Pre industrial revolution

Pre industrial Britain characteristics

• rural countryside

• clear class distinction

• women = weaker sex

• minimal law and order

• limited transport (horse and cart)

• religion was very strongly followed

Popular sports

• mob football

• animal baiting, hunting and fighting

• real tennis

• cricket

• pedestrianism

• holy day fair

Mob football

• mass game with few rules and equipment

• violent (un-Christian)

• lower class peasant males

Animal baiting, hunting and fighting

• lower class = bare knuckle fighting, dog fighting

• upper class = cock fighting, fox hunting

• excessive gambling

• no laws to limit violence or animal cruelty

Real tennis

• first form of tennis originating in France

• very complicated rules = only understood by the educated

• large elaborate venue

• long-lasting game

• upper class only

Cricket

• often associated with local public houses

• plenty of space for cricket ovals to rural land

• although mostly upper class, different roles allowed lower class to play that reflected their status

Lower class = laborious role of bowling

Upper class = batted

Pedestrianism

• Competitive race walking  

• Came from the occupation of footmen who ran alongside the horse and cart to ensure it didn’t overturn on rough roads  

• Upper class would bet on their own footman  

• Participated by all classes but different roles 

Working class = participated. 

Upper class = patrons (agents and sponsors to those competing) 

 

Holy day fair / wake: 

• Range of events that brough the whole village together 

• On religious holidays as this was the only free time for the working class

• Separate events for women e.g. Smock race, archery for upper class

• Based around public houses (pubs)

• Other activities included: drinking contests, catching pigs, throwing competitions, bare knuckle fighting, animal baiting etc.

Key factors

• social class

• gender

• law and order

• type/availability of transport

• availability of money

• availability of time

• education and literary

Social class 

• Working class people participated in sports such as mob football  

• Upper class participated in sports such as real tennis 

• Different classes took part in different sports  

Gender 

• Most sports were only for men  

• Women had to fulfil a traditional role in the household e.g. cooking, cleaning raising children  

• Women seen as the weaker sex  

• Women participated in smock racing (lower class) and archery (upper class) 

• Could take part in 'modest' clothing  

• Aggressive events and events that required strength were for men  

Law and Order 

• No police force meant little to no law and order 

• Many sports had limited rules and regulations 

• Rules were localised  

• Nothing was illegal, including gambling and animal cruelty  

Type/availability of transport  

• Upper class used horse and cart but poor road conditions  

• Lower class had to play locally + couldn't have leagues or cups 

• Many upper class built sports facilities at home to avoid travelling on poor roads 

• Transport formed the basis of some sports e.g. pedestrianism 

Availability of money  

• Upper class had money to spend on things that weren't necessities, for example sports  

• Lower class could not afford equipment or facilities  

Availability of time 

• Lower class people were working most of the time  

• Only day off was Holy days and so could not participate in sporting events very often  

• Upper class were not working everyday so had time to participate in sports  

Education and literacy 

• Lower class games would not have many rules and would be very informal as most people were uneducated and illiterate  

• Working class = violent + unwritten rules  

• Upper class games would be more structured with more written rules as they were all educated and therefore could read and understand a more complicated set of rules