** boys play clothes -- English play trends








English Play Trends


Figure 1.--This schoolyard photograph is undated, but I would guess the 1960s. A reader writes, "This looks to me to be the late-60s to 70s Patterns on jumpers may be a little different but this is not unlike what I wore to school in the 70s." I'm not precisely sure what game the boys in front are playing, but British readers tell me that boys touched fingers like that to begin a game of tag. As far as we can tell, many of these games have disappeared from British schoolyards. We have, however, noted boys still playing piggyback in the 1980s like the boys in the background.

Iona Opie and her husband did some work on British school childrens lore and play and wrote some very interesting books on the subject. Our information is still very limited here. We believe a variety of different games like the ones reported by Opie were still quite common before World War II. We believe that children's play has changed significantly after the war, especially after he 1950s. We are not possitive why this is. There seem t be differences among boys and girls with girls holding on more to some oif the traditional games. Our visits to British schools in the 1980s found the children playing very few of these games. Most of the play was sport, often football (soccer) and cricket. At least one tradition survives. Concors were very much a British school boy activity. Virtually every British schoolboy once participated in this annual Fall ritual, concor fights with his mates. I'm not surejust when this tradition bgan. Many traditions have built up about how to prepare and harden your concor. A hole is drilled in it and a string attached. Then the concor fights can begin. With the modern popularity of computer games, however, concors appears to have declined in popularity. It has not,however, disappered. Hoefully our English readers will provide us some insights here.

Chronology

Outdoor has changed signiicantly over time. One major development that as a result of the indutrial revolution and increasing affluence that children had more opportunity for play. Before the 18th century, mostcgildren would have been involved in farm labor from an early age. Another aspect of the industrial revolution was by the 19th century significantly increased urbnanization which also changed the nature of play which shifted childhood from relative isolation to more concentrated interaction with piers. The expansion of state education had a similar impact. Parental aditudes toward play also changed during this period. We see all sorts of traditional ring and chase games like tag on the school yard and village green during the 19th century. Many of the games have one thing in common, no equipment was needed. Thus poor as well as rich children could play them. Hoop rolling was popular as was horsey anf piggy back. Further changes occurred during the 20thvcentury. One was the expanding interest is sports, at least by older childern, especially the boys. Better equipped plsygriunds was another development. We believe a variety of different games like the ones reported by Opie were still quite common before World War II. We believe that children's play has changed significantly after the war, especially after he 1950s. We are not possitive why this is. There seem to be differences among boys and girls with girls holding on more to some oif the traditional games. Our visits to British schools in the 1980s found the children playing very few of these games. Most of the active play was sport, often football (soccer) and cricket. And of course technology in the form of computerized games further changed play trends in the late-20th century.

Specific English Games Games

We are working on the ganmes English bits play. This is an interesting part of any assessment of chikdren around the world. English boys Iona Opie and her husband did some work on British school childrens lore and play and wrote some very interesting books on the subject. Our information is still very limited here. We have begun to collect information on British games. Hopefully our English readers will provide us some insights here. There was always a problem with the boys hogging the play ground for football, rugby and cricket.

Blind man's buff

Blind-man's buff was a kind of tag game of ancient origins. We are not sure when if first appeared in England., but it has been polayed for centuries. We do not have any early English images of blimdman's buff. We do have have Tudor references (16th century). The game was played in England during the Tudor period. There are references to its recreation by Henry VIII's courtiers. Here it was an adult game. Thgere were also Stuart (17th century) references. It was still an adult game. The diarist Samuel Pepys reported a game played by his wife and some lady friends (1664). We note beautiful French roico images of beautidul, elkegantly attired French women playing blkindman's bufd. We think the same was true of Engkand. This changed after the French Revolutiin (1789). It transitioned to a children game, not longer played by beautidully dressed cour ladies. In the most commonly known version one player is blindfolded (or hooded in some countries) and, after being turned around a few times for disorientation, has to catch one of the others. The blindfolded player is usually taunted, struck and poked with sticks, for the general amusement. This is the version of the game that crossed the Atlantic to America. by the Victorianera thge game had become a popular middlke-class parlor game for adults as well as a playground and indoor game. (It could not be palayed on street sidewalks because of the safty factor.) We start bhearing different names, including 'Hoodwink blind' and 'blind man's bluff''. By the 20th century it was mostly a children's indoor game. At least most of the images we have found depict the game being played indoors.

Chasing games

A British reader writes, "There were lots of chasing games. They would start by the players agreeing as to who would be the first chaser. Some quick finger pointing was one way a selection was made. The last to do the task was the first player. There were always the chasing games which involved play fighting and these always led to fisticuffs when someone really got slugged in the mouth. Then the bell would go for an end of break." A British reader writes, "I think the boys in the picture are preparing to start a chasing game (figure 1). You had to touch fingers and the last one was the first chaser.Once you touched some one they became the next chaser. We had a saying that ' You could not tag your own butcher.' This meant that you could not tag the person who had just tagged you. A rule we followed religiously." An American reader writes, "We played tag a lot too, but I never remember touching fingers like the British boys here."

