National Citizens Council (temperance association: 1919-c1924: Glasgow, Scotland)

The National Citizens Council was established in 1919 with offices in St Vincent Street Glasgow, Scotland, and, by 1922, at 15 Gordon Street, Glasgow. It was formed as a consultative body of the various temperance organisations in Scotland and was governed by an Executive who formed an organising committee, finance committee, literary and publicity committee, and a woman'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. The Council was funded by subscription and the various temperance organisations that also provided propaganda literature, public speakers and regional agents. Public demonstrations, social teas and speakers were arranged through the organising committee, with the demonstrations being co-ordinated with the Scottish Temperance League, Scottish Permissive & Temperance Association, and the International Order of Good Templars: Grand Lodge of Scotland who each took a geographic area of Scotland to organise.

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.

Following the veto polls of 1920, talks were entered into between the Scottish Temperance League and Scottish Permissive Bill & Temperance Association regarding a possible amalgamation and the National Citizens Council were also invited to join. 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.

In 1922, the Council was reorganised under an Emergency committee, coinciding with the formation of the new Union. 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 bazaar's were held to help raise money.

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, including the North Kelvin Ward No Licence committee. 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.

From the guide to the Records of the National Citizens Council, temperance organisation, Glasgow, Scotland, 1920-1939 (predominantly 1920-1922), (Glasgow University Archive Services)