The phrase bring your own booze, also bring your own bottle, is used to indicate that a place or event is one to which guests may or should bring their own alcoholic drink.
—Cf. also ‘bring-your-own-bottle party’ | ‘bring-a-bottle party’.
The phrase bring your own booze has been associated with a political scandal involving the British Conservative politician Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2019 to 2022, and the British civil servant Martin Reynolds (a.k.a. ‘Party Marty’) during Britain’s first COVID lockdown.
The following explanations are from ‘Bring your own booze!’: what happened at No 10 on 20 May 2020?, by Haroon Siddique, The Guardian’s legal affairs correspondent, published in The Guardian (London and Manchester, England) of Friday 22nd April 2022:
In an email, sent to more than 100 employees, on 20 May 2020, Martin Reynolds, the prime minister’s principal private secretary, wrote: “Hi all, after what has been an incredibly busy period we thought it would be nice to make the most of the lovely weather and have some socially distanced drinks in the No 10 garden this evening. Please join us from 6pm and bring your own booze!”
There was just one problem—the country was in lockdown. The gathering, believed to have been attended by 30 or 40 people, occurred at a time when social mixing was banned except with one other person from another household outdoors in a public place.
Staff quaffed wine and ate food laid out for them on tables.
Among those present was the prime minister, who is believed to have attended with his then fiancee—now wife—Carrie Johnson.
The earliest occurrences that I have found of the phrase bring your own booze, also bring your own bottle, are as follows, in chronological order:
—Note: In early American-English use, the phrase often referred to the prohibition of alcohol, in particular to the 18th Amendment to the Constitution of the USA, banning the manufacture, sale and transport of alcoholic beverages. This amendment was ratified by Congress on Sunday 19th January 1919. On Tuesday 28th October 1919, Congress passed the Volstead Prohibition Enforcement Act which delegated responsibility for policing the 18th Amendment to the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, Department of the Treasury. Both legislations became effective on Friday 16th January 1920:
1-: From Mr. Punch’s Derby Prophecies, published in Punch, or the London Charivari (London, England) of Saturday 22nd May 1858 [Vol. 34, page 204, column 1]:
My dear Punch,
“Who’s to win? Is there a doubt of it? I’ve none. When the winner is at the post I shall say to you ‘Hadji there, old ’un,’ and if you have betted with me I shall have had ye. Eh? Bring your own bottles, and your own Champagne in them.
“Truly yours, Salaàm Aläikoom.”
2-: From The Umpire (Manchester, Lancashire, England) of Sunday 5th August 1888 [No. 232, page 6, column 3]:
THE REAL SUMMER RAMBLE.
A TA-TA WITH THE DEANSGATE SHUFFLERS.
By a Most Pertickler Cove.[…]
[…] I received from Jimmy the Tough a little card, on one side of which was the address of a friendly pawnbroker, with “Kikseys 1s. 6d.” marked in plain figures, and on the other the words, “Don’t forget the ‘Pig and Trotters’ on Sunday. Three and six. Pay for your own drinks.” It was a modest card of invitation, Sir—a ’bus to Northenden, a pork pie lunch, and all for three and six. True, a big line on the bills said, “Bring your own Booze.” But, on reflection, worthy Mr. Editor, I discovered that Northenden possesses an excellent hostelry, so I concluded to take the rest of my week’s earnings with me—at any rate, all that remained after Saturday’s spendings had been deducted, and the three shillings I had given the missus to pay the rent and feed our five precious, darling little offsprings, had been knocked off.
3-: From the South London Press (London, England) of Saturday 1st November 1890 [Vol. 51, No. 1,414, page 10, column 3]:
Bermondsey Gladstone Club.
OPENING OF THE NEW HALL.On Thursday evening Mr. R. V. Barrow (Liberal and Radical candidate for Bermondsey), opened the new hall and saloon attached to the Bermondsey Gladstone Club, 43, Grange-road. […]
Mr. Widdows gave a history of the formation of the club. There were many present that evening, he said, who would recollect about five years ago a few members met together for the purpose of establishing a Liberal and Radical Club for Bermondsey. They held three or four preliminary meetings at Dr. Cooper’s residence, and some of them thought that was a good beginning, inasmuch as they would see upon the posts of the door of the medical officer’s residence, “Advice gratis. I stand for nothing if you bring your own bottles with you.” (Laughter.)
