Leisure

What was used for leisure?

The poor did not have much time for leisure because they needed to work very long hours at the factories to create an appropriate income for themselves and their families to survive. This was also for the children over the age of approximately 12 for they had to work at the factories too or for the girls/women, just around the house but still being hard work. The rich though, could relax and create time for them to relax. This included playing sports that were side to be ‘reserved for the rich’ such as tennis (because most courts were private), golf and car racing. They also had time to go to the theatre, garden parties and watch films (which in those days were black and white films with subtitles and a live pianist for sound) Younger poor children would play with their siblings or friends in the alleys behind their houses because they had nowhere else to play. They would usually be simple games that did not require much equipment. But, these were usually only for people under the age of 12 because over then they would probably be working. Children would play along the streets and mothers would feel safe about their children playing there. They would trust the community to keep a watchful eye on the children so they would know what happened if there was an accident. The areas would be dirty and unhygienic but the children did not care. Most families would play out in the streets from the time they woke up until 9 o’clock at night, but some families would stay out later. Children in those days were not warned and did not think about the dangers of the night we think about today. On the other hand, rich children would normally be forbidden to play in the streets with the poor children. Even children of middle class would not play in the streets but in their own gardens or later in the playground at school. Some of the basic things children would play with would include; dolls, spinning tops, hoops, balls and homemade bats, carts and skipping ropes. Most children wouldn’t feel lonely because they would play as a community in the streets, or going to other people’s houses to play. Older boys would make billy carts and race then with each other on them, often disrupting other people’s activities or work which caused the attempt to ban them in 1916. Swimming was also a popular activity for the boys and they would often go down to ‘The Sandy’ to swim. Girls could not participate in swimming out of modesty even if they would like to, they would generally be less adventurous in what they did for fun compared to the boys.  Girls would commonly not play sports that would get them too dirty or sweaty because of the demanded stereotype for girls that age.