[Image] Baron Pierre de Coubertin, 1915. Source: George Grantham Bain Collection (Library of Congress)

Toynbee Hall’s Olympic Heritage Toynbee Hall traces its historic connection to the founder of the modern day Olympics. by Shahana Subhan Begum [Left] Samuel Barnett with residents in front of the In June 1886 a young French gentleman Lecture Hall entrance, in his twenties, with an impressive Toynbee Hall c. late 1890’s moustache, visited Toynbee Hall. The Frenchman was Pierre de Coubertin (1863-1937), who in 1896 revived the Olympic Games in its modern form.

Today, Coubertin is most known for his role in the revival of the Olympics, but he described himself first and foremost as Coubertin’s interest in education and It was during these visits that Coubertin an educational reformer and it was this sport led him to England where sport first heard of Toynbee Hall. Toynbee work that brought him to Toynbee Hall. had become an integral part of the Hall was founded by Reverend Samuel curriculum in several leading public Barnett and his wife Pierre Frédy de Coubertin was born in schools. During his first visit to England in 1884, in memory of their friend Paris in 1863 to an aristocratic family. in 1883, Coubertin toured a number of (1852- 1883). He turned his back on the military leading English educational institutions career planned for him, in order including Harrow, Eton and Rugby Before his untimely death, Toynbee to engage with social issues and schools and Oxford and Cambridge had been a young Oxford historian pursue educational reform in France. Universities. He was impressed by the who had devoted his time working Following France’s demoralising curriculum at the public schools, where with the poor of the East End of defeat in the Franco-Prussian War study was divided between intellectual London. The Barnetts believed that in 1870-1, Coubertin like many of his subjects and physical education. to tackle the problem of poverty the contemporaries believed that there privileged classes of society needed was a need to revive the French nation. This, he felt, was something needed to engage directly with the poor. Thus, He believed that education and the in the French educational system. they pioneered a new movement development of the individual was the In particular, Coubertin was inspired for social reform that emerged in the key to the future of society. by the headmaster of Rugby school, form of University Settlement. [Above] Pierre de Coubertin. Thomas Arnold. Arnold’s educational Source: Unknown theories had a profound impact on The idea was to bring young male Coubertin and it helped him realise graduates of Oxbridge to live the potential of physical education in amongst and work with London’s general education. poorest inhabitants. This idea caught on fast and in the next two decades it inspired countless other settlements in the United Kingdom and worldwide. While at Toynbee, Coubertin assisted On Christmas Eve of 1884, the settlement a debate arranged by the Debating opened its doors to its first two residents society on underage marriage. This and soon Toynbee Hall achieved debate took place in the Lecture a reputation for its significant social Hall on the ground floor. Coubertin welfare and education programmes. remarked on the passion of the speakers, their ‘original intelligence’ and the seriousness of the ideas Many of the original residents went expressed by the workers1. on to lead the world in social reform and research. At the beginning of De Coubertin on Toynbee Hall: the twentieth century it became the powerhouse for new ideas of social “The most curious part of Toynbee Hall, reform and the leading reformers of is unquestionably the Drawing Room on the day were closely associated with the ground floor which as I mentioned Toynbee Hall. Among key historical earlier is filled with ornaments, prints, residents were the Labour Prime fabrics, book cases and small furniture. Minister, (1883 - 1967) This space of worldly elegance contains and (1879 - 1963) the much that it is believed that the working British economist and the author of the classes remain indifferent too. 1942 Beveridge report, which formed the basis of the modern Welfare state. In this place many close links across the classes were developed and many One of the main activities of friendships too were formed, Beliefs have Toynbee Hall in its early years was in joined these different men who fight for educational reform and this is what the same cause. attracted the young Coubertin to the Hall. In September 1887, an article This is particularly so after evening written by Coubertin entitled ‘Toynbee dinner.... once, for example, the Hall’, appeared in the journal La residents invited the executive Réforme Sociale. Here, Coubertin committee of the cooperative society to described his visit of the previous year. join them, the men brought their women 2 The visit was prompted by his interest and everyone had a wonderful time.” in the work of the Oxbridge graduates, 1Source: Marie-Thérèse 2 Source: Pierre de who were involved in the work of Eyqum, Pierre de Coubertin: Coubertin, ‘Toynbee Hall’: Toynbee Hall. He described the area of L’épopée Olympique, Trans. Le Patronage social a Sophia, (Paris: Calmann- Londres et les Étudiants and the work carried out [Above] Handbill advertising for Lévy, 1966), p.47 Anglais’, La Réforme by the residents and the activities that elementary education classes sociale, Trans. Catherine at Toynbee Hall, April 1889 Rose and Graham Fisher took place at the Hall. (Paris: 1887), p.230 3 Source: Marie-Thérèse 4 Source: London Eyquem, Pierre de Coubertin : Metropolitan Archives, ACC Coubertin was impressed by the strong L’Épopée Olympique, Trans 2486/240/004, Letter from emphasis placed in the development Sophia (Paris: Calmann- Donald Chesworth, the Lévy;1966), p.47 Warden of Toynbee Hall of adult education for the working class to David Kingsley Esq. of population of the area. the London Consortium, 19 March 1984

