Summary

Game type: 'Poison Tiggy' (chasing game)
Alternative types: running games

Handwritten description of the chasing game 'Poison Tiggy' compiled by Allan McCulloch, a student at East Fremantle Government Primary School, for Dr Dorothy Howard between 1954-1955. McCulloch describes 'Poison Tiggy' as a game requiring between four and 25 players, which can be played in a backyard or school ground during cooler weather. He notes that the game is suitable for both girls and boys, but is particularly popular with boys. To play, McCulloch explains that one child is elected 'he', who must chase the other players. If a player is caught, they must hold onto 'he' and assist with chasing the remaining children.

One of a collection of letters describing a children's game 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 text written on one side only.

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