Conkers

At least one tradition survives am0ng the boys. Conkers were very much a British school boy activity. Virtually every British schoolboy once participated in this annual Fall ritual, concor fights with his mates. I'm not sure just when this tradition bgan, but the term conker describing the game is first noted about 1840-50. Many traditions have built up about how to prepare and harden your conker. A hole is drilled in it and a string attached. Then the conker fights can begin. With the modern popularity of computer games, however, conkers appears to have declined in popularity. It has not, however, disappered. An English reader writes, "Conkers too were banned in the playground, but boys would bring them in in their pockets ready - strung and play after school. I never bothered much as I could never make a hole in them without splitting them but my brother did have a "champion" conker - a "68-er" he claimed. He used to get it drilled by a dad of a friend of his in the Cubs and used to soak them in vinegar for days to harden them and then put them in the oven - which I thought was cheating. He always had a supply soaking in a bowl on our bedroom window sill and I still hate the smell of vinegar." We are unsure about the origins of the term "conker". One possibility is that it is derived from the word "conquer". The verb "conk" (to strike on the head) is noted in written usage about 1805-15, before the term is used to described the child's game.

Hop scotch

Once cement and asphalt apoeared, both sidewalks and playground, hop scotch was played. It was primarily of interest to the girl.

Marbles

Marbles has been a popular game over a long period of time. Marbles have been found in the ancient world. The earliest marbles were clay. I'm not sure when marbles began to be played in Britain. W suspect it was as least as early as the Roman era, but we can not yet substantisate this. Glass marbles first appearered in Renaissance Italy. When they first reached England, I am not sure. The first book about marbles was published in England in 1815. We know shooting marbles were popular in the 19th century. They were popular in the first half of the 20th century. The popularity has varied over the second half of the 20th century. It appears to have been almost entirely a boy activity. The idea of marbles of course was competitions, shooting your oponents marbles out of a rng. We do not yet have details on the rules for this in England or if there were specific English marble games. Marbles were inexpensive enough that boys from all economic backgrounds could enjoy the game. Rules can can vary and children may make up their own games. The players have to decided before they begin to play weher or not they are playing for keeps. It is not commonly a play ground game as playing for keeps can be a problem. Marbles were more of a street game.

Piggyback

Boys but rarely girls would play piggy back games in which sides would try to pull another off his piggy back. A reader writes, "At our school piggyback was called knights. It got rough so it was evebtusally prohibited."

Role playing

Younger biys before they get into sports enjiy role playing. In America that was cowboys abd Indians, cios and robbrs, and war. I had some neat Workd War II artifacts to go along with this. We are not sure what ganes English boys played. There are many possibilities, King Arthur and the Knights of the Roundvtable, Robin Hood, Romans and Celts, Wellingon and Napoleon, etc. These games were played unsupevised at a time when children were not constantly under adult supervision. Parents were not all that interested in constantly controlling what kids got uo to. We are guessing that with the advent of the mobies and television that English boys began playing the same games as Americans boys, especially cowboys and Indians and war. Most boys preferred the the shoot-en up American movies than the usually more sedate, houghful English films. What boy does not appreiate big bangs to thinking, Hopefully our English reades will provide some details on the games they played. We recall how English evacuees in 1940 were hoping to see some Red Indians. We believe that this role playing has declined in recent years. Biys are tiday far more sooervuised, nistky ny mothers whi had conducted a vuf-goeous fusarming program. Modern kids do not have toy guns like boys which are seen as essential in playing Cowboys and Induans and War. In addirion mither's intrusive supervision discotaged such violent ganes.

Skipping games

There were lots of skipping games. They were especially popular with the girls. Many of these games continue to be popular. An English reader writes, "The girls at my school in the 1960s used to spend most of the playtime skipping. They were allowed to bring in skipping ropes - the only toys allowed in school."

Tag

The boys here look like they're playing "tag" (figure 1). The boy on the right is "on". All hands must be touching. An English reader writes, "We used to argue that they had to be piled on top of each other. When the boy who is "on" pulls his hand away the chase starts - the others will run off and he will chase them and try to "tag" them by touching them on the back. Then the one he tags is "on" and the game will start again. I'd forgotten this game until I saw your image. I think it had different names in different areas. We were stopped from playing it at my school as some of the younger kids and girls would get knocked over." A reader writes, "Note that there's no footballs in this image either which may be is why they seem to be playing games like tag and knights (piggyback). An Englkish eade tells ius about a version of tag called 'six bricks'. " This was a game involving piling up 6 bricks. there was 1 person who was the catcher- you took it in turns- to be this character The catcher faced away from the group and counted a certain number in 5 or 10 and even in 1's. The rest of the group ran away to hide. Once the catcher had counted the number he would shout 'Coming.' He would then search for you. Once spotted your name would be called. Then run back to the pile of bricks touching them and say 123456 six bricks. If this happened you were captured and had to stay in the den where the pile of bricks was. You could be rescued by another hider sneaking up to the den and knocking over the bricks. All those captured would run away and hide and eventually be recaptured. If not everyone was captured you would call, "All in." then a new catcher could be chosen from those who had not been chosen."

