LEISURE

SPORTS

The growth of sporting activities for women as well as men was phenomenal, particularly between 1870 and 1900. For the wealthy classes the sporting activities of riding and hunting were joined by yachting. Other sports available to those of more modest incomes, in particular the growing middle classes, included croquet, archery, golf, hockey and cricket. Ramblers and Cycling Clubs were also proving popular, particularly with the advent of the bicycle in the 1880s and 1890s and ice skating was a popular past time in the winter. By 1876 it was not necessary to wait for winter to enjoy this activity as the first artificially refrigerated ice rink had been crafted in Chelsea.

All these activities required special clothing - riding habits, tailored suits for golf, shorter skirts (slightly) for tennis. Women still wore their cumbersome skirts for cycling in the 1880s as they did for many of the pursuits they participated in and modifications to fashion were now needed for this more adventurous, sporting approach to life.

Cricket was organised for county championships in 1873 and the bat was invented in 1853. Rules for lawn tennis were normalised and both men and women would play. Clubs for golfers were begun in the later part of the 1800s and the golf bag was designed in 1880. The Football Association was formed in 1863 and in West Dunbartonshire, the World Champions at one point were the players of the Renton Football Club.

The Rugby Football Union was formed in 1871- this was one of the rougher Victorian games and 71 deaths were attributed to this team sport between 1890 and 1893. The first rules for badminton were written in India in 1873 and this game has not changed that much throughout the years. Originally called `hit and scream` the game became very popular for people of all ages.