Pedestrianism sport in Birmingham

[Lady Penelope]

Edited from copied post on another thread ...... When I was researching boxing in the 19th Century I found a lot of these 'pastimes' in the Midland Sporting News at the old newspaper library in Colindale, London. If I remember 'pedestrianism' wasn't just fast walking it had several rules and I'm sure someone on here can tell me what they were. I think one foot had to be on the ground at any time and something about heels first. I know I tried it (not competitively) and it's not for the faint hearted..............

 

[Lady Penelope]

A small addition to my last post about pedestrianism, below is the link to a BBC article:

The strange 19th-Century sport that was cooler than football

Pedestrianism was a sport of epic rivalries, eyewatering salaries, feverish nationalism, eccentric personalities and six-day, 450-mile walks.

www.bbc.co.uk

Off topic I know so it's my last post on this thread and quite interesting!

 

[Vivienne14]

Interesting topic Pen, so I've set up this thread.

Some details of pedestrianism events at Holloway Head in the 1860s. Was a 'Subscription Ground' one that was developed by public subscription?

Source: British Newspaper Archive