Manchester University Press
7 The darts craze of the 1930s
Abstract
This chapter interprets the craze for darts in terms of the cultural forms and assesses the impact of darts across English society during the 'devil's decade'. Despite its being a period of great economic and social upheaval, leisure expanded during the 1930s. Private companies fuelled the growth of mass culture by producing affordable leisure products, including the wireless/radio and gramophones, while those with greater disposable income could afford a television or a motor car. Andrew Davies argues that leisure activities were 'firmly structured by gender', with women enjoying far fewer opportunities for leisure than men, women's main preoccupation being 'household management'. Outside the confines of the public house women were afforded other opportunities to play darts. Throughout the 1930s the increase in the popularity of darts was assisted by and reflected in other developed or developing elements of popular culture, especially in the popular press.
Abstract
This chapter interprets the craze for darts in terms of the cultural forms and assesses the impact of darts across English society during the 'devil's decade'. Despite its being a period of great economic and social upheaval, leisure expanded during the 1930s. Private companies fuelled the growth of mass culture by producing affordable leisure products, including the wireless/radio and gramophones, while those with greater disposable income could afford a television or a motor car. Andrew Davies argues that leisure activities were 'firmly structured by gender', with women enjoying far fewer opportunities for leisure than men, women's main preoccupation being 'household management'. Outside the confines of the public house women were afforded other opportunities to play darts. Throughout the 1930s the increase in the popularity of darts was assisted by and reflected in other developed or developing elements of popular culture, especially in the popular press.
Chapters in this book
- Front matter i
- Series introduction v
- Dedication vi
- Contents vii
- List of illustrations ix
- General editor’s foreword xi
- Acknowledgements xii
- 1 Introduction 1
- 2 The origins of darts 37
- 3 The game of darts in England, 1900–18 51
- 4 Darts, brewery leagues and the improved public house, 1900–39 75
- 5 The organisation and standardisation of darts in the inter-war years 103
- 6 The darts industry from the late nineteenth century to 1939 137
- 7 The darts craze of the 1930s 169
- 8 Conclusion 217
- Appendix A 227
- Appendix B 228
- Bibliography 230
- Index 255
Chapters in this book
- Front matter i
- Series introduction v
- Dedication vi
- Contents vii
- List of illustrations ix
- General editor’s foreword xi
- Acknowledgements xii
- 1 Introduction 1
- 2 The origins of darts 37
- 3 The game of darts in England, 1900–18 51
- 4 Darts, brewery leagues and the improved public house, 1900–39 75
- 5 The organisation and standardisation of darts in the inter-war years 103
- 6 The darts industry from the late nineteenth century to 1939 137
- 7 The darts craze of the 1930s 169
- 8 Conclusion 217
- Appendix A 227
- Appendix B 228
- Bibliography 230
- Index 255
