1839 was a bad year for the Guards’ bands…as,has been noted previously…this was the year the Duke of Argyll,in his capacity as Lord Steward…decided that wine was too good for mere Household Division musicians…and substituted their allowance of a pint of wine and a ’substantial supper’,when in attendance at Palace functions…with a quart of ale instead.
This action caused some rumbles,both within the Guards’ bands…and the music profession in general.Here’s a marathon article on the subject,as noted in ‘The Musical World’,of 1839.Here goes:

ALE AND BEER MEASURE.

We venture to bespeak universal attention to the following startling narrative,Good God!-But we won’t anticipate.

To the Editor of the “Musical World.”

Gentlemen.-The musical profession is indebted to you at all times,for your endeavours to exact in the estimation of the public their delightful science,which is gaining rapid ground in this country.They therefore appeal to you for your advocacy of their claims with reference to the treatment of the Guards’ band by His Grace the Duke of Argyll,the present Lord Steward of Her Majesty’s Household.

I find that it has hitherto been the custom on every occasion requiring the attendance of the Band at the Palace,to give them a supper and a pint of wine each.The Duke of Argyll is,however,now of opinion “That from the sphere of life in which the members of the Band moved,they were not in the habit of drinking wine,which was a superfluous and unnecessary expense,and he should therefore substitute a quart of ale hence forward.”
As an amateur,I take leave to protest against this insulting degradation.This matter as attained great publicity,and excited proportionate surprise;but no notice has been taken by the parties in power-no extenuation set forth-no explanation given!

Your experience,gentlemen,of the music profession,would render it unnecessary to address myself to you to prove that an expensive education is in most cases an indispensable qualification for a person desirous of embracing the life of a musician; but I put it to your readers,whether the amount thus expended on many of them,would not,-devoted in another channel-have placed them in any of the professions which are considered on the footing of gentlemen,accustomed to mix in good society,and be “permitted the habit of drinking wine. “It is a lesson which will not fail to have the effect of causing many a promising amateur to turn away in disgust from a pursuit which is so discouraged by those in high authority.

The Duke of Argyll is a servant of the Queen,as much as each individual of her band,and at least they have the advantage on their side of not being overpaid,a compliment which it is impossible to extend to His Grace;but passing by of the contumely of the proceeding,it’s injustice calls loudly for redress.

Most members of the Guards’ band hold situations in the metropolitan theatres and other places of amusement,and when they are called upon to perform at the Palace (a call often suddenly,and sometimes capriciously made),it is a loss to them of from five to ten shillings per night.If therefore,it had been communicated to them that it had been considered advisable for them to receive,in lieu of their pint of wine,a stipend which might be devoted to paying their deputies,no cause for dissatisfaction could exist;but no! They are obnoxiously told,”you are not in a sphere of life to drink wine,and you shall therefore be allowed ale instead.”The contemptible parsimony of this scheme has just had the effect doubtlessly intended,for I am informed that not only the wine is saved,but the ale and supper also;the band having refused to partake of refreshment tendered under circumstances so repugnant to their feelings.

Unless the disgraceful economy which gave rise to this alteration is reversed,and a proportionate allowance in cash substituted, I fear this will be another memento to place by the side of the treatment of our English singers at the Palace,and the witholding payments of the coronation money for six months after it was due,upon both of which occasions I have had the honour of addressing you.

I am Gentlemen,Your most obediant servant,A.J.S.E.

Was ever anything so iniquitous,so monstrous,as this proceeding of the Lord Steward? Surely the whole musical profession will rise like one man,to revenge the horrid insult offered to them in the persons of the Guards’ band,by this atrocious inroad on ancient privilege-this nefarious attempt to supersede the immemorial pint of wine-this unparralleled quart of ale!Our correspondent,it will be received,protests against it “as an amateur;”by which we gather,at least,that he is no professed wine- bibber,but only a humble,yet doubtlessly sincere,lover of the juice of the grape.He informs us that the unconstitutional proceeding as already gained publicity,and “excited proportionate surprise;”but ” no notice has been taken of the matter by parties in power,no extenuation set forth,no explanation given!”

We conceive it to be incumbent on all lovers of music,therefore,,professional or otherwise,to agitate for the redress of this intolerable quart of ale.Let meetings be held in every part of the country,let petitions be sent up to both houses of Parliament,and let resolutions be passed,pledging all professors and “amateurs” to get regularly drunk with wine,at least once a day,like “gentlemen accousomed to mix in good society,”until this vugar and obnoxious regulation of the Duke of Argyll be repealed.

Till then,let not a single drop of ale or beer,or any mortal mixture whatever of malt an hops,pass down the under valued throats of the profession;let Barclay’s entire be entirely prohibited;let nothing but claret and port be drunk,and this with a freedom,and an effectual constancy,that shall place beyond the possibility of question that claim to the honours of “expensive education”,on which our correspondent so feelingly,and with just pride,engages.

In short,it appears to us,that musicians have a peculiar,but imperative duty to perform at this moment-no “malt duty”-but a much higher,more genteel duty,a wine duty-a duty which they owe to the dignity of their profession,and to the scred name of music;we conceive that they are called upon to drink wine to spiteful excess,in mere vindication of their honour as “gentlemen,” and to show the world that they possess the “indispensable qualification for a person desirous to embrace the life of a musician.”Away with empty professions then!The time is come for action.

Those who are in the habit of professing the love of music,will now have their pretentions tested;it will be in vain for them to allege an admiration of Mozart,if they will not unite to restore the Guards’ band their pint of wine;they have no fear,no taste,no soul for music,if they do not repudiate with indignation the contemelious quart of ale;they are “fit for wars,and stratagems,and spoils,”they don’t know their notes,Beethoven is a dead letter to them-they are all mere quacks and false pretenders,if they do not cry “Fie!” upon this “refreshment tendered under circumstances”.

As for the Duke of Argyll,the shabby and “unjust steward” of Her Majesty’s Household,we have no hesitation in saying,that the disgrace of this proceeding of his will eventually recoil upon himself.We trust that the Duke of Cambridge,Lord Bergersh,and others of the nobility,patrons of music,will mark their sense of his conduct by never taking wine with him again.Nor can we doubt that the insult thus offered to the Guards’ band,is pregnant with consequences deeply embarassing to the Queen’s service.How can the Lord Steward expect the performances to be executed as usual,with “refreshment tendered under circumstances?”How can he hope for the same spirited playing on this quart of ale,which was used to proceed from the alienated pint of wine?With such a quart drunk,how can he ever again expect to have a quart eat?Such conduct is enough to rouse a whole Temperance Society.

Once more we express our cordial sympathy with A.J.S.E. -whom we take to be himself one of the defrauded wine-drinkers-our unafected contempt for the parsimony of the Lord Steward,and our burning resentment of the “insulting degradation.”Beyond a question,nothing was ever so oppressive as this measure-this illiberal measure-this vulgar-this “ale and beer measure!”