The growth, popularity and the economic importance of sports from 1870 until the First World War are well reflected in the varied collections of photographs and drawings held at The National Archives. Our sporting images include unique photographs of early sports heroes and teams, as well as advertising posters and other ephemera.
The mid to late 19th century saw the establishment of rules for Association Football, Rugby Union and cricket and soccer began to pay players from the establishment of the Football League in 1885. Teams were supported by ever larger numbers of working-class fans, who for the first time had the money and a Saturday half-holiday to see their teams play every weekend. The middle classes enjoyed sports like tennis, golf and cycling.
Sport soon became big business. Sporting goods companies such as the Concrete Football Boots used poster advertising; others used sporting events to sell their products, such as Margesson’s Golf Club Toilet Soap. Gamages Ltd, the London sports outfitters, commissioned a series of humourous images for tennis, cricket and other sports in 1901.
Many sportsmen of the period were badly paid and earned extra money by endorsing products. The great England batsman Jack Hobbs endorsed the 'Force' cricket bat.
The National Archives holds a large collection of team photographs and portraits of individual players. There are many pictures of individual players such as Charlie Athersmith, an explosive winger for Aston Villa capped 12 times by England in the 1890s. Many of the teams are still household names today, such as the Everton championship winning team of 1891 and Chelsea’s team of 1905. Chelsea was then a small fish in football terms!
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Regulation Lawn Tennis Balls, 1900
/images/imagelibrary/showcase/sports/copy1-160-f480-regulation-lawn-tennis-balls-1900.jpgCatalogue reference: COPY1/160 f480
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Newcastle Races, 1898
/images/imagelibrary/showcase/sports/copy1-147-f112-newcastle-races-1898.jpgCatalogue reference: COPY1/147 f112
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Margerison's Golf Club Soap 1899
/images/imagelibrary/showcase/sports/copy1-155-f360-margerisons-golf-club-soap-1899.jpgCatalogue reference: COPY1/155 f360
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Chelsea FC, 1905
/images/imagelibrary/showcase/sports/copy1-490-chelsea-fc-1905.jpgCatalogue reference: COPY1/490
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Croquet, artist Tom Browne, 1904
/images/imagelibrary/showcase/sports/copy1-216-(119c)-croquet-tom-browne-1904.jpgCatalogue reference: COPY1/216 (119c)
-croquet-tom-browne-1904.jpg)
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England Ladies Cricket XI, 1890
/images/imagelibrary/showcase/sports/copy1-400-f286-english-lady-cricketers-group-1890.jpgCatalogue reference: COPY1/400 f286
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Charlie Athersmith, Aston Villa Football Team, 1891
/images/imagelibrary/showcase/sports/copy1-406-(27)-C-athersmith-aston-villa-football-team-1891.jpgCatalogue reference: COPY1/406 (27)
-C-athersmith-aston-villa-football-team-1891.jpg)
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Novelties in athletic costumes, Lloyd, Attree & Smith, 1894
/images/imagelibrary/showcase/sports/copy1-111-f80-novelties-in-athletic-costumes-lloyd-attree-and-smith-1894.jpgCatalogue reference: COPY1/111 f80
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Frank Shortland, Cuca Cocoa Cycling Challenge Cup Champion, 1892
/images/imagelibrary/showcase/sports/copy1-410-(34)-frank-shortland-cocoa-cocoa-cycling-challenge-cup-champion-1892.jpgCatalogue reference: COPY1/410 (34)
-frank-shortland-cocoa-cocoa-cycling-challenge-cup-champion-1892.jpg)
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Rugby tackle, 1910
/images/imagelibrary/showcase/sports/copy1-550-rugby-tackle-1910.jpgCatalogue reference: COPY1/550
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Jack Hobbs of Surrey examines the 'Force' cricket bat at Summers Brown & Co, London, 1911
/images/imagelibrary/showcase/sports/copy1-555-f1-jack-hobbs-of-surrey-examines-the-force-cricket-bat-at-summers-brown-and-co-london-1911.jpgCatalogue reference: COPY1/555
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A W Gamage Ltd, AWG Athletic & General Outfitters, London, 1901
/images/imagelibrary/showcase/sports/copy1-183(3u)-a-w-gamage-ltd-awg-athletic-and-general-outfitters-london-1901.jpgCatalogue reference: COPY1/183 (3u)
-a-w-gamage-ltd-awg-athletic-and-general-outfitters-london-1901.jpg)
This is just a selection. Contact licensing@nationalarchives.gov.uk for more image solutions.
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-frank-shortland-cocoa-cocoa-cycling-challenge-cup-champion-1892.jpg)
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