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Photos of Wigan
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Wigan Album

Hallgate

16 Comments

HALLGATE SPORTS 1865
HALLGATE SPORTS 1865
Photo: RON HUNT
Views: 3,006
Item #: 30956
Taken from WIGAN TOWN and COUNTRY RAMBLES by John T. Hilton 1934. Leaflet advertising HALLGATE ANNUAL RURAL SPORTS Monday 14th August 1865.
Bring them back....

Comment by: Veronica on 15th February 2019 at 16:39

This is hilarious - if only for the wrestlers in their socks and drawers! What about the men on the buildings and dogs on the loose to be shot! What would they think of Kng St on a Friday night?!

Comment by: Poet on 15th February 2019 at 17:19

Time they brought Toad elevating back.

Comment by: Ian on 15th February 2019 at 18:11

Rat worrying match. Had me in stitches that!
What is it? I'll settle for a leg of mutton though in the singing contest!

Comment by: John on 15th February 2019 at 20:41

Weight limit for the wrestling "6 score 10lb" must be 130lb (6x20+10) which equals 9 stone 4. Not many would make that weight these days.

Comment by: RON HUNT on 15th February 2019 at 21:55

If I could pick a day to go back in time. This would be it What a great day of entertainment for the people of the town.

Comment by: Philip G. on 16th February 2019 at 07:24

Ian. I remember my grandad telling us about a dog that had just worried a neighbour's cat - The dog had probably shook almost all life out of the poor thing in the process. Wicked, Wicked.

Comment by: bob on 16th February 2019 at 10:21

Rat Worrying: Sheffield 1864
"A nail was driven into the middle of a large table, and a string tied to the nail and to the tail of the rat — the string just being long enough to prevent the rat from getting off the table. Pinder, with his hands tied behind him, caught the rats and worried them with his mouth, for sixpence each; and the spectators had to give three-pence each for the gratification of witnessing this exhibition, — all profits, of course, going to the publican."

Comment by: Mick on 16th February 2019 at 10:54

Ian - rat worrying or rat killing used to be a popuar sport in Victorian times.
Rats which had been caught would be put in a secure enclosure, and a terrier put in with them. The winning dog was the one that either killed the most rats, or the one that killed them all in the least time.
Pub landlords would advertise, asking for live rats, offering to pay so much per dozen, or per hundred, so they could hold these competitions.
It also wasn't unknown for men with their hands secured behind their back, to try and catch and kill rats using just their mouth.
Perfectly true - press accounts from the 19th century refer to this.

Comment by: RON HUNT on 16th February 2019 at 12:04

My mother who was born and brought up in the Black Bull pub in Hardybutts relates the stories about men in the vault for bets tieing the bottom of the pants legs up, then putting a rat down their trousers and a ferret and see how long it would be before the ferret caught and killed the rat.

Comment by: Maureen on 16th February 2019 at 12:08

I'm just the same as thousands more in the fact that rats are unsavory animals,and should be dealt with..but there are less brutal ways..I cannot stand any kind of animal cruelty no matter how big or small..it is I agree..wicked.

Comment by: Poet on 16th February 2019 at 12:24

Very popular in Nelson's navy. Such a scene involving men with tied hands was portrayed in an episode of 'Hornblower'.

Comment by: John D on 16th February 2019 at 13:18

A few pubs there no longer with us. Was muffin eating a forerunner of pie eating?

Comment by: Ian. on 17th February 2019 at 12:46

Thanks Philip and Mick for the explanations.
Next question is, what is "Grinning through a collar"!
That tickled me that. I'll have a do at that for a leg of mutton!

Comment by: Mick on 17th February 2019 at 13:26

Ian - Grinning or 'gurning' through a collar is puuuling grotesque faces while wearing a horse collar.
Still goes on at Egremont Crab Fair, and some other traditional events.
See link below . . .
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-41299102

Comment by: Michael Gormally on 17th February 2019 at 17:31

I think this is a spoof.

Comment by: Alan on 26th September 2023 at 12:01

If the original 'yellow paper a yard long' could be copied and made into a poster it would sell by the thousands, I'm sure. It is wonderful and a real window in time.

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