Author Archives: BartitsuSociety

The “Great Anglo-Japanese Tournament” at the Adelphi Theatre in Liverpool

Posted on December 11, 2020 by BartitsuSociety

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on November 6th, 2018 The “last hurrah” of the Bartitsu Club as a corporate entity was the ambitious and largely successful “Great Anglo-Japanese Tournament” tour during early-mid 1902.   We’ve previously detailed these provincial Bartitsu … Continue reading →

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The “Dwarf of Blood” on Bartitsu (June-October, 1900)

Posted on December 11, 2020 by BartitsuSociety

The following accounts were written for the Sporting Times by a journalist styling himself as “The Dwarf of Blood”.  Many Sporting Times columnists used similarly colourful pseudonyms – “The Pitcher”, “The Shifter”, “The Master”, et al. The author of these articles was … Continue reading →

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“What To Do When A Thug Attacks You”: Still More on the Latson Method of Self-Defense

Posted on December 11, 2020 by BartitsuSociety

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Monday, 21st November 2016 The following article dated July 16, 1911 serves as a further explication of the curious “Latson Method of Self Defence”.  Aside from its clear parallels with Bartitsu, as a … Continue reading →

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“Should an Assailant Strike at Your Wind or Heart with His Right Fist”: an Anomalous Canonical Bartitsu Technique Illustrated

Posted on December 11, 2020 by BartitsuSociety

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Saturday, 26th November 2016 In April of 2010 the Bartitsu Society discovered a “new” entry into canonical Bartitsu unarmed combat.  This self defence kata or sequence appeared as part of a reprint of E.W. … Continue reading →

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“Proof of Great Strength”: Grappling with the Kibbo Kift Kindred

Posted on December 11, 2020 by BartitsuSociety

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Friday, 9th June 2017 Exemplifying the virtues and limitations of the early 20th century “self-taught man”, John Hargrave (1894-1982) was accomplished in a variety of fields.  A senior scoutmaster possessing great powers of imagination, energy … Continue reading →

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The King’s Man Movie Offers More Cane and Umbrella Fight Action

Posted on December 11, 2020 by BartitsuSociety

After an enjoyable original outing and a disappointing sequel, the Kingsman movie series shifts temporal gears to offer a prequel set during the early 20th century. The King’s Man trailer below confirms that Bartitsu aficionados can look forward to some … Continue reading →

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“Returning kicks with interest”: Counter-Kicks and Stop-Kicks in Bartitsu Unarmed Combat

Posted on December 11, 2020 by BartitsuSociety

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Tuesday, 22nd November 2016 Another branch of Bartitsu is that in which the feet and hands are both employed, which is an adaptation of boxing and Savate (…) The use of the feet … Continue reading →

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Velo-Boxe (“Bike-Boxing”) Cartoons by Marius Rossillon

Posted on December 11, 2020 by BartitsuSociety

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Thursday, 10th January 2019 The French painter and cartoonist Marius Rossillon (1867-1946), under the pseudonym “O’Galop”, invents a bizarre new hybrid combat sport in this 1895 sketch series, which originally appeared in Le Rire. … Continue reading →

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Sherlock Holmes Wields a Deadly Scarf

Posted on December 11, 2020 by BartitsuSociety

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Thursday, 7th February 2019 Bartitsu is particularly noted for its weaponising of gentlemanly accoutrements such as walking sticks, umbrellas and overcoats.  We’ve also previously examined the circa 1900 use of bowler hats, belts and flat caps as weapons. The use of weighted … Continue reading →

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The Annotated “Bartitsu: Its Exponent Interviewed” (1901)

Posted on December 11, 2020 by BartitsuSociety

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Thursday, 31st January 2019 The following interview with Bartitsu founder E.W. Barton-Wright first appeared in the Pall Mall Gazette of 5 September 1901, during the height of the Bartitsu Club era.  It was found … Continue reading →

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