WORCESTER people of 100 years ago were not doing enough to drive out the "Demon Drink", according to the Temperance Movement locally.

Berrow's Journal for this week of 1903 carried a lengthy report of speeches made at "a Temperance Party" held in the grounds of Rose Hill, Worcester "by kind permission of Mr R. Cadbury."

The main speaker was the Dean of Hereford, Dr Leigh, who asked why it was that Worcester seemed to be "somewhat backward in temperance work?"

"It was very remarkable and striking, he thought, that some of the cities overshadowed by grand Cathedrals were not so progressive as one would wish to see. People wondered but were not prepared to give explanation.

"The Dean said the nation had far too many public houses and ought to be sharply reducing the number in a bid to combat fast increasing inebriety among both men and women. Even the great brewers admitted that there were too many public houses. Magistrates had long had powers to effect a reduction but they had been sleeping, like Rip Van Winkle, he contended.

"One of the difficulties was the inevitable demand for compensation payments to those running public houses earmarked for closure. Dr Leigh said that owing to the folly of magistrates in freely granting licences in the past, the price of licensed property had gone up considerably, and now the brewers and publicans demanded compensation. He was prepared to see reasonable compensation for persons who were likely to suffer, but not for the great brewers and millionaires.

"Another speaker, Mr J T Newell of Bristol, considered it was vital to consolidate the temperance forces for the great fight against the liquor traffic. Worcester, he said, was represented by a man in the great liquor ring. The temperance people wanted to give him notice to quit, and return in his stead a man who would help in the fight against the drink evil."