British Sport: A Social History

With the enormous popularity of sporting events on television and radio, a primary text giving an overview of British sporting development became increasingly necessary for the general reader as well as for the growing number of students studying Sport and Physical Education courses at colleges and universities. Dennis Brailsford’s book has filled that gap. Moving beyond a chronological record, this account places sport within the wider context of British life, examining its social, political, financial and international implications. The roles and styles of play that have marked the varying stages of British social history are discussed, and their influence on our contemporary experience made clear. Significant changes in the total sporting picture are identified. The reader is invited to participate by concentrating on how local experience contributes to our national appreciation of the sporting panorama. The illustrations in the book include many photographs of existing sporting landmarks of historical significance, and suggest to the reader that valuable pointers to the history of sport can be found in everyday scenes, such as public-house signs and street names. From the knightly sports of jousting and hunting to the role of the media in modern sport, this is a fascinating insight into our sporting past and present.