Pub opening hours in 1874

This is the period when the opening times of pubs were first regulated. It began with The Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Act of 1872. There was a second Act in 1874 which made a few adjustments and which remained in place essentially unchanged until the outbreak of WW I.

The hours were far longer than after WW I. Pubs in London were only closed for 4.5 hours a day. In other urban districts, that was 7 hours. Only on Sunday was there a closed period during the afternoon. Those Sunday hours look very similar to those in operation during my younger days. How frustrating lunchtime session were, restricted to just 2 hours.

The hours of my youth were better in one way: pubs opened on Christmas Day and Good Friday, albeit with Sunday times. In 1874 they weren’t allowed to open at all and the previous day Sunday rules were applied. 

Pub opening hours in 1874
Location	Mon - Fri	Sat	Sun
metropolitan district	05:00 - 00:30	05:00 -24:00	13:00 - 15:00; 18:00 - 23:00
metropolitan police district or town	06:00 - 11:00	06:00 - 11:00	12:30 - 14:30; 18:00 - 22:00
elsewhere	06:00 - 10:00	06:00 - 10:00	12:30 - 14:30; 18:00 - 22:00
Source:
"The Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Act, 1872, 1874" by James Paterson, 1889, pages 148-149.

In the Act, the hours were defined the other way around, that is when pubs were closed, not when they were open.

"Hours of Closing.

3. Hour of closing premises licensed for sale of intoxicating liquors,. All premises in which intoxicating liquors are sold by retail shall be closed as follows (that is to say,)

(1) If situate within the metropolitan district—

(a) On Saturday night from midnight until one o'clock in the afternoon on the Sunday; and

(b) On Sunday night from eleven o'clock until five o'clock on the following morning; and

(c) On all other days from half-an-hour after midnight until five o'clock on the same morning; and

(2) If situate beyond the metropolitan district and in the metropolitan police district or in a town or in a populous place as defined by this Act;

(a) On Saturday night from eleven o'clock until half- an-hour after noon on the following Sunday: and

(b) On Sunday night from ten o'clock until six. o'clock on the following morning; and

(c) On the nights of all other days from eleven o'clock until six o'clock on the following morning; and

(3) If situate elsewhere than in the metropolitan district or the metropolitan police district or such town or populous place as aforesaid,—

(a) On Saturday night from ten o'clock until half-an-hour after noon on the following Sunday; and

(b) On Sunday night from ten o'clock until six o'clock on the following morning; and

(c) On the nights of all other days from ten o'clock until six o'clock on the following morning. 

Such premises wherever situate shall, save as hereinafter mentioned, be closed on Sunday afternoon from three or half-past two according as the hour of opening shall be one o'clock in the afternoon or half-an-hour after noon until six o'clock.

Such premises wherever situate shall be closed on Christmas Day and Good Friday, and on the days preceding Christmas Day and Good Friday respectively, as if Christmas Day and Good Friday were respectively Sunday, and the preceding days were respectively Saturday, but this provision shall not alter the hours during which such premises shall be closed on Sunday when Christmas Day immediately precedes or succeeds Sunday."
"The Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Act, 1872, 1874" by James Paterson, 1889, pages 148-149.