4-: From an invitation to the opening of a light railway from the Penlee Elvan stone quarries to Newlyn Pier, published in The Cornishman (Penzance, Cornwall, England) of Thursday 4th December 1902 [Vol. 25, No. 1,274, page 2, column 1]:
If you can see your way to come please bring your own bottles with you.
5-: From a correspondence from a training camp at Rowardennan, California, published in The San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, California, USA) of Sunday 12th June 1910 [Vol. 92, No. 163, page 44, column 1]—the following is about a boxer named Walter Kelly:
Kelly’s latest humorous preparation is a large sign card on his door containing the following informations [sic]:
“NOTICE—This is not licensed resort. Bring your own booze.
“Collecting souvenirs, such as razor strops, soap, underwear, etc., strictly forbidden.
“If you need a light, use the Jeffries-Johnson match.
“Not responsible for jewelry, as Corbett also lives here.
“Donations of food, clothing and drinks thankfully received.
“KELLY CIRCUIT.”
6[?]-: From Past Master of Slang Gets By With His Spiel, published in The Anaconda Standard (Anaconda, Montana, USA) of Wednesday 14th January 1914 [Vol. 25, No. 133, page 8, column 4]—the U.S. comedian Bert Leslie (1871-1933), ‘the King of Slang’, reportedly said the following:
“Come in and let’s split some words some afternoon or night at the Empress. Mr. Swartz will bring you back. Say, he’s a Tiffany setting: thoroughly theater broke, stands without hitching. Come in any time, but don’t expect a pink tea affair *. If you work on that line, bring your own bottle.”
* The noun pink tea designates a formal tea party or other social engagement, hence, figuratively, something very polite, genteel or delicate.
7-: From an account of the annual meeting of the Vale of Conway Agricultural Society, held in Llanrwst on Tuesday 13th January 1914, published in The North Wales Weekly News (Colwyn Bay, Denbighshire, Wales) of Friday 16th January 1914 [No. 1,401, page 8, column 2]:
A letter was read from the Llanrwst branch of the Women’s Temperance Society offering to undertake the catering on the show ground provided the Society prohibited the sale of intoxicating drinks on the ground.
[…]
The Chairman: I am not clear on this point. Will there be no intoxicants on the ground that day?
Colonel Sandbach: Oh, you can bring your own bottle with you. (Laughter.)
8-: From The Huntsville Daily Times (Huntsville, Alabama, USA) of Wednesday 5th January 1916 [Vol. 6, No. 287, page 5, column 5]:
EVERYBODY BRING YOUR OWN “BOOZE.”
(Special to The Daily Times.)Atlanta, Ga., Jan. 5.—“Everybody bring your own booze” was the motto for the New Year’s eve celebration in Atlanta this year, and judging by the results everybody did.
The hotels couldn’t serve liquor at their midnight revels under the low [sic], but there couldn’t be any revels without the cup that cheers so the word went out that all who had reserved tables could send their wines and cocktails to the hotel in advance, and that the hotels would kindly consent to ice them and serve them, charging a small “corkage” fee for doing so.
The results were eminently satisfactory from the standpoint of the hotels and of the New Year revelers, though a visitor to Georgia who had happened into Atlanta shortly after midnight could hardly have imagined that he was in a state which already had an operative prihibition [sic] law.
9-: From the San Bernardino Daily Sun (San Bernardino, California, USA) of Wednesday 19th February 1919 [Vol. 44, No. 149, page 4, column 1]:
It has been decided that foreign embassies in the United States will not be subjected to the constitutional amendment prohibiting the importation and use of alcoholic beverages on the principle of extra-territoriality. Hereafter Washington dinner invitations to foreign diplomats should have engraved thereon: “Bring your own booze.”
10-: From the Long Beach Press (Long Beach, California, USA) of Tuesday 1st July 1919 [page 1, column 4]—here, the phrase is shortened to bring your own:
“Bring Your Own Is Booze Order Today in Bay City Cafes
SAN FRANCISCO, July 1.—The Bucchanalian population of the west is leaving San Francisco with large heads and filled suitcases after “that last big bust” in which they drank booze till it—or they—took the count. They have one consolation—“it will never happen again,” and they are through, for while 2.75 per cent beer and wine may or may not be permitted, these are described as “distressing rather than exhilarating.“
“California, with $12,000,000 worth of wine grapes this year, would not be helped by such a ruling,” said Secretary Stoll, of the Grape Protective association. “There is no wine of 2.75 per cent produced here.”
