Post by Steam Girl on Oct 29, 2008 7:45:10 GMT -5
Victorian Britain: An Encyclopedia. Ed. Sally Mitchell. New York: Garland Publishing Inc. 1988
Amusements and Recreation
Middle Class: William H. Scheuerle
Depicted by novelists/artists as being at leisure in the drawing room or parlor playing chess, backgammon, dominoes, cards; singing around the piano; reciting poetry or reading a novel aloud.
Reading dominated the recreation of Victorians.
Increase in spectator team sports: cricket, soccer, and rugby
Participating in sports like archery, horseback riding, cycling, and croquet
Rise of choral societies and brass bands especially in urban areas
Novelties: dancing bears, dressed up monkeys, fire-eaters, jugglers, Chinese shade shows, Harlequin pantomimes.
Pleasure gardens drew crowds until closed in 1859 and 1877
Music Halls with dancers, singers, acrobats, animal trainers, impersonators, and star performers. 1870s London had 347 music halls
The railroad was a novelty to ride and made it possible for people to travel with ease.
Working Class: Chris Waters
Suppression of games, carnivals, fairs, wakes, and blood sports drove these activities underground.
1820’s and 30’s saw rise in working-class recreational activities
In the workplace a shop-floor culture developed
Self-taught artisans and a Methodist movement that encouraged self-help and mutual improvement
Opportunities for recreation given by publicans and entrepreneurs who presided over singing saloons, concert rooms, penny theatres, and public houses
1840s Middle-class suggested a need for counterattractions: programs for “rational recreation” included mechanics’ institutes, temperance cafes, Pleasant Sundy Afternoon associations, and the Band of Hope movement for working class youth.
1871: Development of the Bank Holiday solidified division between work and leisure
Investments in music halls, football teams, and popular press led to the emergence of an entertainment industry.
Amusements and Recreation
Middle Class: William H. Scheuerle
Depicted by novelists/artists as being at leisure in the drawing room or parlor playing chess, backgammon, dominoes, cards; singing around the piano; reciting poetry or reading a novel aloud.
Reading dominated the recreation of Victorians.
Increase in spectator team sports: cricket, soccer, and rugby
Participating in sports like archery, horseback riding, cycling, and croquet
Rise of choral societies and brass bands especially in urban areas
Novelties: dancing bears, dressed up monkeys, fire-eaters, jugglers, Chinese shade shows, Harlequin pantomimes.
Pleasure gardens drew crowds until closed in 1859 and 1877
Music Halls with dancers, singers, acrobats, animal trainers, impersonators, and star performers. 1870s London had 347 music halls
The railroad was a novelty to ride and made it possible for people to travel with ease.
Working Class: Chris Waters
Suppression of games, carnivals, fairs, wakes, and blood sports drove these activities underground.
1820’s and 30’s saw rise in working-class recreational activities
In the workplace a shop-floor culture developed
Self-taught artisans and a Methodist movement that encouraged self-help and mutual improvement
Opportunities for recreation given by publicans and entrepreneurs who presided over singing saloons, concert rooms, penny theatres, and public houses
1840s Middle-class suggested a need for counterattractions: programs for “rational recreation” included mechanics’ institutes, temperance cafes, Pleasant Sundy Afternoon associations, and the Band of Hope movement for working class youth.
1871: Development of the Bank Holiday solidified division between work and leisure
Investments in music halls, football teams, and popular press led to the emergence of an entertainment industry.