popular recreation

• features/characteristics of pre-industrial britain

  • communication and transport were limited
  • widespread illiteracy
  • upper class lived in comfort/luxury
  • lower class existences were violent and cruel
  • limited free time due to most work being agricultural
  • lower class worked long hours
  • two tier society based on feudal system
  • people lived in rural areas
• long hours of work meant recreation hours were resitricted to the agricultural calender
• activities were local and restricted due to limited transport
• people used natural resources for activities
• rules were basic as most of lower class were illiterate
• participation was male dominated reflecting a harsh society
• mob football was localised e.g ashbourne mob football
• mod football was played by lower class in rural areas, they used natural resources
• mob football was only played occasionally due to long working hours
• 2 examples of days off for lower class.

  1. holy days
  2. shrove tuesday
• what are the reasons mob football was banned?

  • violent
  • led to injury and death
  • caused damage to property
• real tennis was royal and courtly in nature
• who was real tennis played by?

  upper class males
• real tennis had complex rules as the upper class were well educated
• real tennis was played in a cordial manner as it had a high moral code, this meant there was no violence
• purpose build facilities were used to play real tennis
• upper class had leisure time so were able to play real tennis on a regular basis
• real tennis was non local as the upper class could afford to use transportation