Citation
Prize fights, poker games and profanities to ploughing matches: making pastimes acceptable in 19thC Tasmania, Peter MacFie: Tasmanian Historical Research Association, Vol. 49, No. 2, June 2002: 133-150
Paper presented at the Tasmanian Local History Societies Conference (6th: 2001: Hobart)
Outline
The nineteenth century saw the gradual stifling of working class pastimes and activites. Some of these were aggressive and violent and not exclusively working class, and included boxing (pugilism), dog- and cock-fighting, card playing and pigeon shooting, all combined with some for of gambling, sometimes excessive consumption of alcohol and liberal use of swearing. Authorities preferred horse racing, boat racing and ploughing matches and eventually football, cricket, cycling and wood-chopping
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Excerpt
The nineteenth century saw the gradual stifling of working class past times and activities.
Some of these were aggressive and violent and not exclusively working class, and included boxing or pugilism as it was then known, dog and cock fighting, card playing and pigeon shooting – all combined with some form of gambling. Gambling also included the use of thimbles and the tossing of coins – in the precursor to the later national past-time of two-up.
As will be seen by the evidence, these activities occurred in association with the sometimes excessive consumption of alcohol and liberal use of swearing. As the Victorian era progressed, the more serious middle and upper class values which had helped abolish slavery gradually became critical of these overt working class activities, perhaps because they were associated in Tasmania with transportation and convictism.
In the early Georgian period, three forms of ‘sport’/entertainment were acceptable to Whig and worker alike – horse and boat racing – especially at regattas- and pugilism, especially as prize fighting. While boat-racing held on the Derwent River offered a chance for the skilled to show their talents on a ‘free’ surface, horse racing required a greater expense, and the permission of a large land-holder to run the meeting.
In VDL, convicts under sentence and assignment were theoretically prevented from indulging in these and other past times.
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Index from document
Abbott, Edward
Albion Foundry
Alford, ?
Allcock, William
Allender, Urias
Allison, William Race
Antill Ponds
Austin, James
Bannan, Edward
Barry, James
Bellerive
Bennett, Mary Ann (Mrs William)
Bennett, William
Berry, James
Bignell, George
Bignell, William
boat racing
boxing
Bradshaw, Henry
Brandy Bottom
brawls
bribes
bricklayers
Brock, Frederick
Brooks, George
brothels
Brown, ?
Brown, Sarah
Brown, William
Browning, Mary
Burn, George
Burrow, George
Burrows, Rev. Grange
Burton, Edith (Mrs ?)
Burton, Mr ?
Buscombe, James Kelsall
Bush, Jeremiah
Cahill, Constable ?
Cambridge
card playing
Cassidy, ?
Chance, Mary (Mrs Thomas)
Chance, Thomas
Chipman, James
Chipman, Joseph
churches
Anglican St Marks-at-Ease
Bellerive chapel
Cambridge Congregational Church
Cambridge Independent Chapel
Clarence
Clarence Plains
Clarence Ploughing Match Committee
Cleburne, Richard
clubs
Clarence Football Club
Richmond Cricket Club
Tradesmen’s Union Club
Union Club
Coal River Valley
cock fighting
coin-tossing
Colebrook
Conner, Thomas
convicts
Corris, Peter
Coverdale, Dr John
cricket
Crook, Honora (Mrs Jeremiah)
Crook, Jeremiah
Cunningham, Constable ?
Curie, Mr ?
dancing
Daniels, William
Darcey, M.F.
Dawson, John Henry
Dazely, Thomas
de Gillern, William
Desmond, Edward
Dixon, Charles
dog fighting
Doolan, Pat
Dudley, Henry
Dulcot
Eady, Mr ?
Evans, Samuel snr
Eyers, Benjamin
Farmer, John
fighting
Flat-Top Hill
Free, ?
Gage, Mr ?
Gale, William
gambling
Gasgoyne, William
Goldie, Alexander
Gordon, James
Gore-Brown, Thomas
Grange, Rev Burrows
Green, ?
Greenwood, ?
Gregson, Thomas George
Grogan, Constable ?
Gunning, George Weston
Hanslow, Benjamin
Hanson, ?
Harrison, George
hated stain
Heaton, William
Henshaw, John
Herring, Richard
Hertam, Mr ?
Hillyard, David
Hobart Town
Hobson, ?
Hodges, James
Hollow Tree
Holmes, ? (Mrs ?)
Holmes, Mr ?
horse racing
Hotel DeVille
house of ill-fame
Hudson, William
Hulk Gang
Hurley, William
Ibbotson, Joseph
indecent exposure
indecent Language
inns
Bridge Inn
Golden Fleece
Horse Shoe Inn
Lennox Arms
Plough Inn
Risdon Inn
Steam Packet Tavern
Three Trunks Inn
Waterman’s Arms
Inshaw, John
Iron, Constable ?
