Runciman's Port

[djewesbury]

Seen in the newspaper-themed wallpaper of a gentleman's convenience. Has anybody ever heard of this shipper / bottler?

[LGTrotter]

I see it has 'invalid port' on the label. An interesting sub type of port, not one you see much of, but I think Gibleys used to do one. I always assume that 'invalid port' would be of a slightly inferior quality, the idea being that if they were properly ill there was no point giving them the good stuff. Or perhaps it reminds me of those obvious alcoholics in Dickens' novels who carry around bottles of 'medication' wrapped in paper from anonymous bottles.

But no I've never heard of Runcimans port. Hanging around in public conveniences again? You promised to put all this behind you Daniel...

[DRT]

I see it has 'invalid port' on the label. An interesting sub type of port, not one you see much of, but I think Gibleys used to do one. I always assume that 'invalid port' would be of a slightly inferior quality, the idea being that if they were properly ill there was no point giving them the good stuff. Or perhaps it reminds me of those obvious alcoholics in Dickens' novels who carry around bottles of 'medication' wrapped in paper from anonymous bottles.

I think Sandeman, and perhaps Cockburn, also made Invalid Port. I have always assumed it was just plain old Ruby tarted up so that the sick and infirm would buy it as a tonic. It would be interesting to hear the memories of a now retired member of the trade as to what this stuff actually was.

The cynic in me tells me that it might have been Port from the new world, but that requires slightly different pronunciation to make sense.

[PhilW]

My understanding was that it all started from someone claiming health benefits from drinking port (possibly Croft?), hence the selling as "a tonic" which led to "for invalids" hence "invalid port". Lots of others jumped on the bandwagon; I have seen at least 4 or 5 over the last couple of years coming up as odd bottles at auction, though I don't think I've seen Runciman before; a quick google shows at least Gilbey, Sandeman, Delaforce and I'm sure I've seen several others (Findlater comes to mind, though I'm not certain of that). I've not heard it suggested that they contain anything other than a basic ruby, though I do not know.

I believe they eventually had to stop the practise of calling it invalid port following a court case sometime after the second world war as they could provide no scientific medical evidence of the benefit. If someone has the "History of Croft" book published by TFP handy, that might cover the information?

[djewesbury]

Sandeman still make Invalid Port and I was recently discouraged from buying some.

[LGTrotter]

Further to the above perhaps the idea of invalid port grew out of the practice of sending something round to invalids meant to be of benefit or comfort to the afflicted. Alcohol in all its guises has always been considered medicinal. To return briefly to one of my endless hobby horses the Rector in 'The Nine Taylors', a campanology based whodunnit by Ms Sayers, sends over a bottle of Tuke Holdsworth '08 to a flu sufferer, commenting that 'It couldn't hurt a fly'.

[Andy Velebil]

I see it has 'invalid port' on the label. An interesting sub type of port, not one you see much of, but I think Gibleys used to do one. I always assume that 'invalid port' would be of a slightly inferior quality, the idea being that if they were properly ill there was no point giving them the good stuff. Or perhaps it reminds me of those obvious alcoholics in Dickens' novels who carry around bottles of 'medication' wrapped in paper from anonymous bottles.

I think Sandeman, and perhaps Cockburn, also made Invalid Port. I have always assumed it was just plain old Ruby tarted up so that the sick and infirm would buy it as a tonic. It would be interesting to hear the memories of a now retired member of the trade as to what this stuff actually was.

The cynic in me tells me that it might have been Port from the new world, but that requires slightly different pronunciation to make sense.

Niepoort also made one. Was a popular name for a basic Ruby as I understood it. A producer mentioned where the name came from. DRT I think you were with me at the time, and we were a couple bottles in so..., what exactly they said is escaping me at the moment.