LESSON 2 – POPULAR RECREATION 18th Cent.

1700s to 1800. – Pre-Industrial.

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We can pick up the development of sports only in medieval times and during this time was the root of many modern sports

POP REC.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE AT THESE TIMES?

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TOUGH, LIFE WAS SHORT, THE POPULATION WAS SPLIT INTO TWO MAIN GROUPS, THE GENTRY AND THE PEASANTS – THESE TWO GROUPS KEPT GENERALLY APART.

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What is meant by popular recreation?

Popular – widely favoured/appealing Recreation – the aspect of leisure/free time.

POPULAR RECREATION IS A BASIC TERM USED TO DESCRIBE NATURAL, OFTEN VIOLENT, SPORTS AND PASTIMES THAT WERE PART OF AN ANCIENT FEUDAL RIGHT TO RECREATION CLAIMED BY ALL BRANCHES OF THE RURAL COMMUNITY.

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CHARACTERISTICS CULTURAL FACTORS WHICH INFLUENCED THE DEVELOPMENT AND POPULARITY OF CERTAIN ACTIVITIES (CLASS CONSTRAINTS/LIMITED COMMUNICATIONS/CHANGING ATTITUDES OF THE CHURCH/OCCUPATIONS/FREE TIME/LIMITED LITERACY/LIMITED PUBLICITY).

TASK……..

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Read p7 to p10 in text and write an account of the main factors that influenced the development of popular recreation in the UK. Look at slides to help you illustrate your accounts.

INFLUENTIAL FACTORS…

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MAIN FACTORS THAT INFLUENCED THE DEVELOPMENT OF POPULAR RECREARION.

Notes should include: TYPES OF ACTIVITIES Recreation reflected society at that time.

Different classes sometimes shared activities – cock fighting Separate activities for different classes the same activity (equiv to agent or sponsor) – mob football for the peasants, real tennis for the aristocracy, also different roles within – bare-knuckle fighter was lower class while his patron was upper class. Patron was a member of the gentry who looked after a lower-class rower pedestrian or prize -fighter.

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INFLUENCE OF THE CHURCH: The REFORMATION led to Protestantism, Puritanism and an attack on the sports and pastimes of the common people. Puritanism believed that idleness and playfulness were sinful and that salvation could only be earned through a life of prayer and restraint in all areas. RESTORATION - The REFORMATION WAS FOLLOWED BY THE RESTORATION ( THE RETURN OF KING CHARLES 11 TO POWER)Puritan ethic gave way to the work ethic and spreading of Protestantism, whereby leisure pursuits were acceptable for restoring people for work. This led to relaxation of the constraints against sports and recreations and active church support for sporting activity, this supported the concept of the Muscular Christians.

IT WAS TOUGH!

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Times were tough which dictated the harshness of some of the activities – baiting and blood sports – dogs to kill bulls and bears that were chained. Ratting and other blood activities were popular and invited betting.

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Drinking was a major fuel for rowdy behaviour. Office for organisation of leisure activities. As well as blood sports, less barbaric games such as billiards, quoits, bowls and skittles were organised. Sometimes activities used as a profit booster. The landlord was the promoter of sports and provided the prizes as well as being the bookmaker. Sports clubs used the public house as their base.

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Country pursuits (or field sports) such as hunting, coursing and shooting, had functional origins – hunting grew from the search for food and developed into a status symbol for wealthy landowners. Game Laws ensured they were the only ones allowed to hunt.

Militaristic combat activities such as archery, sparring and fencing, grew from the need to go to war. When guns replaced these, they were then recreational sports in their own right.

In summary – the nobility and gentry have their horse races, hunting, coursing, fishing, hawking, cock fighting, guns for birding, tennis, bowling, billiards, stage plays, dancing and all sorts of musical instruments.

Whereas the citizens and peasants have handball, football, skittles, stoolball, cudgels, bear baiting, bull baiting, bow and arrow, leaping, wrestling, pitching the barre and ringing the bells. Sometimes cricket in order to make up the numbers.

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When looking at popular recreation you must ask: Who When Where Why How – they were playing – organisation, rules, structure, pro/am, Commitment?

CULTURAL FACTORS…

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THE INFLUENCE OF CULTURAL FACTORS Social setting (pre-industrial) feudal, limited travel, markets, harsh laws, cottage industry, sacred or profane, illiteracy.

Activities were occasional rather than regular.

Village fair, parish feast, Christmas, were all times to allow universal merriment.

Drinking and play are closely associated.

Sports such as mob football were a chance for the entire village to get together and let of steam.

Weekly market was social and sporting as well as the sale of goods.

Life was cheap, mortality rates were high and public hangings a spectator attraction, so displays of merciless cruelty in the name of entertainment and sport were common.

Some sports developed from occupations - rowing from ferrymen.

Life and sports were rurally based using natural or easily accessible equipment and facilities.

Rules and organisation were very basic, only through the word of mouth. National Governing bodies had not been formed.

Primitive transport and communication caused sports to be local in nature.

Papers came in at the end of the century.

Wagering was an obsession for all classes.

CHARACTERISTICS

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NATURAL AND SIMPLE LOCAL SIMPLE AND UNWRITTEN RULES CRUEL AND VIOLENT OCCASIONAL COURTLY/POPULAR RURAL OCCUPATIONAL WAGERING

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KEY REVISION POP REC. TOOK PLACE IN PRE- INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY, WITH MOST PEOPLE LIVING IN RURAL SOCIETY. THE CHURCH CALENDAR ALLOWED REGUALR TIME FOR LEISURE AND SPORT. THE SOCIAL DISTINCTION WITHIN SOCIETY BETWEEN COURT AND PEASANTRY WAS REFLECTED IN THE SPORTS EACH PLAYED – PEASANT SPORTS WERE MOB, INFORMAL, LARGE SCALE AND VIOLENT; COURT SPORTS WERE SOPHISTICATED, ELITE, EXCLUSIVE AND OFTEN PLAYED ON COURTS. CRICKET WAS ONE GAME IN WHICH ALL CLASSES COULD PLAY SIDE BY SIDE. ANIMAL SPORTS WERE POPULAR, BUT THERE WAS A CLASS DISTINCTION – BAITING FOR THE LOWER CLASSES, HUNTING FOR THE UPPER CLASSES.

HOMEWORK:

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FIND OUT ABOUT THE ORIGIN OF: ASHBOURNE IN DERBYSHIRE ALNWICK IN NORTHUMBERLAND HAXEY HOOD GAME

 EXPLAIN THE IMPACT OF POULAR RECREATION ON CONTEMPORY PARTICIPATION AND PERFORMANCE (IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY) – USE SHEETS PROVIDED. P10