The climactic chapter of the Suffrajitsu graphic novel trilogy is now available from Amazon.com and comiXology!
In Issue #3, Persephone Wright and her team of Bartitsu-trained Amazons must race to prevent a terrorist attack that may have dire consequences for the entire world …
(… and yes, that it Persephone’s uncle – Bartitsu founder Edward Barton-Wright – to the right on the cover).
From the Friday, 27 July 1928 edition of the Motherwell Times:
Bartitsu instructor Mark Donnelly (centre) teaches an introductory seminar at the recent Steampunk World’s Fair in Piscataway, New Jersey.
Tybalt (Owen Black, left) and Benvolio (Ben Freeth, right) engage in some Bartitsu cane fighting in a rehearsal for the Court Theatre’s (Christchurch, New Zealand) production of Romeo and Juliet. This take on Shakespeare’s classic romantic tragedy is set during a stylised Edwardian era and features fight choreography by Bartitsu instructor Tony Wolf.
June 20, 2015
12 pm – 4 pm
Luckenbach Mill
Historic Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Learn Bartitsu, the gentleman’s form of self-defense popular in Victorian London. Mark Donnelly is an expert in the fighting style used by literary hero Sherlock Holmes. Learn to use the world around you, from umbrellas to snuff boxes. This demonstration will link the realms of history and imagination. Then get outside and enjoy the warm weather at our Steampunk Artisan Fair in the Colonial Industrial Quarter and shop around at local quality crafters’ tables. We will have a large variety of participating crafters at this event so there’s sure to be something for everybody! This event is FREE for HBMS members, and $10 for the general public.
What is Bartitsu?
“This workshop is designed to be an extensive introduction to this esoteric system of self-defense which incorporates: fisticuffs (in the scientific method); savate (use of low kicks in self-defense; grappling(judo/jiujitsu); as well as the use of numerous commonplace Victorian accessories such as walking-stick, cane, umbrella, top hat, snuff box, opera cape, handkerchief, etc. all employed in an effort to maintain ‘preservation of person and property when beset upon by ne’er-do-wells of nefarious intent’.” -Mark Donnelly, Bartitsu Instructor
An entertaining article on BWAHAHAHA, Seattle’s “Barton-Wright/Alfred Hutton Alliance for Historically Accurate Hoplology and Antagonistics”.
A Bartitsu class at the Ost du Griffon Noir historical martial arts club in Toulouse, France, taught by instructors Claire Hugues and Johann Perrigault (below).
Instructor Allen Reed will be in the UK at the beginning of August, and has offered to run a one day seminar in Basingstoke covering the essentials of Bartitsu – the Canonical and its peripheries. A full day covering cane, pugilism, jujutsu – the core canon of Bartitsu. The session will be suitable for those with or without prior experience of Bartitsu.
If you have them, bring fencing masks/headgear, pugilism/sparring gloves, striking mitts, cane and maybe a gi top. I have spares of some items, but any extra kit is appreciated.
Cost: £30
From “The Truth”, March 16, 1899:
Very interesting indeed was the display of Elizabethan sword-play at the Bath Club last week. Messrs. Fraser, Johnson, Cooke, Gate, and the President, Mr. Grenfell, Captains Hutton and Matthey, all showed pretty play with swords, rapiers, and cloaks. The President’s leave-taking before he descended into the arena, or rather on to the bridge of sighs, for the platform is over the centre of the swimming bath, was most pathetic. A two-handed sword broke clean in half. Where was it made? In Germany? There was a large crowd of spectators, and such exhibitions should popularise sword-play.
But the chief attraction was the lecture and display by Mr. Barton-Wright, of the noble science of Bartitsu. It might be described vulgarly as the gentle art of chucking-out (1) and midnight murder. Unfortunately, Mr. Barton-Wright had been chucked out by a cab the day before, and could not, therefore, give a full display. He generously invited all members present as his guests to a public display at the St. James’s Hall. However, despite a bad knee, he was able to show some of the interesting methods of this system of overpowering an opponent. Limbs can be broken at a moment’s notice, and strangulation can be induced in a few seconds. Of course, nothing so ghastly happens-an opponent wisely surrenders. But the method is invaluable for political meetings. Certified Bartitsuers should command a high price at election times (2).
The full display and lecture should certainly be well worth seeing. The lecturer should try to deliver his remarks more slowly. His enunciation is too rapid at times. Owing to his accident he had to shorten his display, and so Dr. Higgens and Instructor Drake had a few lively rounds with gloves, and some pretty trick swimming was added.
(1) – The expression “chucking-out” referred to the occupation and activities of what we would now think of as bouncers or door supervisors. Subsequent newspaper reports suggest that E.W. Barton-Wright took strong exception to the association of Bartitsu with “chucking-out”, presumably because he was attempting to promote it as self-defence for members of the “educated classes”.
(2) – “Chuckers-out” were in particular demand re. ejecting hecklers from political rallies.
The Suffrajitsu trilogy is now available in Blood and Honor, a printed collector’s edition from Jet City Comics. This new print anthology also features two other Foreworld Saga trilogies; The Dead God and Symposium.
Inspired by the adventures of the real-life suffragette Bodyguard unit circa 1914, Suffrajitsu: Mrs. Pankhurst’s Amazons was written by Bartitsu instructor Tony Wolf. The story features a strong Bartitsu theme, including scenes set in E.W. Barton-Wright’s martial arts academy, which serves as the Amazons’ gymnasium and secret headquarters.
The trilogy is also available in e-book format via both Amazon.com and comiXology.
