A footpad who unwisely failed to keep up
with the times
(A failing seldom found in gents who special-
ize in crimes)
Essayed by means improper
To annex the hard-earned copper
Of a little Jap just fresh from Eastern climes.

Beneath his victim’s nose he shoved a pistol
big and black— Then rudely quoth: “T’row up yer hooks, an’
pass me out de sack!”
The Jap just muttered “Nitsu,”
Turned on the Jiu-Jitsu—
And with his thumb-nail broke the footpad’s back!

Pacific Monthly Vol 15 (Jan-June 1906)

First, the issues of class (perhaps bigotry as well?) in Victorian society are readily acknowledged, but rarely felt by the modern reader. The first article slaps you in the face with the reality that things were different back then with its talk of “undesirables”, kind of like the culture shock you experience re-watching Mel Brooks’ Blazing Saddles now that it’s thirty-some years after its debut.

All three articles show why we’ve had spirited but friendly discussions on the Bartitsu Society Forum trying to figure out just exactly what bartitsu is. Is it just re-badged jujutsu? Some statements point that way, others add Vigny’s system of city la canne and/or savate, others imply that anything taught at the club is fair game to be called bartitsu.

So just within this series we see the first article stating that bartitsu is just “Japanese wrestling,” while the second includes that plus boxing, savate, la canne, and the use of the dagger. The 1902 illustration inset shows that savate is firmly an element of bartitsu, whereas the last article separates bartitsu out from those activities.

A last point, related the the previous, is that the use of the dagger is mentioned again, although the only other mention we’ve seen was a reference to Barton-Wright learning the stiletto from “recognized masters”. This is an as yet unreconstructed element of bartitsu simply because there is so little to go on.

As always, for all your bartitsu needs don’t forget to check Bartitsu.org.

BARTITSU

MR. W.H. GRENFELL A CONVERT TO THE ART
(“Daily Mail” Special)

Very bronzed, and looking, if that were possible, in fitter athletic trim than ever, Mr. W. H. Grenfell, pattern and model of the English sporting gentleman, is back in town from Florida.

Already, under his stimulating influence, a new sport is developing. This is Bartitsu, the Japanese system of scientific wrestling, of which Mr. Barton-Wright has given such interesting demonstrations.

Mr. Grenfell has consented to become the president of the Bartitsu Club.

“The idea,” said Mr. Grenfell, to a “Daily Mail” representative, “is to establish an athletic class for people of good standing, and it seemed to us best to establish it in the form of a club, so as to be able to exclude undesirable persons. So members will be able to come themselves, and to send their children and the ladies of their family for instruction with every assurance that they will be running no risk of objectionable associations.”

“Is Bartitsu, then, a sport for women and children?”–”Oh, we are not going to confine ourselves to Japanese wrestling. Athletic exercises of many kinds and physical culture will be taught, but with this difference, that physical culture will be taught in a new form, which will make it interesting.”

“And this new art of self-defence?”–”Bartitsu; that will be taught as part of the general scheme of physical culture. And you know it is very desirable to teach people how to protect themselves against violence.”

“But does not the noble art of self-defence do that–the art of using the fists?”–”No. In the first place the violent ruffian is likely to be fairly proficient IN THE USE OF THE FISTS, and in the second place the stronger and heavier man has an overwhelming advantage in fist fighting.

“The great thing is to show people every possible form of attack to which they may be subjected, and to teach them how, by the application of scientific principles, every attack may be successfully met. Bartitsu teaches you how to overcome an opponent of superior weight by using his weight against himself, of throwing him by yielding instead of resisting, and of gripping him in various ways so as to put such a strain on his joints that however strong he may be he will be completely at your mercy. Then it teaches you how to fall so that the fact of being thrown will give you an advantage over the man who throws you.”

“It is a sort of physical counterpart, then, of the great financial art of making a fortune out of bankruptcy.”–”Then there are other means of self-defence which are useful. A lady I had the other day was, while riding her bicycle, attacked by a tramp. She was helpless against his superior strength. But there are ways of using a bending cane by which a lady might, if she has been taught the art, keep a molesting tramp at arm’s length. This will be taught as well as several other systems, all of which are not only useful but interesting to learn.”

