Records of Scottish Licenses Mutual Insurance Association Ltd, Glasgow, Scotland

Scope and Content

  • Ledgers 1905-1976
  • Minutes 1899-1968
  • Proposal and acceptance books 1931-1972
  • Statistics books 1900-1968
  • Branch journals and balance sheets 1919-1969
  • Investment registers 1964-1968
  • Policy book 1953-1964
  • Local veto register books 1913-1927
  • Claims book 1900-1959
  • Loan register 1918-1933
  • Magistrates reccomendation book 1927-1966
  • Cash book 1899-1904
  • Directors' reports and accounts 1965-1975
  • Annual general meetings 1919-1929
  • Articles of association 1972
  • Renewal lists 1946-1972

Administrative / Biographical History

The Scottish Licenses Mutual Insurance Association Ltd was incorporated in 1898  as a mutual association to insure licence holders and property owners against loss in the event of the cancellation or rejection by 'licence polls'. The Licensing (Scotland) Act of 1853 had introduced closure of licensed premises on Sundays and at 11pm on weekdays, but temperance reformers were continually lobbying for further, more extensive, legislation. In 1890, Glasgow Corporation, passed a resolution that no more licensed premises would be allowed on Corporation property, and there was strong political support for temperance reform in Scotland. There was also strong support for the introduction of legislation aimed at establishing the right of householders in local communities to vote for or against licensed premises. In 1883, a Local Veto bill had been defeated by an English majority, as were further Scottish Local Option Bills in 1899, 1900 and 1905, largely because the were seen as having been influenced by American prohibition. However, with the Liberal landslide in 1906, hopes of Local Veto legislation for Scotland were revived. This legislation was finally achieved in the Temperance (Scotland) Act which, although it became law in 1913, was put into force at the end of the 1914-1918 World War. Under the terms of this Act local authorities could take a poll of electors, who would then be asked to vote for either a no-change resolution, a limiting resolution, or a no-licence resolution. The first Scottish Local Veto Polls were taken in 1920, when more than forty districts voted for a no-licence resolution. This resulted in the extinguishing of licences already granted in these districts, the very eventuality against which the Scottish Licences Mutual Insurance Association had been established. By the 1970s, the company's offices were at 116 Hope Street, Glasgow, Scotland, having previously been in Bothwell Street, Glasgow. It would appear that the company was wound-up c1976  .

Sources: King, Elspeth,Scotland Sober and Free: The Temperance Movement 1829-1979 , ( Glasgow , 1979  ) and The Brewers' Society,'Scottish Local Veto Polls',The Brewers' Almanack and Wine & Spirit Trade Annual for 1921 ( 1921 London )

Arrangement

This material is arranged into series, which consist of numbers of items related by format and/or function. Within series, items are generally arranged chronologically.

Access Information

Open

Acquisition Information

Deposited by Scottish Licences Mutual Insurance Association on dissolution

Other Finding Aids

Digital file level list available in searchroom.

Manual file level list available at the National Registers of Archives in Edinburgh (NRA(S)1570) and London (NRA19336)

Alternative Form Available

No known copies

Conditions Governing Use

Applications for permission to quote should be sent to the University Archivist

Reproduction subject to usual conditions: educational use & condition of documents

Appraisal Information

This material has been appraised in line with normal procedures

Custodial History

Unknown

Accruals

None expected

Related Material

GB UGD 119/5, 10, 11 Records of Scottish Wine & Spirit Merchants Benevolent Institution

See source lists on Insurance and Temperance and Anti-temperance available via Glasgow University Archive Services homepage at http://www.archives.gla.ac.uk

Material in other repositories: no material associated by provenance

Bibliography

King, Elspeth,Scotland Sober and Free: The Temperance Movement 1829-1979(Glasgow, 1979)

Additional Information

This material is original

Revised by David Powell, Hub Project Archivist, 19 June 2002

Geographical Names