland although some church based groups declined to be involved. A conference was arranged to be held in Edinburgh, along with an open-air campaign to protest at the 1922 Licensing Bill, which would repeal the Temperance (Scotland) Act of 1913. Temperance pamphlets and publicity material was also produced to help the temperance cause and regional bazaars were held.

By 1924, the Scottish Temperance Alliance had been formed through the amalgamation of the Scottish Temperance & No Licence Union with a number of other temperance organisations. Many of the No Licence committees became affiliated to the new organisation. It appears that the National Citizens Council had disbanded by this time, probably having finally agreed previously to a merger with the Scottish Temperance & No Licence Union.

The arrangement of this material reflects the original order in which it was received

Access to records within this collection is open, however an appointment may be required. Please email Archives and Special Collections for advice: library-asc@glasgow.ac.uk

Deposit : Scottish Temperance Alliance : 1975

See also University of Glasgow Collections

Digital file level list available in searchroom

Manual file level list available at the National Registers of Archives in Edinburgh (NRA(S) 2804) and London (NRA 30487)

No known copies

Reproduction subject to usual conditions: educational use and condition of documents. Applications for permission to quote should be sent to Archives and Special Collections, please email: library-asc@glasgow.ac.uk

This material has been appraised in line with standard GB 248 procedures

Held by the Scottish Temperance Alliance prior to deposit with Glasgow University Archives. Previously catalogued as part of the Scottish Temperance Alliance Archive (DC19), the collection was re-catalogued in March 2003.

None expected

GB 248 DC 19/1 Records of the Scottish Temperance League; GB 248 DC 19/2 Records of the Scottish Permissive Bill & Temperance Association; GB 248 DC 19/3 Records of the Scottish Temperance & No Licence Union; GB 248 DC 19/4 Records of the Scottish Temperance Alliance; GB 248 DC 19/5 Records of the Glasgow & District Municipal Federation; GB 248 DC 19/6 Records of the Citizens Vigilance Association; GB 248 DC 19/8 Records of International Order of Good Templars: Grand Lodge of Scotland; GB 583 Records of British Women's Temperance Association (Scottish Christian Union) (Huntly House Museum, Edinburgh); GB 233 Minute Book of the Scottish Permissive Bill & Temperance Association Ladies' Auxiliary 1894-1902.

This material is original