Post industrial Britain

• Rational recreation was the idea sport should be rule based, played regularly, respectable, played regionally, gambling to be controlled and purpose built facilities made.
• Initially in this period:

  • loss of space
  • seasonal machine time (72hrs)
  • poverty and low wages
  • loss of rural patronage
  • poor working and living conditions
  • overcrowding
  • poor hygiene
  • increased law and order
• urbanisation: increase of number of people in towns and cities due to industrialisation
• Second half of the 19th century:

  • more space to play e.g. public parks
  • shorter working days and week
  • increased industrial patronage
  • improved living and working conditions
  • improved hygiene
  • improved transport
  • public baths
  • changing social attitudes
  • increased law and order
  • factory acts
  • support from the church
• popular recreation:

  • occasional events
  • violent, unruly and cruel
  • simple unwritten rules
  • wagering (illegal)
  • rural
  • strength based less skill and few tactics involved
• Post industrial = 1900 - 2000