From medieval pub pastimes to staid Victorian parlour activities, games have been a big part of British society for centuries. Here’s a selection of decades-old favourites that are still widely played today with a brief history of their origins.
Bingo
Arriving in Britain via travelling fun fairs from America at the turn of the 20th century, bingo has been a staple in our society for decades. It became a popular game in working men’s clubs in the 20s then a community hall classic post-WWII, and can now be played in person or online via a bingo app on your smartphone or dedicated website.
In the classic format, players are given a 9×3 card with 15 numbers from 1-90. A caller pulls numbers randomly from a spinning machine and the first to a row and a full house are winners. There are many non-traditional versions too with different grid patterns and contemporary themes.
Football
No list of British-loved games is complete without football. This sport, known as ‘the beautiful game’, is the nation’s obsession with over 2 million adults playing at least twice a month and millions more tuning in and filling stadiums to watch professional matches.
Its origins lie in the medieval period when ramshackle mobs would gather to kick around a pig or sheep’s bladder. In the mid-1800s, the pastime moved from working-class areas into English public schools where rules were standardised, and a rubber ball replaced the makeshift animal bladder. Since then, it has been considered as England’s national sport.
Dice
Stemming from Ancient Egypt, dice games are as old as civilisation so it’s astonishing that they continue to be played today. While the most common use of dice is to direct turns in board games such as Backgammon, some games are built around dice rolls alone.
Prime examples commonly played in the UK were first found in taverns during the medieval period. Hazard was a roll-off challenge with one person, the ‘shooter’, trying to get a specific number. This developed into the game Craps which is a common feature at most casinos in England and the USA.
Dominoes
It’s hard to pinpoint the exact origins of dominoes, but from the 1950s onwards it was a staple in most households. This tile-based game involves matching numbers to form an interlinked chain, typically played with just two people in fast and short rounds.
There are various ways to score points depending on the version of dominoes you’re playing. One example is Fives and Threes: when the numbers at the ends of the chain add up to a multiple of five or three, you divide the total on the ends by one of those numbers and add that result to your score.
Do you enjoy any of the above, or are there any you would add to the list? The kids and I love a game of dominoes!
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