Sporting, The Lawn Tennis Ground, Illustrated London News, 1887

From The Illustrated London News, 1887

Date: 1887

Publisher: The Illustrated London News

Paper Size: 232 x 90mm

Condition: Good

Technique: Wood engraving with later hand colouring

Price: $150

Description: Wood Engraving with later hand colouring

Provenance

The History of English Sport

The English have always been 'addicted to sport' all through the ages and the games that people played often depended on their status in life.

Upper-class men spent their time at field sports like hunting, fishing and shooting as many were landowners and were able to host hunting events and shooting parties.

In Tudor times tennis was an indoor sport. Henry VIII had a law passed in 1512 that banned the common people from playing tennis as only the upper classes were allowed to take part in tournaments. Today the banned sport of tennis has been reintroduced.

England remains the centre of one of the world's biggest tennis tournaments. Wimbledon is the oldest and most famous of all the grand slam tennis events and is played in June when the weather is supposed to be at its best. A Wimbledon tradition is that spectators eat strawberries and cream while they watch the matches.

Everyone watches sport for basically the same reasons today. In the past during Tudor times, it was often to relieve anger and stress. Today, it is more about getting together for fun and relaxation. They watch for entertainment and pleasure

Sports in England have come a long way since the 1400s. They are not nearly as brutal as they used to be, though at times still rough. Rules are now official and are pretty much the same all over the world but the reasons for watching sport are all still the same. They serve as a reason for gatherings and meetings and for recreation.

To learn more click here: The History of English Sport