Changing London Issue 8

08 Changing London Changing London AN HISTORIC CITY FOR A MODERN WORLD It is now time for intense forward planning, but LONDON’S also to look back at London’s sporting past. SPORTING This issue of Changing London examines ways in which sport has helped shape the HERITAGE capital’s built environment. As Richard Tames There was much excitement when it was underlines in his overview of London’s sporting announced that London had been chosen to heritage, our capital city has always been the host the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. great organiser and developer of modern sport. Even those who would not normally take an Rules were framed here, new infrastructures for interest in sport seemed caught up in the elation sports like tennis were formulated and all and enthusiasm of the moment. Uniquely, around us there are reminders of sport’s London is to be the host city for this great contribution to London life and leisure. global celebration for the third time.We must We now have a unique opportunity to build on now plan in practical detail how we shall rise to that proud past and prepare for the future with that challenge. And although this is a national confidence and pride. Let’s seize the moment! and international occasion, it is also very special for London and Londoners. CONTENTS 6/7 11 2/3 Play the game! London updates Sporting London 8/9 12 4 Pools and lidos 2012 and beyond Wide open spaces 10 5 Post-War sports buildings ‘Clubbing together’ 08 Changing London LONDON HISTORIAN RICHARD TAMES OUTLINES LONDON’S MAJOR CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MANY SPORTS NOW ENJOYED BY MILLIONS ACROSS THE CAPITAL AND THE WORLD. SPORTING LONDON: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE In Daniel Mendoza (1765-1836) sports. Lord’s, Wimbledon and Moorfields. Archery, requiring them. Most famous of instructors London’s East End produced the Hurlingham weren’t just the premier constant practise from youth was the 18th century Italian world’s first sporting super-star, showcases for their respective sports, onwards, was the premier sport and Domenico Angelo whose family champion of All England at five foot they also defined them. Wembley, regarded by government for at least business in St. James’s Street carried six and a hundred and sixty pounds, Henley, Ascot, Bisley,Twickenham, four centuries as a key element on until 1897 when the premises the author of the first scientific Herne Hill, White City and of defence policy.The name of were revamped as a fitness centre by treatise on boxing and the first Brooklands are London locations Newington Butts is a reminder of Eugene Sandow, the pioneer of British Jew to meet his sovereign. or appendages which became the requirement for every parish to body-building. Mendoza retired from the ring to synonymous with great sporting maintain a practice shooting-ground. Royal patronage has done much to run a boxing academy which triumphs. London and its environs bolster public interest in sport. In his numbered Lord Byron among its provided the settings for the first youth Henry VIII was a keen player pupils.The Stock Exchange now known international competitions in of real tennis, a fine archer and occupies its site. table tennis, weightlifting and water enthusiastic jouster. Charles II once Sport has been central to the polo, as well as Britain’s first polo had himself weighed before and after recreation of Londoners and for match, cycle race,Test century, indoor a two hour game of real tennis to centuries to their education as well. athletics meeting, 1,000 break in see how much he had sweated off – Thanks to two millennia of billiards and clubs for water skiing, over four pounds. He also introduced immigration London has always had show-jumping and synchronised skating and yachting and awarded the swimming. Sports invented abroad, the nation’s largest concentration of Real tennis at Hampton Court first prizes for horse-racing.The youth with the urge to let off steam from polo and judo to snooker and otherwise unathletic James I was and show off. Extensive open areas speedway, have been introduced to Roger Ascham, learned tutor to a positive fanatic for hunting and like Blackheath, Hampstead Heath the rest of the nation via the Elizabeth I, was the first to argue brought golf to Blackheath from his and Wimbledon Common have been metropolis. in print that sport was an essential native Scotland. George II’s brutal the nursery grounds of club Londoners’ passion for sport has a element in the education of a soldier son,‘Butcher’ Cumberland, competition.The games mistress and documented track record of at least well-rounded man. He was also the was a patron of prize-fighters and the gymslip are both London a millennium. Knut, the Danish king author of a definitive treatise on owned Eclipse, one of the greatest inventions. So are sports journalism who decided that London, not