Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. usu. in pl., money.

1812		Vaux Vocab. of the Flash Lang. in McLachlan (1964) 238: dues: This term is sometimes used to express money, where any certain sum or payment is spoken of; a man asking for money due to him for any service done, or a blowen requiring her previous compliment from a family-man, would say, Come, tip us the dues. So a thief, requiring his share of booty from his palls, will desire them to bring the dues to light.
1839		(con. 1703) W.H. Ainsworth Jack Sheppard (1840) 26: Will he come down with the dues?
1959		A. Anderson ‘Dance of the Infidels’ in Lover Man 157: Nothing but dues, you dig? Kats won’t let a man live.
1983		N. Heard House of Slammers 57: Ain’t got no dues for the rent.

2. a term used in phrs. meaning a business, concern or affair; see lagging dues under lagging n.; narking dues under nark v.¹ ; quodding dues are concerned under quod v.; slanging dues concerned under slang v.¹ ; weeding dues n.

1897

Mirror of Life 3/1: [T]here is likely to be a return match in London between Donovan and Jem Mace for ‘a large trophy.’ This time it is to be most realistic no sparring dues.