Crump, Jeremy (1985) Amusements of the people : the provision of recreation in Leicester, 1850-1914. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

The thesis takes as its subject the development of cultural forms and institutions,
exploring constraints on the exercise of choice in the use of non-work time in an evolving
capitalist society. By means of a local study, it aims to describe relationships between
aspects of popular recreation, especially those involving working class participation, and
to relate these to economic and political circumstances. The study focuses upon individuals
and organisations providing facilities and creating institutions in which non-work time
was spent outside the home.
The body of the thesis consists of discrete but interrelated studies of themes in the
development of recreation in Leicester. These concern the relationship between recreation
and the workplace (ch.1), the role of religious organisations as providers and critics of
recreational activities (ch.2), initiatives by the municipal authorities (ch.3) and licensing
magistrates (ch.4), the bases of commercial provision in the drink trade, theatre and sport
(chs.4-6) and the engagement of the labour movement (ch.7).
The thesis is written from a critical standpoint which acknowledges as fundamental
to the understanding of 19th century recreation the uneven distribution of free time,
power and money within capitalist society. But while social control and hegemony are
exploited as pointers to appropriate areas of study, they are found wanting as explanations
of complex historical reality.
In its empirical conclusions, the study confirms the significance of relationships
between work and culture, identifying ways in which the economic development of Leicester
constrained recreational provision. Commercial agencies are shown to have been relatively
weak during much of the period whereas municipal and religious organisations were
of considerable importance from the 1860s until the end of the period of study.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Subjects:	D History General and Old World > DA Great Britain G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GV Recreation Leisure
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Recreation -- England -- Leicester -- History -- 19th century, Recreation -- England -- Leicester -- History -- 20th century, Leicester (England) -- Social conditions -- 19th century, Leicester (England) -- Social conditions -- 20th century
Official Date:	April 1985
Dates:	Date Event April 1985 Submitted
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Department of Social History
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Mason, Tony, 1938-
Sponsors:	Economic and Social Research Council (Great Britain) (ESRC)
Extent:	[9], 488 leaves
Language:	eng

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