“And who are with you in the movement?”–”Lord Alwyne Compton, M.P., is chairman of the club company, and with him as directors are a number of gentlemen whose names you will know in connection with sport–Lord Arthur Cecil, Mr. Bertram Astley, Mr. W. Moresby Chinnery, Captain Hutton, Mr. Stobart, Mr. Montagu Sweet, and Mr. Barton-Wright, who will be managing director.”
1899-06-13 London Daily Mail

Ladies Night at the Bath Club: A Varied Entertainment

A curious and amusing entertainment was given last Saturday by the Bath Club at their premises in Dover Street, Piccadilly, the occasion being the ladies night. Swordsmanship, swimming, and bartitsu were the special features. The last-named item is, as was demonstrated by Mr. E. W. Barton Wirght, a branch of the art of self-defence entirely new to England. It comes from Japan. It embodies all the best and most practical points in boxing, la savatte, the use of the dagger and of the walking-sticks, combined with a most scientific and secret style of Japanese wrestling. It also comprises the art of falling so as to reduce all risk of being hurt when thrown, and to land upon one’s feet facing the enemy, and also the art of putting “locks” on one’s opponent-that is subjecting different parts of his body to strains which he cannot possibly resist.

The Bartitsu Club

A new club, the “Bartitsu,” which means the art of self-defense, is being formed in London. “It will be a sports club,” explains its organizer, “where men and women, boys and girls, can be instructed in fencing, sabre play, la savate, boxing, and bartitsu.” One special feature will be the instruction of members, especially lady members in the art of defending themselves with a walking stick. The promoter of the “Bartitsu club” is going to Japan to secure instructors in certain styles of Japanese wrestling, which he says is the most perfect form of self-defense and one that can be acquired by women as equally as men.
1899-08-11 The Daily Iowa Capital

1. Soak stained bandanas in salt water before washing to help eliminate the stains.

I had to chuckle picturing someone salting down their basket of sweat-stained bandannas. Honestly, my bandanna needs have never been that pressing, but who am I to judge–maybe this guy goes through a lot of bandannas, even if I can’t imagine how. But if you are the type to wear that many bandannas, are you seriously that worried about sweat stains? Or is that tip just for your formal bandanna attire?

The general survivalist/preparedness community is interesting and has a strong online presence. The members appear either conservative or libertarian in their politics, and often Christian. If you accept on faith, as they do, that an apocalypse is coming, then you’d be foolish not to practice the rites of the prepper.

There is an attractiveness to many of the practices: I like martial arts, firearms, self-sufficiency, and many of the other topics they discuss. But there is something insidious about the whole movement that I’ve been trying to put my finger on.

All of the survivalist blogs and websites think that an apocalyptic event is likely, if not inevitable. But, like talk radio, they feed off one another’s fears in a way that reinforces the idea that an apocalyptic event is not only inevitable, but imminent. In other words, it’s easy to think that if all these other folk feel like I do about this happening, it must be true that it’s going to happen.

Too much of that mindset and the next thing you know all your big decisions are overshadowed by the looming doom. Just like anyone who may need their funds quickly, they avoid the stock market and plenty aren’t thinking about retirement. Their long term planning often goes no further than buying and stocking a dream retreat.

Whereas to me, a stock market crash just means it’s time to buy, not that it’s a sign of the End of Days. Maybe my concern is that continual exposure to the survivalist message leads to long-term planning for something that, while catastrophic if it does happen, is still at a low risk of occurring. The impression I get is that the normal long-term planning, i.e., for life events at a high risk of occurrence, such as obtaining health insurance and saving for the kids’ college fund and your retirement, etc., is being sacrificed for more guns and freeze-dried food.

Of course, if they turn out to be right, they’ll be the ones laughing as they grab their bug-out bag, fire up the 4wd and flatten zombies on the way to their self-sufficient retreat in the Ozarks.

Question: Where else will you see multiple internationally recognized instructors teaching a range of weapon and empty hand techniques in a day long seminar held at a historic mansion, all for free?

Answer: Nowhere else. This is without a doubt the best martial arts value you will see this year.

I gave a review of last year’s event, or at least those parts I attended, and hopefully this year I can get out there for the full day. This year should be similar in format to last year.

The tentative schedule begins at 10 am with a tour of the mansion and a discussion of the manly pursuits of its former occupants. The first half of the martial instruction is dedicated to military weapons (lower, then upper class) and the latter half is civilian self-defense including empty hand, sticks, and knives (bartitsu too!) again divided by class.

Rather than give the full pitch, I’ll direct you to the website so you can get all the details for contacts, directions, etc. Hope to see you there!