Summary

Game type: 'Noughts and Crosses' (paper and pencil game), 'French Cricket' (bat and ball game)
Alternative types: ball games, team games, play with props/equipment

Handwritten descriptions of the paper and pencil game 'Noughts and Crosses' and the bat and ball game 'French Cricket' compiled by Joyce Godfrey, an 11 year old student at Errol Street Primary School, for Dr Dorothy Howard on 25 August 1954. Godfrey describes 'Noughts and Crosses' as a game suitable for girls and boys, which can be played all year round. She notes that she plays this game at Youth Group. Godfrey's description of the game's rules are somewhat confused; however, her version of 'Noughts and Crosses' appears to involve teams and only 'crosses'. She has provided hand drawn diagrams below her description. Godfrey lists other players of 'Noughts and Crosses' including Beverley Sinclair, Lucy Driscoll, Dorothy Condent, Irene Condent, Susan Hayes, Betty Rees, Judith Davis and Vivene [sic] Marshall. To play 'French Cricket', Godfrey states that a team of fielders and another of batsmen are required. She explains that a batsman must run if they hit the ball, whilst ensuring that the ball does not touch their legs. In order to eliminate a batsman from the game, fielders attempt to hit the wickets with the ball whilst they run.

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 paper. Features borders ruled in red pencil and a hand drawn diagram in pencil on lower portion of page; text written on both sides of page.

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