Leisure and entertainment in the 19th century
What did the working people of the 19th century do when they were not at work? This clip features descriptions of their leisure experiences. Charles Shaw introduces the viewer to the blood sports of cock-fighting, dog-baiting and boxing that occured on nearly every corner. The 1835 Cruelty to Animals Act put paid to most sports of this kind. Other sources of entertainment included fairs, festivals and travelling acts. Mary Russell Mitford provides vivid testimony of a village cricket match and May Fair, and at the end of the clip there is reference to the role of the pub.
Duration:
This clip is from
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