“Store your liquor with us, or bring it here for service, with your dinner,” is the invitation a number of cafes tender through the morning papers, citing legal opinions that there is no law against these. “A corkage fee” will be charged for serving [one?] with one’s own liquor.
11-: From the Dixon Evening Telegraph (Dixon, Illinois, USA) of Thursday 3rd July 1919 [No. 155, page 4, column 1]:
Booze parties now will be “scramble.” Bring your own booze.
12-: From the San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, California, USA) of Tuesday 8th July 1919 [Vol. 111, No. 8, page 13, column 3]:
You Can’t Drink Your Own Booze in Cafes
“Bring your own booze,” a combination of words which yesterday formed a ray of hope is now an empty phrase.
President Theodore Roche of the Board of Police Commissioners said last night that the police would not permit cafes to serve intoxicating liquors brought to the cafes by patrons. To do so, he said, would be a plain violation of the law.
And there was more bad news for the cafes and the uptown resorts in the declaration by Roche that if the United States courts should hold that the sale of 2¾ per cent beer was not in violation of the war-time prohibition law, the police would begin at once to make a clean sweep of questionable resorts complained against by the Mason Street Property Owners Association. Should the courts decide against 2¾ per cent beer, said Roche, these resorts probably would close automatically.
In conference yesterday with Wet Federation representatives, Roche told the liquor men that the police would enforce the prohibition law according to the construction placed upon the law by the Federal government.
13-: From The Paducah Evening Sun (Paducah, Kentucky, USA) of Wednesday 17th December 1919 [Vol. 42, No. 300, page 1, column 1]:
BRING YOUR OWN BOOZE IS NEW YORK’S STYLE
(Associated Press Leased Wire.)NEW YORK, Dec. 17.—New Yorktrs [sic], who in years past have heralded each New Year with the popping of corks from champagne bottles and attendant festivities in the “white light” district hotels and restaurants, will drink to the health of 1920 with sweet cider. Many of the city’s leading hotels today commenced laying in plentiful supplies of this “prohibition tipple.”
However, indications that the New Year’s Eve celebration will not be entirely dry here were seen in the announcement that many hotels have already reserve [sic] entire suites for private parties which will have their own liquors.
14-: From The Bulletin (San Francisco, California, USA) of Friday 19th December 1919 [Vol. 129, No. 64, page 24[?], column 5]:
‘Wet’ New Year’s at Hotels O.K.’d; Bring Your Own Booze
There can be a wet New Year’s Eve at the hotels, provided the revelers bring their own liquor with them, the Northern California Hotel Association was told at its meeting today by representatives of Internal Revenue Collector Wardell. The hotels will be permitted to serve ice for the drinks. However, the hotels cannot store the liquor on their premises, and IF any is left over the guests must take it away with them, or the hotel must throw it into the garbage can.
15-: From the Evening Public Ledger (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA) of Saturday 27th December 1919 [Vol. 6, No. 89, page 3, columns 2 & 3]:
WET NEW YEAR’S DEPENDS ON HIPS AND ‘CORKAGE’ TAX
One Dollar Per Flask Will Be Toll in Cafes if You Bring Your Own Booze—Big Time ExpectedThe babe, 1920, is expected to thrive on sparkling water and ices. […]
[…]
No encouragement will be given those who will come with “something on their hip.” A corkage charge will be made for those who insist on bringing their own stock of liquor, from $1 a flask to fifteen cents a glass.
16-: From the Atlantic City Daily Press (Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA) of Wednesday 31st December 1919 [Vol. 50, No. 29, page 3, column 3]:
TO WELCOME NEW YEAR AT CAFE, TOTE YOUR OWN CHEER
Game of “Carrying Coals To Newcastle” Begins With Arrival of Guests Carrying Joyous Waters To Places That Would Be Inundated if Someone Pulled the Bung.[…]
[…] No hotel will serve you with a portion of merry mucilage. It can be done, but they won’t do it. In the well-known sutterranean [sic] cavers of full many a beachfront hostelry repose delectables and oxhilarants [sic] of divers hues and strengths. It recalls the fable of the late Mr. Tantalus, the gentleman who was tortured by having luscious fruits held before his eager lips and quickly withdrawn.
