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Goose Club at Christmas 1853
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Goose Club at Christmas 1853
Goose Clubs in London, sixpence every Saturday evening after wages received for ten or twelve weeks before Christmas for a goose or turkey and a bottle of spirit, to be carried home on Christmas eve. Some of the Goose Clubs, which abound in the poorest and most densely populated districts of London required a slight extra payment, while there was perhaps more than two bottles to the pack into the basket and garnish the esculents in the end. Date: 1853
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Media ID 20144285
© Illustrated London News Ltd/Bubblepunk
1850s 1853 Alcohol Clubs Geese Goose Hamper Hampers Meat Money Payment Payments Planning Weekly Savers
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EDITORS COMMENTS
A Traditional Victorian Goose Club Gathering at Christmas, 1853: A Warm and Nourishing Holiday Tradition for London's Working Class This evocative image captures the spirit of a Goose Club gathering in London during the holiday season of 1853. Goose Clubs were a long-standing tradition in the poorest and most densely populated districts of the city, providing a source of joy and sustenance for working people during the festive period. Each member of a Goose Club would save sixpence every Saturday evening for ten or twelve weeks leading up to Christmas. This hard-earned money was pooled together to purchase a goose or turkey and a bottle of spirit, which would be distributed among the club members on Christmas Eve. The meat and alcohol would be carried home in a hamper or similar container, ensuring a hearty and celebratory meal for each family. The Goose Clubs of the 1850s, such as the one depicted in this photograph, were an essential part of the holiday season for many Londoners. While some clubs required only a small additional payment, others demanded more, and the final product was often garnished with more than two bottles to the pack. This image offers a glimpse into the past, showcasing the communal spirit and shared traditions that brought people together during the Victorian era. The Goose Clubs served as a reminder that even in the most challenging of times, the power of community and the simple pleasures of food and drink could bring warmth and joy to the lives of London's working class.
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