Sport in industrial and post-industrial Britain (1780-1900)

What does the introduction of rational recreation activities mean?

Rational suggests that a level of order, logic and structure began to be applied to sports such as football, reflecting a more ordered society.

What are the characteristics of rational recreation?

• Respectability - sport was non-violent in nature and the emphasis was on sportsmanship/fair play

• Regional/national/regular play - sport was competitive, with winners and losers decided by competitions, which were played regionally, nationally and internationally. Watching Saturday-afternoon football was particularly popular among the masses of working-class people during their time off work

• Stringent administration and codification - strict and complex written rules were set down by national governing bodies (NGBs) for the conduct of sports

• Referees/officials - present to enforce the newly developed rules in sporting contests

• Purpose-built facilities - sport took place in specially constructed grounds, pitches or tracks, often set around urban areas with large populations to draw on for spectators (as there was less space available in urban areas)

• Skills/tactics based - players had positional roles in which they became ‘specialist’, performers trained to improve their tactical awareness as well as their techniques and fitness levels to increase their chance of winning

What are the social and cultural influences on the development of rational recreation?

• Industrial Revolution

• Urbanisation

• Transport revolution

• Communications

• Influence of the church

• Emergence of the middle class in a three-tier society

• British empire

• Public provision and its influence on the development and spread of rational recreation

• Development of national governing bodies (NGBs)

What was the Industrial Revolution?

Occurred during the mid-eighteenth to the mid-nineteenth centuries. It marked a change in Britain from a feudal, rural society into an industrialised, machine-based, capitalist society, controlled by a powerful urban middle class. It led to the population being concentrated in towns and cities and working in factories, as opposed to living in the countryside and working off the land.

How did the Industrial Revolution negatively affect sports and pastimes?

During the first half of the 19th century, the initial effects were often negative

• Migration

• Lack of leisure time

• Lack of income

• Poor health

• Loss of rights

• A lack of public provision

What is the acronym to remember the negative effects of industrialisation on sport and pastimes?

HITFOR

H - poor health and hygiene

I - lack of income

T - lack of time

F - facility provision was lacking

O - overcrowding and lack of space

R - loss of rights

Why was migration negative?

• Migration of the lower classes into urban areas looking for work in the new factories being built led to a lack of space to play traditional mob games and overcrowding.

Why was there a lack of leisure time?

• Lack of leisure time - shift from ‘seasonal’ to ‘machine’ time led to long 12 hour working days, six days a week (the Sabbath (Sunday) was a religious observance ‘day of rest’.

Why was a low income negative?

• Lack of income - low wages and poverty were evident, with little spare income for leisure pursuits.

Why was poor health negative?

• Poor health - poor working and living conditions led to pollution and a lack of hygiene and little energy to play sports.

What led to a loss of rights?

• Loss of rights - restrictions were placed on mob games and blood sports by changes in criminal laws.

Why was a lack of public provision negative?

• A lack of public provision - there was no access to private facilities and no personal equipment for the lower classes.

How did the Industrial Revolution positively affect sports and pastimes?

In the second half of the 19th century, some improvements had a positive effect

• Health and hygiene improved

• Gradual increase in wages and more time for sport

• A new middle class developed

• Influence of ex-public school boys

• Athleticism was valued

• Industrial patronage

• Improvements in transport and communications

• Cheaper to travel

How did health and hygiene improve and what were the effects of this?

As a result of gradual improvements in living conditions and local council provision of public baths to improve cleanliness and help stop the spread of disease, improved health and hygiene enabled more energy/willingness to participate in sport.

Why was there a gradual increase in wages and more time for sport?

• Due to the Factory Acts and Saturday half-days being provided to the workers (i.e. a gradual decrease in working hours)

What was the impact of a new middle class being developed?

• It changed the ways of behaving and playing in sport, it became more acceptable and respectable and was played to a high moral code. Strict rules were developed, leagues and competitions, public facilities/public parks via their involvement in the local council, gave more time off work, broken time payments.

How did ex-public school boys influence sports?

They set up teams and provided facilities to participate in.

What does it mean by the values of athleticism and who did it spread to?

