The Paisley Snail

On the warm evening of 8th August 1928, in the Scottish town of Paisley, May Donoghue ordered a simple ginger beer and ice‑cream float in a small café — an ordinary moment that became the spark for the world‑famous Paisley Snail and the landmark Donoghue v Stevenson case. What happened next didn’t just change May’s life; it reshaped Scottish legal history, transformed tort law, and influenced the rights and protections of millions. And that’s where I glide into the story — a humble snail, minding my own business, suddenly thrust into global fame and a legal legacy that still echoes today.

So... herein lies...

The full title — Donoghue v Stevenson [1932] UKHL 100 — marks one of the most famous cases in United Kingdom legal history and a cornerstone of modern tort law worldwide. But how did a humble snail end up at the centre of a case that reached the House of Lords and reshaped the law for generations? It all began when my dramatic appearance in a bottle of ginger beer led May Donoghue to bring a claim against the manufacturer, David Stevenson, setting in motion a legal battle that would define the duty of care.

When the case finally reached judgment, the court ruled in May’s favour and established the principle that manufacturers owe a duty of care to consumers, even without a contract between them. The impact of the Paisley Snail case has stretched far beyond ginger beer — its principles now underpin the health, safety, and everyday protections relied upon by millions around the world.