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