The Life and Times of John Graham Chambers: Sports and Commercialization of Leisure in Victorian Britain
Loading...
Links to Files
Permanent Link
Author/Creator
Author/Creator ORCID
Date
2018-01-01
Type of Work
Department
History
Program
Historical Studies
Citation of Original Publication
Rights
Distribution Rights granted to UMBC by the author.
Access limited to the UMBC community. Item may possibly be obtained via Interlibrary Loan thorugh a local library, pending author/copyright holder's permission.
This item is likely protected under Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. Unless on a Creative Commons license, for uses protected by Copyright Law, contact the copyright holder or the author.
Access limited to the UMBC community. Item may possibly be obtained via Interlibrary Loan thorugh a local library, pending author/copyright holder's permission.
This item is likely protected under Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. Unless on a Creative Commons license, for uses protected by Copyright Law, contact the copyright holder or the author.
Abstract
The profound changes in middle-class athletics that began around the third quarter of the nineteenth century, both cultural and commercial, have been widely recognized by historians. Yet, one of the earliest and most important architects of this movement has not been recognized for his contributions as a wildly innovative Victorian sports entrepreneur: John Graham Chambers. Through his athletic association, Chambers was able to secure land in West Brompton, Fulham, for development. The commodious fields there became Lillie Bridge Grounds, opened in 1869. Thousands regularly attended athletic exhibitions, or, partook in competition themselves. While Lillie Bridge Grounds has hitherto remained little-known, what has been utterly ignored is Chambers' pioneering and original business model. This study aims to provide a thorough analysis of his groundbreaking profit-generating combination of sports and leisure which closely resembled a present-day amusement park.