Author Archives: BartitsuSociety

“Sherlock Holmes and Bartitsu” (Part Three)

Posted on December 11, 2020 by BartitsuSociety

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Saturday, 28th August 2010 The third and final installment of Michael Bertram Wooster’s report concerns the fall of the Bartitsu Club and solves the riddle of Holmes’ “baritsu”. In 1902, the founder of … Continue reading →

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“Sparring with Sherlock”

Posted on December 11, 2020 by BartitsuSociety

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Tuesday, 6th September 2011 Dutch journalist Erik Noomen wrote this article for the Volkskrant, one of Holland’s largest daily newspapers. It was originally printed on August 30, 2011 and is used here by permission. … Continue reading →

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“A Medium-Sized Malacca Cane, Mounted with a Thick Metal Ball”

Posted on December 11, 2020 by BartitsuSociety

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on June 3rd, 2017 E. W. Barton-Wright’s “Self-Defence With A Walking Stick” articles for Pearson’s Magazine (1901) offer the most detailed impression of the Vigny cane fighting system during the height of the brief Bartitsu Club era. … Continue reading →

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“Les Secrets du Jiu-Jitsu” (1906) Online

Posted on December 11, 2020 by BartitsuSociety

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Sunday, 14th January 2018 A scan of Ernest Regnier’s instruction manual Les Secrets du Jiu-Jitsu (1906) is now available online via this link. Regnier was a talented but down-on-his-luck Parisian wrestler until he was sponsored by … Continue reading →

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“A New Uniform Inspired by Uko-Tani”

Posted on December 11, 2020 by BartitsuSociety

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Sunday, 21st January 2018 The notion of London bobbies studying the newfangled Japanese art of self-defence clearly intrigued Edwardian cartoonists.  The Penny Illustrated Paper of March 4, 1905 imagined that a new police uniform inspired … Continue reading →

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“… an athletic class for people of good standing …”

Posted on December 11, 2020 by BartitsuSociety

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Saturday, 4th December 2010 By mid-1899, E.W. Barton-Wright was busy attracting support for his novel venture; a Club dedicated to the instruction of physical culture and self defence. Late-Victorian London was already home … Continue reading →

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Jujitsuffragette interview on BBC World Service Radio Show

Posted on December 11, 2020 by BartitsuSociety

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Wednesday, 29th August 2012 Click here to listen to Tony Wolf’s interview about the Jujitsuffragette Bodyguards with reporter Julian Bedford for the BBC World Service.

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Yukio Tani vs. the Masked Wrestler (April, 1909)

Posted on December 11, 2020 by BartitsuSociety

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Saturday, 10th November 2018 Still popular today in Mexican and Japanese pro-wrestling circles, the “masked wrestler” gimmick originated in Paris during the year 1867.  The original “Lutteur Masqué” was rumoured to be an … Continue reading →

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“Getting the Short End of the Stick” in Vigny Stick Fighting

Posted on December 11, 2020 by BartitsuSociety

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Thursday, 14th February 2019 I noticed that the stick itself was held about eight inches from the end, so that after a crashing blow has been delivered it was quickly followed up by … Continue reading →

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“Ju-Jitsu Vs. Boxing”: Yukio Tani takes on “Young Joseph” (From The Sporting Life, 13 April 1908)

Posted on December 11, 2020 by BartitsuSociety

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on February 10th, 2017 In a 1950 interview conducted by jiujitsu sensei Gunji Koizumi, Bartitsu founder E.W. Barton-Wright reminisced about trying to teach Yukio Tani to box, noting that Tani had “no aptitude for … Continue reading →

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