Dear Duty

Returned to Paisley today to photograph the sculpture I cleaned up a bit last week.  You will see its still a bit in a bit of a state, and there was even a new giant cobweb today!  It was a bit cloudy for a few hours this afternoon which is what I was waiting for.The reason some more images of it were required is because of the background story.

This small statue has May Donoghue with her twin baby granddaughters.  The statue is referred to as 'Slug in a Bottle'  or 'Snail in a Bottle' but the actual title is 'Dear Duty'.  Any of you with a legal background may know whats coming next!

May apparantly purchased a bottle of ginger beer at a cafe in Paisley. After drinking most of it she found a partly decomposed slug at the bottom.  She suffered shock and later gastro-enteritis.

She took action initially against the cafe owner but there were complicated arguments around the fact that her friend had actually paid for her drink and therefore May had not entered into a contract with the Cafe owner.  Along came lawyer Walter Lechman who took up the case. They switched to pursuing the drink manufacturer David Stevenson.  The case took years.  It went all the way to the House of Lords until in 1932 she won the case and compensation of £200 - a lot of money in those days.

This was a major breakhough for consumers rights, but even more importantly it was a landmark ruling in establishing the principle of 'Duty of Care' and responsibility for negligence.  Whether its the NHS, an airline or a hotel they now have an established 'duty of care' to those using their services. 

The precedent has been lucrative for many lawyers and insurance companies over the years. Not just in the UK but throughout the Commonwealth.  It has also ensured that those made ill or suffered injury caused by the negligence of others can be adequately compensated.  Often referred to as the Donoghue v Stevenson case.

Another legacy of it is the expression "Give me a slug of your ginger" but I won't even attempt to explain that one to anyone who isn't from around here!