[Right] Sailing ships and During the winter of 1886, there were HMS ‘President’ in the 582 working-class people enrolled on South West India Docks, circa 1880. Source: the wide ranging courses offered by National Maritime Museum Toynbee Hall. Coubertin commented One day, while making his way to a on the intelligence and insight of Bible reading, Coubertin walked with a the workers who attended these worker whom he conversed with as he classes and recalled his surprise at the made his way to the chapel. He learnt high-brow books that these workers that the man was attending the class requested in the library. Coubertin’s because he liked the teacher, who had Coubertin’s time at Toynbee Hall had of sport in promoting both personal report mentioned the role that sport earlier in the week taught him to row a profound impact on him and he and cultural change. Coubertin’s 3 played at Toynbee Hall: and swim. would never forget the contacts he time at Toynbee Hall and the other made with the working class people of educational institutions in England ‘Of course, sport plays an important role Coubertin was much impressed by Whitechapel. He would later return ‘to inspired him to make the modern in the association, we meet for football, the dedication of the young graduate give lectures on the stage at Toynbee Olympic Games more than just an for lawn tennis, there is a circle of fencing residents who he commended for Hall, praising the social experiment that international sporting event. and boxing and a crew of Rowingmen. adding ‘a new stage of 2 or 3 years was playing out there.’ There is also a gym and a corps of 60 to their university training’ by devoting London’s vision for the 2012 Games volunteers exercised by officers.’ their time to working at Toynbee Hall. While staying at Toynbee Hall Coubertin has many parallels to Coubertin’s “disembarked in the London Docks, own vision. The London Games are Coubertin also noted the work carried In 1887, en route to his visit to Rugby where an attempt to rob him was being built on ideas of legacy and out by the many diverse societies based school, Coubertin stayed at Toynbee thwarted by a young Stevedore sustainability and London has set out at Toynbee Hall, including the holidays Hall. The following year, he published wwwho had learnt French at Toynbee to host the Olympic as not merely a arranged for poor children to the his research on English education, Hall, with the consequence that they sporting event but a catalyst for social, countryside by the Children’s Country L’Éducation en Angleterre (Education set off to Toynbee Hall arm in arm.” 4 political and economic change. Holidays Fund, the benefits of which he in England). The research presented his saw as both ‘physical and moral’. findings on the educational institutions Coubertin was much struck by the In such ways, through shared ideals and that he visited between 1883 and intermingling of Toynbee Hall residents history, Toynbee Hall has contributed 1887. The book contained 16 chapters in the community and by its emphasis to the revival of the Modern Olympic including one entitled ‘Toynbee Hall’. given to both education and sport. Games and with the return of the They left him convinced of the role Games to London, Toynbee Hall reflects on its proud Olympic heritage. Secondary Sources: Newspaper article:

Anthony, Don Mind Bodies and Souls: An A to Z of the John Rennie ‘Why the Olympics is coming home’, East End British Olympic Heritage network, (London: British Olympic Life, 25 April 2010 Association, 1995-1999) HYPERLINK “mailto:[email protected]. uk”[email protected] Briggs, Asa and Macartney, Anne, Toynbee Hall: The First [Accessed 31 July 2011] Hundred Years, (London: Routledge & Kegan Paul plc, 1984) Personal Correspondence:

Eyqum, Marie-Thérèse, Pierre de Coubertin: L’épopée London Metropolitan Archives, ACC 2486/240/004, Letter olympique, Trans. Sophia (Paris: Calmann-Lévy, 1966) from Donald Chesworth, the Warden of Toynbee Hall to David Kingsley Esq. of the London Consortium, 19 March 1984 Girginov, Vassil and Parry, Jim, The Olympic Games Explained: A Student Guide to the evolution of the Modern Toynbee Hall Archives, Donald Chesworth Christmas Card, Olympic Games, (London: Routledge , 2005) ‘A Toynbee Footnote to the Modern Olympic Games’, undated (c.1980) Macaloon, John. J, This Great Symbol: Pierre De Coubertin and the Origins of the Modern Olympic Games (Sport in the Films/Biopic/ Documentaries: Global Society), (London: Routledge, 2008) La Vie Pierre de Coubertin, Dir. by Pierre Cardinal, Müller, Norbert (ed.), Pierre de Coubertin: 1863-1937 (Antenne-2 [Fr], 1980) Olympism: Selected Writings, (Lausanne: International Olympic Committee, 2000) Pierre De Coubertin le Rénovateur des Jeux, (France, 1964)

Lectures: Primary Sources:

Müller, Norbert, ‘Olympic education: University lecture on Pierre de Coubertin, ‘Toynbee Hall’: Le Patronage social a the Olympics’, Centre d’Estudis Olímpics (UAB), 2004 Londres et les Étudiants Anglais’ , La Réforme sociale, Trans. HYPERLINK “http://olympicstudies.uab.es/lectures/”http:// Catherine Rose and Graham Fisher, (Paris: 1887) olympicstudies.uab.es/lectures/ (pdf version- http:// olympicstudies.uab.es/lec/pdf/muller.pdf) Pierre de Coubertin, L’Éducation En Angleterre: Collèges Et [Accessed 28 October 2011] Universités,(Paris: Librairie Hachette et Cie, 1888)

Rogge, Jacques IOC President, ‘Advancing the Games: The Archives and Libraries: IOC, London 2012 and the future of de Coubertin’s Olympic movement’, London 2012: 2008 Pierre de Coubertin lecture British Library in conjunction with the RSA and British Olympic Foundation London Metropolitan Archives http://www.london2012.com/blog/2008/12/our-olympic- Donald Chesworth Personal Papers at Queen Mary, heritage-and-future-the-de-coubertin-lecture.php University Of London Archives [Accessed 20 September 2011] Tower Hamlets Local Library Archives Toynbee Hall Archives

[Above] 1896 Opening Ceremony. Shahana Subhan Begum Source: Getty Images Historical Research/Writing Intern: July -October 2011