Author Archives: BartitsuSociety

Sergeant George Wheeldon’s Police Self-Defence (circa 1905)

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Tuesday, 17th April 2018 The City of London police history blog Plodd in the Square Mile offers this short but informative article on Sergeant George Wheeldon, who essentially pioneered the systematic practice of unarmed self-defence within … Continue reading

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In Memoriam: Master-at-Arms John Waller

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Sunday, 22nd April 2018 The international historical European martial arts and stage combat communities mourn the recent passing of John Waller, who was a modern pioneer in both fields. Possessed of a life-long … Continue reading

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Arturo Bonafont’s 1930 Cane Defence Book Now Translated and Available!

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Tuesday, 24th April 2018 The first decades of the 20th century saw a marked shift in approaches to the use of the walking stick as a weapon of self-defence. Whereas cane manuals had … Continue reading

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“Bartitsu in the American Context”

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Tuesday, 24th April 2018 The excellent Kung Fu Tea blog offers this well-researched post towards answering a question posed by Dr. Emelyne Godfrey in reviewing Wendy Rouse’s book Her Own Hero: The Origins of the Women’s Self Defense Movement. … Continue reading

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“Wrestlers in Court: Labourer who Wanted to Use his Fists” (1905)

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Saturday, 28th April 2018 This article from the  Leicester Daily Post of October 7, 1905, details a court case involving former Bartitsu Club instructor Yukio Tani.  Partly at issue was the practice of pre-arranging the results … Continue reading

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The Bonafont Cane Style in Action

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Tuesday, 1st May 2018 The prolific and talented Andres Morales of Chile demonstrates the Bonafont cane fighting style of 1920s and ’30s Argentina.

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Cane Vs. Sword (Sherlock Holmes, 2009)

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Saturday, 5th May 2018 The climactic fight between Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey, Jr. and Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong), in which Holmes appropriately wields a cane against Blackwood’s devilish blade: For details on this … Continue reading

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The Martial Shenanigans of Leopold McLaglen

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Sunday, 13th May 2018 Captain Sydney Temple Leopold McLaglen (1884-1951) was one of the most colourful “characters” of the early 20th century jiujitsu scene.  Charismatic, moustachioed, broad-shouldered and towering at 6’7″ in height,  McLaglen … Continue reading

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To “Obviate the Risk of Being Disarmed by Being Hit Upon the Fingers”

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Tuesday, 12th June 2018 Under “Bar-titsu ” I comprise boxing, or the use of the fist as a hitting medium, the use of the feet both in an offensive and defensive sense, the … Continue reading

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Suffrajitsu Documentary “No Man Shall Protect Us” Now Freely Available Online

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Wednesday, 20th June 2018 Written, co-directed and co-produced by Bartitsu instructor Tony Wolf, the 50-minute documentary No Man Shall Protect Us: The Hidden History of the Suffragette Bodyguards explores the origins and exploits of … Continue reading

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