The development of sport in Glasgow, 1850-1914

Abstract

In recent years considerable scholarly attention has been devoted to the history of leisure and recreation in pre- and early British industrial society. Much of this work has focussed on the implications of economic and social development for the extent and character of the sports people played in their leisure hours.* The story is still far from complete, however. The present study attempts to add another piece to the puzzle by examing the development of sport in the city of Glasgow during the period 1850-1914. It would be impossible for one person to read and evaluate in detail the source material available for the whole spectrum of nineteenth century sport in Glasgow. Accordingly, seven of Glasgow's most popular sports have been selected for study : swiirutiing, golf, athletics, cricket, rugby, football and cycling. The study attempts to describe, assess and account f or the trend in s porting activity in Glasgow during the first half of the nineteenth century. It then examines the emergence of the more modern patterns of s port which began in the second half of the nineteenth century. As well as describing the extent of modern sporting developments, its main concern is with asking tne question what were the most important forces which influenced such patterns. In particular, which social grouDs were involved in organised sporting activites, why they were involved, what form did their involvement take and what were the effects of their involvement on the development of sport in general?