You must bring your own.
At any rate, in order to celebrate New Year’s Day with mathematical precision in the old way you have to do a “carrying coals to Newcastle” specially tonight. That is to say, while the aforementioned subterranean cavers deep are stocked well with figurative milk and honey you can’t get at it. So you must bring your own booze. The method of transportation is immaterial. You can tote it in a can or a bask or the wife’s discarded lid, or the family decanter, or anything that will hold it.
17-: From Truth (London, England) of Wednesday 21st January 1920 [Vol. 87, No. 2253, page 98, column 2]:
NOTES FROM NEW YORK.
ON GOING DRY.UNDER Prohibition, this New Year’s Eve has been both merrie and moist. At supper, in quiet taverns like the Macalpine, you are allowed to imbibe, provided that you bring your own booze, and the only charge is a dollar or two to the waiter for drawing the cork. As “soft drinks” cost more than this, you save money by the above compromise, but at twelve p.m.—which in these poisonous days also means post mortem—other arrangements are usual. The hotel opens its cellars and offers to the guests who remain the rarest beverages, free of payment, even for corkage. Thus while dues are enacted on your own light beer or sweet cider, the Burgundy and champagne of mine host are poured down your throat quite gratuitously.
18-: From the Evansville Press (Evansville, Indiana, USA) of Friday 12th March 1920 [Vol. 14, No. 219, page 1, column 3]:
Bottle Reigns Even In Wet Havana
“Bring your own bottle.”The Cubans, like Americans after the dry law took effect, believe in “bringing your own.”
But they bring the bottle empty to a saloon and carry it away filled to drink elsewhere, according to Jack Fray, Evansville man-about-town who has just returned from a 15-day sojourn in Havana.
“You only see the Americans drinking in the saloons,” said Fray Friday. “Therefore saloons galore—one about every other door.”
“Whisky sells for 15 cents a drink and retails at $1.25 to $1.50 a quart. Hotel rates even at small hotels are $3 and $4 a night. Havana is lively and prosperous.”
19-: From The Pittsburgh Post (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA) of Saturday 7th August 1920 [No. 332, page 1, column 7]:
—Context: The Canadian government had seized the alcoholic beverages shipped from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Georgian Bay, Ontario, by the members of the Duquesne Hunting and Fishing Club:
The sad news was whispered quietly around yesterday in political circles and those of officeholders. The short and brief message sent by one of the trusted advance guard was to this effect:
“Bring your own booze if you come to camp this year. Government officials seized all our stock. Shores of Georgian Bay are dryer than any desert ever discovered. Dry and lonesome. Some have started home.”
20-: From the Nashville Banner (Nashville, Tennessee, USA) of Sunday 22nd August 1920 [Vol. 45, No. 137; Society, Editorial, Other News section: page 7, column 3]:
A “Carry Your Lunch” campaign, one of the results of the high cost of everything era has resulted in giving more room in eating hoses [sic] to the millions that daily stream out of the office buildings and shops for noon eats. Many clerical workers have found the habit of “bringing their own,” saving in more ways than one. It is economical and also gives them more recreation time at this hour.
In fact, the “Bring Your Own” move become [sic] general in New York. It is generally taken for granted as a part of an invitation for a week-end outing or bungalow party and applies to both food and drink. And to those not supposed to be familiar with the new custom invitations are not out of order if containing the mystic letters, “B. Y. O. M.” or “B. Y. O. B.,” meaning “Bring Your Own Meat,” and “Bring Your Own Booze.”
21-: From The Daily News and The Times (Neenah and Menasha, Wisconsin, USA) of Monday 13th December 1920 [No. 147, page 1, column 4]:
Milwaukee, Wis.—[…] Despite the claims of the grand jury that prohibition was a failure, prohibition enforcement agents declare there is less liquor traffic here now than ever before. They predict that this New Year’s “would be very dry” and that even the old slogan “bring your own bottle” will not be in effect this year.
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