Category Archives: E. W. Barton-Wright

“The New Art of Self Defence: How Bartitsu Reimagined ‘Antagonistics’ in Edwardian England”

Posted on February 16, 2026 by BartitsuSociety

Now available from Amazon, this new book is a revised, updated and significantly expanded version of the “Bartitsu Story” section of The Bartitsu Compendium, Vol. III (2022). As the third volume of the Compendium was a bookshelf-busting 629 large-format pages, … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Antagonistics, Biography, Boxing, Canonical Bartitsu, E. W. Barton-Wright, Edwardiana, Exhibitions, Fencing, Hooliganism, Jiujitsu, Physical Culture, Pop-culture, Savate, Vigny stick fighting, Wrestling | Comments Off on “The New Art of Self Defence: How Bartitsu Reimagined ‘Antagonistics’ in Edwardian England”

“Victorian Krav Maga? The Incredible Rise and Fall of Bartitsu”

Posted on January 9, 2026 by BartitsuSociety

There’s a proliferation of short “What was Bartitsu?” YouTube videos, including many AI-generated offerings, but this piece from the Informed Martial Artist channel is unusually accurate and effective (despite some questionable AI-rendered “photos” of Barton-Wright and the other principal figures). … Continue reading →

Posted in Canonical Bartitsu, Documentary, E. W. Barton-Wright, Sherlock Holmes, Video | Comments Off on “Victorian Krav Maga? The Incredible Rise and Fall of Bartitsu”

“The Suffragette That Knew Jiu Jitsu”

Posted on November 22, 2024 by BartitsuSociety

A fairly well-researched presentation on Edith Garrud’s role in the jujutsu training of the WSPU Bodyguard unit, contextualised with some background on Barton-Wright’s Bartitsu.

Posted in Biography, Canonical Bartitsu, Documentary, E. W. Barton-Wright, Jiujitsu, Suffrajitsu, Video | Comments Off on “The Suffragette That Knew Jiu Jitsu”

Some “new” and unusual snippets of Bartitsu history

Posted on November 25, 2023 by BartitsuSociety

According to an item in the Morning Leader of Tuesday, 29 November 1898, the entertainments for an upcoming charity bazaar were scheduled to include: Mr. E. W. Barton- Wright (who) will on Friday and Saturday give a demonstration of Bartitsu, … Continue reading →

Posted in Canonical Bartitsu, E. W. Barton-Wright, Edwardiana, Exhibitions | Comments Off on Some “new” and unusual snippets of Bartitsu history

Bartitsu and early British jujitsu with Tony Wolf

Posted on October 15, 2023 by BartitsuSociety

Martial arts podcasters Gavin Davies and David Brough interview Tony Wolf on the past and future of Bartitsu, with a bonus pro-wrestling anecdote.

Posted in Canonical Bartitsu, E. W. Barton-Wright, Editorial, Interviews, Pop-culture, Video | Comments Off on Bartitsu and early British jujitsu with Tony Wolf

The Bartitsu Compendium, Volume III reviewed by the Martial History Team

Posted on October 12, 2023 by BartitsuSociety

After buying and surveying the first two volumes in this series, I had to buy volume III when it arrived in 2022. My copy of The Bartitsu Compendium, Volume 3: What Bartitsu Was and What it Can Be is a massive paperback measuring 8 … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Antagonistics, Bartitsu School of Arms, Canonical Bartitsu, E. W. Barton-Wright, Reviews | Comments Off on The Bartitsu Compendium, Volume III reviewed by the Martial History Team

Dr. Emelyne Godfrey Reviews The Bartitsu Compendium, Volume III

Posted on December 31, 2022 by BartitsuSociety

Boasting over 600 pages, the long-awaited third edition of the Bartitsu Compendium is a real treat, being an exploration of Bartitsu yesterday and today, ideal for both new students of martial arts as well as the general reader. This anthology … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Antagonistics, Biography, Canonical Bartitsu, E. W. Barton-Wright, Pop-culture | Comments Off on Dr. Emelyne Godfrey Reviews The Bartitsu Compendium, Volume III

Announcing The Bartitsu Compendium, Volume III

Posted on December 7, 2022 by BartitsuSociety

Published 120 years after the Bartitsu School of Arms in London closed its doors for the last time and marking the 20th anniversary of the modern Bartitsu revival movement, the Bartitsu Compendium, Volume III is now available from Amazon. Over … Continue reading →

Posted in Antagonistics, Baritsu, Bartitsu School of Arms, Biography, Boxing, Canonical Bartitsu, E. W. Barton-Wright, Editorial, Edwardiana, Fencing, Fiction, Hooliganism, Humour, In Memoriam, Instruction, Interviews, Jiujitsu, Mysteries, Physical Culture, Pop-culture, Reviews, Savate, Seminars, Sherlock Holmes, Sparring, Suffrajitsu, Vigny stick fighting, Wrestling | Comments Off on Announcing The Bartitsu Compendium, Volume III

Another Update re. The Bartitsu Compendium, Volume III

Posted on July 1, 2022 by BartitsuSociety

The third volume of the Compendium is currently being compiled, following the publications of Volume I in 2005 and Volume II in 2008. Vol. III opens with a 166-page retrospective on the life and times of Edward Barton-Wright and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Canonical Bartitsu, E. W. Barton-Wright, Editorial | Comments Off on Another Update re. The Bartitsu Compendium, Volume III

An Update on the E.W. Barton-Wright Memorial Project

Posted on September 29, 2021 by BartitsuSociety

Back in 2005, the Bartitsu Society intended to dedicate funds raised through sales of the Bartitsu Compendium, Volume 1 to the creation of a memorial stone for Bartitsu founder E.W. Barton-Wright, who had died under humble circumstances in 1951 and … Continue reading →

Posted in E. W. Barton-Wright, In Memoriam | Comments Off on An Update on the E.W. Barton-Wright Memorial Project