Category Archives: Humour

Sadakazu “Raku” Uyenishi Caricatures

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Friday, 14th February 2014 Two caricatures of Bartitsu Club instructor Sadakazu Uyenishi, who used the stage name “Raku”, first published during his 1907/08 exhibition tour of Spain.

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“Safeguards” (Punch Magazine, Nov. 18, 1914)

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Friday, 30th May 2014 Note: with the outbreak of the First World War, jiujitsu instructor William Garrud became the self-defence instructor for the Special Constables. It was the special terms to Special Constables … Continue reading

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“… the Latest Trick in Jiu-jitsu”: Cartoons from Punch Magazine (1905-12)

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Wednesday, 14th October 2015 During the decade following E.W. Barton-Wright’s introduction of jiujitsu to England, the Japanese martial art was thoroughly absorbed into English popular culture – most famously when Sherlock Holmes made use … Continue reading

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Geek Duchess Felicia Day Recommends Bartitsu for Fending Off Llamas

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Thursday, 30th June 2016 Early in this interview for Chicago’s WBEZ Nerdette podcast, actress and professional nerd Felicia Day namechecks Bartitsu in the context of a discussion on self-defence against llamas. Specifically, she’s referring … Continue reading

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“The cumbersome boxing glove superseded” (Punch Magazine, September 4, 1869)

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Sunday, 6th November 2016 Cartoonist George du Maurier offers a helpful suggestion for boxers.  The caption reads: Sparring without pain or loss of temper – the cumbersome boxing-glove superseded. For more on this topic, see The … Continue reading

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“The Game of Bartitsu” (Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, 12 October, 1901)

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Sunday, 18th December 2016 In the game of Bartitsu, or Japanese self-defence, the other person tempts you to engage him, and then by apt manipulation deftly twists and twirls you to your mother … Continue reading

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“The Victorian Gentleman’s Self-Defence Guide”

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Monday, 9th January 2017 This amusing take on Bartitsu is available as a wall poster from this site.

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“The Bold Suffragette” (1910)

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Wednesday, 18th January 2017 This caricature of suffragette jujitsu trainer Edith Garrud, and accompanying poem titled “The Bold Suffragette”, first appeared in the Wednesday, 13 July 1910 edition of The Sketch.

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“Injudicious Ju-Jitsu” (circa 1910)

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Wednesday, 25th January 2017

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“Self-Defence with a Bicycle” Video from the 2017 Dreynevent

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Sunday, 19th February 2017 A humourous and enlightening demonstration of Self-Defence with a Bicycle, animating the lessons of Marcus Tindal’s eccentric 1901 Pearson’s Magazine article. The demo took place at the recent Dreynevent historical European … Continue reading

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