Author Archives: BartitsuSociety

American Jiu-Jitsu in the “Walled City”

The following passage is excerpted from “The Walled City: a Story of the Criminal Insane”, written by Edward Huntington Williams and originally published in 1913. It describes an apparently un-named, but at least partially codified system of self defence and … Continue reading

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“New” Canonical Bartitsu Technique Discovered

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Friday, 16th April 2010 The Bartitsu Society conceptually divides practical Bartitsu into two related areas. Canonical Bartitsu is the art as we know it was; the specific self defence techniques detailed by E.W. … Continue reading

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Amalia True’s Parasol of Fury: Did Late Victorian-Era Women Really Use Weaponized Umbrellas?

In the alternate history of Joss Whedon’s new TV series The Nevers, a mysterious event in the skies over London during 1896 leaves a minority of the population endowed with bizarre, apparently supernatural powers. Three years later, the sociopolitical establishment … Continue reading

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Jiujitsu versus Boxing in Paris: When Yukio Tani Took On Marc Gaucher

As detailed in the second volume of the Bartitsu Compendium, the year 1906 saw a vehement “boxing versus jiujitsu” debate played out in the pages of some British sporting journals. Many participants were essentially armchair quarterbacks, including a number who … Continue reading

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“Suffragettes to Learn the Art of Jiu-Jitsu” (1909)

These photographs of Edith Garrud in action were originally published in the Daily Mirror of April 13, 1909. At that time, Garrud was inaugurating her “Suffragettes Self-Defence Club” as a separate concern from the Golden Square School of Jujitsu, where … Continue reading

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“Charley Smiler Takes Up Ju-Jitsu” (1911): a Unique Filmic Glimpse Back Into British Jujitsu and Suffrajitsu History!

A number of short silent films featuring jujutsu were produced and/or screened in London during the very early 20th century. The intriguing list of titles includes: Unfortunately, aside from their titles and scattered items of production information, these films have … Continue reading

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Walking Stick Sparring in Chile

Members of the Santiago Stickfighters club exhibit their Integrated Method of stick-fighting, inspired largely by a combination of the Vigny/Bartitsu and Bonafont methods. The sparring canes are made of a hard polymer composite material, tipped with rubber ball handles. This … Continue reading

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Taro Miyake Exhibits Jujutsu vs. Boxing (1909)

Although it was fairly common for Japanese jujutsuka to engage with Western boxers on the stages of Edwardian London’s music halls, the boxers normally simply wrestled according to jujutsu rules. Occasionally, however, a true mixed-styles bout did take place, as … Continue reading

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“London Athletic Academy Where Ladies Learn Jujitsu” (1908)

When Edward Barton-Wright ceased promoting the Japanese martial arts in England, the cause was taken up by the music hall strongman William Bankier, known professionally as “Apollo, the Scottish Hercules”. This series of photographs shows female students at his Great … Continue reading

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“In the Ju Jitsu Hall” (1911)

These cartoons from the June 17, 1911 issue of the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News illustrate Japanese martial arts displays in the “Ju Jitsu Hall” of London’s Coronation Exhibition. The same venue had also hosted martial arts displays about a … Continue reading

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