Popular recreationPopular recreation

Key ConceptsKey Concepts - Merry England - Merry England

- Pre-Industrial Revolution- Pre-Industrial Revolution

Cultural Determinants:Cultural Determinants:

Feudal basis of society - courtly & popularFeudal basis of society - courtly & popular Rural SocietyRural Society Agricultural Occupations - Cottage IndustryAgricultural Occupations - Cottage Industry Lack of Law & OrderLack of Law & Order Tough Life - Low Life ExpectancyTough Life - Low Life Expectancy

Look at the picture on the next slide and say Look at the picture on the next slide and say “WHAT CAME FIRST” “WHAT CAME FIRST”

Popular recreationPopular recreation

The Activities (for each identify) 1) OriginsThe Activities (for each identify) 1) Origins

2) Who plays & what role?2) Who plays & what role?

3) Where & How it takes 3) Where & How it takes placeplace

Field SportsField Sports Blood SportsBlood Sports PedestrianismPedestrianism Mob games - Refined gamesMob games - Refined games FestivalsFestivals Individual contestsIndividual contests

FIELDS SPORTSFIELDS SPORTS

BLOOD SPORTSBLOOD SPORTS

PEDESTRIANISMPEDESTRIANISM

MOB GAMESMOB GAMES

FESTIVALSFESTIVALS

INDIVIDUAL CONTESTSINDIVIDUAL CONTESTS

POPULAR SPORTS AND FESTIVALSPOPULAR SPORTS AND FESTIVALS

Ashbourne GameAshbourne Game Haxey Hood GameHaxey Hood Game Stamford Bull RunningStamford Bull Running Robert Dover’s GamesRobert Dover’s Games Hallaton Hare Pie ScrambleHallaton Hare Pie Scramble

and Bottle Gameand Bottle Game The Derby GameThe Derby Game Alnwick GameAlnwick Game Lutterworth Mob HockeyLutterworth Mob Hockey

The FESTIVALS/ GAMES (for each identify)

1) Origins 2) Who plays what role? 3) Where & How it takes place

ASHBOURNE GAME

HAXEY HOOD GAME

LUTTERWORTH MOB HOCKEY

ROBERT DOVER’S GAMES

HALLATON HARE PIE SCRAMBLE AND BOTTLE KICKING

STAMFORD BULL RUNNING

Popular recreationPopular recreation

Social analysis and mainstream valuesSocial analysis and mainstream values

An analysis of the class system and structure An analysis of the class system and structure prior to the Industrial Revolution is needed.prior to the Industrial Revolution is needed.

Britain was effectively a two class society Britain was effectively a two class society consisting of those who HAD (The Gentry) and consisting of those who HAD (The Gentry) and those who HAD NOT (The Peasantry)those who HAD NOT (The Peasantry)

Britain was also broadly Rural in nature, with Britain was also broadly Rural in nature, with the Rural calendar forming the basis of the the Rural calendar forming the basis of the Recreational calendar with Church Wakes, and Recreational calendar with Church Wakes, and Village Feasts, Fairs and Festivals being an Village Feasts, Fairs and Festivals being an essential ingredient of pre-industrial life.essential ingredient of pre-industrial life.

Social analysis and mainstream valuesSocial analysis and mainstream values Life was both hard and cheapLife was both hard and cheap

Public Hangings were amongst the most Public Hangings were amongst the most popular Social Gatheringspopular Social Gatherings

So, while the agricultural workers had neither So, while the agricultural workers had neither wealth wealth nor particularly nor particularly Good Health, Good Health, at least at least they had boththey had both Space Space andand Time Time-A feature that -A feature that was soon to changewas soon to change

From the 1750’s, there began a move to the From the 1750’s, there began a move to the towns and the influence of the technical towns and the influence of the technical revolution began to be felt.revolution began to be felt.

Sports such as the Sports such as the maypole, the harvest maypole, the harvest festivals, the church wakes festivals, the church wakes and various other and various other opportunities for a “bit of opportunities for a “bit of sport” did not transport sport” did not transport well to the grime of the well to the grime of the cities. People now had to cities. People now had to work long hours to keep a work long hours to keep a roof over their heads.roof over their heads.

