Anti Drink Pledge from the British Temperance League collection. Source: Livesey Collection UCLAN.
Temperance campaigning began in Sheffield in the early 1830s, quickly becoming influential in the town. The temperance movement was strongest in northern industrial towns and was in part a response to the poor living conditions of many working people who could improve their lives by spending money on their homes and families instead of on alcohol.
Early temperance societies were in favour of moderation and against drinking strong spirits but quickly became advocates for teetotalism. In the early days of the temperance movement outdoor meetings took place daily at the West Bar and Barker’s Pool pumps. By 1856 Sheffield had its own Temperance Hall on Townhead Street. In 1853 the United Kingdom Alliance was formed to campaign for complete prohibition of alcohol sales, and this was well-supported by campaigners in Sheffield.
Temperance campaigners, often connected to Sheffield’s strong Nonconformist chapels and including some prominent women, offered an alternative lifestyle with temperance societies, hotels, cafes, and coffee houses.
The temperance movement slowly declined after the failure of Prohibition in America.