archery, Toxiphilus, which is what horses in the history of the turf. and broadcasting.The manufacture Winchester, should be the national made Henry VIII appoint him as his The sports of that day, from cricket and sale of clothing and equipment capital, also decreed in 1016 that daughter’s tutor in the first place. to competitive ‘pedestrianism’, were for sport became a significant feature common folk should not be allowed Football, hockey and other such nearly all accompanied by heavy of the capital’s economy as major to keep greyhounds.When it came pastimes were repeatedly banned by gambling.The great ‘clean up’ came stores established departments to hunting the toffs had to be given law as distractions from archery in the 19th century as the public devoted to “Sports goods” and an edge! Writing around 1173 practice.The repetition of the bans schools fostered the cult of specialised outlets like Lillywhite’s William Fitzstephen, the first itself confirms their popularity. amateurism and institutionalised developed. Londoner to write about London, The introduction of the rapier in the competitiveness through their London did not invent modern praised the manly vigour with which 16th century led to the emergence elaboration of championships, leagues sport as such; but it did organise it, the city’s youth wrestled, ran, leaped of schools of arms and the and cup competitions. At the same establishing the governing bodies and and cudgelled, and how in winter establishment in 1540 by Royal time the growth of a large, formulating the rules for boxing, they strapped animal bones to their Charter of the Company of Masters concentrated and increasingly rugby, tennis and a dozen other feet to skim over the icy marshes of of Defence of London to regulate 2/3 ‘London didn’t invent modern sport – but it did organise it’ prosperous working-class in the course and the founding of four still 1908 London Games were staged in capital provided appreciative mass- surviving athletics clubs and eight of the first ever purpose-built Olympic patronage for the commercialisation London’s leading football teams. stadium (White City) featuring the Richard Tames is the author of and professionalisation of sport as a first purpose-built pool.They were SPORTING LONDON: A Race Through In making its bid to stage the 2012 Time (Historical Publications 2005) branch of entertainment.The process also the first at which silver and Olympic and Paralympic Games which contains web addresses for of proliferation peaked in the 1870s London could claim a sporting bronze medals were presented; the most of the major sports discussed. and 1880s with the introduction of first to include throwing the javelin heritage stretching back over two See www.phillimore.co.uk for other tennis, polo, greyhound racing, millennia to the gladiatorial and and the first winter event – ice books on London by this author. artificial ice-rinks, roller-skating and military exercises enjoyed by its skating; and the first to be competitive cycling, the advent of the Roman founders in the amphitheatre commemorated in an official Report. FA Cup and Test matches, county which once occupied the site where And probably the last at which cricket, indoor athletics,‘Wimbledon’, historic Guildhall now stands. London Britain would take more gold medals the establishment of London’s first can also claim to have made its own (56) than all the other competing cycle-track, first physical training contributions to Olympianism.The countries added together (54). college and first enclosed race- Wembley Stadium.The replacement for the 1923 original is due to open in 2007. 08 Changing London CHRIS SUMNER VALUES LONDON’S OPEN SPACES WHICH CONTINUE TO OFFER RICH OPPORTUNITIES FOR SPORT WIDE OPEN SPACES ‘For centuries, London’s heaths and commons have provided much-loved space for organised and informal sport’ The introduction of sports pitches into historic landscapes can be problematic, especially if they include all-weather surfaces and flood- lighting. Even natural pitches are visually dull and generally ecologically poor; nevertheless, new features such as “The Hub”, a sports pavilion by David Morley Architects in the Regent’s Park (pictured), which gives wide-ranging views from its artificial mound, can be successful and dramatic. Golf courses are not necessarily incompatible with historic landscapes – the course in the Home Park at Hampton Court sits easily enough among the formal avenues and the deer – and some London’s Royal Parks owe their centuries London’s heaths and gradually accommodated in the historic parks, such as Wimbledon origin to the Tudor and Stuart commons have provided much-loved existing Royal Parks and in the new Park, owe their survival to conversion monarchs’ love of hunting and still space for organised and informal public parks that started to be to sports uses at a time when they maintain a tradition of horse riding.

Load more