Sport and identity in Cumbria in the 19th century

Huggins, Mike ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2789-4756 (2024) Sport and identity in Cumbria in the 19th century. In: Monthly Cultural Landscapes talk series, 9 April 2024, University of Cumbria, Ambleside, UK. (Unpublished) Full text not available from this repository.

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Abstract

Sporting identity, although for some plastic and fluid, can sometimes be central to what people are. In Cumberland and Westmorland there was limited sense of any regional sporting identity in any of its sports. Cumbria’s sporting identities were partly imagined identities, constructed in the media, often by journalists and visitors coming only briefly from outside the region. Participation in many of the activities seen as traditionally Cumbrian, such as fox hunting on foot, wrestling, or hound trailing was limited in number, but the various events such as ‘uppies and downies’ at Workington, or early Grasmere Sports, whether at Whitsuntide or in the summer, had much meaning to locals. Imported sports became more important, some like horse racing or cricket struggling to survive, others such as soccer and football becoming far more widely popular, and some such as mountaineering receiving wide publicity.

A public lecture by Dr Mike Huggins, Emeritus Professor of Cultural History at the University of Cumbria. One of a series of monthly talks during term-time as part of the University of Cumbria's work relating to the thematic area of Cultural Landscapes. The free talks are in-person public events at the University of Cumbria's Ambleside campus and usually run on the first or second Tuesday of the month at 6.30pm.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Lecture)
Departments:	Institute of Arts > Humanities
Depositing User:	Anna Lupton
Date Deposited:	11 Apr 2024 21:13
Last Modified:	11 Apr 2024 21:14
URI:	https://insight.cumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/7625