Emergence and evolution of sport (pre 1850s)

Question 1

Social class - Upper class

Answer 1

• 2 class society “those that have and those that haven’t
• They were well educated and the sports they played reflected this: complex rules, civilised, not violent, special equipment and social occasions.
• Had time to play sports regularly e.g. Real tennis, fox hunting, horse riding, bowling, archery
• Involved in other sports as patrons (sponsors) with lower class competitors e.g. pedestrianism
• Involved lots of wagering
• Cricket played as gentlemen amateurs with lower class players

Question 2

Social class - lower class

Answer 2

• Took part in simple activities as they had no education so many were illiterate so few rules
• couldn’t pay to do things so called “professionals” a they wanted to earn money doing it
• Played cricket as “player” took some payment to play in teams with UC “amateurs”
• natural facilities due to limited transport
• UC betted on LC pedestrianism

Question 3

Pedestrianism

Answer 3

Speed walking
UC mixing with LC as betting on their races
Captain Robert Barclay Allardice - most famous pedestrianism athlete - won lots of money competing

Question 4

Horse riding

Answer 4

High cost to horse ride as horses cost lots
Women took part as it was seen as “lady like” and not too strenuous.

Question 5

Cricket

Answer 5

Both classes played at same time together
UC were gentlemen and amateurs
LC were players and professionals
Gentlemen and players had separate entrances and changing rooms

Question 6

Fox Hunting

Answer 6

Took a lot of time - lower class couldn’t do it
Cost a lot to get a horse to ride and a gun
Set rules
Lots of wagering

Question 7

Shin Kicking

Answer 7

Very dangerous and violent
Lower class played, Upper class betted on it

Question 8

Cock fighting

Answer 8

UC did a lot of wagering
LC had to step in if it got violent

Question 9

Smock race

Answer 9

Women did it at festivals
LC competed
UC wagering

Question 10

Archery

Answer 10

UC - done by men and women
Specialist equipment needed
Long time to do it

Question 11

Characteristics of Upper class sport in pre industrial Britain

Answer 11

Class distinct - little mixing
Wagering - most sports focused on betting
Time consuming - most sports took long time
Rule bound - lots of written and/or complex rules
Civilised - not violent
Regular - played on a regular basis
Equipped - Specialist equipment required

Question 12

Gender - Women

Answer 12

In pre-industrial Britain, women participated in very
different activities to men.
Activities were shaped by the expected behaviour of
women.
Women were seen as the weaker sex, the activities they
participated in had to suit this view, not be too
strenuous or dangerous.
Lower class women had few rights in society, and
women had few choices in the activities. SPORT
REFLECTED SOCIETY.
LC did smock races UC did horse riding or archery

Question 13

Gender - men

Answer 13

LC - Mob football
UC - Real tennis, fox hunting
More strenuous, dangerous and physical sport than women
Little expectation on how to act compared to elegance and “lady like” for women
More rights/choices on sport they could take part in

Question 14

Law and Order

Answer 14

Very little law and order shaping activities that were happening
Peasant classes would be involved in more violent activities with lack of rules
Lots of animal cruelty
Mob football had few rules which reflected lack of law and order in society
Modern Met police force wasn’t set up until 1829 by Sir Robert Peel

Question 15

Metropolitan police force

Answer 15

‘Peelers’ or ‘Bobbies’
Top hat and tails - more like uninformed citizens not soldiers
Known as ethical police force - policing by consent
9 Key ‘peelian principles’ issued

Question 16

Education/literacy - lower class

Answer 16

Lower class spent time working on the land and in manual labour so they were not educated and often illiterate
Couldn’t read or understand rules, reducing opportunities
Sports they played had no rules or very simple ones
Meant sport was often cruel and violent

Question 17

Education/literacy - upper class

Answer 17

Had more time and were often educated and therefore could read and write
They were able to understand the rules of more sophisticated activities with more advanced rules

Question 18

Type and availability of transport - lower class

Answer 18

Way of getting around was walking (no transport)
Restricted the activities they took part in - developed locally
Often had simple rules that only the locals were aware of - E.G Mob games like Ashbourne Mob Football

Question 18

Type and availability of transport - upper class

Answer 18

Had access to transport (horse and cart)
They could travel and get to facilities such as real tennis courts which were often some distance away from their houses
Enabled more opportunities for non local sport to take place.
The aristocracy would often build their own. Henry VIII; Hampton Court Palace, Real Tennis court.

Question 19

Availability of time - Lower class

Answer 19

Lower class worked long hours labouring so had little time and energy
Activities took place on holy days or festivals - bare knuckled fighting
Less time to play longer lasting sports

Question 20

Availability of time - upper class

Answer 20

Had extensive free time for activities meant they could participate in more sports
Sports they played could also be longer lasting like fox hunting
Also had time to travel to special venues

Question 21

Availability of money - Upper class

Answer 21

Could afford travel, transport, equipment and facilities for sports like horse riding

Question 22

Availability of money - lower class

Answer 22

Couldn’t afford travel, transport, equipment or facilities
Sports played were very basic because of this