Sports

An English reader writes, "We weren't allowed at my primary school in the 1960s to play football as we only had a small playground." A reader who was at a Catholic school in the 1960s reports that football was the favorite activity. He tells us, "I remember now the school had grills up at the windows. When I was a kid I first thought t was to keep us kids in!. Now I realise it was to protect the glass from footballs."

Seasonality

There were seasonal games. September was conkers. There were a variety of winter activities. One was play on frozen ponds. We notice an interesting Victorian painting from the mid 19th century. We do not fully understand it. Playing on frozen ponds is now much more limited for safty reasons. Spring was marbles.

Rail Lines

Britain is well known for the activity of train spotting. Trains from the very bginnining fascinated boys. The connection with girls was much more limited. A British reader writes, "The photograph of the German village boys flattening coins on the tram line picture brought back memories. There was a railway line near to my home and my friends and I would play there. A dangerous thing to do and our parents would not have approved. But children then had more freedom foirv unsupervised polasy thsn is the case today. Fortunately it was a line that didn't carry alot of traffic. It does now. There is a fast regular service to Clithero but in my youth this was not a passenger train line. It carried goods traffic only. We would sit on the wall watching the few trains go by. One game was to put your ear on the track and listen for trains coming. Once a train had been detected we could play our next game. This was to put a penny on the track and let the locomotive and trucks run over it. We had a nice large flat coin when the train had gone."

Manufctured Games

Also children would bring to school manufactured games. A ball tied to a ring and children would play with this. The person on put their leg through the ring and made the ball swing around. The other players had to jump over the ball. the one who didn't was the next one one.

Gender Differences

We only see boys in the image here. I'm not sure if this ewas a single gender school or the boys and girls had separate playgrounds. One reader who went to a Catholic school in the 1960s tells us that their play ground had a white line down it and the girls played one side. The boys and girls were not allowed to cross it during the morning and afternoon breaks. He reports that the girls were always skipping. He also tells us, "It was big trouble at his school to step over the white line and they'd sometimes try to push a boy over it to get him in trouble and if their football went over it the girls wouldn't give it back and tried to dare them to go and get it."

Age Trends

Younger children are very creative about play. They enjoy playing with toys of all kinds. They use them in all sorts of ways and makeup games with them. Younger children first play in the home and then in the back garden. The availability of neigbors and siblings is an important factor in play activities. The advantage of the back is not only that mother can keep an eye on the kids, but that the children can bring out their toys to play with. The back garden in British parlance means the back yard and they were often quite narrow and small. More affluent families in the suburbs might have larger back gardens in which to play, Make-up and pretend is an important part of play for younger children. Here costumes are often popular. As they grow older they may play in parks and play grounds. Many schools had a separate smaller playground for the infants (5-7 year olds). Older boys are more likely to be involved with more active vigorous games as well as sports. Sports of course require a skill levels that younger children do not have. Children dressed formally even for plsy in the 19thcentury. After the turn of the 20th century, casual dress begins to become more vimportant.

Vehicles and Conveyances

We do not yet have much information on the vehicles like bicycles that English children played with. Images of early buicycles like the openny farthing were mostly rode by adukts. This was not only because they were enpensive, they were also dangerous. It can be assumed that children pictured with 19th century bycycles were from affluent families. Actually bicycles did not become associated with children until quite late. Britain never had the fascination with cars as wasthe case in America. We note bikes being used by adults for convetances in Oxford and many other locations in Britain. Not a lot of children from working-class or moderate ncome families had bikes until after World War II.

Personal Experiences

An English reader tells us, "Many British schools had a paved play area. Our school wasn't as modern at the school here. It had high windows. It was an old Victorian school and the windows started about 6 feet off the ground - our teacher told us it was to stop children staring out of the windows. Playtimes weren't a whole lot of fun at our school - we weren't allowed to run about much as it was so crowded. That's why our class teacher when I was in the last year and we were kept at it in the classroom used to let us play pirates in P.E. so we could let off some steam as she put it. It's also why we always stayed out playing after school in the park and if no-one went home to get a football we'd play these sort of games then. Kids who were into conkers would also chuck sticks up at the trees to try to bring them down early - but those they did were no good as they were still soft." Another reader, Jonathan, recalls his backyard and other play during the 1960s and 70s.

Sources

Iona Opie








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Created: March 7, 2004
Last updated: 4:59 PM 5/3/2020