Social analysis and mainstream valuesSocial analysis and mainstream values

The impact of such overwhelming change in The impact of such overwhelming change in economic and industrial terms clearly had economic and industrial terms clearly had social impact.With both social impact.With both TimeTime and and SpaceSpace now now severely curtailed, life changed dramatically severely curtailed, life changed dramatically for the working family.for the working family.

A new Urban Middle Class emerged A new Urban Middle Class emerged (Industrialists, Entrepreneurs, Professionals, (Industrialists, Entrepreneurs, Professionals, Managers ) and their values and attitudes Managers ) and their values and attitudes were different from those of the pre industrial were different from those of the pre industrial Peasant or Gentry FarmerPeasant or Gentry Farmer

AN OVERVIEW OF SPORT BEFORE 1800

SPHERE OF LIFESPHERE OF LIFE ACTIVITYACTIVITY

SURVIVALSURVIVAL

The need to hunt, fish The need to hunt, fish and defend personal and defend personal

territoryterritory

Weaponry & personal Weaponry & personal combatcombat

MILITARYMILITARY

War, service and the War, service and the need to be skilled in need to be skilled in

weaponsweapons

Personal weaponry Personal weaponry used for warused for war

RITUALRITUAL

Festival, worship Festival, worship ritualritual

Ritual, fertility, Ritual, fertility, physical prowess, physical prowess, sacrifice, contestsacrifice, contest

INVENTITIVEINVENTITIVE

From play challenge From play challenge and the need to and the need to “contest” and “contest” and

“invent”“invent”

Invasion, throwing, Invasion, throwing, catching, dodging and catching, dodging and

target games.target games.

RECREATION OF THE PEASANTRY BEFORE 1800

ACTIVITYACTIVITY PARTICIPATIONPARTICIPATION

Blood SportBlood Sport Bear , bull baiting, cock fightingBear , bull baiting, cock fighting

ContestsContests Back –swording, ingle sticks, Back –swording, ingle sticks, archeryarchery

Festival gamesFestival games Strength contests, foot racesStrength contests, foot races

CricketCricket In village games or as invited In village games or as invited players in gentry gamesplayers in gentry games

Group village gamesGroup village games Mob games football, hockey, Mob games football, hockey, hurlinghurling

Horse RacingHorse Racing Jockeys , spectators or puntersJockeys , spectators or punters

huntinghunting Beaters, serversBeaters, servers

Prize fightingPrize fighting Boxing, wrestlingBoxing, wrestling

Rebound gamesRebound games Use of church / pub wall fivesUse of church / pub wall fives

RECREATION OF THE GENTRY BEFORE 1800

ACTIVITYACTIVITY PARTICIPATIONPARTICIPATION

Blood SportBlood Sport Onlookers involved in wagersOnlookers involved in wagers

ContestsContests Fencing as a gentleman art and Fencing as a gentleman art and settlement of honoursettlement of honour

CricketCricket Took part with own classTook part with own class

fishingfishing On own estate or on holidays. On own estate or on holidays. Combined with swimmingCombined with swimming

Horse RacingHorse Racing Owners, patronsOwners, patrons

huntinghunting Social status linked to ownership Social status linked to ownership of landof land

Prize fightingPrize fighting patronspatrons

racquetsracquets Real tennis, special facilitiesReal tennis, special facilities

Popular recreation - key wordsPopular recreation - key words

OccasionalOccasional WakesWakes Prize FightPrize Fight Dogget, Coat & BadgeDogget, Coat & Badge LocalisedLocalised Mob GamesMob Games Holy DayHoly Day Haxey HoodHaxey Hood Games LawsGames Laws CourtlyCourtly

POPULAR RECREATION ESSENTIALSPOPULAR RECREATION ESSENTIALS

PP re re LL ocalised ocalised UU ncoded ncoded CC ruel ruel II ndustrial ndustrial

CC ourtly/Popular ourtly/Popular RR ural ural OO ccasional ccasional WW ager ager