HALLATON HARE PIE SCRAMBLE AND BOTTLE KICKING
STAMFORD BULL RUNNING
Popular recreation
Social analysis and mainstream values
• An analysis of the class system and structure prior to the Industrial Revolution is needed.
• Britain was effectively a two class society consisting of those who HAD (The Gentry) and those who HAD NOT (The Peasantry)
• Britain was also broadly Rural in nature, with the Rural calendar forming the basis of the Recreational calendar with Church Wakes, and Village Feasts, Fairs and Festivals being an essential ingredient of pre-industrial life.
Social analysis and mainstream values• Life was both hard and cheap
• Public Hangings were amongst the most popular Social Gatherings
• So, while the agricultural workers had neither wealth nor particularly Good Health, at least they had both Space and Time-A feature that was soon to change
• From the 1750’s, there began a move to the towns and the influence of the technical revolution began to be felt.
• Sports such as the maypole, the harvest festivals, the church wakes and various other opportunities for a “bit of sport” did not transport well to the grime of the cities. People now had to work long hours to keep a roof over their heads.
Social analysis and mainstream values
• The impact of such overwhelming change in economic and industrial terms clearly had social impact.With both Time and Space now severely curtailed, life changed dramatically for the working family.
• A new Urban Middle Class emerged (Industrialists, Entrepreneurs, Professionals, Managers ) and their values and attitudes were different from those of the pre industrial Peasant or Gentry Farmer
AN OVERVIEW OF SPORT BEFORE 1800
SPHERE OF LIFE ACTIVITY
SURVIVAL
The need to hunt, fish and defend personal territory
Weaponry & personal combat
MILITARY
War, service and the need to be skilled in weapons
Personal weaponry used for war
RITUAL
Festival, worship ritual Ritual, fertility, physical prowess, sacrifice, contest
INVENTITIVE
From play challenge and the need to “contest” and
“invent”
Invasion, throwing, catching, dodging and
target games.
RECREATION OF THE PEASANTRY BEFORE 1800
ACTIVITY PARTICIPATION
Blood Sport Bear , bull baiting, cock fighting
Contests Back –swording, ingle sticks, archery
Festival games Strength contests, foot races
Cricket In village games or as invited players in gentry games
Group village games Mob games football, hockey, hurling
Horse Racing Jockeys , spectators or punters
hunting Beaters, servers
Prize fighting Boxing, wrestling
Rebound games Use of church / pub wall fives
RECREATION OF THE GENTRY BEFORE 1800
ACTIVITY PARTICIPATION
Blood Sport Onlookers involved in wagers
Contests Fencing as a gentleman art and settlement of honour
Cricket Took part with own class
fishing On own estate or on holidays. Combined with swimming
Horse Racing Owners, patrons
hunting Social status linked to ownership of land
Prize fighting patrons
racquets Real tennis, special facilities
Popular recreation - key words
• Occasional• Wakes• Prize Fight• Dogget, Coat & Badge• Localised• Mob Games• Holy Day• Haxey Hood• Games Laws• Courtly
POPULAR RECREATION ESSENTIALS
• P re• L ocalised• U ncoded• C ruel• I ndustrial
• C ourtly/Popular• R ural• O ccasional• W ager