Jackson, ?
Jacobs, Philip
Jeffrey, Richard
Jeffreys, Captain Charles
Jerusalem
Jessop, James
Jewel, John
Jewish people
Johnson, Samson
Joseph Lancaster
Kangaroo Point
Keady, Pat
Kearney, Thomas
Kearney, William
Kelly, Martin
King, Alf
King, George
King, Thomas
Knocklofty
Knopwood, Rev. Robert
Landsdowne Crescent
Lane family
Lane, Ted
Leary, Keady
Lee, Robert
Lewis, ?
Lewis, John
Lewis, Richard
Lipscombe, Edward
Lipscombe, Henry
Loane, R.W.
Lord, David
Lord, Edward
Lyons, Samuel
Madden, Constable ?
Malcolm Huts Road Party
Marshall, George
Marshall, John
Martin, James
Maum, ?
McArthur, Constable ?
McKay, William
McPhail, John
McRorie, Charles
McRorie, Charles H.
Mendoza, Samuel
military
46th Regt
milling
Moran, Charles
Morgan, ? (Mrs Richard)
Morgan, Richard
Morris, Charles
Morris, John
Moses, Moses
Moses, Sarah (Mrs Moses)
Murdoch, Dr James
Murdoch, John
Murdoch, Robert
Murdoch’s Rope Walk
Murphy, Constable ?
Murphy, Patrick
Murphy?
Murray, Constable ?
Murray, Edward
Nash, Charles
Neil, David
Neill, William
Newcastle Coal Mines
Nichols, E.
Nichols,Constable ?
Norfolk Islanders
O’Brien, Constable ?
Osbourne Troupe
Payne, Joseph
Pedder, Joseph
Petchey, John
pigeon shooting
Pitchford, Thomas
Pitfield, John
Pitfield’s Quarry
Pittwater
ploughing matches
Price, Thomas
prize fights
profanities
properties
Abernant
Cilwen
Craigow
Glen Ayr
Herdsman’s Cove House
La Belle Alliance
Laburnum Park
Lawrenny
Nugent
Orielton
Richmond Park
Roslyn
Rosny Cottage
Stanley’s Farm
The Glebe, Clarence Plains
Uplands
Weston Lodge
Weston Park
Woodburn
prostitutes
pubs
Pullen, Thomas
Queensbury Rules
Rayner, Mr ?
Reilly, John
Reis, Constable ?
religious divide
Reynolds, James
Rhyndaston
Richardson, William
Richmond
Richmond Agricultural Society
Richmond Bridge
Richmond, Tasmania
Richmond, Van Diemen’s Land
Riley, Caroline
Risdon
Risdon Ferry
Roberts, Ann (Mrs ?)
Roberts, Mr ?
Robertson, Gilbert
Robertson, Patrick
Rodwell, David
Rokeby
Rosny
Rowley, ?
Royal Hobart Golf Club
Sant, Richard
Schaw, Charles
Scott, ?
Scott, John
Scott, William
Scott’s Hut
Seaton, Alexander
Shaw, Tommy
Sheehan, Honora
Sheen, Norah
shepherd (for George Brooks)
Shield, Peter
ships
Arab 2
Asia 4
Asia 5
Barossa 1
Blenheim 1
Calcutta
David Clark
Derwent
Duke of Northumberland
Duke of Richmond 2
Emily 1
Emperor Alexander
Fortune
General Hewitt
Governor Ready
Guildford
Hope
Isabella 2
Josiah Soames
Kangaroo
Kinnear
Lady Raffles
Lord Auckland
Lord Goderich
Maitland
Maria Soames
Marquis of Hastings
Mermaid
Moffat
Morley
Mt Stewart Elphinstone
Phoenix 1
Pilot a
Red Rover
Richard Webb
Ruby
Salween
Sir George Seymour
Southworth
Surrey 1
Surrey 4
Westmoreland
shooting matches
singing
Smith, Isaac
Stan(d)ley, William
Stanfield, Mr D.
Stanley, ?
Stanley’s Field
Stewart, Andrew
Stokell, Mr G.
Strachan, Richard
Stuart, ?
Sugar Loaf Flat
Swan, ?
swearing
Tasmania
Tasmanian Temperance Alliance
tattoos
Taylor, James
Tea Tree Brush
Temperance Gala
Temperance Medals
thimbles
Thomas, John
Thompson, John
Thorne’s Wharf
Tommy the Roundhead’
Topping, Henry
Turnbull, Jacob
two-up
unshingling
Van Diemen’s Land
Ware, Joseph
Whyte, James
Wickens, Samuel
Williams, ?
Williams, Constable ?
Williams, Thomas
Williams, William
Wilson, William
women’s amusements
Yule, William