Industrial and Post-industrial Britain

When was this period?

1780-1900

What happened to society during the industrial revolution?

• Shift away from agricultural focus and substantial living in Britain.

• Before- cottage industry, own schedule and pace, simple machines, hand made work, limited quantity

• Became- system of factory based manufacturing with complex machinery, new transport and energy sources due to pressure from merchants for higher quantity of food

• Began with the textiles industry

Socio-cultural negative impacts of the industrial revolution 6

• Migration of lower classes to urban areas

• Lack of leisure time

• Lack of income

• Poor health

• Loss of rights

• Lack of public provision

Why did popular recreation become rational recreation?

To reflect societal changes.

What was rational recreation?

• More order, logic and structure

• Still for lower classes

• But designed by middle classes to maintain organisation and control

How did the Wenlock Olympian Games come about?

• In 1850, the Wenlock Agricultural Reading Society (WARS) set up an olympian class.

• They wanted to promote moral, physical, and intellectual improvements within the lower classes people of Wenlock.

• Outdoor recreational activities were a way of promoting these improvements.

• In 1860 the Olympian class became the Wenlock Olympian Society.

• It was set up by Dr William Penny Brookes who was a doctor and surgeon and saw these changes vital.

• He also campaigned for PE to be on the national curriculum due to the health benefits.

How did the Wenlock Olympian Games inspire the Modern Olympic Games?

• Baron Pierre De Coubertin visited Wenlock in 1890 and was inspired to establish the IOC- International Olympic Commitee.

• This led to the first modern Olympic Games in Athens 1896.

What were the effects of urbanisation? 6

• Lots of people moved to the cities for factory jobs.

• Lack of space- had to build facilities.

• Large working class population in the city.

• Loss of traditional sports as mob games were banned.

• Introduction of unions allowed working conditions to improve.

• Working conditions gradually improved so there was more free time to play and watch sport.

What was the transport revolution and the effects on sport?

• Steam trains and railways increased.

• Easier movement for sports teams and spectators.

• Access to all parts of the country.

• Cheaper travel made it more accessible than other methods.

How did communications increase and what was the effect on sport?

• Literacy increased as more people went to school.

• Newspapers allowed people to follow sports stars, fixtures and results so they could keep track of and support teams.

What was the impact of the church on sport? 9

• They encouraged social control and improved behaviour through civilised activities.

• Sport diverted people from drinking and gambling.

• They wanted to promote Christian values through sport.

• Church organisations like scouts promoted the healthy body healthy mind link.

• Church organised teams and competitions.

• Encouraged sports on holy days (when people weren’t working).

• Provided church halls and playing fields as facilities.

• Church organisations are the origin of Aston Villa and other modern football clubs.

• Promoted muscular christianity.

What was Muscular Christianity?

The Churchs way of influencing the values of sport such as good eating, healthy lifestyle and fairplay.

What was the impact of the 3-tier class system on sport? 7

• The middle class were formed and were self made so had empathy for the lower class.

• Middle class helped to codify sport- developed strict rules through NGBs as public school and university boys set these up.

• Middle class set up competitions between unis, clubs, factories and churches.

• The church, factory owners and government acts created space for training through public provision.

• Middle class factory owners gradually gave workers more leisure time such as half-day Saturdays so they had more time to watch and play.

• Middle class aided the move to professionalism by acting as agents and promoters in athletics.

• Factory owners set up teams and payed broken time wages in football.

How did public provisions impact sport? 4

• (government / local authorities)

• Public baths gave an opportunity to swim- way of social control to keep working class away from drinking and violence.

• Poor living conditions, disease and pollution from industrialisation caused local authorities to apply for grants for public washing facilities to improve the status of the town. The Wash House Act was passed in 1846.

• First and second facilities were created to reflect the social classes.

• Provision helped to improve productivity as workers became healthier and less prone to serious disease and infection.

What roles did ex school boys take and how did they develop sport in the UK and British Empire? 6

1. Clergy- developed church teams, became missionaries and took sport abroad.

2. Factory owners- set up teams, gave time off to play competitive sport.

3. Army officers- used sport with armed services, spread sport throughout the empire.

4. Teachers- developed teams, taught traditional values in schools.

5. NGBs- codified sports and established competitions internationally.

6. Diplomats / clerics- travelled the world and took sports with them.

When and why were NGBs established? +1 example

• NGBs developed in the late 1800s

• Football Association (FA)- 1863

• Sport was becoming more popular so they needed more teams and clubs, more national and international fixtures, leagues and competitions.

What impact did NGBs have on sport? 2

• Nationally agreed rules made competition fair.

• Maintenance of the ‘amateur ideal’ to deal with professionalism and early commercialisation.