Not currently on display at the V&A

Wallis's New Game of Universal History and Chronology

Board Game
20/05/1814 (published)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This is a race game designed to teach history. There are138 playing spaces numbered in a clockwise direction. The starting point is Adam and Eve. The first 75 spaces deal with events before 1066. Each has a date, starting with Anno Mundi 1. In the centre is George, the Prince Regent, later George IV. The accompanying booklet has a list of all the spaces with their titles and dates. Some have additional information and some have instructions on rewards and forfeits.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 4 parts.

  • Board Game
  • Board
  • Explanation to Wallis's New Game of Universal History & Chronology
  • Cover
TitleWallis's New Game of Universal History and Chronology (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Hand-coloured engraved paper on linen
Brief description
Hand coloured historical race game, Universal History and Chronology, published in England by John Wallis in 1814
Physical description
Design: engraving, hand coloured; paper, 12 sections mounted on linen
138 compartments numbered in a clockwise direction with No. 1 in the lower left corner
No. of squares: 138
Squares illustrated: all
Square numbering: numbered 1 to 138
Squares titled: none, see booklet
Subject of starting square: creation of the world
Subject of ending square: George, Prince of Wales, 1812
Dimensions
  • Length: 53cm
  • Width: 53cm
  • Cover length: 20cm
  • Cover width: 14cm
Object history
The first 75 squares deal with events before 1066, each has a date, starting with Anno Mundi 1 and all dates are given with conviction - for example, the Universal Deluge occurred in AM1636-one wonders if this knowledge was lost between 1814 and today. In the centre is George, Prince Regent. The game was reworked and issued about 1840 and had 5 compartments replacing the portrait.


CGG-Games & Puzzles, 1991
Historical context
Rewards: receipt of counters
Forfeits: payment of counters
No. of Players: up to 12
Equipment required: teetotum, markers and counters

Rules:
EXPLANATION TO WALLIS'S NEW GAME OF UNIVERSAL HISTORY AND CHRONOLOGY, LONDON PRINTED FOR JOHN WALLIS No. 42 SKINNER STREET; BY F VIGURS, 14, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDENS, 1814

RULES FOR PLAYING
Rule 1. The materials for playing this Game are, a Teetotum, which is to be numbered with pen and ink; twelve letters, or markers, to place on the numbers at which each player stands in the Game; and two dozen fish or counters for each, which may be pieces of card, or any other substance.
II. Let the letters be placed on the table, face downwards; and each player draw one, which is to be his marker. Whoever has the earliest letter in the alphabet, is to spin first, and the others follow in rotation.
III . Each player must put six counters into the pool.
IV. Let the first player spin, and, placing his marker on the Game according to the number turned up, refer to the Chronology of Events, and observe the directions there given.
V. Whenever a player is directed to read the history of any event in another page, he shall have the privilege, after so doing, of spinning again, and be rewarded with a counter from each player.
VI. The fines placed on any number are only to be taken by those who arrive at it by spinning; and not when sent from another number; neither are the directions to be then observed.
VII. If two persons arrive at the same number, the last comer shall return to his former place, and receive two from the first for so doing. (This is the opposite to that of Game of Human Life)..
VIII.After the Game has gone once round, the first player is to spin again, and add that number which turns up to his f ormer one. Thus, if he were at 8, and at his second spin turn up 6, he moves to 14; and in this manner proceed till some one arrive at 139; but whoever goes beyond that must return to his former place, till some one arrive at the lucky number, who takes all the counters and wins the game.

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Within the booklet is a list of the squares; their titles and the dates applied to each, for example ANNO MUNDI 1 The creation of the World and AM 1656 The Universal Deluge..

Also within the booklet are the OUTLINES OF HISTORY given for some but not all the squares. These also contain some rewards and forfeits instructions and in general are meant to be read aloud by the players who land on the chosen squares.

Rules placement: booklet, 34 pages with two pages of advertisements
Production
Booklet printed by F Vigurs, 14 York Street, Covent Garden
Summary
This is a race game designed to teach history. There are138 playing spaces numbered in a clockwise direction. The starting point is Adam and Eve. The first 75 spaces deal with events before 1066. Each has a date, starting with Anno Mundi 1. In the centre is George, the Prince Regent, later George IV. The accompanying booklet has a list of all the spaces with their titles and dates. Some have additional information and some have instructions on rewards and forfeits.
Collection
Accession number
E.218-1944

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Record createdMarch 4, 2000
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest