Popular Recreation. Aims:1. Awareness of characteristics of

popular recreation.

2. Understanding of social reasons for these characteristics.

3. Able to “fit” the sporting case study of bathing with these accepted characteristics.

Occupational.

Natural/Simple.

Wagering.

Local.

Limited codification

SimpleUnwritten

Rules.

Courtly & Popular.

Rural.

Occasional.

Cruel/violent.

Characs’Of

Pop. Rec.

Bathing. In the Middle Ages, towns were built at

defensive sites and river crossings.

People swam for fun and enjoyment.

The river was the centre of commercial life, provided a supply of food, and a means of transport.

Learning to swim for safety became a necessity. Important as learning to walk!!

The History of Bathing.

The Roman nobility and the English aristocracy of the Middle Ages considered swimming a part of the Chivalric code.

“The courteous and gallant behaviour associated with the aristocracy”

They sometimes sponsored outstanding lower class swimmers to represent them in wager races.

In which activity have we seen this before? What is this called?

In 17th & 18th century swimming contest held on the Thames and first open air swimming bath built in London in 1784.

Thames Frost Fair

Occasionally, the river would freeze, providing a surface for multi sports festivals called ‘Frost Fairs’ or ‘Ice Fairs’.

A variety of fairground stalls, Bull baiting, prize fighting, sliding, football and feasting.

The Thames froze in 1813 as shown in the picture, and a four day fair was set up.

RECREATIONAL CHARACTERISTICSPOPULAR BATHING SOCIALlocalised………… ……minimal travel

rural………………. ..….village-county

occupational…. ........land/cottage

occasional……… .limited free time courtly/popular. .feudal patronage

cruel/violent…… ……..harsh society

ritual/festival…. ……pagan origins

limited coding.. ………………literacy

wagering……….. ……rags to riches

BATHING & SWIMMING IN PRE-INDUSTRIAL BRITAINWhat can you see in the picture?

What were the four mainreasons for BATHING?

C R cleanliness recreation

S Sp survival sport

BATHING & SWIMMING IN PRE-INDUSTRIAL BRITAIN

C is for CLEANLINESSNo bathrooms or swimming baths at this time, only

natural waterways and wells.

no work happy community

CLEANLINESS good ill fromhealth disease R

S Sp

BATHING & SWIMMING IN PRE-INDUSTRIAL BRITAIN

R is for Recreation

T free time

RECREATION

W W W

work water weather C

S Sp

BATHING & SWIMMING IN PRE-INDUSTRIAL BRITAIN

R Sp is for SportC RS T

more time Shigher standards P

competitions O strokes R diving T polo

Swimming rather than Bathing

BATHING & SWIMMING IN PRE-INDUSTRIAL BRITAIN

C R

S is for Survival Sp

Risk of drowningin a river town.

as a sportsperson…individual issue;as a child at play…family problem; working on the river…employer issue;danger during floods and thin ice… a community problem.

Summary.

1. Name 4 characteristics of popular recreation.

2. What social reasons were there for the following characteristics:

i. simple/unwritten rules.ii. Natural/simple.iii. Occasional.

3 What were reasons behind the importance of bathing?

4 Produce a summary (approx 1 side of A4, word processed on Doggett Coat & Badge Race)