Full Description
The development of sport and recreation as a social pastime began to grow from the beginning of the nineteenth century. Working people had very little "non-work" time in the early 1800's. The normal working day in many occupations was twelve hours usually for six days a week and Sunday was the only day off. Holidays were unheard of as employers would question why they should pay an employee if they were unproductive. Gradually throughout the nineteenth century attitudes and practices began to change.
In 1871 the Bank Holiday Act gave workers four bank holidays each year. These essentially were religious days such as Easter Monday, Whit Monday, Boxing Day and a new holiday called August Bank Holiday. (Good Friday and Christmas day were already traditional days of rest such as Sundays and it was not considered necessary to include them in the Act.) One new "day of rest" in particular that contributed to the growth in recreational activities was the August Bank Holiday during the summer. This day was set as the first Monday in August and it was not until 1965 that it was moved to the last Monday in August to spread the bank holidays more evenly throughout the year. At Seaham Harbour this day featured as the highlight of the sporting and recreational calendar, as in most other towns, and the population gathered in their thousands to enjoy organised recreational and sporting events.
From mid-Victorian times clerical and skilled worker groups were granted one week of paid annual holiday and by the 1870's many workers had negotiated shorter working weeks that allowed a half day off on Saturday afternoons. The weekend was born.
Towards the end of the century town councils were beginning to lay out public parks for recreation and at Seaham Harbour the Marquis of Londonderry granted areas of land to Seaham Urban District Council to create sporting facilities for the townsfolk to enjoy their new leisure time.
This exploration of sporting pastimes at Seaham Harbour covers the period from the first major recreational event organised in 1835 - The Seaham Regatta - through to the mid-20th century when sport and recreational activities were woven into the very social fabric of every-day life in the town.
Contents
Title Page
Copyright
About this book
Chapter 1 - Recreational grounds of Seaham Harbour
Chapter 2 - Archery
Chapter 3 - Billiards
Chapter 4 - Boxing
Chapter 5 - Bowling
Chapter 6 - Chess
Chapter 7 - Cricket
Chapter 8 - Cycling
Chapter 9 - Football
Chapter 10 - Golf
Chapter 11 - Horse Racing
Chapter 12 - Pigeon Racing
Chapter 13 - Rifle shooting
Chapter 14 - Rugby Fives
Chapter 15 - Seaham Regatta
Chapter 16 - Swimming
Chapter 17 - Tennis
Chapter 18 - Concluding remarks
Bibliography, References and Acknowledgements
Other books by the Author
About the Author
