In 1922 , the Scottish Temperance & No Licence Union was formed in Glasgow, Scotland through the amalgamation of the Scottish Temperance League and the Scottish Permissive Bill & Temperance Association . By 1924 , the Union had become the Scottish Temperance Alliance and further Scottish temperance organisations amalgamated with the Alliance, such as the Glasgow-based Citizens Vigilance Association in 1925 .
The Alliance occupied the former offices of the Scottish Temperance & No Licence Union at 226 West George Street, Glasgow. It aimed to continue to work of the Union and continued to publish propaganda material, provide speakers and talks and lobby parliament regarding temperance legislation.
By 1924, the Alliance was organised into regional branches that reported back to the central executive in Glasgow and these branches included many of the No Licence committees that had been formed prior to 1920 in the electoral districts of Scotland. The Executive was responsible for the strategic direction and over 30 members of staff employed by the the Alliance. A number of committees were formed to deal with specific aspects of the Alliances work including committees such as campaigns, churches, finance, ladies, legal and legislative matters, and publications and publicity. A youth committee was also established that organised talks within schools, youth rallies and conferences.
The 1930s saw a decline in the temperance movement within Scotland. Stories of the social unrest and rise in crime due to prohibition laws in the United States meant gaining support for temperance reform in the UK was difficult. New forms of entertainment meant that the concerts and shows regularly put on by the various temperance organisations fell out of favour and better health care made people more aware of the need for moderation. The rise of the welfare state and government health agencies saw the role of drink education being taken away from the temperance organisations and although alcohol abuse rose to record levels, associations such as Alcoholics Anonymous developed to help deal with the problem. However, the temperance movement continued and the Scottish Temperance Alliance was still producing propaganda and educational materials in the early 1980s although it was practically dormant by the end of the century and no longer functioned in 2003 .
From the guide to the Records of the Scottish Temperance Alliance, temperance organisation, Glasgow, Scotland, 1924-1938, (Glasgow University Archive Services)
