Summary

Game name (and type): 'British Bulldog' (chasing game)
Alternative types: running game

Handwritten description of the chasing game 'British Bulldog' written for Dr Dorothy Howard by Gary Bishop, a student at Double View Government Primary School, on 25 March 1955. Bishop describes 'British Bulldog' as a popular boys game which can be played by any number of players in a large, open space. To play, he writes that boundaries are delineated and a 'he man' selected. 'He man' stands at the centre of the field, attempting to grab and lift players as they run past. Bishop notes that the game becomes increasingly difficult as those captured assist 'he man' to catch other players.

One of a collection of letters describing a children's games written to children's Folklorist Dorothy Howard between 1954 and 1955. Dr Howard came to Australia in 1954-55 as an American Fulbright scholar to study Australian children's folklore. She travelled across Australia for 10 months collecting children's playground rhymes, games, play artefacts, etc. This letter, together with the other original fieldwork collected by Dr Howard during this period, is preserved in the Dorothy Howard Collection manuscript files, part of the Australian Children's Folklore Collection (ACFC), Archive Series 3. The ACFC is an extensive collection documenting children's folklore and related research.

Physical Description

Handwritten game description in blue ink on lined paper. Features borders ruled in red pencil; text printed on one side only.

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