Always trying hard and working to the best of your ability but taking part in the spirit of fair play.

This spread to the lower classes.

What is industrial patronage and what did it lead to?

• Kind factory owners became patrons of sport for the working classes by providing support for them to participate in various ways.

• This led to provision for recreation and sport - factory teams were set up, sporting facilities were provided and excursions to the seaside were organised.

• This decreased absenteeism and encouraged loyalty in the workforce.

How did transports and communications improve and what was the impact of this?

• through the development of roads and steam trains

• This influenced the distances spectators and players could travel, and leagues were established. Fixtures and results could be published in newspapers.

What was the impact of cheaper travel?

Participation in sport and the spectating of sport because more accessible.

What is urbanisation?

When large numbers of people migrate from rural areas into towns and cities, seeking regular work in the factories.

What are the key features of urbanisation that contributed to the development of sport in this period?

• Lack of space

• Large working class populations

• Loss of traditional sports

• Change in working conditions

How did improved space contribute to the development of sport?

In cities space was at a premium, leading to the development of purpose built facilities to play sport (football grounds).

How did large working-class populations contribute to the development of sport in this period?

Large working class population needed entertaining, resulting in mass spectator numbers at football and rugby matches for the first time.

How did a loss of traditional sports contribute to the development of sport?

Traditional working class sports such as mob games, were banned in a civilised urban society, so there was a need for new sports to emerge.

How did a change in working class conditions contribute to the development of sport in this period?

Initially, the working class worked long hours in the factories, and had limited free time, income or energy to devote to sport, as this improved, sports attendance and participation among the working class went up.

What are the key ways in which the development of the railways contributed to the development of sport in the industrial period?

• Movement of teams/spectators

• Improved access or different parts of the country

• Cheaper train travel

• Improved access to the countryside

How did the movement of teams/spectators contribute to the development of sport in the industrial period?

Development of the railways and steam trains enabled faster and further travel for players and fans, leading to nationwide fixtures developing on a regular basis.

How did improved access to different parts of the country contribute to the development of sport in the industrial period?

Nationwide train travel enabled sport to develop from local to regional to national, with leagues forming, involving clubs from across the country (e.g. Football League in 1888 with 12 founder members from the North/Midlands)

How did cheaper train travel contribute to the development of sport in the industrial period?

Train travel became relatively cheap and affordable, with an Act of Parliament making third-class travel cheaper, which led to the working classes following their teams home and away.

How did improved access to the countryside contribute to the development of sport in the industrial period?

Activities such as rambling became popular as rural areas were reachable and affordable via train travel.

How did communications influence the development of rational recreation?

Gradual improvement in educational provision for the working classes in the second half of the 19th century, led to improvements in their reading and writing abilities. Rules could therefore be developed, as more people could understand them.

‘Communications’ via newspaper improved as society became more literate. This increase the knowledge and awareness of sport in a number of different ways increased knowledge of results, emergence of sporting heroes and role models (read match reports).

Why did the church promote sport?

The church

• encouraged social control

• viewed sport as a good way of promoting Christian values

How did the church encourage social control?

• Improved behaviour through civilised activities, diverting people away from less socially acceptable activities such as drinking and gambling.

• Church facilities such as halls provided venues for ‘improving the morality’ of the working classes.

• Ex-public schoolboys promoted ‘Muscular Christianity’ - this involved the actions of churchmen who engaged their communities proactively by attempting to eradicate the excesses of working-class behaviour such as gambling and drinking, in favour of more healthy and positive pursuits.

Why did the church view sport as a good way of promoting Christian values?

The development of the YMCA promoted healthy body/healthy mind link. Seen this as a good way to increase church attendance.

How did the church help provide more opportunities for sporting involvement?

• The approval and active involvement of the clergy gave encouragement for the WC to participate in rationalised sporting activities such as association football.

• The church organised teams, set up clubs and organised competitions. Many modern-day football clubs have their origins traceable to church organisations (Aston villa, Villa Cross Methodist Church)

• Church provided facilities to play sport in their church halls and on their playing fields. A number of church groups formed, with sporting involvement a key part of their programmes of activities.