It would have been of little use simply to encase the offender in a barrel for the duration of the punishment as he would probably have just slept it off. Instead the drunk was publically humiliated by being made to wear the barrel and wander through town while the crowds jeered at him.
Holes were cut in the barrel for the person's legs and head, and occasionally his hands.
In 1655, Ralph Gardner, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, wrote that he ...
"... hath seen men drove up and down the streets with a great tub or barrel opened in the sides, with a hole in one end to put through their heads, and so cover their shoulders and bodies, down to the small of their legs, and then close the same, called the new-fangled cloak, and so make them march to the view of all beholders; and this is their punishments for drunkards and the like."
Sometimes the barrels were decorated with illustrations of wife beating and lewd behaviour to remind the mocking crowd of the consequences of over-indulging.
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This punishment phased out in England in the 18th century but a similar punishment was recorded in the American Civil War. At this time they were known as Barrel Shirts.
"some poor ragged Confederate prisoners were marched by with what was designated as barrel shirts, with the word "thief" written in large letters pasted on the back of each barrel, and a squad of little drummer boys following beating the drums. The mode of wearing the barrel shirts was to take an ordinary flour barrel, cut a hole through the bottom large enough for the head to go through, with arm-holes on the right and left, through which the arms were to be placed. This was put on the poor fellow, resting on his shoulders, his head and arms coming through as indicated above; thus they were made to march around for so many hours and so many days. Now, what do you suppose they had stolen? Why, something to eat. Yes, they had stolen cabbage leaves and other things from slop barrels, which was a violation of the rules of the prison."
