Coloured cartoon from the Northern Looking Glass 9 January 1826, the fifth in a series of cartoons depicting events in Glasgow at Hogmanay. Entitled "A Regular Row" it depicts a full scale battle breaking out among drunken revellers in a Glasgow street.
"...cheap whisky is the order of the day, all restraint thrown off and even the guardians of the night leave the streets, although not in the quiet posession of the populace, and either content themselves with looking on at a cautious distance, or assemble in such parties as might deter any assaults on their own proper persons. In the corner a Spark is taking advantage of his friend's back to pull down a huge Padlock - the sign of some honest Ironmonger - "just out of pure devilry." One unfortunate Dandy has been laid hold of, and having refused to drink from the kettle of the party, is forced down on his knees and the "Het Pint" is without much ceremony poured down his unwilling throat. An honest tradesman who attempts to reel homewards has fortunately been recognised by one of his own journeymen who thoroughly convinced of his own sobriety, with unsteady gait is endeavouring to direct the still more unsteady steps of his staggering master. The girl who opens the door has been watching for the appearance of her favourite swain who had promised to be her "first foot" but is woefully disappointed by the appearance of a drunken Irishman.
Nor is the field of battle exempt from the presence of the fairer sex, many of whom seem determined to keep up the fun, and some appear to have suffered in consequence of their devotion to the whisky bottle."
Reference: Sp Coll Bh14-x.8
Glasgow University Library, Special Collections
Keywords:
bottles, dandies, disorder, drinking, drunkenness, drunks, fashions, fighting, fights, Glasgow Looking Glass, Het Pint, Hogmanay, Irish, ironmongers, lithographs, New Year's Day, Northern Looking Glass, riots, shop signs, street parties, streetscenes, women
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