The Snail in the Jar – Donoghue v Stevenson and the Paisley Case That Changed the World

In 1928, in a quiet café on Wellmeadow Street, Paisley changed the world — and gave birth to the landmark legal case known as Donoghue v Stevenson.

When May Donoghue sat down with her friend that day, she had no idea that the bottle she was handed would become one of the most famous legal artefacts in history. She poured some of the drink into her glass. She drank. Her friend poured the rest. Out plopped a decomposing snail.

Bronze statue of May Donoghue holding two children, symbolising her legacy in legal history.

It’s the kind of thing that feels like urban legend — but it’s true. And what followed changed not only Donoghue’s life, but the very foundation of modern law.

The Case that Rewrote Legal History

May Donoghue became unwell. Her friend had bought the drink, so she hadn’t made the purchase herself — and under the laws of the time, she had no contract with the manufacturer. No legal grounds to claim damages.

Until a young barrister named William Leechman argued something revolutionary:

That manufacturers owe a duty of care to their consumers, regardless of direct contract.

The case went all the way to the House of Lords. In 1932, Lord Atkin delivered a landmark judgement in Donoghue v Stevenson that established the modern law of negligence:

"You must take reasonable care to avoid acts or omissions which you can reasonably foresee would be likely to injure your neighbour."

Formal portrait of Lord Atkin, the judge who established the modern law of negligence in 1932.

It’s known now as the neighbour principle, and it’s the bedrock of personal injury law across the world — from Scotland to Australia to the United States.

All because of one bottle, one snail, one woman in Paisley.

Why It Matters

This wasn’t just a quirky accident. It was a case that put power back into the hands of ordinary people. Donoghue didn’t have wealth or influence. But her case became the catalyst for recognising the rights of the public against companies who put them at risk.

Early 20th-century photograph of Wellmeadow Street in Paisley, site of the Donoghue v Stevenson incident.

It has been taught in every law school for nearly a century.

And yet — how many people in Paisley know that their town sits at the heart of one of the most influential court rulings in global legal history?

Discover It For Yourself

At Paisley Tours, we don’t just tell this story — we take you to the very site where it happened. We trace the footsteps of May Donoghue and uncover the overlooked details that turned a strange afternoon into a revolution in justice.

Think you know Paisley? Think again.

This town has secrets worth sharing.

🗝️ Want to see where world-changing history was bottled? Join our Paisley Walking Tour and collect your unofficial PhD in local legend.