Author Archives: BartitsuSociety

“The Perfect Lady’s Weapon”

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Monday, 6th August 2018 Writing in The Sketch of December 1st, 1958, journalist Marjory Whitelaw looks back to the Edwardian era, when “perfect ladies” carried concealed pistols and knew just where to point them. THE first … Continue reading

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Brutal Cane Fighting in Assassin’s Creed Syndicate

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on July 10th, 2018

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Boxe Française Historique: a Reconstruction of Classical Savate Sparring

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Thursday, 24th May 2018 The recent HEMAC historical martial arts conference in Dijon, France included this fascinating reconstruction of 19th century Boxe Française – Savate sparring by members of the Fédération Française des Arts Martiaux Historiques Européens. … Continue reading

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“The Man They Cannot Hang” vs. Sadakazu Uyenishi

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Saturday, 19th May 2018 In common with most athlete/showmen of his time and place, John Clempert (1878-1940) was not averse to spinning some tall tales about his past exploits. He claimed, among other … Continue reading

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The Bartitsu School of Arms: Beamish Museum, 2013

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Tuesday, 12th February 2013 Announcing the third international Bartitsu symposium, to take place at Beamish Museum near Newcastle, UK, between September 14th and 15th, 2013. Update: the Google Groups email list for the … Continue reading

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“Mongrel Sports” (1906)

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Tuesday, 3rd July 2018 The following article was originally published in the December 2nd, 1906 edition of The Referee, a then-popular sports newspaper.  The journalist remarks upon a proposed upcoming contest arranged by … Continue reading

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“Sports de Defense” Postcards on Video

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Wednesday, 31st January 2018 Thanks to Rodney Bennett for sourcing and compiling this video, which consists of a series of self-defence postcards featuring French jiujitsu pioneer Ernest Regnier (a.k.a. “Re-Nie”). The caption of postcard … Continue reading

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“Police Jiujitsu at the Crystal Palace” (1905)

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Wednesday, 31st January 2018 In this cartoon from the Penny Illustrated Paper of March 4, 1905, the illustrator imagines a jiujitsu contest between two constables at a police fete held at the famed Crystal Palace … Continue reading

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“Fiendish Science”: a Pearson’s Magazine Editor Recalls His First Encounter with E.W. Barton-Wright

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Wednesday, 31st January 2018 When E.W. Barton-Wright returned to England in 1898, after a three-year sojourn in Japan, he lost little time in starting to promote the then-almost totally unknown martial art of … Continue reading

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Dr. Emelyne Godfrey Reviews “Her Own Hero: The Origins of the Women’s Self Defense Movement”

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Monday, 29th January 2018 Dr. Emelyne Godfrey has reviewed Wendy Rouse’s history of the women’s self-defence movement in the USA for the academic journal Martial Arts Studies.  Dr. Godfrey’s review is available as a free, downloadable PDF via … Continue reading

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