Date:1847
Description:A Newcastle-under-Lyme poster from 1847 announcing Queen Victoria's order to reinstate the 'ancient sports and pastimes of their forefathers', inspired by the Scottish Highland games she enjoyed watching. The games were to be incorporated into a tradition known as 'Wakes Week' that had morphed from a religious festival to a secular celebration during the Industrial Revolution. Industry workers were given between one and two weeks off in summer when the factories closed for maintenance and the schools closed at the same time. The week was one of games and other fun such as fireworks, donkey and wheelbarrow races, eating 'stir pudding' (similar to Christmas pudding) with a fork and plenty of dancing, now with traditional Scottish 'Highland Fling' mixed in. Many of the sports listed are unfamiliar to a modern audience so here are some definitions:- 'Taws': marbles. The aim was to shoot marbles out of a ring. 'Steeple Chasing': horse racing. 'Pole Swarming': also known as the 'greasy pole'. Competitors would try and climb a pole that had been lubricated and made slippy. 'Prison Bars': a game of tag. 'Tip-Cat': a bit like cricket, but using a stick instead of a ball. 'Grin Through a Collar': gurning, making the worst face possible.
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Creators: Bayley Brothers Printers - Creator
Donor ref:Nm.2019.108 (22/48418)
Source: Brampton Museum and Art Gallery, Newcastle under Lyme
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